5 tips for regulation from a Polyvagal Theory informed therapist
Addendum: A Note on Polyvagal Theory and Nervous System Work
You may notice references to Polyvagal Theory throughout my website. While aspects of the theory are currently being discussed and refined within the scientific community, the core principles that inform trauma-informed therapy, including the role of the nervous system in safety, connection, and emotional regulation, remain well-supported across neuroscience and psychotherapy research.
In my clinical work, Polyvagal Theory is one of many frameworks that helps describe how and why nervous systems respond the way they do. More importantly, therapy itself is grounded in relational, attuned care. Research consistently shows that the therapeutic relationship, not any single theory or technique, is the most important factor in meaningful, lasting change.
In therapy with me, interventions such as Brainspotting, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and the Safe and Sound Protocol are used thoughtfully and collaboratively, always in service of supporting your nervous system’s capacity for regulation and connection.
Taking some time today to share some tips you can use on your own for regulation. I want to start with tips that can help move your system out of the sympathetic state.
Let’s start with a quick overview of the sympathetic state. This state prepares us for action, and you may be more familiar with the phrase “fight-or-flight” that is often used to describe this state. Things happening in your body you might notice in this state would be your heart rate speeding up or your breath becoming shorter and more shallow. It may feel hard to sit still so you fidget or stay in motion or tense. When your sympathetic state is triggered, you may describe yourself as feeling anxious, angry, unsettled, disorganized, or even as panicked. The world around you may feel unsafe, chaotic, or unfriendly.
If you can relate to this state or feel like you tend to navigate daily living from this place, try these tips to move out of this mobilization and towards a greater sense of safety and connection.
Nervous System Regulation Tip #1: Move
One of my more recent favorite forms of movement is dance (a recommendation from my own therapist!), but there are many other types of movement you can try to help move out of “fight-or-flight.” You may prefer yoga or running or even the micro-movements made from using a rocking chair. There is no right or wrong way to move, only whatever helps move you into regulation.
Nervous System Regulation Tip #2: Change your temperature
When trying to move from the sympathetic state towards safety and connection, try temperature change in the direction of cold. Temperature change may help bring you back to the present moment. Try a ice cube in your hands or on the back of your neck, a cold shower, or running cold water over your hands or face. This temperature change may help decrease your heart rate along with providing grounding and helping you to anchor into the present.
Nervous System Regulation Tip #3: Listen to music
Your autonomic nervous system responds to sound. You may want to create a “ventral playlist” that connects you to feelings of calm, compassion, rest, and restoration along with a “sympathetic playlist” that allows you to safely connect with the anxiety or anger of your sympathetic state. Your ventral playlist may help you reconnect with the energy of your ventral state, while your sympathetic playlist may help you connect to and embrace the state as opposed to feeling overwhelmed by it. You can even try mixing the two playlists, allowing yourself to notice the blending or transitioning between the two states depending on the song. You may also want to try nature sounds. The sound of water can be particularly restorative for your nervous system!
Nervous System Regulation Tip #4: Thank the state
Take a moment to practice gratitude for the way your nervous system acts in service of your safety and survival. Validation and self-compassion can be helpful in combating the more critical self-talk that may show up when you’re feeling anxious or angry. Ultimately, we need our fight-or-flight response. We may seek to bring more regulation to this response, but appreciating the self-protective intent behind our responses can help cultivate more change than self-criticism.
Nervous System Regulation Tip #5: Try sour candy
Focusing on the taste of sour candy may provide a distraction and help anchor you into the present through your sense of taste.
These tips are just a starting place for nervous system regulation.
Therapy may provide a space for you to learn more about your own responses and to find the ways that help most to bring you towards safety and connection and decrease the impact of anxiety on your life. You can reach me at (214) 216-1495 or fill out our Contact page to connect and start exploring therapy!
When Nervous System Regulation Still Feels Difficult
Learning nervous system regulation skills can be incredibly helpful, but sometimes people notice that even with breathing exercises, grounding techniques, or mindfulness practices, their anxiety or stress responses still feel overwhelming. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
Many people searching for anxiety therapy in Dallas or looking for a therapist near me discover that chronic stress, trauma, or long-standing emotional patterns can make nervous system regulation more challenging. When your body has been in survival mode for long periods of time, it can take more support and consistency to help your system shift toward safety and connection.
This is where working with a trauma-informed therapist in Dallas can be helpful. Rather than just teaching coping strategies, trauma-informed therapy focuses on understanding why your nervous system reacts the way it does and helping your body gradually learn new patterns of regulation.
Therapies that focus on the nervous system, such as somatic therapy, Brainspotting, and other trauma-informed approaches, work directly with the body’s stress responses rather than only focusing on thoughts or behaviors.
Signs Your Nervous System May Be Dysregulated
If you’ve been wondering whether nervous system work could help you, here are some common signs of dysregulation that people bring into therapy:
Persistent anxiety or feeling “on edge”
Difficulty calming down after stressful situations
Emotional numbness or shutdown
Trouble sleeping or relaxing
Feeling overwhelmed by everyday responsibilities
Repeating relationship or communication patterns
Feeling stuck in fight, flight, or freeze responses
Many people begin searching online for terms like “anxiety therapist Dallas,” “trauma therapy near me,” or “help with nervous system regulation” when these experiences start affecting daily life.
The good news is that the nervous system is adaptable. With the right support, it can learn new patterns of safety, connection, and resilience.
Therapy Can Help You Build Nervous System Flexibility
The goal of nervous system regulation is not to feel calm all the time. Instead, it’s to develop the flexibility to move between different emotional states without becoming stuck in overwhelm or shutdown.
Working with a Dallas therapist who understands Polyvagal Theory and trauma-informed care can help you:
Recognize your nervous system states
Develop personalized regulation tools
Increase emotional resilience
Improve relationships and communication
Feel more grounded in your daily life
Over time, many clients notice that situations that once triggered anxiety or shutdown become easier to navigate. Regulation becomes less about constant effort and more about a natural sense of stability.
If you’re exploring therapy in Dallas for anxiety, trauma, or stress, nervous system-focused work can be a powerful step toward feeling more connected, present, and supported in your life.
