What 3 a.m. Parenting Taught Me About Co-Regulation and Trauma-Informed Care

Early motherhood has a way of bringing clinical concepts out of textbooks and into real life.

In my recent Substack essay, “Notes from a Therapist Mom: 3 a.m. wisdom,” I reflect on what sleepless nights with my daughter have taught me about nervous system regulation, attachment, and the power of presence. While my training in Polyvagal Theory, Brainspotting, and somatic therapies like Sensorimotor Psychotherapy has long shaped my work as a therapist, becoming a mother has deepened my understanding of how healing truly happens in the body and in relationship.

At 3 a.m., there are no techniques, only co-regulation. What my baby needs most is not advice or problem-solving, but a calm, attuned nervous system she can borrow while hers settles. This is the same principle that guides my work with clients at Crescent Counseling: safety is felt before it is understood.

In session, I help clients notice their bodily cues, track their nervous systems, and build greater capacity for connection and emotional regulation through trauma-informed, relational, and somatic approaches. Watching this process unfold with my own child has reinforced how powerful, and necessary, these skills are, especially for those healing from stress, anxiety, or relational trauma.

If you’re interested in the personal side of this experience, along with reflections on motherhood, repair, and nervous system attunement, you can read the full essay here.

This is the first piece in my ongoing Substack series, Notes from a Therapist Mom, where I explore the intersection of parenting, healing, and trauma-informed therapy. I’ll continue to share both clinical insights and real-life reflections for parents, clients, and fellow therapists.

If you’re curious about how these principles show up in therapy, or how I integrate somatic and relational approaches into my work, you can learn more about my services at Crescent Counseling Dallas.