Regulate & Rewire: An Anxiety & Depression Podcast

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:
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.
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.
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.

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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

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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.
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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

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:
Passive: Simply listen and let the reflections move through you like a meditation.
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.
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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

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.
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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 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:
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.
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.
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