“The body knows how to heal. It just needs the right conditions. ~ Peter Levine
After ten major reconstructive hip surgeries and nearly six years in a full-body cast, I transitioned from childhood into my teenage years. My starting point in life was very different from those around me. My body will never look like anyone else’s and I live in the wake of trauma.
Not only did I suffer from a range of trauma symptoms, but I also had a profound struggle with my identity and had significant amounts of shame, depression, and social anxiety. As you can imagine, I have a hard time fitting in and connecting with others. I never knew I felt comfortable in my own skin.
The discomfort I felt was unbearable and I knew the only way to feel better in life was to try to figure out how to heal and get to the other side. I firmly believed that healing was possible, so naturally I began receiving talk therapy.
The treatment was great, don’t get me wrong, but it didn’t provide the relief I was looking for. I quickly realized that talking about my experiences helped expand and balance my perspective on things, but it didn’t change how I felt in my day-to-day life. So I embarked on a journey of exploring and researching various treatment modalities. I delved into energy healing, breathing, art therapy, tantra and Yamuna body rolling and finally found Somatic Experience.
After much trial and error, I found my way. Some things work and some don’t. I’ve learned that there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to treatment.
Anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are never fun, and they appear very specific and different for everyone. I learned that anxiety is an energy that lives deeply within the body, and the way most people try to control it is by bracing their bodies to try to stop it from happening. This pushes it deeper into the body.
It’s important to let this energy flow slowly. To do this we need to soften the body and open energy channels.
I have found these three somatic tools to be very effective. Maybe they’ll work for you too.
Before starting each exercise, I highly recommend asking yourself: “On a scale of one to ten, how anxious am I?” Give yourself a number and see if the number decreases at the end of the exercise.
1. Connect the joints slowly
Starting with one foot, slowly move your foot in a circle in one direction ten times. Really focus on the feeling of your ankle joint moving. Then switch directions.
Do the same with the other foot and ankle.
If you’re lying on your back, you can do it again with your knees while holding your thighs, slowly moving your calves ten times before changing direction. Then repeat on the other leg.
If you are standing, place your hands on your knees and slowly move your knees together in a circle.
Again, remember to keep your brain focused on your knees and feel them move. This helps keep the brain occupied while the body moves energy trapped within it.
If you’re standing, you’ll do this again, circling your hips ten times in both directions.
Afterwards, pause and notice how your lower body feels compared to your upper body. The difference you will feel is crazy.
Next, you’ll do this with your wrist, making circles with your hand. You can do them one at a time or with both hands – whatever you prefer.
Then there are your elbows.
Then the shoulders, continue to turn ten times in one direction, then ten times in the other direction.
Finally, you’ll do head circles in both directions.
2. Take a deep breath and exhale
Exhale? What is that?
That’s exactly what I’m asking.
Sometimes deep breathing helps, sometimes not. But if you try making a “whoo” sound throughout your exhale, it can smooth out the chest and abdomen, two areas where anxiety is most likely to be felt.
So, in this exercise, you put one hand on your heart and the other on your belly, and take a deep breath. As you exhale, you make a “voo” sound until the end of the exhale, similar to saying “om” in a yoga class. When you do this, consider making a “whoop” sound from your belly rather than your throat.
This is an indigenous practice that actually has scientific effects on calming the vagus and sympathetic nervous systems. It brings people into the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the rest and digest part of the nervous system. Making different sounds has different effects on the nervous system, and for anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the sound of “woo” is the most effective.
Go ahead and try five cycles to see if this works for you. It can be really calming.
3.Visual resources
Resource provision is anything that calms, supports, or comforts a person and can be done in a variety of ways. This includes things like talking to a caring, supportive friend, taking a warm bath, or using a weighted blanket.
Visual resources focus on things that are visually pleasing. For some, this may be a sparkling or shiny object, while for others, it may be watching leaves blowing gently in the breeze.
Note that for some people, a greater calming effect occurs if they look further away, while others may prefer to look at objects closer to them.
Continue to look around you and find things that are most pleasant and pleasing to the eye. Then focus your gaze here and notice the impact this has on you.
This somatic tool can be easily combined with the existing tools listed above.
In summary
Life can be scary when we experience trauma and struggle with symptoms. Many people feel very frustrated and overwhelmed about where and how to begin treatment. But try to find the courage to get to the other side. Healing is possible and this can be one of the most beautiful and sacred journeys you choose to take.
Trauma symptoms always have co-occurring psychological and physical components. So if certain mindfulness practices aren’t working, see if you can find some relief and stability through body-based tools.
Blessing you with so much love and grace on your healing journey.
About Brianna Anderson
Brianna Anderson is a somatic practitioner and a pioneer in the field of mind, body, and spirit healing. After going through her own transformational journey, she specializes in helping people heal and resolve the effects of trauma. Brianna is the CEO of Healing with Bri and the founder of Ascend, an online program designed to help people resolve trauma and restore their lives. You can check out her website here.
