Jennifer Welch

03/31/2026

March 31, 2026

Hello, friend,

Greetings to you as we move deeper into spring. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, a warm and heartfelt hello to you!

As I sit down to write to you today, it feels important to acknowledge that we are all moving through a lot right now. There are divisions, tensions, and uncertainty in the wider world and sometimes close to home. It is, without question, an intense and challenging time.

This morning, as I sat with my coffee, a pair of red-bellied woodpeckers visited my garden (I wasn't quick enough to get a photo, but one is pictured above, courtesy of Canva). Their majestic and unexpected presence was a quiet reminder that even when life is intense, it continues to offer us beauty that often appears in small, fleeting moments.

Moments like this are simple and easily missed. But when we pause to notice them, they do have a way of bringing us back. They remind us of what is real, and what still matters.

This is why I’m creating this series: to offer simple, grounded ways to care for yourself in the midst of it all.

These practices are not something you need to do or get right. Rather, I invite you to think of them as gentle offers for moments where you can turn your attention toward yourself with care. Over time, these moments accumulate. They become a kind of steady deposit into your nervous system, supporting resilience in a quiet but meaningful way.

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻 – 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗖𝗼-𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

In the first two editions of Listening In, I shared how to begin cultivating a sense of safety within your body, and how to gently rebuild trust in your own internal experience. If you missed either of those, or want to revisit them, you can do so at the link below in the comments.

In this edition, we turn toward something just as essential: Co-regulation.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗖𝗼-𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻?
Co-regulation is the process by which your nervous system settles, organizes, or becomes more steady in the presence of another regulated system. That “other” can be:
*a person
*an animal
*the natural world
*even certain sensory experiences (like a familiar voice, rhythm, or environment).

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗼-𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
Co-regulation is something your body knows intimately. If you think of a baby that's hungry, tired, or startled, what does it do? It instinctively reaches for a familiar caregiver. And when an attuned caregiver's presence meets the baby's needs, the baby begins to settle.

This need for attuned connection doesn’t disappear as we grow. It stays with us.

We are shaped for connection. In moments of stress, overwhelm, or simple need, the body naturally reaches toward others. Throughout our lives, we continue to need this attuned and supportive connection in real and meaningful ways.

Your body knows what co-regulation feels like. It shows up:
*the way your breath slows when someone speaks to you gently
*the way your shoulders drop when you sit beside someone who feels grounded
**the way a dog resting against you softens something inside
*the way the sound of birds or wind steadies you without effort.

In these experiences, your nervous system is responding to cues of safety outside of you, and reorganizing (settling) through that contact.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵

For some, connection does not feel easy or safe.

If you’ve experienced hurt, misatunement, or trauma in relationship, your nervous system may have learned to protect you by pulling away, bracing, or staying guarded. In moments of pain or rupture, this was a wise response by your sensitive nervous system.

These patterns were shaped for a reason. And when they begin to feel isolating or painful, it’s important to know they can soften and evolve over time.

And from within this, there is something important to understand:

𝗔 𝗖𝗼-𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵
When you are struggling, what often helps most is contact. Allowing your system to be met by something steady such as another person, a living being, or the natural world, can gently bring you back toward yourself.

With gentle, attuned experiences that move at your own pace, your nervous system can begin to learn something new: that connection can hold care.

Even when there is difference or disagreement, repair is possible. And over time, safety can grow in places it once did not exist.

𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼-𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
𝘌𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘯 90 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴.

𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝙂𝙖𝙯𝙚 (𝙤𝙧 𝙄𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙊𝙣𝙚)
Think of someone — a person, a pet, an ancestor, even a figure from a story — whose presence has ever felt genuinely warm and safe to you. Take a moment to let their face or image come to mind.

Notice what happens in your body as you hold them in your awareness. Is there a softening? A warmth? A slight easing of the breath? Whatever happens, let yourself receive it, even for just a few breaths.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙜𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙑𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚
Hum, or find a piece of music with a human voice that feels soothing to you. Let it play.
Your middle ear is acutely tuned to hear frequencies in the range of the human voice. Hearing is one of the fastest pathways to activate co-regulation. As you listen or hum along, notice what shifts in your body.

𝙂𝙤 𝙊𝙪𝙩𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙊𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩
Step outside , even briefly, perhaps to a doorstep or a window. Let your eyes slowly begin to go where they'd like. Notice what is alive around you: a bird, the light, the movement of leaves or clouds, a patch of sky. Let your gaze be soft.

Take two or three slow breaths and feel the ground beneath you. This orienting to nature is ancient medicine for your precious nervous system!

𝘼 𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡
If you have a pet, pause and offer them your full presence for one or two minutes. Let your hands feel their warmth. Notice their breathing. Let their body regulate yours.

If you don't have a pet, you might hold a warm pillow to your chest, or cup your own hands around a mug of something warm, and offer yourself the same gentle attention. Notice how your body responds to this gentle offering of care.

Whatever shows up for you in your practice, let yourself receive the care it offers. You are taking a moment for YOU. Let yourself receive it.

In times of noise and intensity, choosing connection, whether that be with with yourself, with safe others, with animals, or with the living world, is a quietly radical act. It is how our nervous systems were designed to heal - in connection. It is how we stay human.

If you try any of the practices offered in my newsletters and want to share your experience with them, I'd love to hear from you. We are in this together, and I hope my message finds a landing place where it's needed.

And, as always, if you’d like support in this work, I welcome you to reach out. This is listening, and co-regulation, we can practice together.

With care for all that you are,
Jennifer

PS - Here's another co-regulation image, courtesy of Canva... Don't they look so cozy together? So sweet.... 😍. Ahhh, my body melts just looking at them. And this is co-regulation, too....

03/25/2026

When things are difficult, these feel even more important...

Here are the horoscopes, featuring a blast of tender insurrection from the darkness where the light secretly shines. Links in the comments.

(I put the links in the comments rather than the post because otherwise Facebook will barely distribute this post.)

02/17/2026

This coming Friday evening, February 20th, Cassie and I will be hosting Permission Granted, an open-mic event for women to practice using their voice and sharing their passions.

This will be the fourth such event we have hosted, and each time we gather for Permission Granted, I am blown away by the incredible courage, depth, and brilliance that are shared.

We have space for performers and celebrators. So, if you are looking for something to do this Friday night, and feel even the slightest of pangs of interest in what we are creating, I highly encourage you to join us!

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🎤 Permission Granted
📅 Friday, February 20th, 7:00 - 9:00pm
📍 Lawrence Healing Space
🏷️ $ Free
Permission Granted is an open-mic style evening for women celebrating women in sharing music, poetry, storytelling, or any other passion or message. It’s a low-pressure and highly supportive space. These evenings have been so rich and awe inspiring! You are welcome to join us to share, listen, or be part of the celebration.

The event is free, and it's helpful if you sign up so that we can plan accordingly.

Learn more & reserve your spot by following the link in comments below.

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With all that is happening right now, even right here in our precious Lawrence community today, it feels like the necessary time to make some good trouble by standing up, speaking up, and supporting those doing the same!

I hope that you are well on this Tuesday afternoon, and I'm so grateful you're a part of my community.

Jennifer

02/04/2026

𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲

Hello,

I hope this message finds you as warm and well as you can be as we round into February.

Late last fall, I sent out the first newsletter in a series I’m calling 𝙇𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄𝙣. In that first edition, I explored the topic of safety and introduced ways to think about safety within two specific contexts: within yourself and within a place. If you missed it, you can find it on my website under the "Resources" tab.

In the weeks since then I sent out the previous newsletter, I’ve continued to notice just how much each of us is carrying. I’m also increasingly aware of how important it is to understand that the sensations in our bodies are not signs that something is wrong with us. Rather, they are signals that our nervous system is working on our behalf by communicating needs, responses, and information meant to help us navigate our lives.

Whether we’re moving through the aftereffects of the holidays, responding to local or political events, or adapting to winter weather, our bodies are constantly adjusting. They are doing their best to keep us safe while navigating complex and often demanding conditions. As they respond to cues both inside and outside of us, sensations and emotions naturally arise. At times, these sensations can feel intense, confusing, or difficult to understand.

In this month’s 𝙇𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄𝙣, I want to turn toward the body — your precious body — with curiosity and compassion, so you can begin to listen to its messages more clearly and understand what it may be communicating to you.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 — 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝘂𝗲𝘀.

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𝗔 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲
One of the things that is often overlooked in conversations about sensations or emotions is that these experiences are not always signs that something is wrong or that the body is failing to regulate.

Oftentimes, these are signs your body is responding accurately.

If your heart races when the world feels unstable… If your chest tightens when your autonomy feels threatened… If your body won’t settle in environments that feel unsafe, extractive, or misaligned… This may be your body perceiving what is happening around you, and responding!

Your body is exquisitely attuned to context. Long before your thinking mind catches up, it's tracking safety, power, belonging, and threat. It senses when something is supportive, and when something is not.

When we treat every sensation as something to quiet or fix, we risk silencing information that matters.

𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, “𝐻𝘰𝑤 𝑑𝘰 𝘐 𝘮𝑎𝘬𝑒 𝑡𝘩𝑖𝘴 𝘨𝑜 𝑎𝘸𝑎𝘺?” , 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘀𝗸, “𝑊𝘩𝑎𝘵 𝘪𝑠 𝑚𝘺 𝘣𝑜𝘥𝑦 𝑡𝘳𝑦𝘪𝑛𝘨 𝘵𝑜 𝑡𝘦𝑙𝘭 𝘮𝑒?”

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𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱
Interoception is our ability to sense what is happening inside the body. It is the ability to notice sensations such as tension, ease, warmth, heaviness, breath, hunger, fatigue, or subtle movement. It is how we feel ourselves from the inside.

For many of us, the capacity to notice what is happening in our body was interrupted or discouraged early in life. Many of us learned that our body was dirty or bad, and our sensations and feelings were too much. We had to learn to shut them off or turn them down. And through this process, we learned to prioritize thinking, doing, or pleasing over sensing. This conditioning can make body sensations and emotions feel unfamiliar, intense, wrong, or even confusing.

Reconnecting with interoception allows you to gently and compassionately begin noticing what is present for you. Interoceptive awareness allows us to recognize when the body is signaling for rest, for movement, for boundaries, or for support. It helps us discern what is sustainable and what is not. It helps us stay connected to ourselves while we make our way into the world. 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁, 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗹𝘆, 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆.

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𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲
One simple way to begin practicing interoception is through body mapping.

Body mapping is the gentle act of noticing where sensations live in the body. Rather than asking why something is happening, we begin by noticing where we feel it and what it’s like.

Examples may be, you might notice a tightness in the jaw. A heaviness in the chest. A fluttering in the belly. A sense of numbness in the legs.

You might also notice moments of ease or comfort such as the support of the chair beneath you, warmth in your hands, a softening in your shoulders, or a steady, calming rhythm in your breath.

There is no need to change or fix what you notice. The practice is simply to observe with curiosity and respect.

When we gently and compassionately bring our attention and awareness to sensations and allow them to be felt in a specific part of the body, often something shifts. The nervous system registers that it is being listened to, that it is being heard

Body mapping can help our nervous system move us out of global overwhelm (“Something is wrong”) and into specific awareness (“This is what I’m noticing, right here, right now”). This specificity helps the body feel less alone with its experience and more supported in finding its own rhythm.

Over time, body mapping can help you recognize familiar patterns; where you tend to hold stress, where ease naturally arises, and how your body signals both fatigue and readiness. Body mapping allows you to begin to foster a new relationship with yourself.

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𝗔 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲: 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝟱–𝟳 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀)
You’re invited to try this practice seated or lying down. You are encouraged to do whatever feels most supportive for you right now.

Begin by letting your eyes soften or close, if that feels comfortable. Take a few moments to notice the contact points between your body and what’s supporting you: the chair, the floor, or the bed beneath you. There’s no need to change your breath. Simply notice it as it is.

Now, gently bring your attention into your body. You might begin by scanning slowly from the top of your head down toward your feet, or you may choose to start wherever your attention naturally goes.

As you notice a sensation, pause there. You’re not trying to relax it, change it, or understand it. With curiosity, just notice: Where is it located? Is it tight, soft, warm, cool, heavy, light, still, or moving?

If words don’t come, that’s okay. If it feels ok, gently stay with the sensation itself, giving it space just to be there.

If your attention is drawn to an area of ease or comfort — perhaps the support of the chair, warmth in your hands, or a place that feels neutral or settled — allow yourself to linger there for a few breaths. Let your body register that experience.

If you encounter a sensation that feels intense or uncomfortable, you might acknowledge it gently and then widen your awareness to include something supportive nearby such as a place of ease, the rhythm of your breath, or the sense of being held by gravity. You are in charge of the pace.

Before closing the practice, you might quietly ask yourself: “What does my body want me to know right now?”You may get an answer, and you may not. Your willingness to listen is sometimes just what is needed.

When you’re ready, take one slow, unhurried exhale and allow your attention to return to the room.

As you return your attention to the present moment, you might notice that something has shifted, or you might not. Either way is okay. Body mapping is a practice of relationship, and not about outcomes.

***𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩.

𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘺 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴, 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳. 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺: 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘵𝘩, 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦. 𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨.

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𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗿𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗺𝗲𝗱:
Pause for a moment and notice where the sensation of urgency lives in your body. Is it in your chest, your belly, your jaw? Name it quietly: “Urgency is here.” Then notice one place in your body that feels even slightly more settled or supported, and let your attention rest there for a few breaths.

𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻:
Take a moment to orient to your body. Feel your feet on the ground or the support beneath you. Ask yourself: “What is my body saying right now?” You don’t need a full answer. Just notice the tone or direction of the signal before you speak or act.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆:
Rather than trying to make it stop, gently map it. Where is it located? What is its quality? Stay with it for a few seconds, then widen your awareness to include something neutral or comfortable nearby such as your breath, warmth, or the sense of being supported.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳:
Pause and let yourself notice and receive it. Where do you feel it in your body? How does it register? Is it softness, warmth, spaciousness? Take a few breaths there. These moments are like money in the bank for your nervous system! They let your body know that right here, right now, in this way, I am OK.

𝗔𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆:
Place a hand on your body — wherever feels most comforting — and ask, “What did you need today that you didn’t receive?” There’s no requirement to solve anything. Let the question be a form of listening, or building your relationship with yourself.

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In times like these, when so much feels charged or uncertain, it can be tempting to override the body in order to keep going. But your body is asking to be listened to with care and discernment. Learning to listen to your body allows you to stay more rooted within yourself while you meet the world.

As you continue Listening In, my hope is that you find moments of clarity, steadiness, and self-trust by honoring the wisdom your precious body has been carrying all along.

If you’d like support in this work, I welcome you to reach out. This is listening we can practice together.

With care for all that you are,

Jennifer Welch, MMT, MT-BC, SEP, CHt

Music Therapist | Somatic Experiencing Practitioner | Hypnotherapist
www.jenniferleewelch.com

12/09/2025

Hello to you! I want to share with you an event I'm hosting next Thursday evening, December 18th from 7-8pm. I'm calling it Grounded Peaceful Presence - An hour of mindfulness and somatic practice to prepare for the season. While this event is not a Lawrence Women's Temple specific event, I am sharing it with you, in case you might like to join me.

For our time together, you are welcome to cozy in with a warm cup of tea as we share our personal hopes for the coming weeks and explore receiving our desires in the present moment. It will be a heart-warming and nervous-system-soothing time.

If you are feeling stressed, anxious, or concerned about the holidays, or you're simply wanting to take a break and offer yourself some precious “me time”, you are invited to join me.

When: Thursday, December 18th
Time: 7-8 pm
Cost: $35
Location: The comfort of your own home via Zoom

If you can’t attend live, a recording of the practices will be made so that you can enjoy at your leisure.

If you feel called to join me, I’d love to spend the hour with you.

Wherever you are at, however you celebrate, may this holiday season be full of peace and love for you and yours,

Sincerely,

~ Jennifer

12/02/2025

Lovely Ladies of the Lawrence area - Are you looking for something fun to do this Friday evening? If so - come join us for another soulful evening of women amplifying and supporting women! 7-9 at Lawrence Healing Space.

Unleash your voice. Share your magic. Take up space.

11/11/2025

How are you with anger?

To be the change I want to see in the world, I must be able to access my own power, and anger plays an essential role in this.

This video is a fabulous explanation of the power and beauty of allowing anger to be alchemical, and what it looks like on the other side.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17tDVeLP9Q/

11/03/2025

✨ Listening In – Practical tools to attune to the wisdom of your body ✨

As autumn deepens and the world feels loud and demanding, many of us long for something simple: the steady sense of safety.

Our bodies carry an ancient intelligence for sensing safety—through connection, place, community, and inner grounding. The Polyvagal Theory helps us understand how our nervous system is always scanning for these cues, shaping how we feel and respond.

This month’s Listening In newsletter explores how safety is both profound and practical, with reflections and a simple practice you can try today.

💌 Read the full newsletter here: https://app.getresponse.com/view.html?x=a62b&m=BZ3CwG&u=3ee2&z=EtvnVfA&o=pp_1

10/07/2025

Cassie Jones and I are hosting a Witches Ball @ Be Moved Studio on Friday evening, October 24th, from 7-9 pm.

Bring your witchy self and get your magical groove on, on the dance floor! Costumes are wlecome (and not required!)...

Dance, community, Tarot, and fun will be brewed up!

Come join us for a delightfully witchy-fun good time!

10/04/2025

If you've been thinking of joining us for this weekend retreat Cassie Jones and I are hosting for women, register now! Registration closes tonight!

Nectar - A Weekend Retreat for Women to Nourish a Deeper Connection to Your Soul Purpose through Presence, Deep Embodiment, and Supportive Community.

Friday, October 17 - Sunday, October 19, 2025

Center for Being
Lawrence, KS

https://embodiment.my.canva.site/nectar-retreat

10/03/2025

When the activity of the world is loud and unsettling, I find myself longing for simplicity, clarity, and supportive connections. I need space to return to what truly matters to me to help guide my path forward.

October 17-19, my colleague and friend, Cassie Jones, and I, are hosting Nectar - a women’s weekend retreat for those who also are yearning for these things…

During our time together, we will connect deeply with the inner rhythms of your body, the elements of Mothe Earth, and the sacred blueprint of your soul purpose to light your way forward.

The honey we cultivate together will sweeten and nourish every facet of your life.

Registration for Nectar closes tomorrow, Saturday, October 4th. If you’ve been feeling the call to join us, now is the time to register. You can do so through the link in the comments.

09/29/2025

Nectar ✨

A women’s retreat for presence, embodiment & soul nourishment.

Oct 17–19 • Lawrence, KS

For more information, and to register: https://embodiment.my.canva.site/nectar-retreat