Nervous System Regulation for Triggered Mums
Using simple somatic movement practices
What is somatics?
Soma comes from the Greek word meaning living body.
Somatics is an inquiry into our lived experience — the awareness of how we sense, feel, and inhabit our bodies. An invitation to listen to the subtle sensory language through which the body communicates.
How can somatic movement help ground us in motherhood?
As a mother of a busy and outspoken three-almost-four-year-old boy, who seems to be going through a heightened emotions 'phase', I've found myself more often than not feeling highly triggered, with my stress and tolerance threshold being pushed to the absolute max. I noticed these all-too-regular episodes were beginning to negatively impact the quality of my day and mood – even beyond the 'episode'.
Being a problem-solver, I thought, I have to find some ways to manage these feelings of being so triggered by my child, and I knew I wasn't the only one experiencing this parenting fatigue. I reached out to a good friend of mine who has extensive knowledge in the field of somatic movement. Jodi Pullar– founder of Soma Practice, specialises in helping carers regulate their nervous systems through gentle movement practices.
She kindly and generously got to work and put together some incredible audio tracks to help you quickly and effectively ground yourself wherever you may be. These truly work. I sampled them all and almost instantaneously felt a positive shift towards feeling calmer, grounded and regulated.
Keep reading to download your gift and a generous discount offer from Jodi
Motherhood asks everything of us. We show up — for school drop-offs, soccer sidelines, sleepless nights, and everything in between — often without pausing to ask how our own body is doing.
Somatics and your nervous system
Working directly with your body, somatics is a practice of listening to sensation, to breath, to the subtle signals our nervous system is constantly sending — and, gently, learning how to respond.
At its heart, somatics is about building an embodied conversation with your own Soma. Through curiosity, play and exploration, we begin to attune to our own body — noticing how it responds to stress, to calm, to connection, to fatigue. Because our nervous systems are uniquely shaped by our lived experiences, that conversation looks and feels a little different for each of us.
Somatic movement builds this embodied awareness through body-based practices — breath, sensory awareness and gentle movement — to help shift, hold and support the various states of our nervous system. Simple, accessible tools to help us ground, express, regulate and restore. The more we practice, the more fluent we become in the language of our own Soma.
Care package for carers
Care Package for Carers is a small, accessible somatic offering that Jodi has recorded for mothers and carers alike. Thoughtfully designed to support and regulate the nervous system of those who care and hold space for others.
Each practice is guided and trauma-aware, running no longer than six minutes — because your time is precious, and so is your nervous system.
Inside you'll find four short somatic audio practices, designed for the in-between moments of your day — nap time, a lunch break, the car before you walk back through the door. No mat, no equipment, no special space required. Just you and a few quiet minutes.
A FREEBIE designed especially for you
One of the tracks that Jodi recorded, she named 'Calming the Chaos', and although I loved all four tracks, I found this one particular transformative. She has kindly gifted this audio track to The Mum Loop audience, so please take a few minutes to download it to your phone or desktop – pop your headphones in and have a listen. You can access this nervous system regulatory audio whenever you need
Calming the Chaos Audio Track. Download for FREE
Play Soundtrack
Calming the Chaos — Three gentle rhythms — a sway, a hand on your heart, a soft hum — to guide your nervous system toward calm.
The complete Care Package for Carers includes the following:
Regulate your nervous system with a gentle mix of body-based micro-practices, each three to six minutes — accompanied by a practice guide. Designed for the moments in your day when you need to ground, express or simply come back to yourself.
1: Somatic Check In — An invitation to pause and notice what is here, without judgment or expectation. What is your breath carrying? What is your Soma showing you?
2. Grounded Expression — Tension release, shaking and expressive movement to shift what you've been holding.
3. Calming the Chaos (as gifted above)
4. Restorative Regulation — An invitational touch practice from head to toe, nurturing your nervous system toward restoration and rest.
Jodi is generously gifting The Mum Loop community 50% off her package price. Simply use code SOMA50 at checkout. You can access the Care Package for Carers below
Meet Jodi
Jodi has spent over 20 years exploring the body — through dance, Pilates and somatic movement — befriending it as a companion for expression, connection, regulation and grounding. As someone who holds space for others in her own work, she knows firsthand what that quietly asks of the nervous system. Somatic practices have been — and continue to be — some of the most supportive tools in her own life. It is from that lived experience, her studies, and years of working with others as a somatic therapist and movement teacher, that she shares them with you.
More ways to regulate your nervous system
Self-care practices I've adopted to help ground and nurture myself in this season of life
Take a walk in nature
A walk in nature is always grounding. It gently asks you to be in the moment. Breathe in fresh oxygen and let out a nourishing exhale. I find that almost instantly my nervous system feels soothed when I'm walking in the bush. Depending on your location, make the effort, get outside, breathe in fresh air and let sunlight penetrate. I find the bush works best for an instant grounding effect, but if you live by the beach, go and watch the waves instead. There is something about the awe of nature that reminds us how small we are in the grand scheme of things, and that can sometimes help put our problems into perspective.
Getting into nature right at the moment you’re being triggered may not always be possible, but I recommend scheduling it into your weekly self-care routine.
Keep a simple self-care diary
I’ve recently started keeping a simple self-care diary where I record hours of sleep, my mood that day, my water intake and whether or not I exercised that day. It’s a simple yes/no check list, so very little effort is required to record daily. I also record what my intentions for the day are and what I’m grateful for. I answer some in the AM and some in the PM.
I've found it helps me keep track of my emotions and regulation, and if I have a day (or week) which has felt really hard, I look back and see how it correlated to my sleep and movement that week and where I was at in my cycle – this is usually a major indicator of my mood and energy. I try not to use this diary for any practical to-do jobs that relate to work or life-admin, I keep it strictly self-care related.
Digital detox in the evening
This one is the hardest! But try to implement it at least a few evenings of the week. Putting your phone down and reading a book instead forces you to be in the moment and get out of your head – a great TV show can achieve the same thing. When you are engrossed in watching or reading something interesting, it's easier to switch off from daily worries, anxieties, and concerns. I find that overthinking at night is always the worst. I often need good strategies and positive self-talk phrases in place, so I don’t spiral. I have a few simple phrases I might repeat - e.g. 'this too shall pass', 'everything we feel better in the morning'. Having Rescue Remedy at your bedside table is also recommended, in terms of peak stress and overwhelm.
While you're sitting up in bed, before sleep, you might want to try some of Jodi's excellent somatic movement techniques. Swaying and tapping are so transformative. I can’t stress enough how beautifully simple this technique is, and how easy it is for us all to access.
Book a spa treatment when you can manage it
Some local Wellington favourites of mine are Spring Spa (for a relaxing pedicure, eyebrow tint, and their signature massages are the best in town!
Numa Skin Club for a holistic facial. They have incredible beauty therapists who assess your skin from the inside out. They are true professionals and have created a wonderfully calming, pampering and nurturing space. Their specialised facials are second-to-none.
Plan a trip
Exciting international trips are rarely possible for parents without a great deal of prior planning. But sometimes just switching up the scenery and getting out of town for the day (ideally overnight) can help a great deal. Having a change of scenery does wonders for our mood and outlook, helping shift stale energy.
Interacting with different people and landscapes can really alter our mental state, and the more times we nurture ourselves by prioritising our mental health, we help to regulate our nervous systems; it helps us to turn down the temperature and come back to baseline more readily.
Sometimes the positivity game can feel futile – especially if you’ve been playing that one for a while and you don’t fundamentally feel any better
You're not alone
Some days can feel really hard. It can feel like sludge – no matter what age your children are and whether or not you’re juggling work and family life – it’s all work, and it’s all stressful more often than we'd like to admit.
Sometimes the positivity game can feel futile – especially if you’ve been playing that one for a while and you don’t fundamentally feel better. Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet, and it’s a bit of trial and error – figuring out what helps your nervous system the most, but you owe it to yourself to try as many self-care-related exercises as possible to ensure you’re getting more joy out of your days.
Carve the time out, don’t feel selfish. You will show up better when you are filling your own cup (not just managing the overflow when things feel intense and overwhelming). You’re not alone. You’re doing great, and you deserve good things, always. Because aren’t we here to enjoy ourselves? Not that you need it, but this is your permission to create more joy.
Nina xx
