In this episode, we tackle the challenging but vital question: How can we support nervous system regulation when someone isn't in a safe environment? Drawing from Deb Dana's Polyvagal Theory expertise and current research, we explore practical strategies for both practitioners and individuals navigating unsafe circumstances.

In this episode you'll learn:

• How to identify small touch points that can activate brief ventral vagal states
• Specific techniques practitioners & individuals can use to support clients/themselves in unsafe environments
• Micro-practices for self-regulation during ongoing stress or threat

Three Takeaways:

1. Even in unsafe environments, small "safety or regulating anchors" (objects, memories, connections) can provide crucial moments of regulation. The goal isn't permanent regulation in unsafe circumstances, but creating brief reminders that another state exists.
2. Oftentimes the first step in healing is acknowledging the reality of one's situation, not minimizing or denying it. Whether you’re a practitioner or the individual going through it, remember that your struggle makes sense, your survival responses make sense.
3. Recognizing and savoring these micro-moments of "safe enough" builds neural pathways that support resilience over time.

Resources/Citations:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
• "Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection" by Deb Dana
• "Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory" by Deb Dana
• Levine, P. A. (1997). Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma. North Atlantic Books.
• Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.
• Kearney, D. J., McDermott, K., Malte, C., Martinez, M., & Simpson, T. L. (2012). Association of participation in a mindfulness program with measures of PTSD, depression and quality of life in a veteran sample. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 68(1), 101-116.
• Price, M., Spinazzola, J., Musicaro, R., Turner, J., Suvak, M., Emerson, D., & van der Kolk, B. (2017). Effectiveness of an 8-week yoga program for women with chronic PTSD. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 30(2), 173-180.
• West, J., Liang, B., & Spinazzola, J. (2017). Trauma sensitive yoga as a complementary treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder: A qualitative descriptive analysis. International Journal of Stress Management, 24(2), 173–195.
• Brom, D., Stokar, Y., Lawi, C., Nuriel-Porat, V., Ziv, Y., Lerner, K., & Ross, G. (2017). Somatic Experiencing for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Outcome Study. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 30(3), 304-312.
• Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226.
• Perry, B. D. (2006). The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics: Applying principles of neuroscience to clinical work with traumatized and maltreated children. In N. B. Webb (Ed.), Working with traumatized youth in child welfare (pp. 27–52). The Guilford Press.

Website: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcast

Email: amanda@riseaswe.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

Can anxiety start... in your gut? Triggered by a listener's experience linking a gut cleanse to panic attacks, this episode dives deep into the powerful gut-brain connection. Discover how physiological issues—from microbiome imbalances to inflammation—can ignite anxiety symptoms from the "bottom-up," often before any anxious thought occurs. Learn why this happens and gentle strategies to support both your gut and brain health for better mental wellbeing.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How the gut and brain communicate through the nervous system
• How gut disruptions can lead to anxiety or panic
• Why anxiety often begins in the body (and how to reframe it as information)
• Practical ways to support your gut and mental health together

3 Takeaways:

1. Anxiety Can Start "Bottom-Up": Gut disruptions can directly cause anxiety symptoms, not just thoughts.
2. Gut Health Matters for Mental Health: Gentle, consistent support is often key, be cautious with harsh cleanses.
3. Reframe Anxiety as Information: View symptoms as signals of an underlying imbalance needing support.

Resources Mentioned:

• Healing Through the Vagus Nerve (see pages 40-41 for the gut-brain connection)

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Looking for more personalized support?

• Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
• Join me inside Regulated Living, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)
• Order my book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!

*Want me to talk about something specific on the podcast? Let me know HERE.

Website: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcast

Email: amanda@riseaswe.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

In this episode, Amanda shares a personal story about her shift from running to walking—and eventually walking with a weighted vest—and how this physical adaptation revealed powerful lessons about nervous system regulation, healing, and mental health. She explores what happens when the tools that once worked no longer serve us, why slowing down is often exactly what our bodies need, and how to adapt our regulation practices to match our current season of life. Whether you’re carrying too much or moving too fast, this episode invites you to move slower, carry less, and get curious about what’s next.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why we sometimes freeze when familiar coping tools disappear.
• The science-backed benefits of walking for stress and brain processing.
• Getting creative to find the "next best thing" for regulation when resources change (like losing access to sunlight in winter).
• The powerful principle: If you want life to feel easier, move slower and decrease the weight.
• Practical ways to apply this principle to reduce stress and overwhelm.

3 Takeaways:

1. Adaptation is a key part of regulation.
2. Slowing down isn’t failure—it’s often the medicine we need.
3. "If you want life to feel easier, move slower and decrease the weight."

Practical Application: This week, choose one area of your life where you're feeling pressure or stress and experiment with the formula: move slower, decrease the weight. Notice how your body responds, how your breathing changes, and how your thoughts shift.

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Looking for more personalized support?

• Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
• Join me inside Regulated Living, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)
• Order my book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!

*Want me to talk about something specific on the podcast? Let me know HERE.

Website: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcast

Email: amanda@riseaswe.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise