Regulate & Rewire: An Anxiety & Depression Podcast

Latest Episodes:

How to Audit Your Stress (Part 2) Nov 07, 2023

Show notes

Stress Bucket Series Part 2

In this episode I admit that as a thirty-something year old I currently have the average heart rate variability of a healthy 60 year old. I've significantly decreased the chronic stress load on my nervous system, but unfortunately not before it took a really and measurable toll. The good new is that there are ways to improve HRV, things I'm actively doing in my life today. The bottom line though is that we HAVE to, and I'm speaking as much to myself as I am to you right now, we have to take stress more seriously.

This is part 2 in my 4 part series on managing your stress bucket. We're diving into the Stress Bucket Audit, a tool to assess your stress levels. We'll explore the impact of chronic stress on your well-being, understand the role of HRV (heart rate variability) in stress management, and identify the factors that contribute to stress. You'll learn how to audit your stress bucket, both on a macro level (twice a year) and on a micro level (daily check-ins). By understanding your stress signatures and identifying your stressors, you can start to take control and manage your stress bucket effectively. Stay tuned for the next episode where we'll discuss practical strategies to minimize stressors, train your stress capacity, and increase your HRV. Remember, it's never too late to prioritize your stress management and optimize your well-being.

3 Takeaways:

Start with awareness, not action. Don’t skip to fixing. Begin by noticing how full your bucket feels—and why.
Audit stress at three levels. Use macro, micro, and medium audits to manage both chronic and situational stress.
Learn your stress signature. Knowing your physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral cues gives you power to pivot before burnout hits.

CLICK HERE for the full show notes, resources, and 3 tangible takeaways! *The Stress Bucket Workbook download can be found in the show notes

—

Looking for more personalized support?

1:1 Coaching (RESTORE): Learn more or book a free discovery call (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
Regulated Living Membership: A mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available). Join here.
Order my book: Healing Through the Vagus Nerve

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

—

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast
Email: amanda@regulatedliving.com
Instagram: @amandaontherise
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

What is your stress bucket? (Part 1) Oct 31, 2023

Show notes

Stress Bucket Series Part 1

We’ve all heard the saying you can’t pour from an empty cup, but I’d also like to put a twist on it today and say you can’t add to a full one. Join me for part 1 in a 4 part series unpacking the steps to the Stress Bucket Exercise. Todays conversation is all about step 1: Assess - this answers the question of, "What is in my stress bucket?" Until you can get it out of your head and onto paper you'll likely stay mostly stressed most of the time - and that's no way to live! Join me while I walk you through the 4 categories of common stressors and explore which ones contribute most to your stress bucket. Hit play to learn more!
3 Takeaways:

Your nervous system has a capacity. When your stress bucket stays too full for too long, symptoms emerge. Learning to assess your stress is step one in reclaiming ease.
You can’t manage what you don’t first acknowledge. Inventory your physiological, environmental, relational, and technological stressors with curiosity, not critique.
Use Amanda’s free workbook to go deeper. It includes prompts and exercises for each category. You can also bring it to therapy, coaching, or your own reflections.

CLICK HERE for the full show notes, resources, and 3 tangible takeaways! *The Stress Bucket Workbook download can be found in the show notes

—

Looking for more personalized support?

1:1 Coaching (RESTORE): Learn more or book a free discovery call (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
Regulated Living Membership: A mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available). Join here.
Order my book: Healing Through the Vagus Nerve

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

—

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast
Email: amanda@regulatedliving.com
Instagram: @amandaontherise
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

How to Repair with Yourself & Others Oct 24, 2023

Show notes

None of us will ever be a perfect friend, parent, partner, or self-healer – so one of the most valuable skills we can learn is how to repair. In the last two episodes I’ve shared pretty openly that my default survival mode is FIGHT, I’m someone who’s nervous system is still pretty primed for quick activation and as a result I’ve often shown up in relationship with other people in way’s I'm less proud of. Join me for a conversation on how to return and repair, first with yourself and then with others. This chat was inspired but Dr. Becky's recent TED talk which you can find HERE.

3 Takeaways:

Repair means returning to the moment that didn’t feel good. Not to judge, but to reconnect. Use it to rebuild trust—with yourself or someone else.
Self-blame was adaptive—but now it’s just a habit. Notice when it shows up and practice choosing repair instead of spiraling.
Parts work helps you lead with compassion. You’re not a problem to fix. You’re a human with parts—and your adult self can learn to lead.

CLICK HERE for the full show notes, resources, and 3 tangible takeaways!

—

Looking for more personalized support?

1:1 Coaching (RESTORE): Learn more or book a free discovery call (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
Regulated Living Membership: A mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available). Join here.
Order my book: Healing Through the Vagus Nerve

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

—

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast
Email: amanda@regulatedliving.com
Instagram: @amandaontherise
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

What Is Your Partner's Default Survival Response? (& Why It Matters) Oct 17, 2023

Show notes

Last week we talked about default survival responses and I invited you to see if you could identify yours – if you haven’t listened to that episode yet I recommend starting there because today’s conversation is a natural extension of that chat where I’ll expand on reasons why it might be helpful to identify your partner’s default way of responding when their sense of self or safety feels at all threatened and how even if they never consciously acknowledge their default survival response how your awareness of it might help you better navigate that relationship. Hit play to learn more!

3 Takeaways:

Awareness shifts everything: Identify your partner’s (or loved one’s) default survival response. Use that knowledge to respond with more clarity and less reactivity.
Compassion requires boundaries: You can understand someone’s pain and protect yourself. Boundaries aren’t punishments—they’re clarity.
You’re responsible for impact: No matter how reflexive the behavior is, you (and they) are responsible for its impact in relationships. Accountability builds trust.

CLICK HERE for the full show notes, resources, and 3 tangible takeaways!

—

Looking for more personalized support?

1:1 Coaching (RESTORE): Learn more or book a free discovery call (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
Regulated Living Membership: A mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available). Join here.
Order my book: Healing Through the Vagus Nerve

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

—

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast
Email: amanda@regulatedliving.com
Instagram: @amandaontherise
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

What Is Your Default Survival Response? (& Why It Matters) Oct 10, 2023

Show notes

When you're in an argument or when something doesn't go according to plan - do you face it head on? Avoid conflict? Say sorry when it wasn't your fault? Shut down? We all have a default way of responding when our sense of self or safety is threatened, and that default response looks different for each of us based on biology, our past lived experiences, and the perceived intensity of the threat. In this episode I unpack identifying what your default survival mode ore response is and why that matters.
Next week's conversation will be a natural extension from today's conversation and we'll talk about how it might be helpful to also identify the default survival responses of a partner, friends, or parent as well. Hit play to lean more!

3 Takeaways:

Everyone has a default response. Identify yours without judgment. Awareness is the foundation for change.
Your past shaped your patterns—but they don’t have to define your future. With regulation tools and support, you can create new, adaptive ways of responding.
Different relationships may activate different defaults. Use that awareness to build compassion (for yourself and others) and better navigate conflict.

CLICK HERE for the full show notes, resources, and 3 tangible takeaways!

—

Looking for more personalized support?

1:1 Coaching (RESTORE): Learn more or book a free discovery call (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
Regulated Living Membership: A mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available). Join here.
Order my book: Healing Through the Vagus Nerve

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

—

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast
Email: amanda@regulatedliving.com
Instagram: @amandaontherise
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

How to Decrease Load & Increase Capacity - Parenting Edition Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

It can feel important and go undone if your capacity isn’t there. For me right now sitting on the porch with my kid is more important than a lot of the house projects I’d like to get done. And getting to bed by 9:30pm is more important to me than any shows I want to watch or DM’s I want to get caught up on. Ask yourself, what takes care of me so that I can better take care of my kids? Choose that.
If you’re a parent to young kids, the most important thing you can do is model for them the way you want their life to FEEL. If you don’t want you daughters or sons to endlessly self sacrifice and run themselves into the ground, stop modeling that. Start prioritizing the basics you prioritize for them, bedtime and breakfast. Want to create capacity that changes your life - go to be by 10pm, eat a quality high protein breakfast, and stay off your phone from 9pm - 9am. Don’t think it’s that simply? Try me and report back in 2 weeks.

3 Takeaways:

Something can feel important and still go undone if your capacity isn’t there. Ask yourself: what’s most essential right now for me or my kids—and can I let the rest wait?
We weren’t meant to parent alone. Seek out support, whether that’s through coaching, friendship, or communities like Release, Amanda’s monthly nervous system class.
Model the life you want your kids to live. Prioritize your rest, your food, your needs. That’s not selfish—it’s essential.

CLICK HERE for the full show notes, resources, and 3 tangible takeaways!

—

Looking for more personalized support?

1:1 Coaching (RESTORE): Learn more or book a free discovery call (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
Regulated Living Membership: A mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available). Join here.
Order my book: Healing Through the Vagus Nerve

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

—

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast
Email: amanda@regulatedliving.com
Instagram: @amandaontherise
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

What To Do When Parenting Feels Dysregulating Sep 26, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever felt like being a parent is simultaneously the best and hardest thing you'd ever done? In my opinion, it is both of those things. Today's conversation is guided by some incredible and vulnerable parents who submitted questions to my AMA form that I want to provide some support for today. We chat through navigating anxiety & depression, activation and shut down, as parents. I'll offer a simple way to audit your "load" as a means to increasing your capacity (something I'll also expand on in next week's conversation). Hit play for some tangible ways to move through parenting differently to decrease overstimulation and increase your capacity to show up the way you'd like to!

3 Takeaways:

Audit your load and capacity. Write out everything you’re managing—externally and internally. Then assess: What could shift? What support could you ask for?
Start with one strategic low lift. What’s one thing you could delegate, delete, or simplify this week?
Regulation first. Nervous system support isn’t a bonus. It’s the foundation for the kind of parenting you want to practice.

CLICK HERE for the full show notes, resources, and 3 tangible takeaways!

—

Looking for more personalized support?

1:1 Coaching (RESTORE): Learn more or book a free discovery call (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
Regulated Living Membership: A mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available). Join here.
Order my book: Healing Through the Vagus Nerve

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

—

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast
Email: amanda@regulatedliving.com
Instagram: @amandaontherise
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

AMA: Triggers, Boundaries & Tough Conversations Sep 19, 2023

Show notes

In this special episode, I'm diving into questions submitted by our amazing listeners. I'll be sharing insights and offering thoughts on a variety of topics that you've been curious about. This format is something I'd love to do more of in the future, so keep those questions coming! Drop your questions or struggles in the form link below for future AMA episodes.⁠

⁠In this episode, I covered three key questions:

Question #1: How to communicate with our family/friends when something they say is triggering
Question #2: How to encourage a loved one who's struggling to take the first steps to heal & take care of themselves
Question #3: What to do when someone else's low energy/low mood is constantly pulling you down

3 Takeaways:

Boundaries are an essential skill—not a betrayal. Learning to honor your needs might mean relationships shift. That doesn’t mean you’re wrong.
Being triggered isn’t your fault—but managing it is your responsibility. Set boundaries, build a reset toolkit, and practice naming your needs.
Support starts with presence, not problem-solving. You don’t need perfect advice. You need to believe in them—and hold space from a grounded place.

CLICK HERE for the full show notes, resources, and 3 tangible takeaways!

—

Looking for more personalized support?

1:1 Coaching (RESTORE): Learn more or book a free discovery call (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
Regulated Living Membership: A mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available). Join here.
Order my book: Healing Through the Vagus Nerve

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

—

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast
Email: amanda@regulatedliving.com
Instagram: @amandaontherise
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

Health Anxiety: How to overcome it (Part 2) Sep 12, 2023

Show notes

If you’ve been trying to heal your health anxiety & haven’t been able to, it might be because you’re missing one of the 4 evidence-based approaches I discuss in today's episode. My hope is that this 2 part mini series on health anxiety gives you a really clear roadmap as to some possible next steps on your journey to overcoming health anxiety. We'll discuss the brains built in negativity bias and why some people can calmly float through health issues and other cannot before discussing the 4 different approaches. Hit play to learn more!

3 Takeaways:

Health anxiety distorts perception through a negativity bias. Learn how your system filters for fear—and how you can retrain it to notice safety instead.
You need both top-down (thought work) and bottom-up (somatic) tools. Therapy alone may not help unless your nervous system also feels safe.
Awareness isn’t enough—implementation matters. Pick one area to begin: body awareness, nervous system regulation, or support systems. Then take one small, concrete step.

CLICK HERE for the full show notes, resources, and 3 tangible takeaways!

—

Looking for more personalized support?

1:1 Coaching (RESTORE): Learn more or book a free discovery call (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
Regulated Living Membership: A mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available). Join here.
Order my book: Healing Through the Vagus Nerve

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

—

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast
Email: amanda@regulatedliving.com
Instagram: @amandaontherise
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

Health Anxiety: What it is (Part 1) Sep 05, 2023

Show notes

In this 2-episode mini series on health anxiety we'll discuss what it is and how to overcome it using an evidence based 4-pronged approach. Join me today to learn more about the anxiety response in your brain and body, how this applies to health anxiety, and an exercise to explore your unique experience of health anxiety symptoms, thoughts, and behaviors. Gaining understanding of the basic physiology of anxiety and how you uniquely experience it in a health related ways lays a foundation for working with your mind-body system instead of constantly feeling against it.
Health related anxiety has been steadily on the rise since 2020. It's a topic that’s been requested by many of you for me to cover on this podcast and a recent survey indicated that 1 out of 3 individuals experience heightened anxiety over their health status. Hit play to learn more!

3 Takeaways:

Health anxiety is a full-body experience, not just a mental worry. It stems from your nervous system’s threat response and can be rewired with the right tools and support.
Your symptoms are real—even if they’re not medically dangerous. Misinterpreted signals are still felt in the body. Learning how to decode them is a key part of healing.
Mapping your anxiety cycle builds awareness and interruptive power. Try charting a recent spiral: what sensation or trigger started it? What were the thoughts? What did you do in response? Use that to build new, more supportive responses next time.

CLICK HERE for the full show notes, resources, and 3 tangible takeaways!

—

Looking for more personalized support?

1:1 Coaching (RESTORE): Learn more or book a free discovery call (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
Regulated Living Membership: A mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available). Join here.
Order my book: Healing Through the Vagus Nerve

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

—

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast
Email: amanda@regulatedliving.com
Instagram: @amandaontherise
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

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