As Empaths, we are often overwhelmed by our feelings and absorbtion of others emotions. I find grounding skills to be an absolute necessity for our sanity and safety. Here then are some suggestions... If you have anymore please share them with us!!! There are a number of grounding techniques that can be learned to decrease hyper- arousal and connect to the present. These include naming and listing things in the here and now and using as many senses as possible to reconnect to the present. What follows are some techniques that have proved useful to some survivors - it’s important to find what works for you and you can adapt the techniques to fit you. Finding Oases Oases are activities that give a break from the trauma. They are activities that demand concentration and attention. Watching TV and reading do not usually work well as it is easy to wander into one’s own thoughts. Procedures that have not become automatic work best. These might include: gardening; following a pattern in embroidery or knitting; playing chess, solitaire or ‘braintraining’ games; learning a language; doing crosswords or jigsaws; creative writing; playing the piano. The value of an oasis will be recognised by a reduction in hyper-arousal and a quieting of internal dialogue. Finding a Safe Place or Activity A safe place is a form of anchor to reduce the stress of working with traumatic memories. Anchors can be used as ‘braking’ tools when the going gets rough. A suitable anchor is one that gives relief (in body and emotion) and a sense of well-being. It is preferable that an anchor is chosen from real life experience, so that positive memories in both body and mind can be accessed. It is useful to work with your counsellor to establish in advance an anchor that can be used when needed in trauma work. A safe place or activity is a current or remembered experience of protection. It should have associations of calmness and safety (as opposed to ‘relaxing’ - which can feel unsafe for people who have experienced trauma, or ‘pleasurable’ - which can be over- stimulating). It is preferable for the safe place/activity to be something real that is known from life. This is because there will be somatic resonance in the memory - sights, sounds, smells, etc. which will be recorded as sensory memory traces and be highly accessible. It is helpful to imagine the safe place/activity during times of stress and anxiety , or it can be used as an anchor, to reduce hyper-arousal during a therapy session. Grounding and Safety Techniques Body Awareness Employing our own awareness of the state of our body - our perceptions of the precise, co-existing sensations that arise from internal and external stimuli - is a very useful tool in trauma work. This is because consciousness of current sensory stimuli is our primary link to the here and now; it is also a direct link to our emotions. Body awareness is about awareness of cues from the central nervous system. Body awareness (sensations) from exteroceptors originates from stimuli that have their origin outside of the body (touch, taste, smell, sounds, sights). Body awareness from interoceptors consists of sensations that originate on the inside of the body (connective tissue, muscles and viscera). Moving Separating past from present can be accomplished on a body level. During a flashback or trauma work getting up and moving (e.g. walking around or moving from one room to another) will help to reinforce the here-and-now reality that the trauma is no longer occurring. ‘I could not move then, but I can move now.’ Moving can also help to complete a sequence of impulses that were blocked at the time of the trauma (e.g. the impulse to run or push away). Developing Muscle Tone For many people with PTSD induced relaxation (e.g. relaxation exercises) will precipitate a trauma reaction, increasing hyperarousal and anxiety, risking flashbacks. For such people, building or maintaining muscle tension is preferable to relaxation. For many people, muscle tensing helps reduce unpleasant body sensations attached to the trauma - even to the point of enabling sleep. ‘ This is not about aerobic exercise as elevated heart and respiration rates can be trauma triggers. Rather, it is slow, focussed, muscle building exercise that is beneficial. To be effective it must be done with body awareness - with attention given to body sensations generally and to the muscles being exercised specifically. Also, the exercise must stop at the point of mild tiredness in the muscle, while it is still a pleasant experience. Developing muscle tone increases self-confidence and reduces feelings of vulnerability and hyperarousal. Muscle tensing can be used as an emergency measure when anxiety threatens to escalate into overwhelm or panic. Exercises that enhance sensations of calm, solidity and increased presence are beneficial. The idea is to build a positive experience of being in the body by developing musculature that can better contain hyperarousal and the full range of the emotions. Simple toning exercises: • Push-ups: these help build tone in the arms, chest and back. Begin by standing a few feet from a wall, leaning into it and pushing away. Gradually move lower and lower on the wall until there is enough strength to push up from stairs or the floor . • Thighs: Sitting in a chair, place both feet flat on the floor. Press weight onto your feet just until you feel tension build in your thighs, then slowly release. • Leg lifts in many directions also need no special equipment. Simple weights such as milk cartons, books, water bottles can be used for strengthening the front of the upper arms. Strategies For Self-Soothing Self-soothing activities are a source of decreased arousal, pleasurable sensations and calming feelings. They are characterised by: slow, gentle or rhythmical movements; softness in texture, tone and hues; quietness in volume. They include but are not limited to the following: • Calming breathing • Gentle holding and rocking • Calming self-talk • accessing calming sensations: e.g. warm baths and showers, warm drinks, soft textiles (blankets, bedsocks, soft toys, hot water bottles), calming music, soft lighting walking, gardening or swimming • things that anchor a safe connection to the therapist, e,g. being encouraged to choose a stone or shell from the therapist’s room to ‘look after and bring back’ to symbolise the continuing relationship Rainy Day Letters From The Self This is a strategy to increase self-acceptance and provide a reminder of progress. When the person is in a hopeful, resourceful or self-accepting frame of mind they write themselves a letter or letters to be read when they are feeling low or despairing. The letter is supportive and empathic and can suggest things to do to self-soothe. It can remind the person of progress and that bad feelings pass. Imaginary Containers It can be useful to devise containers for difficult feelings and experiences between sessions. Safes, vaults, trunks, locked libraries are useful images. It can also be useful to find an image for the material they wish to lock away. This helps to create some distance from the material so that it can be thought about and moved around, rather than feeling it is overwhelming or stuck inside. ‘Write/Draw, Read, Destroy’ Task This can provide a powerful experience of containing, processing and ending something for those who are plagued by intrusive and repetitive thoughts, feelings, memories, sensations and images. • On day 1 spend a set amount of time (an hour maximum - usually less) writing or drawing the distressing or disturbing material and then put it away and move to another activity . • On day 2 (preferably in the same place, at the same time of day) read over or look at what you have produced and then destroy it. • On day 3 start the procedure again as for day 1. You may produce new material or it may be a repeat of previous drawing or writing.
Posted on: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 16:57:38 +0000
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