Regulation is the changing organisation of arousal, attention, emotion and bodily state in response to internal and external conditions.
It is often mistaken for calm. Useful regulation can also involve mobilising, speaking, leaving, crying, resting or seeking support. The goal is not permanent stillness; it is responsiveness with enough capacity and choice.
The term should not be used as a catch-all explanation for every human feeling.
Related: Autonomic Nervous System; Safety; Capacity; The Return.
