There are some emerging techniques that are proving popular in helping people manage difficult moments. These may be particularly useful if you understand or can relate to the impact of trauma.

One is the “Four Elements Exercise”, a technique suggested by Elan Shapiro, who developed EMDR*.

Shapiro suggested working through each activity in turn, but you could pick and choose which one feels right for you in the moment, and with the right pace / activity for you.

As always, if you’re ever in any doubt about trying a technique or worried about your well-being, speak to your healthcare team.

🌳 Earth: This can be a grounding exercise where you place both feet on the floor and push into the ground, to really help you feel connected to the here and now. Walking bare foot can also help (where it’s safe to do so) and is called “earthing”.

🌬️ Air: We know that breath activities can help regulate our nervous system, and we instinctively sigh when we are stressed. Extending the exhale on a deep breath (if you can), may shift our mindset from “I can’t cope” to “I can cope”. Emerging science also now tells us that humming can help on the out breath; this can be any song (or just sound) – some people choose “Happy Birthday” but whatever works for you.

💧 Water: Sipping a cold drink may be useful because it helps to stimulate saliva. When we are in ‘fight or flight’, our digestive system slows down (one reason we get a dry mouth), so sipping water/producing saliva can tell the brain that everything is ok. In other therapies, researchers also suggest splashing your face with really cold water if you’re feeling distressed, but don’t do this if you have a heart condition or are pregnant, as it can be quite a shock to the system.

🔥 Fire: This isn’t literal fire… it means “fire up the imagination”. If you are someone who is able to visualise, you might take yourself off to a special or sacred place in your mind – virtual holiday – for maybe ten minutes if you can.

There are a number of other activities that can help manage difficult moments, and for different scenarios, so it can be useful to develop a personal toolkit of techniques you might find helpful. This can include things like mindfulness activities, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and keeping a journal.

Treating yourself like you would a good friend also matters, and using affirmations or self-compassion statements can help. If you find self-kindness hard, speaking to a therapist may help. Again, speak to your healthcare team if you have questions or are worried about whether these ideas are right for you.

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** EMDR means Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing and is a technique that may help to manage flashbacks and other trauma-related symptoms.

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Delphi is the author of Answers In The Dark: Grief, Sleep and How Dreams Can Help You Heal, out now on Amazon and Hive.  You might also like (Monthly) Monday Mojo™. The Helping You Sparkle™ magazine is part of the Helping You Sparkle™ portfolio. References to third parties does not endorse their content. Please read these policies for details. 

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