Every so often, a simple moment stops me in my tracks – and a post from my beloved Cedar Grove Lodge outside Huntsville, Ontario did just that this week. It showed a newborn fawn nestled quietly in the underbrush, hidden in plain sight. I’m not at Cedar Grove at the moment, but I’ve been visiting there for over 30 years – several times a year. It’s a place where my nervous system exhales. Where the stillness speaks.
The post explained that for the first few weeks of life, a fawn can’t outrun predators. So, nature has equipped it with a brilliant suite of defenses: camouflage spots, the ability to remain completely still – even when approached – and no scent to attract predators. The mother doe stays away during the day to avoid drawing attention to her little one, returning just a few times to nurse. The fawn isn’t abandoned – it’s protected.
And I thought… isn’t that just like us?
What we so often label as “self-sabotage” in the world of therapy and coaching – what if we reframed that? What if we recognized that the behaviors, beliefs, and patterns that frustrate us the most are, in fact, intelligent adaptations – created not by our flaws, but by our biology? Not weaknesses, but protective strategies rooted in survival.
This is one of the foundational ideas in Conscious EFT – the integrative, neurobiologically-grounded evolution of EFT that we practice and teach. We don’t pathologize defense. We honour it. We understand that the nervous system is always working on behalf of safety first. Whether it shows up as freeze, procrastination, overwhelm, perfectionism, withdrawal – or that deep inner voice that whispers “stay small” – these are not signs of brokenness. They are evidence of brilliance.
Just as the fawn doesn’t run until it can, we too need time, safety, and presence before we’re ready to move.
That’s why in Conscious EFT, we don’t push through. We don’t rush healing. We create conditions of safety so that the nervous system can soften its grip on survival and begin to shift into growth. We tap – literally and figuratively – into the wisdom of the body, acknowledging what’s been needed and offering the system a new experience of being safe, connected, and resourced.
And that, to me, is what healing is really about. Not forcing ourselves into confidence, clarity, or action – but gently allowing those capacities to emerge as the system feels safe enough to let them.
So if you’ve ever felt stuck, resistant, or like your inner fawn just doesn’t want to get up and stroll – know this: it’s not sabotage. It’s not failure. It’s your system being wise.
And with the right conditions – compassion, patience, and tools like Conscious EFT – you will grow strong enough to stand, walk, even run.
Just like that little fawn, soon to be seen walking confidently between the cottages at Cedar Grove.
Here’s to honoring the timing of your own becoming.
If you’d like to dip your toes into the waters of Conscious EFT, get started with our free 5-part Conscious EFT™ 101 video series that explores a unique, trauma-informed approach to EFT.
