04/06/2021
I love this explanation of regulation 💛
It’s not necessarily a state of calm - it is about having the ability to adjust appropriately to our environment in the moment.
Repost from
•
Regulation is not a synonym for calm.
Regulation and calm are NOT synonymous. Regulation is the ability to respond, and respond appropriately to our environments.
Chances are, if you had caregivers that weren’t attuned (or when you were crying told you they would “give you something to cry about”if you didn’t stop) there is some level of disregulation in your system. If you are a human who experienced intense stress, or often experienced a lack of safety, you might experience disregulation.
I always love telling clients that calm and regulated are NOT the same thing.
If we were in danger or in an accident, or heaven forbid, attacked, we wouldn’t want to be calm. That wouldn’t help us!
Nervous system regulation is this wonderful ability to go through cycles of activation, and when we are safe, to return to a state of “relaxed alertness” relatively quickly.
Regulation is the ability to accurately attune to our environments. If we want to workout, we need our . If we want to go to sleep at night, we would need our . And if, anything tragic were to happen, where we might not survive, we might need our nervous system. These aren’t set in stone - they are made to change based on our needs (especially in danger- we’d need to get to safety..fast!)
Of course, if we have a healthy sense of regulation, it means these states are fluid. We move between them with ease depending on our needs to respond and engage with our environments.
I hope you get chances to trust yourself (your body and your nervous system). I hope you get lots of ease and support and kindness as you find your way into regulation.
& I hope you remember your body is wildly strong and resilient and there is nothing wrong with you for the ways you had to show up to survive. 💚//