When you witness suffering at scale, your capacity to care can feel like it’s running on empty. In this episode, we’re diving into the biological reality of compassion fatigue and the potent "antidote" found in moral elevation. We discuss why "looking for the helpers" isn’t just a sweet sentiment—it’s a vital nervous system intervention that activates the vagus nerve and restores our ability to hope. This conversation is an invitation to honor your personal capacity, embrace complexity, and find your own sustainable way to show up.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What compassion fatigue actually is
• The "Compassion Budget"
• The science of Moral Elevation: How witnessing acts of goodness triggers the vagus nerve to slow your heart rate, reduce inflammation, and release oxytocin.
• Dialectical Thinking: The "both/and" logic that allows you to acknowledge horrifying truths without losing sight of community resilience.
• Matching Capacity to Advocacy: Why "offering the shovel" is sometimes exactly enough, and how to match your current resources to the causes you care about.

3 Takeaways:

1. Compassion fatigue is real—and so is your capacity limit. Not every cause can be your cause. Ask yourself: What do I have to give right now? And where do I want to give it? Be honest about your capacity and kind to yourself about your limitations. Sometimes offering the shovel is enough.
2. Looking for the helpers activates moral elevation—a biological antidote to compassion fatigue. 
3. Practice dialectical thinking: both/and, not either/or. Horrifying things are happening AND people are showing up for each other. You can witness harm AND witness helpers. 

Resources mentioned:

• Book: Healing Through the Vagus Nerve by Amanda Armstrong

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Looking for more personalized support?

• Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
• Join me inside Regulated Living, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)

*Want me to talk about something specific on the podcast? Let me know HERE.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @amandaontherise

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

When the world feels like it's falling apart, how do we stay connected to ourselves while still showing up for what matters? In this episode, we're talking about collective trauma, what it actually means to be "regulated" (hint: it doesn't mean calm), and the tangible nervous system tools that can help you stay resourced during ongoing crisis. This isn't about fixing everything—it's about staying grounded enough to keep going.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What collective and vicarious trauma actually are, and how your nervous system processes witnessing suffering even through a screen
• Why "regulated" doesn't mean calm—and what regulated activism actually looks like in practice
• The neuroscience behind tools like predictability, warmth, and nostalgia as primitive safety signals for your nervous system
• Why "tangible help kills the helplessness" and how micro-acts of care keep you connected and resourced
• How to practice dialectical thinking: holding both the horror and the helpers at the same time

3 Takeaways:

1. Regulated doesn't mean calm—it means connected. You can be furious, heartbroken, and activated AND still be regulated. Regulation is about staying connected to your body, your breath, and your capacity to respond (not just react) while you feel all the feelings and fight for what matters.
2. Tangible help kills the helplessness. When everything feels too big and overwhelming, do something small and real. Drop off coffee for a neighbor. Text a friend "thinking of you." Bake bread and share it. These micro-acts of care aren't trivial—they're how we stay connected and resourced enough to keep going.
3. Look for the helpers—it's neuroscience, not toxic positivity. Witnessing acts of courage, kindness, and resistance activates your vagus nerve and counters compassion fatigue. Your nervous system needs evidence that while the monster is real, the protector is active too. Practice dialectical thinking: horrifying things are happening AND people are showing up for each other. Both are true.

Resources mentioned:

• CLICK HERE to join my monthly release class. Use the code "REGULATE" for 100% off.
• CLICK HERE to get 10% off my favorite phone boundary support (BRICK)
• Post from @meghanbreentherapy

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Looking for more personalized support?

• Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
• Join me inside Regulated Living, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)
• Order my book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!

*Want me to talk about something specific on the podcast? Let me know HERE.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @amandaontherise

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

New intro, repeat episode of one I published almost exactly a year ago. While the examples I offer are a year old, the suggestions offered apply just as much to some of the chaos we're all experiencing this week as well. Hit play on this episode again, see what resonates, and I'll be back next week with some new thoughts.

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In this episode of Regulate & Rewire, we explore how to navigate collective trauma and maintain mental health in a world that feels increasingly chaotic. From California wildfires to global conflicts, we discuss why our ancient nervous systems struggle with modern information overload and offer practical strategies for staying regulated while staying informed. Learn about the concept of "conscious oscillation," tips for healthy information consumption, and why finding moments of joy isn't just allowed - it's necessary for sustained resilience and impact.

Three Takeaways:

1. Our nervous systems evolved for a world of immediate, local threats - not the constant stream of global catastrophes we now face through modern technology. Understanding this mismatch helps explain why we feel overwhelmed and gives us permission to set boundaries.
2. Balance Information and Regulation: Limit news consumption, take meaningful action when you can, and prioritize rest and joy to keep your nervous system balanced.
3. Finding joy and allowing moments of lightness during dark times isn't privilege or denial - it's a biological necessity for nervous system regulation. Conscious oscillation between engagement and rest helps us stay resilient and effective.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @amandaontherise

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

Why does “New Year, New You” feel so motivating… and then fall apart just weeks later? In this episode, we explore why New Year’s resolutions often backfire—not because you lack discipline or willpower, but because they ask your nervous system to do something it’s biologically wired to resist. Through a nervous-system and mental-health lens, we unpack why massive change feels threatening, how winter is a season of rest (not reinvention), and what a more sustainable, regulated approach to the new year actually looks like. This is an invitation to move away from pressure and performance—and toward safety, support, and gentle, lasting change.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why your nervous system resists big, fast change—and why that resistance is protection, not self-sabotage
• How “New Year, New You” puts your body into threat mode and leads to burnout, not transformation
• Why January is biologically a season for rest and reflection—not aggressive goal-setting
• The four phases of the Resolution Crash: Mobilization, Sustainable Burn, the Crash, and the Shame Spiral
• How to use "laughably small" habits to bypass your internal alarm system and create lasting change

3 Takeaways:

1. Resistance Is Protection
   When your nervous system pushes back against change, it’s not because you’re broken—it’s because your body equates familiarity with safety. Change requires resourcing, not force.
2. Winter Is Not a Growth Season
   Nature rests in winter, and so do we. Trying to overhaul your life in January asks your body to act like it’s spring—when it’s wired for conservation, reflection, and repair.
3. Measure Regulation, Not Performance
   Lasting change doesn’t come from dramatic overhauls. It comes from tiny additions, moments of safety, and choosing regulation over all-or-nothing goals.

—

Looking for more personalized support?

• Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
• Join me inside Regulated Living, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)
• Order my book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!

*Want me to talk about something specific on the podcast? Let me know HERE.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @amandaontherise

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

In Part 2 of our New Year mini-series, we’re moving beyond the "New Year, New You" hype to have a more honest conversation about what it actually looks like to let go. Following Amanda's annual NYE Circle event, she's sharing the raw, real list of patterns and beliefs that she is choosing to leave behind.

From the "addiction to urgency" to the "shoulds" we place on our grieving bodies, this episode is an invitation to gently acknowledge and begin to untangle the habits or patterns that once kept us safe but no longer serve us.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Brick: That little device I'm using to help curb my phone addiction. (Get 10% off via this link: https://www.getbrick.app/AMANDA99695) *Disclosure: This is link an affiliate link, meaning I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I personally use and trust to support my own nervous system.
• Annual NYE Circle: My 6th-year community ritual for intentional reflection. If you'd like to participate in the full NYE Circle you can CLICK HERE to access the replay which will be available until January 11th.

—

Looking for more personalized support?

• Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
• Join me inside Regulated Living, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)
• Order my book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!

*Want me to talk about something specific on the podcast? Let me know HERE.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @amandaontherise

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

The calendar says the year is over, but has your nervous system caught up? In Part 1 of our New Year’s Mini Series, we’re moving away from high-pressure goal setting and "new year, new you" rhetoric. Instead, we are creating a "pocket of space" to let the previous year actually complete.

Our bodies don’t experience time through dates; they experience it through processed or unprocessed sensations. Join me for a condensed version of my annual New Year’s Eve Circle—a somatic practice designed to help you exhale, acknowledge what you’ve carried, and release what no longer belongs to you before moving forward.

If you'd like to participate in the full NYE Circle you can CLICK HERE to access the replay which will be available until January 11th.

How to Engage With This Episode:

1. Passive: Simply listen and let the reflections move through you like a meditation.
2. Active: Grab a pen and paper, light a candle, and use the pauses to engage with the journaling prompts and release ritual.

Now hit play to join me for a guided experience where we will regulated, reflect, release, and resource.

—

Looking for more personalized support?

• Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
• Join me inside Regulated Living, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)
• Order my book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!

*Want me to talk about something specific on the podcast? Let me know HERE.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @amandaontherise

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

Sign up for the NYE Circle – Sunday, December 28th at 8 PM ET - CLICK HERE

In this episode I yap about my dumpster fire day. Thought I had childcare, I didn't. My 2 year old had 47 meltdowns. My 4mo old joined me for the membership Q&A— cute but not ideal. I found out a full bag of Christmas gifts got accidentally taken out with the trash last night. My son pulled our fish tank down off the shelf. Gallons of water and tiny rocks EVERYWHERE, a gash in his leg, but luckily the fish survived and is currently swimming around in a soup bowl. Andddd tomorrow is a big grief anniversary for me.

I will be crying into a cookie immediately after hitting post on this podcast but before I do I'll invite you to my NYE Circle event happening on the 28th. I share those details the last 10 or so minutes of the episode.

—

Looking for more personalized support?

• Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
• Join the Regulated Living Membership waitlist to be first to know when doors open again!
• Order my book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @amandaontherise

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

In this episode (a repeat conversation from 2023), Amanda dives into a common struggle during the winter months: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or seasonal depression. She shares listener struggles, the science behind how light impacts our mood, and actionable, research-backed tools to help you navigate the winter blues.

In this episode you'll learn: 

• The definition of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and why the decrease in daylight hours is the biggest contributing factor.
• The three empirically supported treatments for SAD: Antidepressant medication, Bright Light Therapy, and CBT-SAD.
• The fascinating science behind how melanopsin cells in the eye and retinal responsivity link directly to your vulnerability to seasonal depression.
• Why the single most high-payoff habit for mental and physical health—especially in winter—is getting morning sunlight exposure.
• Practical guidance on using a Bright Light Therapy (Happy Lamp) device as an accessible, research-backed alternative to natural light.

3 Takeaways:

1. SAD is linked to decreased daylight hours, but understanding your unique contributing factors (biological vs. seasonal stressors) is essential for choosing the most supportive intervention.
2. New research points to lower retinal effectiveness to light in winter months as a possible biological vulnerability for SAD, suggesting why light-based interventions are often highly effective.
3. Daily morning sunlight is essential for optimal health of every human, but appears especially supportive for those struggling with SAD, who may benefit from supplementing with a bright light therapy pad.

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📘 Other Resources:

• "Happy Light" Recommendations: Verilux® HappyLight w/ Timer ($39)
• Other resources:
  • Understanding and Treating Seasonal Affective Disorder | UPMC HealthBeat Podcast
  • Dr. Samer Hattar: Timing Light, Food, & Exercise for Better Sleep, Energy & Mood | Huberman Lab #43
  • Using Light to Optimize Health | Huberman Lab Podcast #68 (helpful times stamp @ ~ 1:12:00), Huberman Lab Light Protocol
  • The Role Of Environmental Light Exposure
  • Melanopsin Driven Pupil Responses and Physical Activity

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @amandaontherise

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

We all bump into the blurry line between regulating and avoiding. In this episode, Amanda unpacks the difference between soothing your nervous system and emotionally bypassing—using a real client story to show how even “healthy” tools can become numbing when the intention and impact are off. Learn how to choose between regulation and resourcing, and try a simple check-in to turn coping back into connection.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The clear definitions of regulation (state-shifting) vs avoidance/numbing (state-escaping)
• Why the same behavior (TV, scrolling, exercise, breathwork) can heal or hide depending on intention & impact
• The difference between regulating and resourcing—and when each is appropriate
• How “pop healing” can unintentionally promote bypassing (and what to do instead)
• A quick two-question experiment to notice whether you’re shifting away from or expanding capacity for what you feel

3 Takeaways:

1. The same behavior can heal or hide, intention & impact are the tells.
   Regulation restores presence and energy; avoidance suppresses and disconnects. Ask: Does this make me more present or less present?
2. We need both regulating and resourcing tools. Use regulation when a state feels too big or inaccurate to the moment; use resourcing to expand your ability to be with what’s here safely.
3. Awareness is the work. Before you reach for a tool, pause: What am I feeling? What’s my intention? That tiny check-in turns numbing into nourishment and coping into true regulation.

—

Looking for more personalized support?

• Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
• Join me inside Regulated Living, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)
• Order my book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!

*Want me to talk about something specific on the podcast? Let me know HERE.

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @amandaontherise

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

This week, I’m pulling back the curtain on the Regulated Living Membership—because doors are officially open.

If you've been stuck in survival mode, if therapy and mindset work helped you understand the why but didn’t give you a way forward—this is for you.

In today’s episode, I walk you through the what, why, and who of the membership. You’ll hear real member stories, learn what makes this space different, and get a behind-the-scenes look at Course Club—our 5-week guided orientation that starts Monday.

We talk:

• Why your symptoms make sense
• What traditional mental health models are missing
• The difference between Restore and the membership
• What’s inside, how it works, and how to know if it’s for you

Enrollment closes Saturday at midnight. This episode is your personal invitation to join us—no pressure, just a chance to feel seen, supported, and grounded again.

🔗 Learn more & join: https://regulatedliving.com/membership
💌 Questions? email [email protected]

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @amandaontherise

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise