Mindfulness practices can be helpful for some people with experiences of complex trauma. However, they are not for everyone. If mindfulness is new for you, remember to approach mindfulness practices gradually so you can notice how you are responding in the moment.
If focussing on being present makes you feel uncomfortable or is feeling overwhelming, this practice might not be for you at this time. Certain mindfulness practices can be particularly challenging for people who dissociate or who are heightened. Different grounding or movement exercises might be more helpful if you are experiencing these sorts of reactions.
You might choose to:
- start with short practices, maybe just 30 seconds to a few minutes
- keep your eyes open, soften your gaze or close your eyes
- consider engaging with external anchors first, such as noticing colours, sounds, objects or firming up contact with the floor instead of immediately focusing internally
- move your body if you find it difficult to stay still explicitly say that people can stop, change the practice or choose not to participate
- if you find is stressful to focus on your breathing, try another sort of anchor
- remember to ground yourself when you need to
Mindfulness practices can help us connect to our bodies. They can help us become more aware of how our body is responding at different times. We can observe what is happening in our body and know that bad feelings in our body will pass. For example:
- Is my throat closing?
- Am I getting a headache?
- Is my stomach tightening?
- Do I feel hot or cold when I feel scared?
You can scan your body moving your attention from the top of your head down to your toes. Notice how the different parts of your body feel as you pay attention to them.
When we sit still and breathe, we are being mindful. Simply breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, with awareness, and calmly sitting can help relieve your anxiety. Mindfulness can help us learn to respond instead of reacting. It can be empowering and help us manage critical self-talk.
There are many books, websites and classes for mindfulness available. Choose one that suits you if you find it helpful.
