Mirror Neurons, Calm States & The Ripple Effect: How Your Nervous System Affects Everyone Around You

Have you ever walked into a room and felt the tension in the air before anyone even said a word? Or instantly relaxed when someone calm and grounded entered the space?

That’s not your imagination — that’s your nervous system picking up on the internal state of others, thanks to something called mirror neurons.

These specialized brain cells respond not only when we perform an action, but also when we observe someone else doing the same. They help us empathize, learn by watching, and understand others on a deep, often unconscious level. But mirror neurons don’t just mirror actions — they also mirror states. Emotions. Energy. Presence.

In other words, we affect each other constantly, and often without meaning to. This is both a tremendous responsibility and a powerful opportunity.

Emotional Contagion & Co-Regulation

The phrase emotional contagion might sound dramatic, but it simply refers to our tendency to "catch" emotions from those around us — for better or worse.

In group dynamics, in relationships, and even in parenting, this can create either a beautiful harmony or a reactive feedback loop. Co-regulation happens when one person’s regulated nervous system helps bring another’s into balance. A crying toddler who is met with calm presence from a parent can begin to settle. A distressed client in therapy may begin to feel safe because the therapist holds a steady, grounded energy.

You’ve likely seen the opposite too — panic feeding panic. One of the best (and funniest) examples is from the movie Bridesmaids, when Kristen Wiig’s character, terrified of flying, sits beside someone even more afraid. Instead of calming each other down, they spiral together into chaos. It’s played for laughs, but it’s actually a perfect illustration of how we reflect the internal states of those around us.

Mirror Neurons in Real Life

One of the most profound examples of emotional mirroring is bringing home your first newborn. If you’re calm, fed, rested, supported — the baby feels that. If you’re spiraling? The baby spirals too and everyone ends up in tears.

This is why leadership isn’t just about what we do, it’s about the energy we bring. Whether you’re a birthing partner, a therapist, a parent, or a team lead, your presence sets the tone.

The optimal state for learning, growth, healing, or calming others is centered, grounded, and connected — to your body, to yourself, and to something greater (whether you call it Source, the Universe, or simply a sense of being held and supported).

How the World Pulls Us Off Center

In a world filled with alarming headlines, heartbreaking footage, and an unrelenting stream of global crises, it’s easy to feel drained, horrified, and helpless. Our brains and bodies were not designed to process so much bad news from every corner of the planet. We’re absorbing it emotionally and physiologically, even if we’re not consciously aware.

This is where mirror neurons — and our own state — become especially important. Because in the chaos, we can either become more dysregulated… or we can become the beacon that helps others come back to calm.

Hypnotherapy: A Way Back to Your Center

Hypnotherapy is one of the most effective ways to gently return to that steady, calm, regulated state. It helps you quiet the noise, regulate your nervous system, and reconnect with the deep, wise part of you that knows how to ride the waves of life.

With the right support, you can rewire old patterns, interrupt anxiety loops, and stop reacting to the world as if it’s completely unsafe. You begin to access clarity, calm, and compassion — not just for yourself, but for those around you.

You become the person who steadies the room. The one others lean on — not because you’re holding it all together perfectly, but because you’ve remembered how to return to stillness in yourself.

The Ripple Starts With You

You don’t have to control the world. You don’t have to calm everyone around you. But you can learn how to steady yourself — and that steadiness creates a ripple.

Whether you’re holding space for a loved one, showing up as a parent, or simply trying to stay sane in a frantic world, your nervous system has power. Your presence can help others feel safe, seen, and soothed.

And it starts with you.

Ready to become the calm in the chaos?

If you're curious about how hypnotherapy can help you feel more centered, more grounded, and more like yourself, let’s talk. I offer free consultations so you can ask questions, get a feel for how it works, and see if it’s the right fit for you.

Get in touch here. Or visit Ascendant Hypnotherapy to learn more.

You have everything you need within you. Hypnotherapy just helps you find your way back to it.