10/02/2026
Integration is staying.
I came across these words today and they landed deeply. Lately I’ve been noticing what it actually means to stay—with emotions, with sensations in my body, with truths that are uncomfortable, and with the parts of myself that used to want to escape or rush to resolution.
Something I’ve learned, both personally and through my work, is this:
We can’t truly process emotions until the nervous system feels safe enough to allow it.
If the body is in fight, flight, or freeze, it’s not that we’re avoiding feelings… the system simply isn’t ready to metabolise them yet. Regulation has to come first.
Sometimes staying doesn’t mean diving into the emotion straight away.
Sometimes it means breathing, walking, moving, resting, or simply sitting quietly until the body softens a little.
And then the feelings move on their own.
Staying with anger without turning it into harm.
Staying with grief without collapsing.
Staying with desire without apology.
Staying with yourself when old exits appear.
That’s the work.
Recently I’ve been practicing this in real time—staying present with big shifts in my life, noticing sensations in my body, letting thoughts come and go without grabbing hold of them, allowing connections and experiences to unfold without forcing outcomes.
Integration isn’t dramatic.
It’s subtle, steady, and deeply honest.
I know many people are navigating heavy emotional landscapes at the moment, and sometimes what helps most is simply having someone listen or offer perspective.
I’m opening space for a small number of conversations each week for anyone who is struggling, curious, or wanting guidance around regulation, emotional processing, or reconnecting with themselves. I’m not opening my books fully right now, but I do have room for a few people who feel drawn to reach out.
You’re welcome to message me privately if that feels supportive.