Grounded for Life

I’m looking for high-performing women who are ready to rethink burnout recovery.

If you’re successful on the outside but increasingly aware that your energy, focus, resilience or capacity isn’t what it used to be, this is for you.

Take my Nervous System Capacity Score to discover how much strain your nervous system may be under - and whether The Grounded Recovery Method™ could be the right next step for you.

Take the scorecard and find out where you stand.

Is your nervous system overloaded? High performance shouldn't come at the cost of your health. If you've been feeling constantly exhausted, overwhelmed, or like you're always operating at your limit, your nervous system may be asking for help. Take this free 3-minute assessment to discover your Nervous System Recovery Score and ident...

Welcome to the Nervous System Capacity Score™

Burnout has become one of the greatest hidden challenges facing high-performing women today.

From the outside, they appear successful, capable and in control. They continue meeting deadlines, leading teams and caring for everyone around them.

But behind the scenes, many are running on an empty nervous system.

What makes burnout so dangerous is that it doesn't always look like burnout.

It can feel like constant exhaustion, emotional numbness, brain fog, anxiety, irritability, difficulty concentrating, or simply feeling like you've lost yourself.

Many women assume they're just stressed, not resilient enough, or that they simply need a holiday. Others may wonder whether they're experiencing depression or another health condition. While these experiences can overlap, burnout has its own distinct patterns and deserves careful attention.

The truth is this:

Burnout doesn't happen because you're weak.

It happens because your nervous system has been carrying more than it has had the capacity to recover from.

That's why willpower isn't enough.

Working harder isn't enough.

Even taking a holiday often isn't enough.

Recovery begins when you understand the demands being placed on your nervous system.

That's exactly why I created the Nervous System Capacity Score™.

In just a few minutes, you'll gain a clearer picture of how well your nervous system is coping with the demands of your work and life.

This isn't a diagnosis.

It's the first step towards understanding whether your nervous system is operating with healthy capacity—or whether it's time to give it the support it deserves.

To find out what the state of your nervous systme is, follow this link:

https://gerda-2qkk9u7k.scoreapp.com

🏃‍♂️🏉 Athletes Wanted for a Performance Case Study 🏊‍♀️⚽

Are you an athlete who trains hard, knows you can perform better — but finds that pressure, anxiety, overthinking, or past injuries get in the way when it matters most?

I’m currently looking for 2 athletes to take part in a confidential case study using a neuroscience-based performance and nervous-system regulation approach (Multi-Level Neuro-Processing™).

This is ideal for athletes who:
✔ Experience performance anxiety or self-doubt
✔ Struggle with tension, overthinking, or loss of confidence
✔ Feel “blocked” despite solid training and ability
✔ Are returning after injury or a difficult performance period

What’s involved:
• Ten focused 1-on-1 sessions
• A safe, non-invasive, non-talk-heavy process
• Support that works with the body and nervous system — not against it

Why participate?
Participants receive significantly reduced-fee sessions and contribute to a real-world case study.

📩 Interested?
Send me a DM or comment “CASE STUDY” and I’ll message you with the details.

Limited to 2 athletes only.

Anger Isn’t a Character Flaw

If anger shows up when you’re stressed, overloaded, or under pressure — you’re not broken.

You’re likely operating from a chronically activated nervous system.

I’m recruiting a small number of case-study participants for a new anger management coaching program designed for people who:
• Carry responsibility
• Keep pushing through stress
• Don’t want therapy — but do want control
• Are tired of reacting instead of responding

This work is:
✔️ Practical, not emotional dumping
✔️ Confidential and structured
✔️ Designed to work alongside therapy if needed

Limited spots available.

📩 Send a private message with the word “CALM” to apply.

Anger isn’t the problem.
A dysregulated nervous system is.
I’m Gerda Hayes, an Integrative Neurocoach, and I work with men who feel:
• Easily triggered or constantly on edge
• Emotionally reactive—or completely shut down
• Drained by their own anger responses
• Frustrated by saying or doing things they later regret
• “Fine on the outside” while carrying relentless internal pressure
For many men, anger isn’t about aggression—it’s a stress response to overload, burnout, or operating in survival mode.
Using neuroscience-informed, trauma-aware coaching, I help men:
✔️ Regulate their nervous system
✔️ Increase stress tolerance under pressure
✔️ Build emotional self-leadership without losing control
✔️ Respond with intention instead of reacting
✔️ Restore focus, stability, and day-to-day functioning
This is non-clinical, ethical coaching, designed to work alongside therapy or healthcare when needed.
If anger is starting to cost you—at work, at home, or internally—there is a practical way forward.
📩 [email protected]
🌍 Remote & in-person coaching
🔗 Grounded for Life

I picked up a little booklet over the weekend while rearranging one of my bookcases: The 1988 Annual yearbook of Athletics South Africa. I delighted myself in familiar faces and familiar races. Johan Fourie who won the mile in 3:50,82. Matthews Tsemane who established a world best time of 60 minutes 11 seconds for the half marathon. Tshakile Nzimandi, Zelda Botes, Desiree du Plessis, Marjorie van der Merwe, Tanya Peckam, Elana Meyer, Zola Budd, Jacques van Rensburg.

I was thrilled to discover that at the time of print, my personal best for the 800m (2:02,93) was ranked in 6th place of all-time junior 800m athletes in South Africa. A few split-seconds after the 5th position and with Zola Budd ranking in first place.

I was 19 years old then and still had a lot to work towards – Springbok Colours in Athletics being my ultimate dream. (The highest accolade for an athlete in South Africa at the time).
My sports coach, Oom Hennie Botha acquired a sponsor for my very first pair of Nike spikes. I travelled by plane for the first time, I stayed in hotels for the first time in my life. Oom Hennie’s last words before a race were always: “Remember: stick, and kick”. Which meant, stick with the bunch and sprint with all the reserves you have left from the 150-meter mark until the finish-line. Advice that I still find useful in various life situations today.

Oom Hennie not only trained me as an athlete, he supported my whole person (body, soul and spirit). He encouraged me to see a doctor when he suspected that my iron levels were low. He opened my eyes to wolves in sheep’s clothing. He encouraged healthy friendships. In my first year of training with him, I qualified for junior Springbok colours.

Despite Oom Hennie’s plea for me to remain in Potchefstroom for the upcoming season, my romantic inclinations towards Stellenbosch (the place and a person in it) prevailed. I managed to convince my academic sponsor that studying at the Stellenbosch University would make much more sense for someone aspiring to become an elite athlete.

My Maties coach was good, and I trained with the best, but I did not improve on my personal best time in the 800m. Now, 36 years later, having raised three kids and successfully transitioned from a career in software development to life coaching, I’ve come to realize that success isn’t solely determined by raw talent and unwavering dedication. In any domain - be it academics, career, sports, or relationships - personal mastery is the key to exceptional results.

As a Neuro-Coach, I rewire my clients’ subconscious minds, nurturing growth and well-being. This empowers them to achieve their goals and dreams, even amidst external pressures. In a competitive landscape where split-second decisions define winners, engaging a Coach becomes a strategic advantage that benefits not only you but also everyone within your community.

Have you ever been held back by your fear of failure?
I certainly have.
For example, I did not want to engage on Instagram before I have put together the perfect, sequenced, curated posts like my graphic designer recommended.
I am starting to overcome that fear. To prove my point. Yesterday I created a post which I shared on Facebook and did not even add the pictures to match my story. Here they are.
Wild flowers and wild horses shared with old friends and new.

Have you ever been held back down by your fear of failure? I certainly have. I did not want to engage on Instagram before I have put together the perfect sequenced, curated posts like my graphic designer recommended.
I am starting to overcome that fear. To prove my point. Yesterday I created a post and did not even add the pictures to match my story. Here they are.