One of the most important skills we can learn is how to regulate ourselves, riding the emotional waves without either ignoring or being overwhelmed by them. Associate therapist Elizabeth Ferreira joins Forrest on the Being Well Podcast to explore how we can feel our feelings while staying calm, collected, and in control. They walk through two examples of under- and over-regulation, and Elizabeth offers specific practices that might help in each common situation.

You can watch this episode on YouTube.

Key Topics:

• 0:00: Introduction
• 1:50: Creating safety and connection with a new client
• 6:30: Therapy as an opportunity for reparative experiences
• 9:45: Learning to regulate when you have traumatized parts
• 16:55: What’s helped Elizabeth heal patterns of overregulation and dissociation
• 23:50: A hypothetical dialogue with an overregulated client
• 29:10: Titration and traumatic release
• 33:05: Labeling and accepting emotions, and empowering the “wise adult”
• 40:15: A hypothetical dialogue with an underregulated client 
• 46:30: Celebrating when we notice our patterns
• 49:30: Movement, tapping, tremoring, journaling, and other practices
• 53:55: Finding a supportive community
• 57:10: Being with your body, and following your curiosity
• 58:55: Recap

Forrest is now writing on Substack, check out his work there.