Join me as I guide you through this deep somatic and nervous system regulation practice, which uses co-regulation and interoception (your sense of your own body’s signals) as foundational principles. Interoception is one of the lesser-known senses of the body, and interoceptive exercises have been shown in studies to decrease anxiety and improve emotional regulation. It is a rapidly growing area of study in neuroscience and psychology research.
By regularly incorporating these guided practices into your weekly or daily routine, you will grow in mindfulness of your own body's signals, sleep more deeply, have improved anxiety relief, and a decrease in IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) symptoms and chronic pain. You will feel safer in your body and therefore reduce the physiological and psychological impact of trauma. As part of a self-care routine, these guided exercises are essential for mental health and overall wellness.
In this 15 minute exercise, you will focus on your:
- Shoulders & hip bones
- Kidneys & adrenal glands - Possibly interrupting the stress response signaling system, per Kathy Kain, the founder of this work.
- Brainstem - Our hyper-vigilance system - we rotate our heads to scan constantly for danger. When this relaxes, we are better able to settle per Kathy Kain.
- Ankles - For a sense of grounding per Stephen Terrell.
These guided videos are adapted from a body-based trauma healing therapy originally developed by Kathy Kain (Somatic Practice) and later added to by Stephen Terrell (Transforming Touch). They are leaders in the field of developmental/childhood trauma and co-authors of the book, Nurturing Resilience. Their work draws from John Bowlby’s attachment theory and traumatic stress research. It involves a relational approach to building interoception.
Let me know in the comments what you're noticing as you do this practice, and any questions you have. Enjoy!
Copyright Being Well Grounded, LLC