The Overview Effect, Body Literacy, and Well-Being Skills

Practicing CRM wellness skills increases emotional regulation and well-being.

Posted March 18, 2026 | Reviewed by Monica Vilhauer Ph.D.

When astronauts describe seeing Earth from space, they often report a psychological and spiritual shift known as the Overview Effect .1 Research on awe and self-transcendent emotions suggests that awe experiences, like those described by astronauts, can reduce self-focus and increase feelings of connection and shared identity . Awe engages five processes that benefit well-being—shifts in neurophysiology, a diminished focus on the self, increased prosocial relationality, greater social integration, and a heightened sense of meaning.2

Most of us will never see Earth from orbit. Yet research on interoception suggests that a similar shift in perspective can occur within our own bodies when we learn about nervous system regulation.

This is where the Community Resiliency Models (CRM) and the concept of body literacy come together.

Body Literacy and the Nervous System

CRM is grounded in well-established neuroscience regarding the autonomic nervous system.

When the nervous system perceives threat—whether physical, relational, or symbolic—the sympathetic branch mobilizes the body for protection. When cues of safety are detected, parasympathetic processes support restoration and social engagement.3

In CRM language, this is described through the Zone of Well-Being. When we are within our Zone of Well-Being, we can think clearly, manage emotions, and remain present. When stress overwhelms the system, we may move into the High Zone ( anxiety , anger , hyperarousal) or the Low Zone (numbness, shutdown, withdrawal). These are not character flaws. They are biological adaptations.

Body literacy aligns with research on interoception—the capacity to sense internal bodily signals such as heart rate, muscle tension, and breath patterns. Neuroscientific research demonstrates that interoception plays a central role in emotional awareness and regulation. When individuals learn to track sensations and use skills to return toward their Zone of Well-Being, they strengthen regulatory capacity over time.4

In clinical settings, one of the most powerful shifts occurs when individuals recognize that stress reactions are universal physiological responses rather than personal weaknesses. This paradigm shift can result in decreased shame and increased self-compassion and compassion towards others.5

Shared Biology, Distinct Lived Experience

Research on chronic stress and allostatic load demonstrates that repeated exposure to adversity, such as discrimination , poverty, instability, or trauma , can result in prolonged physiological activation that influences long-term health and regulation. Over time, this repeated activation shapes how the nervous system interprets cues of safety and danger.3

Intersectionality, a framework introduced by Kimberlé Crenshaw, helps us understand how overlapping identities influence exposure to stressors and access to protective resources. These experiences not only affect our thoughts and feelings, but they also become embodied patterns of hypervigilance or shutdown.6

CRM does not pathologize these responses. Instead, it recognizes that nervous systems adapt to environments. Hyperarousal or withdrawal often reflects adaptive survival strategies shaped by lived experiences. Understanding this dual reality of shared biology and distinct lived experience can invite compassion without minimizing our differences. While every nervous system operates according to the same principles, each has been shaped by different conditions.

Crisscrossing and Neuroplasticity

In my work, I use the term crisscrossing to describe how experiences of adversity and resilience overlap and shape who we become. From a neuroscientific perspective, this reflects neuroplasticity—the brain and nervous system’s capacity to change in response to experience. Research in affective neuroscience further demonstrates that supportive experiences and stress-regulation practices can influence neural plasticity across the lifespan.7

Each time a person uses CRM skills—such as tracking, resourcing, grounding, or Help Now strategies—to return toward their Resilient Zone, neural pathways associated with regulation are strengthened. Adversity shapes the nervous system and so do corrective experiences. Crisscrossing reflects the interweaving of both. Stress responses may leave imprints, yet experiences of safety, kindness, and mastery also become embedded within the system. Over time, these experiences expand one’s capacity for regulation and connection.

An Inner Overview Effect

Through the lens of CRM, developing body literacy can create what might be described as an “inner Overview Effect.” As individuals learn to track their sensations and recognize shifts into High or Low Zones, they begin to see stress responses as part of our shared human design. Understanding that another person’s irritability may reflect sympathetic activation—or that withdrawal may signal parasympathetic shutdown—can soften perceptions. This can increase empathy.

Clinical and Everyday Implications

Research and clinical observation suggest several implications:

When we honor both the universality of our biology and the uniqueness of our human experiences, we help create spaces where healing becomes possible for all.

From space, astronauts see the Earth as an interconnected whole. From within, body literacy allows us to see ourselves as an interconnected whole—where biology, identity, and lived experience weave together. Intersectionality helps us understand the many experiences that shape each person’s nervous system. Crisscrossing reminds us that our lived experiences, even the difficult ones, can become sources of strength, empathy, and connection. Developing awareness of our nervous system can create an inner Overview Effect.

White, F. (2014). The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution (3rd ed.). Reston, VA: AIAA.

2.Monroy M, Keltner D. Awe as a Pathway to Mental and Physical Health. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2023 Mar;18(2):309-320. doi: 10.1177/17456916221094856. Epub 2022 Aug 22. PMID: 35994778; PMCID: PMC10018061.

3.McEwen, B. S. (1998). Protective and damaging effects of stress mediators. New England Journal of Medicine, 338 (3), 171–179. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199801153380307

Nicholson, et al.(2025). The Body Can Balance the Score: Using a Somatic Self-Care Intervention to Support Well-Being and Promote Healing. Healthcare , 13 (11), 1258. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13111258
Habimana, S., et al.(2026). Promoting social cohesion, compassion and forgiveness among Rwandan survivors and perpetrators through community resiliency model training: a longitudinal randomized comparison study, EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTRAUMATOLOGY 2026, VOL. 17, NO. 1, 2621634. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2026.2621634
Crenshaw, K. (1991). Mapping the margins: Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color. Stanford Law Review, 43 (6), 1241–1299. https://doi.org/10.2307/1229039
Davidson, R. J., & McEwen, B. S. (2012). Social influences on neuroplasticity: Stress and interventions to promote well-being. Nature Neuroscience, 15 , 689–695. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3093

Share this post Facebook Bluesky Linkedin Email

There was a problem adding your email address. Please try again.

By submitting your information you agree to the Psychology Today Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy

Elaine Miller-Karas, LCSW, an internationally-known trauma therapist and key developer of the Community and Trauma Resiliency Models, is a co-founder of the nonprofit Trauma Resource Institute.

Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today.

This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.