🎙️ Episode 2: The Shoulds Will Get Ya: EMDR, TRE & What Nervous System Regulation Really Means with Kendra Dale
Guest: Kendra Dale, LCSW
We’ve all seen it plastered across the internet: “Regulate your nervous system.” But what does that actually mean—beyond cold plunges, green juice, or a 10-step morning routine?
In this first episode of The High Functioning Hot Mess, I’m joined by licensed therapist and my cohost-in-spirit, Kendra Dale, to get to the root of what nervous system regulation truly looks and feels like in real life.
Together, we talk about: ✨ What it really means to regulate (and how trendy advice often misses the point) 🧠 How EMDR and TRE help your body process and release stored stress 💭 Why “the shoulds” keep us dysregulated and disconnected from ourselves 🌿 Simple, daily practices that actually create safety in your body—without perfection 💬 How to let your healing be messy, hopeful, and uniquely yours
This conversation is equal parts science, soul, and real-life stories—because regulation isn’t about doing more; it’s about feeling safe enough to do less.
Connect with Kendra:https://mindfulconnections22.wixsite.com/website/kendra-dale-lcsw
Vibration plate - https://lifeprofitness.com/products/the-waver-vibration-platform
EMDR - https://www.emdr.com
IFS - https://ifs-institute.com
TRE - https://treglobal.org
Connect with Elizabeth: 💻 https://www.elizabethalicellc.com/ 📸 @elizabethalicerd on Instagram 💌 Subscribe to Vitality Vignette for cozy wellness musings
In this heart-opening conversation, Elizabeth sits down with Colorado-based therapist, writer, and Reiki master Jesie Steffes to explore what it truly means to be a highly sensitive person (HSP) in a world that often feels sharp, fast, and overwhelming.
Jesie breaks down the science and soul of sensitivity — how HSPs process more information, feel deeper resonance, and often need softer, more spacious approaches to healing. Together, they unpack nervous system regulation (minus the Instagram buzzwords), boundaries, grief, intuitive living, and the power of finding rhythms that actually support sensitive bodies.
Jesie also shares how Reiki became an unexpected lifeline for her own anxiety, how she integrates it with her Christian faith background, and why her Seasonal Self workshops feel like a “soul massage” for those who crave gentleness, grounding, and community.
Whether you identify as highly sensitive or simply feel deeply, this episode will make you feel understood, softened, and a little less alone.
What it really means to be a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)
Why sensitivity is a form of neurodivergence — not a flaw
Nervous system regulation that actually works for sensitive people
Letting go of the pressure to “heal perfectly” or constantly reinvent yourself
Grief as a companion on the healing journey — identity shifts, timelines, nostalgia, and old patterns
How Reiki supports emotional + nervous system regulation
Integrating spirituality, faith, and intuition
Living in rhythm with the seasons and how cyclical practices soothe the HSP system
The intention behind Jesie’s beloved Seasonal Self workshops
Instagram: @jesie.steffes.healing
Website: https://www.jesiesteffes.com/
Substack: Sated Soul — weekly Wednesday essays
If this conversation made your nervous system exhale, you’ll love Jesie’s upcoming Seasonal Self: Wintering Mini-Retreat.
📅 Date: Sunday, December 7
🕓 Time: 4:00–6:30 pm MST
🌐 Where: Virtual (join from anywhere)
🤍 What: A nourishing space for reflection, journaling, meditation, and distance Reiki — especially for tender-hearted, highly sensitive humans
🔒 Spots: Intentionally limited to keep the space cozy and energetically contained
Learn more and save your spot at jesiesteffes.com or through the link in her Instagram bio.
Connect with Elizabeth: 💻 https://www.elizabethalicellc.com/ 📸 @elizabethalicerd on Instagram 💌 Subscribe to Vitality Vignette for cozy wellness musings
This podcast is not medical advice.
In This Episode, We Explore:Connect with JesieJoin Jesie’s Seasonal Self: Wintering Mini-Retreat
Episode 1: Welcome to The High Functioning Hot Mess ✨
In this first episode, I’m sharing the heart behind this podcast — why I created it, who it’s for, and how my own messy healing journey brought me here.
If you’re craving gentleness, nuance, and honest conversations about healing, nourishment, sensitivity, and simply being human… you’re in the right place.
This episode sets the tone for everything to come: soft, grounded, real. A place where we tell the truth about how complex healing can be, while also allowing ourselves to romanticize the journey when it feels supportive.
The meaning behind The High Functioning Hot Mess
How healing requires both physical nourishment and nervous system safety
My own experience with panic, burnout, and rediscovering myself
What you can expect from this podcast moving forward
Why healing is allowed to be soft, fun, and infused with curiosity
How connection, conversation, and community are at the heart of this show
To celebrate the launch of this podcast, I’m giving away a curated basket of my favorite goodies — a little “Christmas present from me to you.”
The basket includes: ✨ Some protein powder packets ✨ A lip gloss ✨ A water bottle ✨ A planner or journal ✨ + a few more wellness-inspired surprises
How to Enter:
Rate, subscribe, and review The High Functioning Hot Mess
Send me a screenshot of your review on Instagram to confirm your entry
Bonus entry: screenshot the episode, share it to your IG story, and write a little blurb about what you loved or what you’re excited for → Don’t forget to tag me: @elizabethalicerd
Timeline: 📅 Opens: December 1, 2025 ⏰ Closes: December 12 at midnight 🎉 Winner announced: December 12 on Instagram
Your early ratings + reviews truly help this show reach more women who need this kind of space. Thank you so much for being here and for your support! 🫶🏼
Connect with Elizabeth: 💻 https://www.elizabethalicellc.com/ 📸 @elizabethalicerd on Instagram 💌 Subscribe to Vitality Vignette for cozy wellness musings
This podcast is not medical advice.
In This Episode, We Explore:Launch Giveaway: My Favorite Things Basket