Tools for Somatic & Emotional Regulation
- Meisha Thrasher
- May 4, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 4
We all deserve resources because all HUMANS fall down. When we fall down, we can directly support our RESILIENCE so we get back up faster, with less bruising. There are tried and true ways of showing up for ourselves, for making our hearts more capable in a moment that is difficult. As collaborators in Healing Justice, we uplift tools to develop somatic awareness, self-regulation, peer support, and impactful encouragement for loved ones. Below in ORANGE are links to tools and ways of practice. If you are familiar with mindfulness practices, many of these will be familiar. Spend time in small groups or on your own exploring each of these resources. Content on this website is provided for education and information purposes only and is not intended to replace or substitute direction from a health professional.
Get to Know YOU Better with writing prompts for self-reflection. There are tried and true ways of showing up for ourselves, for making our hearts capable of getting back on the horse. Self-reflection is by far the best of the best tools for nurturing your resilience and self-confidence. We can use this tool to get to know our emotional self better. We can use this same tool to support our peers and loved ones with curiosity.
Parents, teens, and young adults are raving about the impact of this simple practice authored by Daniel J. Siegel M.D. in his book Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain which explains the practice in depth.
Healing Justice promotes the sentiment that resilience can trump trauma. That’s oversimplified but clear. On a seesaw, if you put more weight on one end, the other end will lift up. When we put more resilience attributes into our wellness practice the impacts of trauma can lift up.
When we use the Feeling Wheel alongside the TICES Somatic Processing Script we develop an accurate understanding of our body's emotional communication.
A hope box is a collection of items or images that motivate your heart to remember hope. It is a well established resource tool for emotion wellness because it works. Images and visualization are innate HUMAN compass, what we see helps recall memories that can elevate hope. Learn how to create a hope box today, then use it often to elevate resilience.
Emotional distress is always a biological reaction. Your autonomic nervous system is “triggered” and your body is stuck while your brain is trying to figure out if you should run, hide, or play dead. To move out of this hijacked state sooner, you can ”hug” your nervous system. This is done in ways most of us have never heard of... so try these “hacks” and see what works best for your body.
Fear about what’s going to happen in the future is worry. When we have a worry habit, we are constantly thinking in order to be ready for whatever might happen. To break free of this worry habit, we must get to know our our body, and build trust that safe is possible. Practice this meditation for 10-minutes each day to overcome the worry habit.
EFT a self-regulation practice that combines gentle tapping on specific acupressure points with focused attention on emotional challenges. It’s used to calm the nervous system, release stored emotional tension, and shift limiting beliefs.
Visualization is one of the best ways to gain mastery over your mind-states. When we deal with big emotions our body hijacks us into a fear-mindset. To break free from this hostages state, we can visualize ourselves in a better place. Learn how, then practice for mastery.
If you have thoughts that visit your mind without your permission, we call these Intrusive Thoughts. If you have memories that produce images or videos that play without your permission, we call these Flashbacks. To halt intrusive thoughts or to interrupt flashbacks, we imagine a genie's bottle, where one command vanishes the thoughts into the vessel. Would you like to be more powerful than a genie? Read more, invest often!
We encourage you to invest in ART as self-expression or observation to elevate the quality of your imagination, because that alone produces healing for FEAR and Self Doubt Bias. Reflective writing about the impact of music or performance art is equally powerful.
Movements can be low-impact, trauma-informed, and adaptable to individual comfort levels, inviting the body into a state of safety and self-connection. As we develop depth of practice it will be important to change up routines and try new things. This is a menu of opportunities.
If you deserve support, schedule a consultation today!