Free Assessment · 8 Minutes

The Emotional
Load Assessment

Find out what your nervous system is carrying — and exactly where to start.

You're managing a lot. Not just on your calendar — internally. Most high-achieving professionals are carrying a significant emotional load without a name for it, a framework for it, or a reliable way through it.

This assessment identifies which of three nervous system states is currently most dominant. That tells you where to focus first — and which practice will move the needle fastest.

The Science Behind This
Your autonomic nervous system operates across three primary states, mapped by Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory. Each state produces distinct emotional, cognitive, and physical patterns. High achievers cycle between all three — often without realising it. Identifying your dominant state is the first step to shifting it.

The three states we're measuring:

Overload
Sympathetic activation · Fight/flight response
Too much input, too many demands, nervous system stuck in high alert. Cortisol is elevated. The prefrontal cortex — responsible for clear thinking and nuanced decisions — is partially offline.
Depletion
Sympathetic exhaustion · Pre-freeze state
You've been running on reserves for too long. The tank is empty. What looks like low motivation is often the nervous system enforcing a shutdown to prevent complete collapse.
Disconnection
Dorsal vagal activation · Protective withdrawal
Functioning but not fully feeling. Present in body, absent in self. The nervous system has moved into protective withdrawal — going through the motions without being truly here.
8
minutes
15 questions · instant results · completely free

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One Step First

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Section 1 of 3 — Overload
Question 1 of 15
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Your Assessment Results
Your primary state is
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Your Score Breakdown
What This Means
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The Neuroscience
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Your Recommended Starting Practice
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What Comes Next
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