Resourcing Between Sessions
Building Internal Resources
Please use at your own discretion. These are an invitation, not meant to be replacing your professional’s advice.
Deep breathing
The most important part to an effective, regulating breath is the exhale. Extend that exhale as long as you can. That’s it!
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation is an exercise that reduces stress and anxiety in your body by having you slowly tense and then relax each muscle. This exercise can provide an immediate
feeling of relaxation, but it’s best to practice frequently. With experience, you will become more aware of when you are experiencing tension and you will have the skills to help you relax. During this exercise, each muscle should be tensed, but not to the point of strain. If you have any
injuries or pain, you can skip the affected areas. Pay special attention to the feeling of releasing tension in each muscle and the resulting feeling of relaxation. Please see recording below for a sample of PMR.
Grounding
Use your senses. *You could choose to focus on 1 color where you are and identify it in as many places as you can around you. *You could also name a few things you can see, smell, touch, taste, and hear. *You can focus on where you are sitting. Is there a texture or pattern? Hard or soft? *And finally, you could choose 1 thing where you are at and explore its use, shape, patterns, texture, color, etc to bring yourself back into the present moment.
Container
Your container should be previously identified in session. You can also create a new one. Envision a container of any size or shape, e.g. shipping container, bank vault, red tupperware container. Visualize your stressor going into the container, going through the steps to close it including as much as sensory as you can. Then once it’s secure, visualize yourself walking away from it and leaving it behind. An extra step that some find helpful is to then visualize your calm place.
External Resources
Draw/color mandalas
Drawing or coloring mandalas or zentangles can be a helpful resource to reduce activation when overwhelmed or sad.
If you work with Jen, use the lemniscate shape.
EFT tapping
Use this once you have already learned how to do so from your therapist. Here is a helpful resource and reminder how-to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1U3cI2QxHw
Weighted Blanket
Secure Place visualization
After reviewing with your therapist: recall a place [real or imaginative] that you feel secure, peaceful, or relaxed. Now bring in the sensory. If you were there right now, what would you be hearing? Is there a breeze? What sensations do you feel in your body? What do your feet feel? Are you thinking anything? What are you seeing or smelling? As you breathe in and extend the exhale, how does your body feel? Stay as long as you need to feel the tension leave your body, then slowly return back to the present.
Discharge the Energy
Shake, shake, shake your body. Dancing works well too.
Vigorous exercise can be helpful. Even a brisk walk.
Consider TRE [trauma releasing exercises, on youtube, find an instructor you like]. Make sure you pause if it feels too uncomfortable. *Can be vulnerable positioning, take care if you’ve experienced sexual violence.
Take a 5-10 minute movement break throughout your day.
Journal Prompts/Check-ins
Soothing visuals
Fractals have a way of calming the mind and reducing stress.
Check in with your body. Does it need a self-soothing, relaxation, containing, or active practice?
What would it feel like to resource throughout the day?
What is a self-affirmation that you identify with right now? What might your younger self identified with?