@doodledwellness

“Challenge your thoughts” - they say. ⁣ ⁣ “What is the evidence that this thought is true” - they ask. ⁣ ⁣ “Imagine your thoughts floating away on a cloud” - they encourage. ⁣ ⁣ These strategies can be helpful - but they only target your MIND. They target your thoughts. ⁣ ⁣ But when your body is in a state of fear, stress, and unsafety - it can not effectively engage in these cognitive strategies. ⁣ ⁣ The body is busy trying to figure out how to keep you safe. So it is in hyperdrive - figuring out how to fight off the threat or run away from the threat. Or the body is in a freeze state because what you are dealing with is too much for the body to cope so it shuts down.⁣ ⁣ We have to learn to soothe the body to show it that it is safe. ⁣ ⁣ Once the body feels safe, it can then rechannel the energy to do the higher-order, cognitive work - such as challenging and detaching from thoughts. ⁣ ⁣ Some ways to soothe the body include: ⁣ ⁣  ✨ humming ⁣  ✨ taking a cold shower ⁣  ✨ stretching/yoga ⁣  ✨ breath work ⁣  ✨ connecting with someone that makes you feel safe (co-regulation)⁣  ✨ spending time in nature ⁣  ✨ shaking off pent up energy (literally shaking the body, jumping up and down,dance) ⁣  ✨ running (tapping into the urge to flee)⁣ ⁣ #calm #calmness #safe #therapy #cognitivetherapy #copingstrategies #mentalhealth