Chasing Sunsets with Kristin Horstman

Perhaps you have been told that you need to support your nervous system as part of your AF journey. You might have wondered, how exactly does one do that?

My friend and colleague Kristin Horstman is a certified Gray Area Drinking Coach with a specialty in helping clients learn how to nourish their nervous system. And so, I asked her straight up to help us understand how to give our nervous system a little extra love. On this podcast episode, Kristen shares her philosophy of ‘chasing sunsets’ as a beautiful example of finding activities that calm and center our mind and body. She also helps us with three practical ways to get started; grounding, centering, orienting.

Kristin also explains why it can be so hard to gather our thoughts or change direction once we get ‘triggered’ and shares tactics to help us come back into the present moment. One ‘aha’ for me: Kristen explains that the limbic brain has no language, this is why telling someone to ‘calm down’ is not helpful – we have to move back into our thinking brain. In order to do this, we need to start recognizing what’s happening in our body. This can help us better regulate our emotions.

We also touch on:

Perfectionism
Polyvagal Theory
Focusing on the body brings us into the present
Focusing on our thoughts leads us to the past or future
How to recognize when we are regulated or deregulated

Kristin also has a passion for a non-profit organization, CMC, Foundation For Change. This organization helps support family members whose loved ones are dealing with substance use. She shares the philosophy of the CMS which is based on science and kindness. My favorite part is that CMC goes beyond offering support and actually teaches skills to help one feel empowered to care for their loved one. This program can help families let go of the outdated ‘tough love’ method and lead with connections.

Find out more about CMC, Foundation for Change HERE

Connect with Kristin at Brighten Your Life Coaching HERE

Kristin and I also get to hang out together in The Sober Edge Book Club – if you are a sober curious or sober serious woman who loves books – please consider joining us! More Info HERE

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