Counselling, Psychotherapy and Training, Singapore
In today’s fast-paced world, stress can take a significant toll on our mental and physical well-being. While managing stress may seem like an overwhelming task, somatic experiencing offers body-based techniques that allow us to navigate from a state of heightened stress to a calmer, more grounded state. These strategies work by reconnecting us to our bodies and activating the nervous system’s innate ability to self-regulate. In this blog, we’ll explore some of the most effective somatic techniques to help shift from stress to calm, which you can incorporate into your daily life.
When we’re stressed, we often feel disconnected from our surroundings. Grounding is a simple yet powerful practice that brings your focus to the present moment, helping to settle your body and mind.
When we feel overwhelmed, our sense of safety can be clouded. Orienting helps remind the body that it is safe and grounded in the present.
Rhythmic movements are deeply calming for the nervous system. Crossing your arms over your chest and gently tapping your shoulders alternately, like butterfly wings, helps to balance both sides of the body, creating a calming effect.
Sound and vibration play an essential role in regulating our emotional state. When we speak or hum, the vibrations stimulate the vagus nerve, a key player in calming our nervous system.
Breathing is one of the most effective tools for shifting from a state of stress to calm. By consciously controlling our breath, we send signals to the brain that it is safe to relax.
The physiological sigh is a natural response the body uses to reset after stress. This simple technique quickly reduces the tension in your body.
When stressed, we often carry tension in our shoulders, unknowingly bracing ourselves. Simply relaxing the shoulders can signal to the body that it is no longer under threat.
Your body is an expert at knowing what it needs. Moving intuitively can help release pent-up energy and help you regain a sense of calm.
Shaking can quickly release tension and reset the nervous system. It’s a fun and effective way to discharge any lingering stress or discomfort.
Temperature changes are a powerful way to ground and shift our awareness back into the present moment.
Somatic experiencing provides an array of body-based techniques to help you navigate from a stressed state to a calmer, more regulated one. These practices help to reconnect you to your body’s natural ability to self-regulate and find balance. Whether it’s through grounding, breathing, or intuitive movement, each of these strategies empowers you to move out of stress and into calm. By regularly incorporating these tools into your routine, you can build resilience and create a greater sense of ease and balance in your daily life.
Remember, the body is always communicating with us. By listening and responding with these simple practices, we can cultivate a state of well-being and calm—one breath, one movement at a time.
However, it’s important to remember that being calm is not the goal—flexibility is. The real goal is to have the ability to move between different emotional states with awareness and choice. It’s natural to feel stressed when life throws a curveball at us. What truly matters is how we cope with it, metabolize the emotions, process the experiences, and allow them to move through us. This way, we can continue living our lives with resilience and clarity, without staying stuck in any one state for too long.
Disclaimer: This list is not a comprehensive guide. It is an attempt to offer supportive resources that you can use in addition to your regular therapeutic support. These techniques are in no way a replacement for professional therapy.
