The Dysregulation Code Blog

Have you ever felt like your body has a mind of its own? One day, you wake up feeling okay. The next, your energy crashes—and you have no idea why.

You’re doing all the right things. Eating well. Resting. Taking care of yourself. And yet… your body still isn’t responding the way you expect. It’s frustrating, confusing, and often deeply discouraging.

I’ve seen this play out over and over in my practice. And I’ve lived it myself.

After nearly 30 years as a physical therapist and health educator, I’ve worked with countless people who were trying everything and still not getting better. And then I went through it myself—navigating long COVID, a serious neck injury, and the loss of my brother—all within a short span of time. These experiences shifted how I saw health and healing forever.

The missing piece?  Nervous system dysregulation.

The Turning Point
A few years ago, I got COVID. I expected to recover quickly—but I didn’t. I was flattened. The fatigue was relentless, and the brain fog left me feeling like I was walking through molasses. Just as I was starting to stabilize, I had a neck injury that intensified everything.  Despite having a lifetime of tools at my disposal, nothing seemed to work the way it should.

Then came the biggest hit: my brother died unexpectedly. In the moment I received that phone call, I felt my entire body compress—like it collapsed from the inside. My nervous system didn’t just react; it shut down.  That moment changed everything.

What I Saw That I’d Missed Before
Until then, I thought of dysregulation as something we deal with in response to a specific event. A trauma. A trigger. A flare-up of symptoms. But suddenly, I could see the bigger picture: We’re not just triggered once in a while; We’re constantly moving in and out of dysregulation; We just haven’t been taught to see it that way.  And if we only pay attention when we’re crashing, we’re already too late.

What Is Dysregulation?
Your nervous system is designed to scan for safety and danger. It helps your body shift between action and rest, stress and recovery. But when it gets stuck in survival mode—fight, flight, or freeze—your energy, healing, and clarity get compromised.

You don’t need a huge traumatic event to end up dysregulated. It could be unresolved stress. A pattern from childhood. Overwork. Constant emotional strain. Even “good stress” can keep your system locked in high alert.

And here’s what that looks like in real life:
• Your energy feels unpredictable—even when your routine doesn’t change.
• You’re tired but wired. Rest doesn’t restore you.
• Your symptoms come and go in confusing patterns.
• You don’t bounce back like you used to.
• You feel like you’re constantly burning fuel but never refueling.

Sound familiar?

Why This Matters
Because dysregulation creates a mismatch between what you expect your body to do—and what it can do.  That mismatch creates confusion. Self-blame. Burnout.  And most importantly, it masks the real patterns that are happening underneath.  But once you start observing your nervous system instead of just reacting to symptoms, everything starts to make more sense.

This isn’t about doing more.

It’s about seeing what your body is already doing—and learning how to respond to it in a way that works.

Your Next Step
If any of this resonates, I invite you to take my [3-Minute Self Check-In] to begin your transformation now.

It’s designed to help you identify what’s draining your energy—and start spotting patterns you might be missing.

And if you want to go deeper, the next episode of The Dysregulation Code Podcast breaks down exactly what dysregulation is, how to recognize it, and what to do about it.

Healing isn’t about pushing harder.  It’s about learning to work with your system—moment by moment.

Thanks for being here.

Let’s keep decoding it together.