When Emotion Takes Over on Kokoda, and how to regain control

6 May 2026 10:59 AM

When Emotion Takes Over on Kokoda, and how to regain control

People ask me why do I continue to do the Kokoda track after all these years. Well here’s the answer… it’s a fantastic pool of research for me… it has everything high performance.

On a recent Kokoda trek, I was reminded again how quickly the human mind can shift under pressure. A number of trekker, some with limited exposure to sustained physical and emotional stress, found themselves overwhelmed early. Fatigue, heat, muddy terrain, and uncertainty combined to trigger strong emotional responses.

What we were seeing, quite simply, was the brain doing exactly what it’s designed to do.

When the amygdala….the brain’s threat detection system….fires up, it pushes us into survival mode. Logic takes a back seat. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for reasoning, planning, and rational thought, becomes less active. The result? Heightened emotion, reduced clarity, and reactions that don’t always match reality.

This isn’t weakness. It’s biology.

On Kokoda, this often shows up as:

• Overwhelm at relatively manageable obstacles
• Emotional swings (frustration, tears, doubt)
• Catastrophic thinking (“I can’t do this”)

The key is not to fight it…..but to shift it.

Here are simple, effective ways we help trekkers move from emotional reactivity back to balance: this can be applied to everyday life…

1. Control the breath (focus on the exhale)
A slow, extended exhale signals safety to the nervous system. This begins to down-regulate the amygdala and re-engage the thinking brain.

2. Name the emotion
“I feel overwhelmed” or “I’m anxious.”
This simple act activates the prefrontal cortex and reduces emotional intensity.

3. Narrow the focus
Instead of thinking about the entire track, focus on the next step, the next hill, the next 10 minutes. This brings the brain out of chaos and into control.

4. Use physical grounding
Feel your feet on the track. Notice your surroundings. Engage your senses. This pulls attention out of the mind and back into the present moment.

5. Reframe the moment
Shift from “This is too hard” to “This is what growth feels like.”
Language matters…..it changes the brain’s interpretation of stress.

What’s powerful is watching the shift. As trekkers apply these tools, you can see it happen in real time, emotion settles, posture changes, clarity returns. The prefrontal cortex comes back online.

And with that… confidence builds.

Kokoda is never just a physical challenge. It’s a masterclass in understanding how the brain responds under pressure……and learning how to take back control.

Because once you can do that out there…
you can do it anywhere.

What an amazing classroom… for everyone!!!.... Love it