COME TO YOUR SENSES EXERCISE

Hi, I work with lots of clients who struggle with anxiety from past trauma and PTSD. Here is a modified version of an exercise many of them have found helpful. Give it a try and see if it can help you as well when you begin to feel anxious.

COME TO YOUR SENSES

Here is an easy grounding technique that you might want to try to deal with anxiety. It is designed to help you manage your anxiety and further to help you ground yourself in the present moment.

This exercise will not be an overnight magical fix but can significantly help manage and lessen symptoms of anxiety, trauma triggers, and other undesired repetitive negative self talk or feelings.

Breathing Exercises:

To begin: Use your breath as a very important and simple way to calm yourself and relax your body. Yoga and meditation is based on the breath.

Slow, deep, long breathing is an easy to use tool to help maintain a sense of calm or help return to a calmer state. If possible, go to a quiet, pleasant place with low lighting where you can be comfortable

Slowly breathe in for 3-5 seconds, hold the breath for 3- 5 seconds, and breathe out for 3- 5 seconds. You can breathe in from your nose and exhale from your mouth or in from your nose and out from your nose. You want to fill your rib cage with air like a balloon. Continue this pattern until you find your thoughts slowing down.

I suggest at least 6 repetitions but go at your own pace. More is encouraged. You may need to do a number of repetitions before you feel relief, so please be patient. After you are relaxed go through your Senses in order to help ground yourself in the present moment and reality.

Record Keeping

I suggest you record and make note of how these exercises go, so you can track your progress. I believe everyone is different so some exercises may work well for you and not someone else.However, I do encourage you to give yourself a number of opportunities to try something out before you assume it doesn't work for you. If you want a record keeping form, send me a message. I am happy to send you a tracking document.

Instructions: Write down and verbalize your answers, (even if it is self talk in your head) to ground yourself.

5: SEEING: FIVE things you see around you. Maybe it is a lamp, a chair, a dog or a pen , size does not matter, record 5 things you see.

4:TOUCHING: FOUR things you can touch around you. Maybe this is your hair, hands, ground, grass, pillow, etc, whatever it may be, list out the 4 things you can feel.

3: HEARING:THREE things you hear. This needs to be with your ears, do not focus on your thoughts; maybe you can hear a bird, a car, a phone ringing, what is audible in the moment is what you list.

2 SMELLS: TWO things you can smell: This might be a bit challenging. If there is nothing immediately around you. Maybe you walk to your bathroom to smell some hand soap, the kitchen to smell some food like coffee or outside to smell some pine needles.

1. TASTE: ONE thing you can taste. Take a bite of some food, or chew some gum. Focus on your mouth as the last step and take in what you can taste.

These easy to use steps are one set of tools to ground yourself in the current moment. The goal is to help you to get out of your head and help control the flood of thoughts and feelings which are part of the cycle of anxiety.

In moments of anxiety or triggered trauma it is important to stay present and grounded to deal effectively with your anxiety. Remember it is one step at a time so please be patient and gentle with yourself. Acknowledge yourself for taking steps to deal with your anxiety. It takes real courage to face your challenges.

The more frequently you practice these and other helpful exercises, the more success you are likely to have in dealing with your anxiety and trauma issues.

Warmly and with Compassion,

Wendy

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