Feeling overwhelmed and unsure how to find relief? You’re not alone. In this episode of Spill Your Guts, we are joined by Annelise Landreth, a family nurse practitioner and mom of two, to explore self-soothing—a set of DBT distress tolerance skills designed to help calm your nervous system when emotions run high.

Let’s be real—we don’t outgrow the need to be soothed; we just stop getting handed binkies and warm blankets when we’re upset. Many of us develop self-soothing habits unconsciously, like nail-biting, cheek chewing, or skin picking. But what if we could be intentional about how we comfort ourselves?

Annelise shares a bit about supporting her neurodivergent child in developing healthy self-soothing strategies, and together we discuss how these tools can benefit both kids and adults. We’ll walk you through using your five senses—sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch—to regulate overwhelm and share ideas for creating your own self-soothing kit so you have reliable tools to turn to when things feel stressful.

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Music Credit: Nathan Byrne with Reel Byrne Media.

Note: The information in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical or therapeutic advice. Such information is not intended nor otherwise implied to be mental health advice or a substitute for mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a mental health or medical professional. If you become distressed and need support, call 988 to access the free 24/7 Mental Health Hotline, call 911, or visit your nearest Emergency Room.