A Trauma-Informed, Human-Centered Resource Guide
As a licensed mental health professional with over 30 years of experience, one of the most common questions I hear is simple and heartfelt:
“Okay… but what can I actually do to calm my nervous system?”
That question usually comes from people who are tired. Tired of feeling on edge. Tired of feeling shut down or overwhelmed. Tired of being told to just think positively, meditate harder, or push through.
If you have already tried willpower, mindset shifts, or productivity hacks and still feel dysregulated, you are not doing anything wrong. Those approaches often fail because nervous system regulation is not a mindset issue. It is a body issue.
I created this resource list to share gentle, practical, trauma-informed supports for nervous system regulation. These are books, journals, and tools I recommend professionally, use personally, or consistently see clients benefit from.
Regulation is not about forcing yourself to calm down. It is about creating enough safety, choice, and support so your body can settle on its own.
Affiliate disclosure: Some of the links in this article are Amazon affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only share resources I genuinely trust and recommend, regardless of whether I earn anything from them.
What Nervous System Regulation Really Means
Nervous system regulation is the body’s ability to move between energy and rest without getting stuck. When the nervous system is regulated, you can feel activated and engaged when needed, and also able to rest, soften, and connect.
Many people live with chronic dysregulation because of long-term stress rather than a single event. This can include trauma, burnout, caregiving, racialized stress, financial strain, medical issues, or growing up in environments where safety was inconsistent.
Regulation is not a personality trait and it is not a moral failing. It is a physiological experience shaped by history, environment, and support. When we understand that, shame begins to loosen.
Foundational Books on Nervous System Regulation
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
This is often the first book people encounter when they start learning about trauma and the body. It explains how traumatic experiences live in the nervous system and why talk alone is often not enough.
This book can be validating and intense. I recommend reading it slowly and with care.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143127748
Anchored by Deb Dana
This is one of my most frequently recommended books. Deb Dana makes Polyvagal Theory practical and accessible without overwhelming the reader.
It helps you learn how to notice your nervous system states and gently work with them rather than fight them.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1683642701
Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski
This book reframes burnout as a physiological process rather than a personal failure. It is especially affirming for women, caregivers, and people who have been socialized to ignore their own needs.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/198481706X
Waking the Tiger by Peter Levine
This book introduces somatic approaches to trauma healing and explains how stress responses get trapped in the body.
It is thoughtful and slower paced, which can feel grounding for some readers.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/155643233X
Collective and Racialized Nervous System Regulation
Nervous system regulation does not happen in a vacuum. Our bodies carry cultural memory, collective stress, and survival responses shaped by history, policy, and lived experience. For many people, especially those in Black, Brown, Indigenous, aging, disabled, or otherwise marginalized bodies, regulation cannot be separated from social context.
My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem
This book is essential when talking about nervous system regulation in a racialized and collective context. Resmaa Menakem explains how trauma lives not only in individual bodies, but also in Black bodies and white bodies as a result of historical and ongoing racial violence.
Rather than focusing only on insight or awareness, this book centers embodied practices that support grounding, containment, and regulation at both the personal and collective level.
Many readers find this book validating, challenging, and deeply important. I recommend moving through it slowly and with care.
Amazon link:https://amzn.to/4qNEJJJ
Journals and Workbooks That Support Regulation
Writing can support nervous system regulation when it is done gently. Trauma-informed journaling is not about pushing yourself to relive painful experiences. It is about helping the nervous system organize experience at a manageable pace.
Trauma-Informed Journals
Look for journals that emphasize choice, safety, and self-trust. Prompts that invite curiosity rather than pressure tend to be more regulating.
One option many people find supportive is a guided self-compassion or trauma-informed journal available through Amazon.
Self-Compassion Workbooks
Workbooks grounded in self-compassion help regulate the nervous system by reducing shame and internal threat. When the inner critic softens, the body often follows.
A widely used option is:
The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1462526780
Somatic and Sensory Tools
The nervous system responds directly to sensory input. These tools work with the body rather than trying to override it.
EMDR Tappers and Bilateral Stimulation Tools
These handheld tools provide alternating left and right stimulation, which many people find grounding and calming. They can be helpful during meditation, journaling, or moments of emotional overwhelm.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=emdr+tappers
Weighted and Grounding Tools
Deep pressure can help the body feel contained and supported. Weighted lap pads, eye masks, or blankets can be useful when used intentionally.
The goal is comfort, not restriction.
Meditation and Physical Support
Meditation Cushions and Supportive Seating
When the body is uncomfortable, the nervous system stays alert. Proper physical support can make a big difference.
Meditation cushions or bolsters help reduce strain and allow the body to settle more naturally.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=meditation+cushion
Breath Support
Slow, supported breathing can help signal safety to the nervous system. Guided audio practices or simple pacing tools can be useful, especially for people who find traditional breathwork overwhelming.
Environmental Supports and Blue Light Glasses
Our nervous systems are constantly responding to light, sound, and stimulation.
Blue Light Glasses
Reducing blue light exposure in the evening can support sleep and help the nervous system wind down.
Blue light glasses are not a cure, but many people find them helpful as part of an evening routine.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=blue+light+blocking+glasses
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
Mindfulness can support regulation when it is trauma sensitive and choice based. It is not about forcing yourself to empty your mind. It is about learning how to be present without overwhelming the nervous system.
Practices that emphasize kindness, flexibility, and self pacing tend to be the most supportive.
Regulation Through Nourishment
The nervous system depends on consistent nourishment. When meals are skipped or food becomes another source of stress, regulation becomes harder.
For some people, prepared plant based meals reduce decision fatigue and support steady energy. When nourishment is supported, the nervous system often follows.
I also support a local Black woman owned plant based meal service in my area and share it as a community resource when appropriate.
Link: https://chefbeee.com/genagolden
Cultural and Collective Context
Nervous system regulation does not happen in isolation. Our bodies carry cultural memory, collective stress, and survival strategies shaped by history.
For people in Black, Brown, aging, disabled, or marginalized bodies, regulation often requires validation and community in addition to individual tools.
Resources that honor lived experience matter.