What is Your Distress Level Right Now?

I often ask my clients where they rank their distress level whether it be anxiety, depression or a traumatic response. I like to use a 0-10 scale where 0 is no distress and 10 is maximum. This helps me gauge where people are at and tailor my approach accordingly.

This is a tool that you can use for yourself as well. It can be a nice way to check in with yourself and recognize stress levels. During this election season, I find my own level of distress is often on the higher end of the spectrum.

Where are you at today? This week? You can decide at what level you feel you need to intervene and provide yourself with some self soothing activities or other tools to help manage. A good measure that I use for myself is 5 or above. At this level it alerts me to take action.

Simple But Powerful Tools

Some of my favorite go to’s for myself and my clients are simple but powerful. Breath, breath, breath. Always check in with your breath. Is it shallow? When you breath in does the breath go into your throat and upper chest? This would be considered shallow breathing. Shallow breathing not only alerts us to the need to address our anxiety or stress levels but can also intensify anxious feelings.

Try breathing into your diaphragm instead. Put your hand on your belly and push it out as you breath in imagining the breath going into that area. As you breath out your belly should come back in. This simple technique can induce calm.

Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth has also been proven to produce a feeling of calm. Play with counting as you breath. A good starting place is counting to 4 or 5 as you breath in and 6-7 as you breath out. So, a slightly longer out breath.

If you are feeling a sense of spiraling one of the best tools is to name the things you see, hear, smell and feel. Say them to yourself either out loud or in your head as you notice them. This powerful tool can bring your thoughts back in your control and you into the present moment.

Of course, during this election season create some healthy boundaries around how much news you digest. It can be easy to get carried away with the news and before you realize it you are breathing shallow or spiraling. While you watch the news use the scale to see where you are at. If you find your distress level at a 5 or above it might be time to turn your attention elsewhere.

If you find yourself using these tools but continuing to feel distress levels that are higher than you would like, please reach out for a free consultation. I see clients in Arizona, Colorado and Wyoming online. I see clients in Tucson, AZ in person.

AndreaHarbeck@proton.me

720-336-9454

www.desertbloomtherapyemdr.com