After trauma, we may feel like our mind is caught up in thoughts about the trauma. We may replay the event (or events) over and over or feel distracted and have a hard time concentrating. Learning to feel present in your body can be a helpful way to start to feel calmer.
Being present in your body means noticing, rather than trying to control or judge, what is happening. To get in touch with the present moment, some people find it useful to pray, sit in nature, meditate, or do other calming activities. Others may find it useful to use your five senses to notice what you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel.
For example, in this moment:
- Look around the room your in. Pretend you’re a curious scientist and notice 5 things you can see right now.
- Now, notice 4 things you can physically feel, such as the weight of your feet on the floor, the temperature of your skin, or the texture of your clothes.
- Next, notice 3 things your can hear.
- Notice two things you can smell (if possible).
- Lastly, notice what you taste in this moment.
It can be hard to learn a new skill when feeling stressed, so practice being present in your body at times when you don’t feel too stressed.
Please visit Healing from Trauma for more resources and tips for healing from trauma.
Remember you are not alone, and please always seek help if you need it.
Additional Resources:
- In crisis? It’s okay to reach out for help. Text the word “NATIVE” to 741-741 and you’ll be connected with a trained crisis counselor. From stress or anxiety to trauma or grief – they’re trained to listen. The service is free, confidential, and available 24/7.
- Take a look at these self-care resources from love is respect: https://www.loveisrespect.org/resources/self-care/
- Try these grounding techniques for anxiety: https://www.healthline.com/health/grounding-techniques
- We all can get down and feel like no one understands what we’re going through. One of the great things about being Native, is that we are all connected and can have each other’s back. Text “CARING’’ to 65664 to receive regular reminders about how awesome you are from people who care!
