In part 3 of our Back to Basics series, we explore why we get stuck in states of dysregulation and why anxiety and depression persist. Learn how modern living patterns and past experiences shape our nervous system responses, and discover a compassionate approach to understanding your symptoms.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why anxiety and depression are normal responses to abnormal circumstances
• The two main reasons we get stuck in dysregulation
• How our "parts" develop to protect us but can keep us stuck in old patterns
• Why your nervous system might favor familiar discomfort over unfamiliar regulation
• The connection between your current nervous system state, past lived experiences, and current life circumstances

Key Takeaways:

1. Your Symptoms Make Sense: You're not broken. Your symptoms make perfect sense given your experiences and circumstances.
2. Lifestyle Matters: Dysregulation happens when we live in biologically unsupportive ways or when our nervous system misinterprets situations based on past patterns.
3. Perception vs. Reality: Your nervous system might be misinterpreting safety due to past trauma or current high stress. Healing comes from understanding your protective parts and working with them, not against them.

Next Episode Preview: Join me next week as we explore the concept of your "stress bucket" and how to create better balance between stressors and supportive factors in your life.

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

Hey friend! This week is a short and sweet check in to let you know I was at deaths doorstep the last couple weeks with the flu and just didn't have it in me to record the next "Back to the Basics" episode (which I'm really looking forward to and will be out next week). Hit play for a little check-in chat and a reminder that there's usually an option between "all" and "nothing"

Sending hope & healing your way!

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

Email: amanda@riseaswe.com

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

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

In this second episode of the "Back to Basics" series, we explore the six nervous system states and how understanding them can transform your approach to anxiety and depression healing.

You'll learn:
→ The three primary states (Regulation, Activation, Shutdown)
→ The three mixed states (Play, Stillness, Freeze)
→ How to identify your current state through sensations, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors
→ Why "your state determines your story" and shapes your perception of events

Key Takeaways:

1. Your nervous system has both regulated states (Green Zone, Play, Stillness) and protective states (Yellow Zone, Red Zone, Freeze). None are "bad"—it's about finding appropriate balance and flexibility between them.
2. Understanding your unique nervous system "blueprint" through sensations, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors helps you navigate states with more awareness and choice.
3. The goal isn't to stay permanently regulated, but to make regulation your "home base" you can return to after natural cycles of activation and rest.

Practical Application: Start mapping your own nervous system states by placing a reminder asking "What state am I in right now? How do I know?" somewhere visible in your daily routine.

Note: This episode builds on the foundations laid in Part 1, offering deeper context for how our nervous systems respond to safety and danger signals in our lives.

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