Stress, Anxiety, Burnout & Nervous System Support in Whistler

If you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, foggy, or physically worn down—your nervous system might be asking for help.

At Mend Health Co, we use acupuncture and manual therapy to support your body’s natural ability to regulate, recover, and reset. It’s not just about feeling calm—it’s about building real resilience.

Is This You?

  • Trouble sleeping or waking up tired

  • Feeling anxious, irritable, or emotionally flat

  • Brain fog, poor focus, or low motivation

  • Muscle tension that doesn’t go away

  • Getting sick more often or taking longer to recover

    If any of that sounds familiar, we should talk.

Why Stress Lives In The Body

Your nervous system is constantly adapting. But when stress becomes chronic—whether from overtraining, life pressure, health challenges, or emotional load—it can get stuck in “fight or flight” mode.

This affects everything from digestion and hormones to muscle tone, recovery, and energy levels. Over time, your system loses its bounce-back and small stressors feel overwhelming.

It’s not just about doing less. It’s about retraining your system to shift into a state of safety—so recovery, clarity, and ease can return.

Common Causes We See in Clinic

Internal + Systemic Load

  • Chronic stress or anxiety

  • Overtraining / Overworking without recovery

  • Poor sleep or circadian rhythm disruption

  • Hormonal imbalances or blood sugar swings

  • Autoimmune or inflammatory conditions

Lifestyle + Emotional Load

  • High performance demands (work, sport, caregiving)

  • Perfectionism, pressure, or people-pleasing

  • Lack of boundaries or downtime

  • Past trauma or unresolved nervous system imprints

How We Assess Stress & Burnout

When your nervous system is running on empty, we look deeper than just symptoms. Your initial visit includes a focused assessment of the patterns affecting regulation, resilience, and recovery.

What we may assess:

  • Breathing patterns, vagal tone, and diaphragm function

  • Postural tension and fascial holding patterns

  • Nervous system reactivity and muscle tone

  • Energy levels, sleep quality, digestion, and cognitive load

  • Traditional tongue and pulse diagnosis for internal patterns

  • Stress load and your capacity to recover from it

You’ll leave with a clear picture of what’s keeping your system stuck—and how we’ll help you shift.

How Our Integrative Approach Helps

Think of your nervous system like a muscle—it can be trained.

Just like a workout strengthens your body, acupuncture and nervous system-based therapies help build your capacity to shift from “on” (fight-or-flight) to “off” (rest-and-digest). It’s not about staying calm all the time—it’s about becoming more adaptable and resilient.

At Mend, we focus on helping your system relearn how to regulate itself—so you’re not stuck in overdrive. Depending on what we find, your session may include:

  • Distal (Channel-Based) Acupuncture – Calms the nervous system through gentle stimulation of specific points, supporting parasympathetic tone.

  • Electroacupuncture Perfusion Treatment – Gentle stimulation along the spine, shown to improve blood flow to the brain, support cognition, and regulate the stress response.

  • Manual Therapy or Craniosacral Work – Gentle hands-on techniques that release tension and signal safety to the nervous system.

  • Breathwork & Diaphragm Support – Techniques to improve vagal tone and support your system’s ability to self-regulate.

    This isn’t about avoiding stress altogether—it’s about creating the internal capacity to meet life with strength, clarity, and ease.

What a Session Looks Like

Initial Assessment + Treatment (~60 min)
New to Mend? We’ll review your health history, assess your nervous system patterns, and start with a gentle, targeted treatment to support recovery.

Follow-Up Acupuncture – Standard (~40 min)
Focused support session. Re-assess nervous system markers, adapt treatment to your week, and layer in new strategies as resilience builds.

Follow-Up Acupuncture – Extended (~60 min)
Extra time for layered care—manual therapy, craniosacral, or emotional processing support. Ideal for sensitive systems or multi-area care.

Recommended Visit Frequency

For stress, burnout, or nervous system regulation:

  • Reset Phase: 2x/week for 2–3 weeks when you’re in the thick of it—overwhelmed, exhausted, or feeling stuck in overdrive.

    Recover Phase: 1x/week for 3–6 weeks once things are more stable—to rebuild resilience, energy, and nervous system regulation.

    Maintain Phase: 1x/month or around high-stress seasons to stay ahead of burnout and support long-term balance.

    You don’t need to be in crisis to benefit—and we’ll tailor this to meet you where you’re at.

5 Practices to Regulate Your Nervous System

The key here is to pepper these practices throughout your day so that you are retraining your system to go from an elevated sympathetic tone to a more calm parasympathetic tone on a regular basis.

  1. 90/90 Breathing
    Feet on couch or chair, exhale fully through pursed lips. Breathe low into your ribs.
    → This stimulates the vagus nerve and signals your body it’s safe to relax.

  2. Cold Exposure or Contrast Showers
    Short, safe exposure to cold water can help build resilience and improve regulation.
    → Try ending your shower with 30 seconds of cold.

  3. Daily Walks or Gentle Movement
    Low-intensity movement supports lymphatic flow, energy, and mental clarity.
    → Even 10–20 minutes helps.

  4. Digital Boundaries
    Limit screen time before bed. Use blue light filters. Give your brain time to unwind.
    → The nervous system needs pauses to reset.

  5. Time in Nature
    Proven to reduce cortisol, improve mood, and restore energy.
    → Even a few minutes outside can help recalibrate.

!! When Acupuncture Isn’t the First Step

Please reach out to your primary care provider if you're experiencing:

  • Severe panic attacks or suicidal thoughts

  • Major depressive symptoms or psychosis

  • Symptoms that worsen significantly after gentle care

  • Significant memory loss, disorientation, or sudden changes in cognition

We’re happy to support you once you’ve had the right medical or mental health care in place.

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace medical advice. If you’re experiencing concerning symptoms or a medical emergency, please seek appropriate medical attention.

Ready to Rebuild Your Resilliance?

Acupuncture helps train your nervous system to shift gears—so you can move from stress to calm more easily. If you’re ready for deeper rest, better focus, and steadier energy, we’re here to help.


Serving Whistler, Pemberton & the Sea to Sky Corridor.