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Exercise 8 : Grounding the body
This exercise can help a survivor to subdue his overactivation and find a more balanced emotional state . It can also help a survivor who is in “ freeze mode ” to re-enter the tolerance window .
Sit on a chair . Feel your feet touch the ground . Tread the ground with your left foot on , then your right . Do it slowly : left , right , left . Do this several times . Feel the contact of your thighs and buttocks with the seat of the chair ( 5 seconds ). Notice if your legs and buttocks now feel more present , or less . Slowly extend your spine and notice if it affects your breathing ( 10 seconds ). Move your attention towards the hands and arms . Clasp your hands together . Do it in a way that feels comfortable for you . Clasp your hands and feel their strength and temperature . Unclasp them , take a break , and clasp your hands again . Release and rest your arms .
Now focus on the eyes . Look around the room . Find something that tells you that you are here , in this room . Remind yourself that you are here-and-now , and that you are safe . Notice how this exercise affects your breathing , presence , mood and strength .
Exercise 9 : Feel the weight of your body
This exercise helps survivors who are in “ freeze mode ” to focus on the present . It activates muscles in the upper body and legs , which gives a feeling of physical strength .
When we are overwhelmed , our muscles often go from extreme tension to collapse ; they change from a state of active defence ( fight and flight ) to submission . The muscles become abnormally relaxed ( hypotonic ). When we are in contact with our own strength and can control our posture , it is easier to master our emotions and cope with reactions to previous experiences as well as feelings of being overwhelmed .
• Make yourself comfortable in a sitting position .
• Place your feet on the ground and feel the sensation . Pause for five seconds .
• Feel the weight of your legs . Feel that sensation for five seconds .
• Raise your feet gently and slowly , left foot then right foot , left , right , left , right .
• Feel your buttocks and thighs where they touch the seat of the chair . Feel the sensation for five seconds .
• Feel your back against the back of the chair . Stay in that position and notice the difference in how you feel .
APPENDIX