Stress Arousal Regulation

Dysreglated stress arousal—arousal that is stuck on too high or too low—adversely affects our ability to think and speak clearly and function well under pressure. This portion of resilience training teaches how to regulate arousal, so that we can be at our best.

• How the stress–related disorders (sometimes called the “diseases of arousal”) all share common symptoms of dysregulated arousal, ranging from agitation to numbing.
• Normalizing trauma. Understanding how overwhelming stress can quickly push one out of the “resilient zone.” This situation can be reversed.
• The connection between heart rate patterns and performance, mood, and health.
• Diverse strategies to bring dysregulated arousal back to the “resilience zone.” These include body-based (“bottom up”) strategies that are effective when traditional approaches involving language and logic are not.