It is safe to say that 2020 has been a difficult year, for everyone, as we all deal with the unprecedented social, emotional, and physical challenges that COVID-19 has presented. This pandemic has been traumatic in its impact, and because of that, another thing is clear; taking care of and supporting mental health needs to be a priority.
As we approach the end of a year that has been so challenging, we are extremely grateful for all of the donations and support we have received through Giving Tuesday and otherwise throughout the year! You are helping us build supportive networks dedicated to healing and recovery for those struggling with the invisible wounds of trauma. You are all remarkable, kind, and a testament to the good in humanity and resilience of the human spirit.
For anyone who feels called to give at this time, we are always so grateful to receive donations, and you can do so HERE
Today we would like to not only recognize you for all that you are, but also emphasize the value and importance of self-care. We hope that you do not neglect yourself as you continue to give in so many ways, and hope to also be of support for you on that path.
With this in mind, we have compiled a list of some tools, practices, and suggestions that we hope will be of help in supporting your own mental health and wellness in coping with high levels of anxiety and uncertainty in these times.
Practice self-compassion
Self-compassion is an incredibly powerful tool pioneered by Kristin Neff that is shown by research to be extremely beneficial when facing difficulty or various forms of suffering. This can be useful in many ways, whether suffering from physical challenges, anxiety, stress, trauma, or self-critical thoughts. We cannot always control our circumstances, but we can control how we respond, and the research shows that when we practice self-compassion; it improves our ability to cope, makes us more resilient, helps to reduce anxiety/depression, and increases our levels of happiness and contentment.
Self-compassion is not about vanquishing the uncomfortable thoughts or feelings or making them go away, but rather cultivating a kind, safe and supportive inner environment for them to be heard so that they can be better processed. Self-compassion tends to make unpleasant thoughts or emotions more bearable in time, so that they lose some of their grip over our lives and ability to cope when faced with them. It also involves bringing awareness to our common humanity with others who may be going through similar struggles. This is valuable perspective to foster, especially in a year that calls for so much isolation and physical distancing.
A helpful practice in self-compassion can be placing your hands over your heart. Not only does this activate the parasympathetic nervous system which helps the body calm down, but feeling the beating of our heart can also remind us of common humanity with others, who can also feel fear, or anxious, or excited. This can be a powerful tool, especially combined with some deep breathing!
Dr. Baranowsky has recorded a guided exercise of this type of practice that we hope you might find helpful! Deep Stress Relief Hands Over Heart Space
Here are some other great additional free resources and guided exercises in self-compassion for those interested in going deeper with practice:
Free Self-Compassion guided meditations and exercises click HERE
Free online meditations and other self-compassion training modules click HERE
Create a digital ‘stress kit’ album
Another helpful self-care exercise can be to start a digital stress kit album that gives you some sense of direction or peace that you can look back on in stressful times. What words or ideas would you want to hear or remember in times of stress to keep you on track with where you want to go? This can be anything from photos of family/friends, to pictures of places or activities that help ground you in the present or a sense of safety/happiness, tools or practices that are helpful, or quotes from a book or movie that stood out as meaningful for you.
In times of high stress or triggers, it is easy to get lost or swept up in the emotion of it, and struggle to think clearly. In these times, we may be prone to turn towards unhealthy coping mechanisms. This stress kit album may not fix or solve your concerns but it can be like an anchor to help you remember tools or concepts you have available to you that generally help you cope.
This can be a fun activity that you can get creative with in making this album your own and meaningful for you, and the benefit of making it digital is that it will always be available to you on the go wherever you are.
Set Smart Goals!
Lastly, as we approach the New Year, it is very common for many people to set big goals for the year to come. While it is fantastic to be ambitious with our goals, it’s also really important to set small steps on that path, so that we can experience the feeling of progress, growth, and success along the way. I’m sure 2020 laughed at the goals we set for ourselves last year, and while we cannot control what 2021 may bring, let’s make sure we celebrate each step we take towards our goals for ourselves, no matter how small! They may not feel like much sometimes, but it is those small steps in the right direction that truly add up to make a difference.
We hope some of these tools, resources and suggestions might be of help to you! While there is a strong evidence base for them, everyone has their own unique situation and the effectiveness for YOU may vary. They are not intended to replace therapy, so if you are feeling overwhelmed or having trouble coping with your circumstances, we recommend seeking care of a qualified mental health practitioner or reaching out to us to help you get in touch with one.
From all of us at Trauma Practice, THANK YOU! Wishing you and your loved ones happy and safe holidays.
For more information regarding Trauma Practice for Healthy Communities visit us at: www.traumapractice.org or email us at info@traumapractice.org
Click here HERE if you would like to donate.
