Staying Calm Under Pressure: Nervous System Tools Every Pilot Should Know with Lisa Danahy

Episode 25

In this episode Yoga Therapist Lisa Danahy explores the physiology of resilience and why true calm is not a personality trait, but rather a trainable skill. Drawing clear parallels between yoga, neuroscience, and aviation, Lisa explains how pilots can regulate stress responses in both acute emergencies and the cumulative pressure of long-term training.

Resilience is the body’s ability to move out of fear-based survival responses and return to clear, executive functioning—a capacity governed by the vagus nerve, the HPA axis, and the parasympathetic nervous system. The key is learning how to practice regulation during ordinary moments so calm becomes instinctive when it matters most.

We also discuss the limits of a perfectionist mindset and how to reframe our rigid thinking into a growth-mindset that prioritizes curiosity and learning.

Links:

The Schiff Show: Aviation Education Variety Show with legendary aviator Brian Schiff "Final Approach to Tragedy; Checklist and Discipline Gone Wrong" December 11 episode with John Niehaus. WINGS credit available!

Create Calm: Workshops, classes, and professional training that empowers children, educators, parents, and professionals with practical, evidence-based tools that support the well-being of the whole person—mentally, emotionally, and physically.

 

Creating Calm in Your Classroom: A Mindfulness-Based Movement Program for Social-emotional Learning in Early Childhood Education

 

What separates a calm cockpit from catastrophe? A recent study out of Griffith University in Australia is shedding new light on why some pilots handle in-flight emergencies better than others.

 

 

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