In the language of mental health and trauma recovery, glimmers are the exact opposite of triggers.
Where triggers activate stress responses, glimmers are small, positive experiences that create feelings of safety, calm, and connection. They’re not necessarily big, life-changing moments – they’re micro-moments. A passing butterfly , the sound of birds in the jungle, the smell of fresh-baked bread, or the memory of a beloved aunt’s kitchen during the holidays, touch of your cozy blanket, smell of favorite tea.
While they may seem small, glimmers can be powerful regulators for our overwhelmed nervous systems, helping us counterbalance the constant overstimulation of modern life.
Where the Concept Comes From
The idea of glimmers is rooted in Polyvagal Theory, developed by behavioral neuroscientist Stephen Porges in 1995.
Polyvagal Theory explains how our autonomic nervous system – which controls functions like breathing, heartbeat, and digestion – constantly scans both our inner world and our environment for cues of safety or danger. This subconscious scanning is called neuroception, and the vagus nerve plays a central role in regulating our body’s responses.
The term “glimmer” itself was introduced by Deb Dana, LCSW, in her 2018 book The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation. It became more widely known in 2022 when psychologist Dr. Justine Grosso spoke about it in a viral TikTok video.
Understanding Triggers vs. Glimmers
When You’re Triggered
A trigger happens when the brain associates something in the present with a past traumatic event – reacting as if the danger is happening right now. This launches the fight-flight responses:
- Rapid heartbeat
- Sweaty palms or sudden chills
- Tightness in the chest or gut
- Heightened anxiety or agitation
These responses are designed to keep us alive in real danger – great if you’re facing a tiger, less helpful when you’re facing an email from your boss or a difficult memory. Chronic activation of these stress states can lead to long-term health problems such as high blood pressure, insomnia, chronic pain, autoimmune issues, anxiety and/or depression.
In Polyvagal Theory, this is often explained as a ladder:
- Top of the ladder: Ventral vagal state – social engagement, safety, connection.
- Middle: Sympathetic activation – fight-or-flight response.
- Bottom: Dorsal vagal state – freeze, shutdown, withdrawal.
When You Feel a Glimmer
A glimmer is a cue that nudges you toward the top of the ladder – into the ventral vagal state – where your body activates the parasympathetic nervous system (rest-digest-repair). This state brings your system back to balance, supports physical healing, and fosters emotional well-being.
How Glimmers Work
Both triggers and glimmers are cues.
Triggers are curses of danger, move you toward protective states like fight, flight, freeze, or fawn.
Glimmers are causes of safety,move you toward safety, connection, curiosity and openness.
While you can’t fully control where you are on the Polyvagal ladder – much of it is automatic – you can influence your state.
For example:
- If you’re in fight-or-flight → relaxing your muscles and slowing your breathing can help shift you upward into the ventral vagal state.
- If you’re in freeze → you may first need gentle movement or activation before you can access calm connection.
Examples of Common Glimmers
Glimmers are deeply personal, but here are some universal ones many people experience:
- Warm sun on your skin
- Feeling the warm sand on the beach
- Smell of the forest
- The cool, salty ocean breeze
- Smell of freshly cut grass
- Sunlight sparkling on water
- The scent of lavender
- Petting a dog or a cat
- A stranger smiling at you
- Hearing your favorite song
- The perfect cup of coffee
Finding and Cultivating Your Glimmers
If you’re used to scanning for danger, noticing glimmers may not come naturally. The key is practice.
Step 1: Remember a Moment of Safety
Think of a time you felt safe and connected – no matter how brief. Pay attention to the sensations in your body when you recall it.
Step 2: Keep a Glimmer Journal
Write them down in a notebook or notes app. Over time, you’ll build a personal library of cues you can return to.
Step 3: Revisit Childhood Comforts
If you had safe, comforting moments as a child/teenager or even in adulthood , see if you can recreate them. If not, imagine the care you needed back then and find ways to give that to yourself now—maybe a weighted blanket, a warm bath,nourishing meal or a gentle hug from someone you trust.
Step 4: Engage Your Senses
Glimmers often arrive through sensory experiences – smell, touch, sight, sound, taste. The more you intentionally notice them, the more often they’ll appear.
Why Glimmers Matter
Just as repeated exposure to triggers can wire the brain for hypervigilance, repeated exposure to glimmers can re-train your nervous system toward safety and connection. Over time, this can mean:
- Lower baseline anxiety
- More emotional resilience
- Better physical health
- A greater sense of belonging in your own life
Glimmers remind us that safety doesn’t have to be a rare event. It can be woven into the small, ordinary moments – if we learn to see them.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
I’d love to hear about the small moments that make you feel safe, calm, or connected – your personal glimmers. Maybe it’s the first sip of your morning coffee, a song you can’t help but hum along to, or the way the afternoon light hits your favorite chair.
📧 ewa@therapyofnow.com
You’re welcome to share your glimmers with me, ask questions, or book a somatic therapy session (online or in person). Together, we can explore ways to bring more of these everyday moments of safety and joy into your life.
