So you’re on vacation and you’re still feeling stressed. Or the busy period at work is over, but there's a lingering anxiety that won't go away. You could be in a post-trauma or post-burnout dysregulation state, where your body and nervous system are no longer in an active crisis, but they haven’t fully recalibrated to a sense of safety.

Before each coaching session with a client, I have a ritual. This practice helps centre and ground me – ensuring that I’m bringing my best to every conversation. First up – water. My brain doesn’t function if I’m dehydrated, and I need to track the conversation, watch for nonverbal cues, listen for the deeper meaning behind what a client is saying, and connect back to patterns from past sessions and broader future goals.