ARC Weekly Connect Monday, January 26, 2026

Hi there,

One of the most frustrating experiences people describe is this:
They understand emotional regulation.
They’ve learned to pause.
They can often recognize what’s happening inside them.

And yet, when stress is already high, those same skills suddenly feel much harder to access.

It can feel confusing—even discouraging.
If I know what helps, why can’t I use it when I need it most?

This is one of the core patterns we’ve been exploring in our community this week—not as a failure of effort or awareness, but as a predictable effect of how the nervous system functions under pressure.

When stress rises, the brain shifts into faster, more protective modes. Systems designed for immediate relief and familiar responses become more active, while the parts of the brain involved in regulation and flexible choice have a harder time staying engaged. As a result, urges and reactions can feel more convincing, more urgent, and harder to interrupt.

This week’s focus has been on understanding what emotional self-care looks like inside that reality—not when things are calm, but when activation is already elevated and emotions are moving quickly.

We’ve been looking at:

• why urges feel stronger under high activation

• how to tell the difference between urges and what the system actually needs

• and how staying engaged with emotional experience can preserve choice, even in intense moments

As a small gift, we’d like to share a guided meditation designed specifically for moments of high emotional activation. It’s a simple, supportive practice to help you stay present with your experience without escalating or shutting down.

🎧 You can access the meditation here

This work isn’t about forcing calm or suppressing emotions. It’s about learning how to work with the nervous system as it actually functions under stress, in ways that support real emotional self-care over time.

Warmly,
Sheila
ARC Director, Certified FARA

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.