How Somatic Work Makes Digital Boundaries Actually Stick

What Happens When You Address the Body

Let me share a story that illustrates why this somatic piece matters so much.

A CEO I’ll call David came to my THRIVE program after working with a digital wellness coach. He’d implemented every strategy:

• App blockers on his phone
• Time-boxing for email (down to 6 checks per day from 100+)
• Digital sunset at 8 PM every night
• Device-free bedroom

And it was helping. His screen time dropped significantly. But he felt miserable.

“I’m doing everything right,” he told me in our first session. “But I feel like I’m constantly fighting my own body. Even when I’m offline, I can’t relax. My hands reach for my phone without thinking. I feel anxious when it’s out of reach. It’s like my body won’t let me rest.”

Through kinesiology, here’s what I found:

Physical Assessment:

• Breathing pattern was shallow and chest-focused (classic fight-or-flight)
• Chronic tension in shoulders, neck, and jaw
• Digestive issues (his body literally couldn’t rest-and-digest)
• Sleep disruption despite good sleep hygiene

Nervous System Assessment:

• Stuck in sympathetic activation (fight-or-flight mode)
• Unable to access parasympathetic response (rest-and-digest)
• Physical restlessness driving compulsive behaviors
• Adrenal exhaustion from years of pushing

The Root Issue: His nervous system had been in chronic activation for so long that it no longer knew how to downregulate. Being offline felt threatening because his body interpreted the lack of vigilance as danger.

We worked together for 8 weeks using the BAMBOO Method:

• Kinesiology sessions to release stored stress
• Breathwork to retrain his nervous system
• Somatic practices that taught his body what safety feels like
• Movement strategies that provided healthy dopamine without digital stimulation

The results were profound:

After 8 Weeks:

• His digital strategies finally felt sustainable (not like fighting himself)
• Being offline actually felt restful instead of anxiety-provoking
• Sleep improved from 4-5 hours to 7-8 hours
• Physical symptoms (tension, digestive issues) resolved
• Energy returned—he felt vital instead of depleted
• Most importantly: he could actually be present with his family

“The digital strategies gave me permission to disconnect,” David told me. “But your work gave me the ability to actually do it. I didn’t realize how much my nervous system was running the show.”

The Three Signs You Need Somatic Support

If you’re implementing digital wellness strategies on your own, here are three signs that you may want to also adopt the somatic piece:

1. Your Strategies Aren’t Sticking

You know what to do. You’ve set up systems. You’ve created boundaries. But you keep falling back into old patterns. Your hands reach for your phone without conscious thought. You feel anxious when devices are out of reach.

What this means: Your nervous system is overriding your conscious intentions. Behavioral changes alone can’t address body-level patterns.

2. Being Offline Feels Uncomfortable or Impossible

When you try to disconnect, you feel:

• Anxious or restless
• Like you’re crawling out of your skin
• Physically uncomfortable
• Unable to actually rest despite being “off”

What this means: Your nervous system hasn’t learned that offline time is safe. Your body is still in vigilance mode even when there’s nothing to be vigilant about.

3. Physical Symptoms Are Interfering with Performance

You’re experiencing:

• Chronic tension, pain, or physical discomfort
• Sleep disruption
• Digestive issues
• Frequent illness
• Loss of energy or vitality

What this means: Your body is sending distress signals. Stress that’s been stored for months or years is manifesting physically. Without addressing it somatically, it will eventually become chronic illness.

How the BAMBOO Method Supports Your Digital Wellness Journey

Think of it this way:

Eli’s work addresses the environment and the behavior. He helps you understand your brain, build systems that work with your neurodivergence, and create sustainable boundaries with technology.

My work addresses the body and the nervous system. I help your body actually allow you to implement those changes without feeling like you’re fighting yourself.

Together, these approaches create transformation that’s both deep and lasting.

Here’s what it looks like in practice:

When You Work with Both Approaches:

Digital Environment (Offline.now):

• App blockers reduce triggers
• Time-boxing creates structure
• Boundaries protect your time and attention
• Executive function support helps you manage ADHD traits

Somatic Reality (My Territory):

• Kinesiology releases stored stress
• Breathwork retrains your nervous system
• BAMBOO Method teaches your body what regulation feels like
• Somatic practices make offline time actually restful

The Result: You have both the permission to disconnect (from Offline.now strategies) AND the ability to actually do it (from somatic work).

Practical Integration: What This Looks Like Daily

If you’re implementing Offline.now strategies and want to add the somatic piece, here’s what I recommend:

Morning (Set Your Nervous System Up for Success)

6:00 AM – Wake Without Digital Stimulation

• Phone stays in another room overnight 
• Before reaching for any device, do 5 minutes of breathwork (BAMBOO Method)
• This establishes that you’re safe before engaging with potential stressors

6:30 AM – Movement Before Screen Time

• Gentle stretching, yoga, or walking
• This satisfies your body’s need for activation without digital stimulation
• Provides natural dopamine from healthy sources

Throughout the Day (Maintain Regulation)

Every 90 Minutes – Somatic Check-In

• Pause whatever you’re doing
• Notice: How am I breathing? Where am I holding tension?
• 2-minute movement break or breathwork reset
• This prevents chronic activation from building

Between Digital Work Blocks:

• Walk outside without your phone (even 5 minutes)
• Look at distant horizons (relieves eye strain and mental strain)
• Full-body shake-out (releases accumulated tension)

Evening (Support Downregulation)

6:00 PM – Digital Sunset + Somatic Practice

• Begin your offline window 
• 10-minute BAMBOO Method practice: gentle stretching, breathwork, body scan
• This teaches your nervous system that offline = safe

Before Bed:

• No screens 
• Progressive muscle relaxation or guided meditation
• This reinforces that rest is possible and safe

The Dopamine Connection

I want to address something that Eli talks about a lot: dopamine feedback loops.

From a somatic perspective, here’s what’s important to understand:

Your body’s dopamine response is directly connected to your nervous system state.

When you’re in chronic activation (fight-or-flight), you need MORE stimulation to feel “normal.” This is why:

• You reach for your phone more compulsively when stressed
• Digital detox feels harder when you’re already overwhelmed
• You crave the dopamine hit even though you know it’s not helping

The solution isn’t just to manage the dopamine loop behaviorally (though that helps). It’s also to restore your nervous system’s baseline state so you need less external stimulation to feel okay.

When your nervous system is regulated:

• You naturally reach for your phone less
• You can tolerate periods of low stimulation
• You find satisfaction in simple, non-digital pleasures
• Your dopamine system rebalances naturally

This is why the somatic work is so powerful—it addresses the root of the seeking behavior, not just the symptoms.

About Amanda Campbell

Amanda Campbell is a CEO Resilience Coach, Sports Kinesiologist, Author and keynote speaker & Founder of Bend Like Bamboo, a Melbourne-based wellness practice. After recovering from paralysis at age 29, Amanda has been in remission for 16 years and now helps high-performing leaders avoid the burnout she understands intimately.

She operates two main programs:

• HEAL: For individuals with chronic symptoms and autoimmune conditions
• THRIVE: For executives and CEOs experiencing burnout

Using her signature BAMBOO Method combining resilience training with kinesiology, Amanda has worked with organizations including Lululemon, Mind Australia, Australia Post, and Minter Ellison. She also hosts the Bend Like Bamboo Resilience Podcast featuring conversations with leaders about building sustainable resilience.

Connect with Amanda:

• Website: www.bendlikebamboo.com
• Learn about THRIVE: www.bendlikebamboo.com/thrive
• Podcast: Bend Like Bamboo Resilience Podcast