Regulate & Rewire: An Anxiety & Depression Podcast

Amanda Armstrong

Millions of people struggle with anxiety & depression every single day. Regulate & Rewire is where Amanda, a nervous system focused and trauma-informed practitioner, teaches you the lessons she learned on her healing journey and the tangible research-based tools she uses with clients everyday to help them regulate their nervous system & rewire their mind – in hopes of helping you do the same. Each episode features specific takeaways for you to apply to your healing journey today. Website: www.riseaswe.com read less
Health & FitnessHealth & Fitness

Episodes

How VAGAL TONING Helps You Heal [Essential 8 Series]
5d ago
How VAGAL TONING Helps You Heal [Essential 8 Series]
Episode 62 - Essential 8 Series (Part 4)📚 Pre-order my new book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!🌏 International orders, click here!This isn't the first conversation we've had about the vagus nerve, and it won't be the last, but it's definitely worth a listen! In this episode I'll share again the basics of what the vagus nerve is, why it matters when healing anxiety & depression, and you'll get a few more sneak peak reads of my new book!What I want you to leave this episode hearing most clearly is that you are not broken, healing is possible, and I’m honor to be here supporting you. Hit play to learn more!📓 Download your Vagal Toning Workbook! - CLICK HERE3 Tangible Takeaways:Understanding vagal tone plays an integral role in regulating your nervous system and healing anxiety & depression. High vagal tone is the key ingredient to stress management, decreased reactivity, and overall mental and physical health.There is no one size fits all blueprint to improving vagal tone or healing things like anxiety, depression, chronic illness, and so on. There are, however, a number of research-supported practices that can support healing in measurable ways. There are powerful ways to work with your physiology to shift and heal your psychology. Each of the essential 8 supporting that end and supporting vagal tone.When you pre-order my book before May 7th you'll get my book course and a code to join my next RELEASE class absolutely free!Looking for more personalized support?Book a FREE consultation for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program.Join me inside RISE, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space.Website: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcastEmail: amanda@riseaswe.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise
How BREATH Helps You Heal [Essential 8 Series]
Apr 23 2024
How BREATH Helps You Heal [Essential 8 Series]
Episode 61 - Essential 8 Series (Part 3)Breath can be used as a powerful proactive and reactive regulation tool. Your respiratory system (aka breath) is one of the most powerful physiological levers you can pull to shift the state of your nervous system. Did you know that every time you inhale your heart rate speeds up, and every time you exhale it slows down? Let's say you extend your exhale out longer than your inhale — well now your heat rate slowed down longer than it sped up. This sends an immediate message to and through your nervous system to activate your relaxation response.You can also use breath to activate your system when you're in a state of Shut Down or want to practice increasing your stress threshold.Ideally you want your natural breath throughout the day to steady, diaphragmatic breaths, in and out your nose. This is how we're evolutionarily supposed to breath. But it's estimated that at least 50% of the adult population has some kind of breathing inefficiency. Maybe that's mouth breathing during the day and/or night, short shallow breathing, imbalanced breathing, and so on. Let's change that!📓 Download your Breath Workbook! - CLICK HERESo here’s the 3 takeaways:Breath is a pillar of health, your mental and physical health is only optimal when your breathing is optimal.Before you can use breath as a powerful regulatory tool you have to understand your basic breath physiology, when you do it becomes one of the most powerful proactive and reactive regulation tools.Different breath practices are optimal for different nervous system states, my book Healing Through the Vagus Nerve offers a section where it outlines supportive practices for the different nervous system states, including breath work practices.Looking for more personalized support?Book a FREE consultation for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program.Join me inside RISE, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space.Pre-order my new book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!Website: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcastEmail: amanda@riseaswe.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise
How MOVEMENT Helps You Heal [Essential 8 Series]
Apr 16 2024
How MOVEMENT Helps You Heal [Essential 8 Series]
Episode 60 - Essential 8 Series (Part 2)I’m going to just come out with a pretty blunt to start today: there’s a set of minimal physical activity guidelines for a reason, if you’re not meeting them then you’re going to have problems (one of which is mental health).Second only to sleep, I think movement is one of the most fundamental and non-negotiable habits for brain health. Research shows that even just a daily walk of 30 minutes can decrease depression and anxiety symptoms in almost all clinical populations as well as strengthening connections between brain circuits important for emotional processing, problem solving, decision making, and memory.Human body’s are designed to move, the healthiest version of your brain lives inside a body in motion. Hit play to learn more!📓 Download your Movement Workbook! - CLICK HERE3 Tangible Takeaways:Movement is essential for physical and mental health. If we aren’t consistently hitting the minimum guidelines for physical activity then we can’t be surprised when we aren’t optimally well.If you already have a consistent habit of movement and exercise then the next question to consider might be: Are the types of movement you’re doing are optimally supporting your mental health journey?What can you do today to make movement a more integral part of your daily life and healing plan? It is a cornerstone habit that heals and if you’re looking for more personalized support I’d love to support you inside my RISE membership where you’ll find tangible tools and personalized support to step into a life full of habits that heal.Looking for more personalized support?Book a FREE consultation for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program.Join me inside RISE, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space.Pre-order my new book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!Sources: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activityhttps://bjsm.bmj.com/content/57/18/1203https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/massive-review-identifies-exercises-that-could-most-benefit-mental-health-370600Website: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcastEmail: amanda@riseaswe.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise
How SLEEP Helps You Heal [Essential 8 Series]
Apr 9 2024
How SLEEP Helps You Heal [Essential 8 Series]
Episode 59 - Essential 8 Series (Part 1)Sleep plays a vital role in our overall health and wellbeing, yet 1 in 3 adults aren’t getting the recommended amount. If you're not getting the recommended amount of sleep, your mental and physical health will suffer.In this episode we’re going to talk about – what happens when we sleep, why sleep matters for our mental and physical health, common struggles with sleep, and practical strategies for getting better shut-eye. If you're tired of feeling tired, let's dive in!Resources Mentioned:Sleep: Essential 8 - Mini WorkbookBook: "Why We Sleep" by Matthew WalkerSleep Foundation: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/National Sleep Foundation: https://www.sleep.org/3 Tangible Takeaways:Prioritize Sleep: set a goal to get 7-9 hours of quality sleep at least 80% of nights.Reflection: If you are not currently getting the recommended amount of sleep, what small change can you start making today tonight to get you 1% closer to that?General Sleep Guidelines: Get off tech at least 30 minutes before bed. Get exposure to natural daylight especially in the first half of your day. Avoid stimulants like caffeine and sedatives like alcohol later in the day. Dim your lights in the evening and create conditions for optimal sleep when possible. And lastly, beds are for sleeping. So if you can't sleep, get out of bed, do a relaxing activity away from the bedroom until you feel sleepy, and then come on back.Looking for more personalized support?Book a FREE consultation for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program.Join me inside RISE, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space.Pre-order my new book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!Website: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcastEmail: amanda@riseaswe.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise
Why behavior change matters when healing (even if it’s not that cool to talk about)
Apr 2 2024
Why behavior change matters when healing (even if it’s not that cool to talk about)
EPISODE 58Your habits matter, your lifestyle matters. Your overall health is the greatest contributor to your mental health. There’s no about of talk therapy or meds that can combat the natural stress load that gets put on your system by chronic sleep deprivation, sedentariness, dysfunctional breathing, too many inflammatory foods and too little nourishing ones.AND YET... behavior change is hard, especially when struggling with anxiety & depression.Today and in the next 8 episodes we’ll take a deep dive into talking all about habits that hurt versus habits that heal. This conversations paves the way for the Essential 8 series by helping you understand the neuroscience of behavior change, why it's hard and what can make it easier. Now let's dive in!Looking for more personalized support?Book a FREE consultation for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program.Join me inside RISE, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space.Pre-order my new book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!3 take aways from today's conversation:Your daily habits play a big role in your healing journey. If you’re not living well, you won’t be mentally well. When you are stressed it makes sense to default to your most well-worn habits. When you do offer yourself equal parts compassion, accountability, and strategy for how to step back into your habits that heal.When establishing a new habit start small, laughably small, 1% small. Install a tiny habit by giving it a cure and a purpose, and then once that tiny habit is your new baseline – optimize it overtime.Have questions you'd like me to answer on the podcast? SUBMIT HEREWebsite: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcastEmail: amanda@riseaswe.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise
Are Cold Plunges & HIIT Training Hurting Your Healing?
Mar 26 2024
Are Cold Plunges & HIIT Training Hurting Your Healing?
EPISODE 57When your nervous system has grown accustomed to chaos, things like stillness , rest, and slowing down feel unsafe. Because of this we often choose "healing" modalities that feed into the familiarity of chaos and intensity.So are the cold plunges and HIIT workouts hurting your healing? I don't know. But join me for a conversation to talk through how they might be, to talk about how they held me back in my early healing journey and what I'd do differently if I knew then what I know now.Looking for more personalized support?Book a FREE consultation for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program.Join me inside RISE, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space.Pre-order my new book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!3 take aways from today's conversation:Your nervous system will always default to familiar chaos over unfamiliar safety, the path towards healing means assessing whether the things your engaging in reinforce a familiar avoidance of stillness or invite in the discomfort of experiencing it.There are non negotiable needs you have as a human, things like sleep, movement, quality breath, community and so on. Stepping into habits that nurture that nature while simultaneously choosing experiences that build familiarity around safety is the path to more regulated living.Is a reminder to filter all suggestions, even research supported ones, from myself and others through a personalized lens to find your unique path towards healing.Have questions you'd like me to answer on the podcast? SUBMIT HEREWebsite: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcastEmail: amanda@riseaswe.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise
3 Goals of Stress Management
Mar 19 2024
3 Goals of Stress Management
EPISODE 56Let's have another conversation around stress. Chronic stress can come as a symptom of our choices or the reality reality of our life circumstances, but it's usually a mix of both. I spent a decade create a life of chronic stress based on beliefs I acquired in my childhood and teenage years.Here's the thing, stress isn't the problem, chronic stress is. There's also some cool new research that suggests that stress may only be bad for you if you believe that to be the case.Join me for the full conversation as I unpack 3 main goals when it comes to stress.ps. this episode includes a sneak peak reading of part of my new book, "Healing Through the Vagus Nerve"Resources referenced in this episode:Pre-order my new book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!Part 1 (of 4) of my Stress Bucket Series on the podcastTED TALK: How to make stress your friendLooking for more personalized support?Book a FREE consultation for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program.Join me inside RISE, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space.3 take aways from today's conversation:Take your stress seriously, but not so seriously that it stresses you out.Stress management starts with an intentional look at your stressors. Check out episodes 37, 38, 39, & 40 for a series on how you can do just that.When it comes with to stress the 3 goals are to: (1) decrease the likelihood of long term chronic stress (2) to increase your ability to reset from stress more quickly through the vagus nerve (3) To increase your overall capacity for stressHave questions you'd like me to answer on the podcast? SUBMIT HEREWebsite: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcastEmail: amanda@riseaswe.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise
Auditory Overstimulation - What it is, Why is Happens & What You Can Do
Mar 5 2024
Auditory Overstimulation - What it is, Why is Happens & What You Can Do
EPISODE 54Do you ever feel overstimulated by sounds? Maybe especially when you're stressed? This has been a part of my anxiety journey and something that's come up a lot amongst my conversations with other lately. In this episode we'll talk about what Auditory Overstimulation is, why it happens, and some things you might be able to do today to support yourself (or a loved one).Here are links to the two things referenced in the conversation:(1) Learn more and join my next Release Class by clicking HERE - First class? Use the code "ATTUNE" at checkout for 40% off(2) CLICK HERE to learn more about the "Safe & Sound Protocol"Looking for more personalized support?Book a FREE consultation for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program.Join me inside RISE, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space.Pre-order my new book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!3 take aways from today's conversation:We hear sounds differently when we’re in a sympathetic state, this can make those sounds feel overwhelming, distracting, and increase the stress load on our system.Awareness of how you experience this is the first step. I invite you to pay attention to when and how you notice this showing up most for you and if there are any particular sounds or types of sounds that are the most aggravating.Take time to brainstorm strategies to minimize sound, manage emotions, and decrease stress as part of a larger, long term plan to decrease the intensity in which you experience auditory overstimulation.Have questions you'd like me to answer on the podcast? SUBMIT HEREWebsite: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcastEmail: amanda@riseaswe.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise
Doctor or Drug Dealer (& How I Was Wrong)
Feb 6 2024
Doctor or Drug Dealer (& How I Was Wrong)
EPISODE 50Last week I had an instagram post that immediately lost me followers, while also being my most liked and shared post in over a year. Let's talk about it.Let's talk about how this same post could feel so validating and empowering for some people, while angering others. In this conversation I share various individuals perspectives and experiences around being prescribed psych meds and the ways I think the mainstream medical model often falls short in providing personalized mental health support.I also offer a thanks to the mental health providers who offered me a gut check for the way my intention behind the post didn't entirely match the impact, and I take absolute responsibility for that.Trigger warning, this conversation includes mention of the terms: drug dealer, suicide, and anorexiaLooking for more personalized support?Book a FREE consultation for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program.Join me inside RISE, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space.Pre-order my new book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!3 take aways:This post was not anti medication, it was anti physician that puts people and symptoms in a box and presents medication as the only solution. Meds can be needed, even life saving,  AND as a community we are overmedicated and undereducated around personalized healing. Medication is presented as THE SOLUTION TO versus AN OPTION FOR anxiety & depression far too often and it’s hurting people. There is no shame in medication being part of your healing. I cannot emphasize this enough. It played a role in mine, AND your symptoms are there for a reason. True and lasting healing doesn’t just take the edge off symptoms but in getting to the root.You have options, if you weren’t provided context or choice when seeking support for healing I hope the conversations I have here help provide some of that for you.Have questions you'd like me to answer on the podcast? SUBMIT HEREWebsite: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcastEmail: amanda@riseaswe.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise
What Blood, Breath, and Belonging Have to do With Healing
Jan 16 2024
What Blood, Breath, and Belonging Have to do With Healing
EPISODE 47Do you feel like you've been chasing healing for so long and falling short? It might be that one of these pieces is missing. Let's talk about some pitfalls in mainstream mental health support and the role that bloodwork, breath, and belonging might have in your healing. I'll also peel pack the curtain on a new program we're currently developing that'll help bring a true, physiology first approach to healing anxiety & depression. Hit play for more!Looking for more personalized support?Pre-order my new book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!Join me inside RISE, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space.Book a FREE consultation for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program.3 tangible take aways:Order bloodwork:  As I firm up some of the RESET programs process with our nurse practitioner I’ll be happy to share with you an exact script/list of tests to take to your doctor and request - I wish I had that for you now, but if nothing else I just want to put on your radar that blood testing has a huge role to place in healing anxiety & depression.Pay attention to your HRV on your apple watch or Oura ring - I’m an Oura ring wearer and absolutely love it for a million reasons I’ll share in another episode. But HRV is an accurate measure for overall nervous system health. As you engage in certain changes like breathwork, trying to get more sleep, etc… watch to see how that influence your HRV overtime.If you feel like you’ve been trying so hard to heal for so long and falling short, it’s likely that the system is falling short not you. I want to offer a heartfelt invitation to join us at the entry point that’s the best fit for you financially or support wise.Have questions you'd like me to answer on the podcast? SUBMIT HEREWebsite: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcastEmail: amanda@riseaswe.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise
How I Turned a Potentially Really Bad Day Around With Regulation
Jan 9 2024
How I Turned a Potentially Really Bad Day Around With Regulation
EPISODE 46I woke up anxious today and this conversation is about what I did to not let it ruin my day. 4am kid wake up, a bad dream, excitement, crappy sleep, all had my system wired from the minute I opened my eyes. I'd love to tell you I used this magic tool to regulate my nervous system and get on with my day, but instead what I want to share is the roller coaster of regulated, and re-regulated, and re-regulating that my day called for.Had this day have happened a handful of years ago I'd be pulling the covers over my heard thinking "what a train wreck" but you know what, today was a pretty good day and I want to tell you how I did that.Hit play to hear more!Three takeaways:Having a regulated nervous doesn’t mean you’re regulated all the time, part of regulation means that you have the ability to notice and ride those waves throughout the day.If you’ve been stuck in survival mode for a really long time, or spent a lot of your life there, your system may still default to urgency. Rewiring comes with more frequency and duration of periods in that green zone. Moments of activation or shut down aren’t point of failure, but instead points of practice.When you're dysregulated you  sees problems, when regulated you see solution and collaboration.Looking for more personalized support? Book a free discovery call to learn more about RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program.Or join me inside RISE, my mental health membership and nervous system healing space for those struggling with anxiety or depression.Have questions you'd like me to answer on the podcast? SUBMIT HEREWebsite: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcastEmail: amanda@riseaswe.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise
12 Habits for a More Regulated 2024
Jan 3 2024
12 Habits for a More Regulated 2024
EPISODE 45This year I'm choosing regulation over resolutions. I'm choosing tiny habits over lofty goals. Join me for a conversation that unpacks why only 9% of people who set resolutions actually get there (and why I'm not interested in being part of that 9% this year). I'll also share with you 12 habits for a more regulated year.Happy new years friends and just a reminder that the new year doesn't need a new you, it needs the you that you're already becoming. The you taking brave steps towards healing. The you who's been through the unimaginable to be right where you are. Let this be your year of hope and healing.3 Takeaways:Regulation over resolutionBehavior change is hard, start so small, laughably smallTaking a month to focus on each of these habits will set you up for so much more regulation and healing: (1) bathroom check in, (2) sleep, (3) morning sunlight, (4) breakfast, (5) daily walk, (6) breathwork, (7) play & community, (8) exercise, (9) cold exposure, (10) declutter environment, (11) tech boundaries, (12) vagal toningHit play to lean more!Enjoying the podcast, support me by:PRE-ORDER MY BOOK HERE!Looking for more personalized support? Book a free discovery call to learn more about RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program. Or join me inside RISE, my mental health membership and nervous system healing space for those struggling with anxiety or depression. Sliding scale pricing available.Website: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcastEmail: amanda@riseaswe.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise
Holiday Mental Health Support (Part 2)
Dec 19 2023
Holiday Mental Health Support (Part 2)
EPISODE 44Do you struggle staying regulated this time of year? Maybe you have more anxiety around holiday events? Feel high expectations from others and have a hard time setting boundaries?Juggling real life and the “magic” of the season can feel exhausting. The financial pressures and pressure to make new goals as the new year approaches is a lot.I address all of this and more in today’s episode. This is part 2 of a mini series more candidly answering 10 listener submissions to the question: What do you struggle with most in the winter or around the holidays?Join me for my largest community event next week! More details here: https://riseaswe.myflodesk.com/nye23Here’s the full list of the 10 holiday support questions:Loneliness around a small family, not having many friends, and not having kids at my ageGrief for memories I will never make with my dad againSadness/grieving over not having traditional family, single mama of kid who needs tons of coregulationThe sadness of not being with your children for the holiday due to split custody agreementEven more tactical ways to incorporate nervous system regulation into busy lives this time of yearBeing activated (or shut down) at a holiday gathering, & anticipatory anxiety of eventsExpectations I have for me and expectations others have for me – “no” feel like failureJuggling real life with the “magic” of the season = exhaustingFinancesPressure to make new goalsThe first 5 questions were answered last week, and the final 5 today. Thanks for being here friend. I’m sending you so much hope & healing.Website: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcastEmail: amanda@riseaswe.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise