Using Body Awareness To Heal
By Amanda Polster, LMSW
Coping with strong and heavy emotions is one of the biggest challenges we go through in life. We are often given tools to manage how we feel in less critical moments, but accessing these techniques in times of distress can feel out of reach. In moments where we feel calmer, we are able to identify strategies, such as calling a friend, journaling, listening to music, going for a walk, taking a hot shower, and the list goes on… but in times of dysregulation, we might have a harder time moving beyond the stress and tension going on in our bodies and minds to access these strategies.
This is all too real and expected in times of distress because research has shown that the more overwhelmed we feel, the less rational we act. In many ways, this is related to our biochemistry - our fight, flight and freeze response. When going through strong and heavy emotions, our limbic system - the part of the brain that is related to emotions, memory, and survival - kicks in to make sure we are safe. As part of a normal stress response, a stress hormone called cortisol is released, sending a message to our bodies to act immediately to seek safety. When our limbic system is activated, we have less access to our other parts of our brain that help us control our impulses to think rationally and mindfully. It also can take up to 6 hours for our cortisol levels to go back to normal states of functioning, which means our stress response might be activated for an extended period of time before we are able to fully calm down (Integrative Psychiatry, 2019).
So what can we do when distressed and have a naturally harder time accessing the tools that are meant to help us the most to calm down?
Tap into our Bodies.
Our bodies can tell us many things about how we are feeling, and how we can relax. Tapping into our bodies has also been proven to help lessen the time it takes for our cortisol levels to go back to normal, allowing our bodies and minds to calm down faster (Thorpe, 2017).
1. Remember H.A.L.T.S.
H.A.L.T.S. is an acronym that stands for hungry, angry, lonely, tired, and sick/stressed (Acceptance Counseling, 2016). H.A.L.T.S. is a friendly reminder for us to pay attention to our basic human needs, as our physical necessities impact our emotional state. Most commonly used in chemical dependency programs, H.A.L.T.S. helps us remember when we are in distress, it might be due to a lack of a basic human need, such as food, nutrition, sleep, and social connection.
2. Notice Our Present-Moment Experience in Our Bodies
When we experience strong or heavy emotions, developing body awareness can help us to naturally bring us back down to a state of normal functioning. Research has shown that just simply focusing on our bodies in the present moment can reduce stress and anxiety (Mischke-Reeds, 2018)
. Some reflecting statements and questions we can ask ourselves in times of distress:
What am I feeling right now? (at least 1 emotion)
What am I sensing in my body? (at least 3 body sensations)
I am most curious about a sensation in my body (1 sensation)
I am connecting with what is in my body (at least 1 connection)
What am I learning from my body? (1 observation)
What does my breath feel like right now? (at least 2 observations)
After observing my entire body, what am I feeling right now? (at least 1 emotion)
Do I feel anything differently now that I have observed my body sensations? (Mischke-Reeds, 2018).
3. Allowing Our Breath to Become Our Anchor
Our breath can be our best friend, and can allow us to feel a deeper connection to ourselves and the universe. However, when we feel dysregulated, our breath can begin to get away from us, as we might be breathing heavier and faster, especially during states of panic. Tapping into our breath can help us acknowledge our emotional state, and can allow us to gain a stronger control of our minds and bodies. Below is a brief breathing practice that can allow us to befriend our breath as our tool for calming down and regaining present awareness:
Slowly sit back and get comfortable, leaving eyes open or closing them, whichever is more comfortable for you
As you are getting in a comfortable position, begin by slowly focusing on your breath, taking 3 deep cleansing breathe in, and 3 deep breath out through your mouth
Take this moment to acknowledge your breath as your anchor and connection to your liveliness and humanity.
Now begin by deepening your awareness to any area in your body where you feel your breath the most, and taking a few moments to breathe into this area in your body
It is normal at any point during this practice to notice your mind wander. Allow the thoughts that come through your mind to move like clouds in the sky, and letting go to any attachment or connection to these thoughts.
If you continue noticing your mind wander, allow this to be an opportunity to strengthen your awareness and focus by coming to your breath.
As we close this practice, allow yourself to take 3 deep cleansing breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Whenever you are ready, you can slowly open your eyes and come back to the room.
Heavy and strong emotions can be difficult to cope with in specific moments. Even when we need strategies the most, we might have trouble accessing them when feeling the most distressed. When we allow our breath and our bodies to be part of our relaxation strategy, we can calm down quicker and with greater ease, developing a stronger connection with ourselves in the process.
Citations
Acceptance Counseling. 2016. H.A.L.T.S. https://acceptancecounselingnm.com/
Integrative Psychiatry, 2019. Stress and Cortisol, What’s the Connection?
https://www.integrativepsychiatry.net/stress_and_cortisol_whats_the_connection.html
Mischke-Reeds, Manuea. 2018. Somatic Psychotherapy Toolbox: 125 Worksheets and
Exercises to Treat Trauma & Stress. PESI Publishing & Media.
3. Thorpe, Matthew. 2017. 11 Natural Ways to Lower Cortisol Levels.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ways-to-lower-cortisol