Somatic Therapy Flash Cards

Somatic exercise for grounding

Somatic exercise for grounding

breathing Focus on your breathing while you control how you inhale and exhale. You can start by inhaling to the count of 4, holding for 3 seconds, and then exhaling for another count of 4. You could also repeat what you consider a happy word after each inhalation. For example, safe, peace, easy, or gone.

ALPHABET games Think of different categories of things — for instance, dogs, states, or cities. Begin with a chosen letter. Do not switch to a new letter until you have identified at least 5 objects that start with that letter. You can repeat this exercise with a new letter Somatic exercise for grounding balance on block Take a yoga block or similar household item (a small stool or old book) and place it under one foot. Practice balancing on one foot, and then pendulating your free leg back and forth in circles. If this feels easy, you can try balancing forward toward the floor and then back to an upright position. Play with your balance zone, how far can you stretch, reach or swing before you feel at your edge? Can you balance with your eyes closed? Notice how your system feels after a few minutes of balancing play.

Somatic exercise for grounding

Cold Plunges

Fill your tub up halfway with cold water. Then, add three 5 lb (2.3 kg) bags of ice to chill the water to around 55 to 68 °F (13 to 20 °C). Slowly submerge your body into the ice bath and take deep breaths to calm down and help lower your heart rate. Focus on your breathe and bodily sensations. Focus on your breathing in the present moment. Do not stay in an ice bath for longer than 5-10 minutes. Short-term exposure to cold temperatures may improve the mind’s ability to withstand discomfort and cope better with stressful environmental changes.