Survive- The First Stage of the Five Ives
05/13/25 • 33 min
In this episode, Lauren and Jessica reintroduce the Five Ives—Survive, Revive, Strive, Thrive, and Hive—and take a closer look at the first step: Survive. They explore how many people today are unknowingly stuck in a state of survival, shaped by trauma, chronic stress, the lingering effects of the pandemic, political unrest, and the constant stream of heavy information. Most don’t even realize they’re operating from this place, but the signs are clear: constant exhaustion, mood swings, avoidance, and a gut feeling that something just isn’t right.
Survival mode doesn’t stop with individuals—it shows up in organizations too. High turnover, disengagement, and burnout often indicate that an entire workplace is stuck in survival. Lauren and Jessica explain that when people within an organization are just trying to get by, the organization itself reflects that same struggle. But there’s hope. Whether you're an individual or part of a team, recognizing survival mode is the first step toward meaningful change—and you don’t have to stay stuck. We can help.
Other related resources from Five Ives:
Blog Post:
- What are the Five Ives?
- Why Traditional Employee Wellness Programs Fail (And What Works Instead)
- Survive Mode: Recognizing When Your Organization is in Crisis
- What are the Five Ives?
Podcast:
- A Five Category Regulation Framework - Five Ives!
- Using Our 5-Category Regulation Framework in the Workplace
- Impacting Organizational Culture: Explaining the First 2 Ps
- Impacting Organization Culture: Explaining the Second 2 Ps
Our Online Programs:
Subscribe to our mailing list and find out more about Stress, Trauma, Behavior and the Brain!
- Check out our Facebook Group – Five Ives!
- Five Ives Website website
- The Behavior Hub blog
If you’re looking for support as you grow your organization’s capacity for caring for staff and the community, we would love to be part of that journey.
Schedule a free discovery call and let us be your guide
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
In this episode, Lauren and Jessica reintroduce the Five Ives—Survive, Revive, Strive, Thrive, and Hive—and take a closer look at the first step: Survive. They explore how many people today are unknowingly stuck in a state of survival, shaped by trauma, chronic stress, the lingering effects of the pandemic, political unrest, and the constant stream of heavy information. Most don’t even realize they’re operating from this place, but the signs are clear: constant exhaustion, mood swings, avoidance, and a gut feeling that something just isn’t right.
Survival mode doesn’t stop with individuals—it shows up in organizations too. High turnover, disengagement, and burnout often indicate that an entire workplace is stuck in survival. Lauren and Jessica explain that when people within an organization are just trying to get by, the organization itself reflects that same struggle. But there’s hope. Whether you're an individual or part of a team, recognizing survival mode is the first step toward meaningful change—and you don’t have to stay stuck. We can help.
Other related resources from Five Ives:
Blog Post:
- What are the Five Ives?
- Why Traditional Employee Wellness Programs Fail (And What Works Instead)
- Survive Mode: Recognizing When Your Organization is in Crisis
- What are the Five Ives?
Podcast:
- A Five Category Regulation Framework - Five Ives!
- Using Our 5-Category Regulation Framework in the Workplace
- Impacting Organizational Culture: Explaining the First 2 Ps
- Impacting Organization Culture: Explaining the Second 2 Ps
Our Online Programs:
Subscribe to our mailing list and find out more about Stress, Trauma, Behavior and the Brain!
- Check out our Facebook Group – Five Ives!
- Five Ives Website website
- The Behavior Hub blog
If you’re looking for support as you grow your organization’s capacity for caring for staff and the community, we would love to be part of that journey.
Schedule a free discovery call and let us be your guide
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Previous Episode
What are the Five Ives?
Lauren and Jessica, education professionals and creators of the Five Ives program, explain their journey. Witnessing students' disruptive behaviors as trauma responses, they realized their lack of training. Years of supporting individuals revealed a broader issue: burnout among those in flawed systems. This prompted them to explore how to support frontline workers and foster trauma-informed organizations.
They introduce the Five Ives framework for well-being: Survive (self-awareness), Revive (self-care and regulation), Strive (intentional growth), Thrive (engaged and regulated work), and Hive (helping others and connecting). Five Ives aims to create sustainable, trauma-informed organizational transformation through these stages.
Resources:
Other related resources from Five Ives:
Blog Post:
- Why Traditional Employee Wellness Programs Fail (And What Works Instead)
- Survive Mode: Recognizing When Your Organization is in Crisis
- What are the Five Ives?
Podcast:
- A Five Category Regulation Framework - Five Ives!
- Using Our 5-Category Regulation Framework in the Workplace
- Impacting Organizational Culture: Explaining the First 2 Ps
- Impacting Organization Culture: Explaining the Second 2 Ps
Our Online Programs:
Subscribe to our mailing list and find out more about Stress, Trauma, Behavior and the Brain!
- Check out our Facebook Group – Five Ives!
- Five Ives Website website
- The Behavior Hub blog
If you’re looking for support as you grow your organization’s capacity for caring for staff and the community, we would love to be part of that journey.
Schedule a free discovery call and let us be your guide
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Next Episode
Revive- The Second Stage of the Five Ives
In this episode, Lauren and Jessica dive into the second stage of the Five Ives framework: Revive. After becoming self-aware and stepping out of pure survival mode, the journey into Revive is all about beginning the slow, intentional process of healing. It’s not quick or flashy—in fact, healing is inherently soft, gentle, and gradual. This stage is about rewiring our brains and taking consistent micro-steps forward, both individually and as an organization. Lauren and Jessica explore what it starts to feel like as we shift out of survival and begin to nurture ourselves with care and attention.
They highlight five key areas—food, hydration, sleep, social interaction, and movement—as foundational to this healing process. Even simple actions like adding one nutritious food to your plate, drinking more water, or getting ten minutes of daily movement can make a real impact. For organizations, supporting Revive might look like offering meditation spaces, encouraging real breaks, or fostering safe spaces for social connection. Whether you’re an individual wanting to heal or a leader supporting your team, Revive is about embracing the slow, steady path to well-being.
Resources:
Other related resources from Five Ives:
Blog Post:
- Survive- The First Stage of the Five Ives
- What are the Five Ives?
- Why Traditional Employee Wellness Programs Fail (And What Works Instead)
- Survive Mode: Recognizing When Your Organization is in Crisis
- What are the Five Ives?
Podcast:
- A Five Category Regulation Framework - Five Ives!
- Using Our 5-Category Regulation Framework in the Workplace
- Impacting Organizational Culture: Explaining the First 2 Ps
- Impacting Organization Culture: Explaining the Second 2 Ps
Our Online Programs:
Subscribe to our mailing list and find out more about Stress, Trauma, Behavior and the Brain!
- Check out our Facebook Group – Five Ives!
- Five Ives Website website
- The Behavior Hub blog
If you’re looking for support as you grow your organization’s capacity for caring for staff and the community, we would love to be part of that journey.
Schedule a free discovery call and let us be your guide
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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