Pause with Us
Below you’ll find invitations to explore supporting resources.
Building Internal Resources
Deep Breathing
The most important part to an effective breath to slow things down is the exhale. Extend that exhale as long as you can. Play with resistance by pursing your lips to slow the breath even more. The pace of 4-6-8 is the ideal breath and what you are capable of is enough! To speed things up when you need a bit of energy, a bigger inhale and shorter exhale will help. Not for too many rounds or you risk lightheadedness.
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.
Invitation to practice: Please use at your own discretion. These are not meant to replace your provider’s advice or teachings, rather an invitation to explore supports that may help you when activated.
Grounding in the Present
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.
Building External Resources
Environment
Build your cues of connection in your environments. You might look at the colors that surround you, the pictures at your desk, etc. What do you notice inside as you look at what surrounds you? You can color mandalas, create zentangles or doodles to reduce stress and/or activation when everything feels too big.
EFT Tapping
Tapping can be a really useful support when activated, whether anxious, angry, or even sad. There are many tutorials on youtube and apps. Caution should be used as it can also increase activation. Here is a helpful resource and reminder how-to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1U3cI2QxHw
Invitation to practice: Please use at your own discretion. These are not meant to replace your provider’s advice or teachings, rather an invitation to explore supports that may help you when activated.
Weighted Blanket
If you are feeling overwhelmed, sometimes containment or pressure can be helpful. A weighted blanket, heavy pillow, or even tight clothing like spandex can give the body proprioceptive feedback that induces calm. In contrast, sometimes clothing is too restrictive and finding the right feel and something with a stretchy waistband or larger size may feel better. It's highly person and situation dependent.
Secure Place
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 can help move the energy around.
Consider TRE [trauma releasing exercises] on youtube. Be sure to find an instructor you like. Make sure you pause if it feels too uncomfortable and go slowly. *Can be vulnerable positioning, take care if you’ve experienced sexual violence.*
Invitation: Add a 5-10 minute movement break throughout your day for a few weeks.
Journal Prompts
Invitation: Checking inside, take a deep breath, long exhale.
- Do you need self soothing, relaxation, containing, or a more 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 need in this moment?
- More prompts for AI can be found in the pages section.
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?