Regulation Matters: Borrowed Stability

Introducing Regulation Matters

The Trauma-informed Design (TiD) Society is pleased to launch Regulation Matters.

TiD Practitioners, like those in many helping professions, are repeatedly exposed to others' traumatic experiences through the nature of their work. They are often so focused on supporting others that they don't make a conscious effort to focus on their own regulation or resilience. In the absence of self-care and co-care, this can lead to compassion fatigue, burnout, and even vicarious traumatization over time.

Regulation Matters is a subset of TiD Moments focusing on regulation. These messages are intended to support practitioners in their daily activities, and will include information on how our bodies regulate, tools you can use when working with others, and simple exercises you can use anywhere when you feel yourself becoming stressed, or just to clear your mind before starting a new task.

We hope these will boost TiD practitioners' personal resilience and serve to enhance their facilitation skills and everyday interactions.

Regulation Matters are brought to you from the TiD Society, in concert with Sarah Erdman Jordan, LPC, TiD-B.

Sarah is a Licensed Professional Counselor who earned a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from the University of Georgia and a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Georgia. In 2025, she joined the first cohort to go through the Trauma-informed Design Credentialing program and earned her Bronze-Level TiD credential.

Sarah has experience working with children, adolescents, families, and adults providing trauma-focused therapy. She has trainings in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Medical Play Therapy, AutPlay, Polyvagal Therapy, and Creative Interventions. Sarah has a passion for working with children and adults who have experienced trauma, life transitions, desire creative interventions in therapy, and have chronic medical conditions. Sarah is LGBTQ+ affirming and culturally aware.

We are very honored to have Sarah join the TiD Society team as a mental health consultant. She will be helping us develop resources and a system of support for TiD practitioners. Please check back regularly as we will be adding these resources and opportunities as they become available.

TiD Moment: Regulation Matters

Borrowed Stability: A 2-Minute Grounding Practice

Our nervous systems are constantly scanning our surroundings for cues about whether we're safe, supported, or under threat. When we're under stress, it's easy to notice everything that's uncertain. This exercise gently shifts your attention toward something that has remained steady.

Take a slow look around your environment. You don't need to change anything when you scan, but just notice the items, sensations, and fixtures around you.

Challenge yourself to find:

• One item/fixture that has been here longer than you. Maybe it’s the building itself, carpeting, etc.

• One item/fixture that was specifically designed to keep people safe.

• One item/fixture that is quietly supporting weight.

• One item/fixture that remains still, even when things around it are moving.

Pause and ask yourself:

What can I borrow from this environment for the next few minutes?

Maybe it’s the steadiness of a load-bearing column nearby, the strength of a bridge, the predictability of a crosswalk signal, or the safety of the deadbolt of your door.

Allow your nervous system to notice the stability that already exists around you, and give yourself permission to “borrow” stability from the item/fixture you’ve identified. As you move through your day, see if you can carry one piece of borrowed steadiness with you.