ARC Weekly Connect Monday, January 12, 2026

When emotions rise, what happens next matters

Many people think of emotional self-care as something that happens after things settle down—once emotions pass, once life feels calmer. But for many, the hardest moments are the ones that happen in real time, when feelings rise quickly and the body reacts before there’s space to think.

A common experience I hear about goes something like this: the day is moving along, and then something small shifts the internal balance. A conversation, a task, a feeling of pressure. Suddenly there’s a strong urge to escape the discomfort. That urge can feel confusing or frustrating, especially when it seems to arrive out of nowhere.

From a physiological perspective, it didn’t come out of nowhere at all. Emotional intensity activates the nervous system. Stress chemistry increases, attention narrows, and the brain looks for relief. Over time, the brain learns which responses reduce discomfort quickly—and those responses can become automatic.

The skill that changes this pattern is emotional regulation.

Regulation is the ability to stay present while emotional intensity is happening. It’s not about managing emotions later. It’s about remaining with experience long enough for the body to respond differently over time.

This is one of the core skills taught in the Skillpower program, where emotional regulation is practiced step by step in a structured, supportive way. The focus is on building capacity through experience, not willpower.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

If you’d like to watch this week’s lesson video, you can join our new Skillpower membership. To learn more, click this link.

As you practice this skill, remember that none of us are doing this alone. We’re learning how to create better conditions for the brain together, one workable step at a time.

Curious About Processed Food Addiction?

Sometimes it’s hard to know whether what we’re experiencing is just “bad habits” or something deeper. That’s why we created a short self-quiz—it helps you see whether the signs of processed food addiction might be showing up in your life.

It’s not a test of willpower. It’s simply a way to bring clarity and understanding—two of the first steps toward recovery. Take the Self-Quiz HERE 

The Addiction Reset Community (ARC) is where we come together every day to practice skills like these—turning small, science-based steps into steady progress. If you’d like to learn more about the ARC and how it works, you can explore it here:  Learn more about the ARC

And if you’d like a simple place to start, our low-cost Skillpower program is the perfect first step into the ARC. Each week, you’ll receive science-backed guidance and gentle practices that help you feel stronger and more confident in your recovery.  Click here to learn more about Skillpower. 

Your health deserves to be supported in every space—including healthcare. Each step you take to prepare, reflect, and protect your voice is an act of strength and self-respect. And you don’t have to do it alone. We’re here to walk alongside you.

Warmly,

Dr. Joan Ifland, PhD