Regulation, right here, right now

You already know nervous system regulation is important.

But let's be real—getting to the gym or stepping outside for a walk isn't always available.

Maybe you're in the middle of an important meeting. Maybe you're juggling three dysregulated kids. Maybe you're caregiving for an aging parent while trying to hold it together yourself.

So what can you do?

That's the question I kept coming back to after hearing Jessica Addeo speak at the panel workshop Evette and I hosted in July on Trauma in the Workplace. Jessica's a nervous system expert who spent over 17 years as an occupational therapist. She's also a mom of three navigating the same chaos we all are.

What struck me most? She wasn't selling this idea that you need to be calm all the time. In fact, she said the opposite: getting dysregulated is completely normal. Your nervous system is doing exactly what it's designed to do—responding to your environment.

The difference is learning how to support yourself when it happens. Not with hours of self-care you don't have, but with small, strategic moments that actually work.

Jessica here—

Think about your nervous system like a bank account. Throughout your day, you're making deposits and withdrawals…without even realizing it.

Deposits are small, intentional actions that give your brain the coping chemicals it needs—things like drinking cold water through a straw, applying lotion with firm pressure, or doing a few wall push-ups.

Withdrawals are the experiences that drain you—the loud birthday party, the traffic jam, the endless Zoom calls.

Here's what most people don't know: you don't need hours to make a meaningful deposit. Five minutes of the right kind of sensory input can completely shift how you feel.

Let’s Experiment

Jessica made a short video that walks through how to identify what comfort (or safety) actually feels like in your body right now, and how to use that as a tool when you're overstimulated. It's just under five minutes.

After you watch, ask yourself: What does comfort feel like in your body today? Maybe it's the weight of a sweater, the taste of seltzer water, the feeling of your feet on the ground. There's no right answer—just what works for your unique system.

A few things that might help right now:
→ Drinking something cold through a straw (releases serotonin)
→ Applying lotion to your hands with extra pressure (releases dopamine)
→ Wall push-ups or leaning against a wall for a minute
→ Lighting a candle
→ Rocking back and forth slowly

Small things. Real things. Things you can actually do in the middle of your actual life.

Why it matters?
You deserve tools that meet you where you are—right in the middle of the chaos, the caregiving, the commute, the overwhelm. You don’t need to wait for perfect conditions. You just need the right support in your back pocket.

Want to challenge yourself? 
Share a photo of something that brings you comfort in the moment.

If you’re reading this via email, just click “Read Online” in the top right corner to view (and comment on) the web version.

Tag us in your Instagram stories—@regulatedmomcoach and @iamjennbieri—so we can celebrate your small wins with you.

If you want the full breakdown of how this works, Jessica created a Nervous System Bank Account guide that walks through different types of sensory input and how to use them. You can download it here.

With love and gratitude,
Jenn & Jessica

P.S. You can learn more about Jessica's work at jessicaraddeo.com or follow her on Instagram.