08/13/2026
August is National Wellness Month.
What if we thought about wellness not just as something we do for ourselves, but as something we help create for one another?
Dr. Bruce Perry’s Regulate → Relate → Reason sequence offers a powerful way to think about how we create environments where people can feel safe, connected, supported, and ready to engage.
So, what can we actually do?
REGULATE
• Reduce unnecessary stressors and distractions.
• Slow the pace when someone is overwhelmed.
• Create predictable routines and clear expectations.
• Pause before responding when emotions are high.
• Help bring attention back to the present moment.
RELATE
• Be present and genuinely listen.
• Notice people and acknowledge their experience.
• Lead with curiosity rather than assumptions.
• Offer connection before correction.
• Give people a voice in decisions that affect them.
• Repair relationships when there has been a rupture.
REASON
• Don't expect problem-solving when someone is overwhelmed.
• Give people time to process information.
• Ask questions that invite reflection rather than demand an immediate answer.
• Break complex information and decisions into manageable steps.
• Collaborate on solutions rather than simply giving directions.
Creating a culture of wellness starts with small moments. These everyday interactions help create environments where people can regulate, relate, reason—and ultimately thrive.
This National Wellness Month, consider asking yourself:
What is one small thing I can do today to make the environment around me a little more safe, connected, and supportive?
Based on the work of Dr. Bruce D. Perry and the Neurosequential Model.
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