Guided Practice for Regulated Reflection
Episode 96: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube
View transcript on Buzzsprout
It can be hard to find moments of pause at the end of the year—but this short, powerful practice invites you to do just that. In this guided episode, Amanda leads listeners through a nervous system-informed reflection to help you look back on the past year and gently look ahead to what’s next. Designed to support regulation, insight, and intention, this practice offers a grounded alternative to pressure-filled resolutions or productivity-driven goal setting.
What We Cover in This Episode
- A sequence of vagus nerve-stimulating exercises
- Guided breathwork to support somatic safety
- Reflections for closing the year with compassion and clarity
- Visualization to help you embody future intentions
What Regulated Reflection Sounds Like
This practice invites your whole system—mind and body—to participate in reflection. Unlike cognitive-only journaling or high-pressure goal setting, regulated reflection honors the nervous system first. Amanda starts with vagus nerve activation and somatic settling before prompting gentle, curiosity-led questions like:
- What moments felt meaningful this year?
- What did I learn about myself?
- What do I want to release as I move forward?
- How do I want to feel in my daily life next year?
You’ll then be guided through a brief visualization, imagining yourself one year from now, living and healing from a place of intention.
This is a practice you can return to again and again—at year-end, quarter-end, or any time you need to reconnect with your path.
Three Tangible Takeaways
- Reflection isn’t just cognitive. It becomes more powerful when we regulate first and then reflect.
- Your body holds wisdom. Grounding, scanning, and orienting practices help your system settle before meaningful insight can emerge.
- Healing happens in small steps. You don’t need to map out a full plan. One breath, one intention, one question at a time.
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 the Regulated Living Membership, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)
- Join my Release Class – Monthly guided nervous system regulation class
- Order my book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!
- Download free resources here
*Want me to talk about something specific on the podcast? Let me know HERE.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
