Joe teaches that nervous system downregulation — humming, breath work, sensory attention, feeling textures — is an essential tool that can bring immediate stress relief. But he warns clearly: it can become “almost like a drugged stupor where you’re not actually addressing issues.” It becomes avoidance disguised as self-care.
He illustrates with a CEO who learned downregulation techniques to handle frustration in meetings. The CEO could calm himself temporarily, but the frustration kept returning because the underlying issue was never addressed. Downregulation creates space — “a greater sense of yourself, more space to take the action that’s going to most benefit you” — but it isn’t the action itself.
“You can downregulate yourself completely into almost like a drugged stupor where you’re not actually addressing issues. It becomes an act of avoidance, but it’s a really important tool.”
The real work is seeing through the thoughts that create the stress, particularly the inner critic.
Related Concepts
- Breath regulates the nervous system
- Emotional avoidance creates blind spots
- Address root blockers, not symptoms