Body Stiff, Mind Racing

Imagine… You almost got into a car accident. You swerved out of the way just in time, phew! Your body tightened up (especially the jaw, shoulders, and face) and your mind started to race. After a couple of minutes, those feelings dissipated–you are back to baseline and you can go about your day as normal.

If you experience chronic stress/anxiety having the option of moving back to baseline sometimes is not a reality. People who have experienced trauma often times don’t have the opportunity to ‘shake it off’.

So how can we help everybody? The people who have experienced trauma, special needs, and neurotypical humans? How do we get everyone on the same page to then learn and connect socially? One tool is to get everyone from fight/flight (sympathetic nervous system) to rest and digest (parasympathetic nervous system). How?

• Pause
• Create a consistent time to practice together
• Patience and practice- Consistency will help change the brain/behavior
• Explain the importance of connecting mind, body, and breath: Why are we practicing relaxation techniques?
• Lead by example. Do you need a moment to collect yourself? Perhaps letting others know that you need to take a few deep breaths to feel better.

Below is a video that is helping all bodies calm their nervous system. It is not specifically for youth, it’s for adults too! This video (1 of 30) was created with the adult in mind. Feel free to press play and participate alongside youth.

The 5-minute video below can be done in the comfort of a chair. There is no movement required.

Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to connect!
With Gratitude,
Julie Campilio, founder