Excerpt: Grounding Exercise - Breath and Bilateral Stimulation - Trauma Session 3
Course: Moving Through Trauma
Speakers: Cathy Loerzel
Finding Your Ground: A Simple Exercise for Engaging with Difficult Emotions
Engaging with the topic of trauma can understandably bring up difficult feelings. Your body’s natural response might be to resist these emotions as a form of self-protection. However, healing doesn’t require being overwhelmed. This exercise can help you gently connect with your body and create a sense of safety as you navigate this material.
Connecting with Your Body: A Grounding Exercise
Connect with the Ground: Place both feet flat on the floor. Take a moment to feel the sensation of the ground beneath you. Pay attention to your toes and the soles of your feet.
Notice Your Breath: Bring your awareness to your breath. Simply observe the rhythm of your inhales and exhales. Consciously take a slow breath in… and then a slow breath out… Repeat this a few times. Focusing on your breath can help calm your body.
Find a Safe Position: If you don’t feel safe in your current environment, try to find a more comfortable and secure position. If needed, you can also pause this material to tend to your immediate sense of safety.
Gentle Touch: Place your hands on your thighs, noticing the feeling of your body. Then, cross your hands over your shoulders, giving yourself a gentle hug.
Bilateral Tapping: Begin to gently tap your hands on your shoulders, alternating from one side to the other. This rhythmic movement, known as bilateral stimulation, can help regulate your nervous system.
Utilizing Simple Tools for Grounding
Use these simple tools whenever you need them: conscious breath, gentle tapping, mindful movement, and finding a safe space. Remember, engaging with the stories you’re exploring requires gentleness and kindness. The experiences you’re addressing may have been harsh, but your journey toward healing doesn’t need to be. Approach yourself with the same compassion you would offer someone you deeply care about. I truly hope this exercise is helpful as you continue on your path.
If you like the content, you can continue in a few different ways…
- See the outline below and check out other sections from the Moving Through Trauma course.
- Take the full small group course to your church community! The first course your church runs is free! Reach out to us here to learn how.
- Connect with a Share The Struggle Coach for one-on-one support. Let’s face it, some of us have tried kicking this thing, and we’ve had no luck. It’s time to start looking toward forms of support that can help us see and feel the beautiful life God has in store for us.
Session 1
Welcome to the Moving Through Trauma Course
Video: Welcome
Video: Guardrails & Grace for the Journey
Video: For Those of You Who
Topics: Hypoarousal; Hyperarousal; Grace
Session 2
Video: Grounding Exercise - From a Place of Calm
Video: Unpacking Trauma
Video: Our Trauma Threshold
Topics: Embedded Trauma/Traumatic Event; Traumatic Threshold
Session 3
Video: Grounding Exercise - Breath and Bilateral Stimulation
Video: How Trauma Functions in our Emotions, Brain, and Body
Video: Our Three Primary Responses to Trauma
Topics: Neuroscience Terms; Fragmentation/Dissociation/Isolation
Session 4
Video: Grounding Exercise - Lowering Stress in the Nervous System
Video: How Family & Collective Systems Impact How We Experience Trauma
Video: Trauma’s Connection to our Health and Wellbeing
Topics: Attunement; Containment; Rupture & Repair; ACE Study (Third Video)
Session 5
Video: Grounding Exercise - Breathing in Hope
Video: How We Heal
Topics: Healing: Reconstruction; Release; Acceptance
Session 6
Video: Grounding Exercise - Grounded in the Present
Video: Relationship with God
Topics: Relationship with God; Prayer Practices
Session 7
Video: Relationship with Self
Topics: Cold Water Treatment; Developing Story Awareness
Session 8
Video: Grounding Exercise - From a Place of Calm
Video: Relationship with Others
Video: Redeeming Trauma
Topics: Building Support; Listening Triad
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