Overstimulated, Touched Out, On Edge: Tools for the Breaking Point and Beyond

In this episode of The Inner Work of Motherhood, we explore what happens when a mother’s nervous system becomes overloaded: the overstimulation, anger, irritability, and wanting to disappear.

You’ll learn how sensory overwhelm shows up in the body, why anger and reactivity are actually protective responses, and how to gently guide your body and mind back into balance. 

Through somatic tools, mindful awareness, and compassionate insight, this conversation helps you move from overstimulation to inner steadiness - so you can feel more grounded, present, and connected to yourself and your children.

In this episode:

• Understanding maternal overstimulation and sensory overload
• Why we feel “touched out” and what to do about it
• Somatic and mindfulness practices to regulate and release tension
• The deeper roots of moms feeling constantly on edge

If you’ve ever found yourself snapping, withdrawing, or feeling like your senses are on fire, this episode will help you find your way back home to your body and your calm, resilient heart.

In between episodes you can find me on Instagram and Tik Tok.

Chapters

• 0:00 Why Overstimulation Might Be The Root of Your Anger or Anxiety
• 4:51 How Overstimulation Happens
• 6:38 My First Experience of Overstimulation As A Mom
• 10:22 Understanding Anger and The Fight Response
• 17:05 What Actually Happens When We Suppress Anger
• 19:26 The Need to Move Anger Physically
• 20:36 The Deeper Sources of Mama Rage
• 23:18 The Guilt and Shame of Losing It
• 29:47 Why Our Children Need To See Us Process Anger Well
• 34:29 Learning To Be A Jaguar and The Importance of Healthy Aggression
• 40:00 How to Safely Release Anger (Even Around Our Kids)
• 50:20 The Importance of Soothing, Grounding Measures After A Big Release
• 57:30 Why Play Is The Best Antidote To Stress and Oxytocin Is A Mama's Best Friend
• 1:02:26 Why You Get Touched Out and What To Do About It
• 1:11:14 The Importance of Being Proactive and Setting Boundaries to Prevent Anger and Overstimulation
• 1:14:04 When Our Nervous System Reaches Capacity
• 1:20:41 Slowness as Medicine for the On Edge Mama
• 1:23:50 Herbs to Support Your Nervous System
• 1:31:57 The Ultimate Task for the Tightly Wound Mama