Coping strategies

@rosessystem

Hi Rose! Journalling, chatting with counsellor/therapist (narrative therapy, IFS etc), doing things that I love, learning things like self-awareness, communication, people skills. Being out in nature, moving, art, dance, reading, all sorts of things. Learning new things. Craniosacral therapy. Breathing! (3 deep slow diaphragmatic breaths in and out. I do this regularly and it is becoming habit). Acknowledging, naming and accepting my emotions. Lots of journalling.

Hey Rose! For me, gardening and exercise are two huge ones, aside from therapy. I have a mid-size backyard, but have been able to grow many different types of fruits and vegetables back there. It is a very calming process. Same with the gym. I used to go 6 days a week in college, but that's a little harder with a full time job. So for the past month I've been trying to exercise every day, even if its not at the gym and it's really helped me calm down. Does anybody else have any other techniques they recommend?

music.

music from the time of initial trauma, and letting the feelings flow. when the feelings were free to exist, i began to heal. gradually.

why music for me? i had problems with memory. yet music seemed to escape the ravages of time and loss. it brought back feelings, and memories began to surface.

each song had a time limit, so i could either let the emotions sit for a while before listening again, or i could repeat the song. i had a choice. agency helped, too.

letting go of self judgement was necessary as well. we do the best we can to survive. anger and resentment have no place against the self when healing. it is difficult to love and heal cynically, i have found.

after music began to remind me…to pull the trauma into view, i began writing and drawing to further process my emotions. i learned to trust my feelings, and then, eventually, myself.

i cannot stress how gradual the process has been for me.

art is the center of my life right now. expression leads to deeper understanding for me, because it shows plainly where i am, and also where i’ve been. for a person like me, who forgot almost everything due to DID, that is a win.

these things i found useful. not sure if anyone else would agree but maybe one person will. 😊

Hello,

I find I have to pay attention to my needs as they change when I change where I’m at.

journaling but I formatted it as an affirmation, a gratitude, journal what’s on my mind and am I on track to what I’m working on/my goals to determine what needs to be changed. If there

Reading:

Moving Beyond Trama

The Body Keeps Score

anything Brene brown

hope that helps.