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Strengthen your Resilience during Covid-19

Arielle Schwartz, PhD

FearandMemoryofFear

• StateDependentMemory• DownwardSpiralandtheUpwardSpiral

• Makeanagreementwithyourselftoattendtoyouremotionsintherighttimeandspace.

• Giveyourselfpermissiontotakebreaksfromfocusingondifficultfeelingsandmemories.

• Focusyourattentiononthecuesinyourenvironmentthathelpyouknowthatyouthatyouaresafehereandnow.

InPractice:ReclaimChoice

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DisorientationandConfusion• Ifeeldisconnectedfrommyself

• Ifeel“cutoff”frommybody

• Iamnumbofemotion• Itallfeels“surreal”• Ifeelconfused• Ifeelanxiousandoutofcontrol

• Icannotholdtherealityofwhatishappening

TraumaandC-PTSD

Ahistoryoftraumacanleadtoextravulnerabilityduringthistime.• Othertimeswhenyoufeltalone,helpless,frightened

• Childhoodtrauma• Traumaacrossgenerations

SocialIsolationandStress

• Arguingwithlovedones

• BlamingandPushingAwayLovedOnes

• Yellingatchildren• FeelingIsolated/Abandoned/Rejected

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Co-Regulation:Wecanholdmoretogether

• Ourconnectionswithothershelpuslearntoholdourselvesinamorelovingmanner.

• Wecompassionatelyattendtoourpainwhenweareunconditionallyacceptedbyothers.

• Reaching,giving,receiving• Digestourindividualandsharedexperienceofthistime

AttendingtoYoungParts

• Youngerpartsofselfmightneedextraattention,care,andcompassion

• Imagineholdinganyyoung,frightenedpartsofyourselflovingly,withkindness

EmbraceEmotions

TheCouragetoFeel—MakingroomforGrief• Fear—Makefromforfragility• Sadness—Honoryourvulnerability• Anger—Tapintoyourstrength• Shame—Rememberthatyoubelong• Joy—ReclaimyourAliveness

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Embodiment,Resourcing,andReleasing

• IdentifySomaticResources:Grounding,Breath,Boundaries

• UnderstandtheImpact:Bodyinformsusaboutourresponsetostress.

• ReclaimHealingMovement:Bodyguidesustowardshealingorrestorativemovements

• SomaticRelease:Allowsensationstosequence,allowtremblingorshaking.

• Integrationofnewexperience:Takethetimetointegratenewembodiedexperience.

InPractice:Grounding

• SettleDownward• Bringawarenesstoyourlegsandfeet• Press,Engage,Release• Feelyourconnectiontotheearth

Somatic Interventions• Ifsensationcouldmove,howwoulditmove?• Isthereasoundorwordsforthesensation?• Placehandsoverandbreathintothesensation.• Allowyourhandsandarmstoexpresssensation.

• Allowwholebodytotakeoverthesensation,• Pushingwitharmsandlegs• Steppingmovementswithlegsandfeet• Reachingandpullingwithhandsandarms• Scrunchingface,movingjaw,tongue,andlips

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YogaandPandicular Movement

§ Postureisasecurebaseforexploration

§ InstinctandIntuitiveMovement

§ Sensationsaretheguide

§ Sequencingfrozenortruncatedmovements

AcceptanceandAllowing• Noticeresistancetopainfulfeelingsorsensations.• Seeifyoucanallowyourthoughts,emotions,andbody

sensationswithoutpushingthemawayorneedingtochangethem.

• Paradoxically,youmightnoticeasenseofreliefasyouembraceyourdiscomfort.

• Allofyourexperiencesaremeanttocomeandgo.Asifwatchingwatermovinginastream,noticeyourthoughtsandemotionsandimaginelettingthemflowdownstream.

• Exploreasimplephrasewithyourbreath;inhaleasyousaytoyourself“Iam”andexhaleasyousaytoyourself“lettinggo.”

• Takeyourtimewiththispractice,andletmeknowwhenyoufeelcomplete.

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6PillarsofResilience

• GrowthMindset:”Igroweventhroughchallenge”• Social-EmotionalIntelligence:Myvulnerabilityisastrength• CommunityConnections:Ifocusonconnectingtoothers• Self-Expression:MycreativityisthevoiceofmySelf• Embodiment:Iamattunedtomybodyandsensations• ChoiceandControl:Mythoughtsandbehaviorsmakea

differenceintheoutcomeofmylife.

ResiliencePractices• Exercise• Goforawalkorhike• Takeayogaclass• Spendtimeinnature• Takeabath• Practicemindfulness• Supervisionor

consultation• Gototherapy• Receiveamassage• Dance• Playorlistentomusic

• Readabook• Createart• Attendacommunityevent• WatchamovieorTVshow• Gettogetherwithfriends• Playagame• Drinkacupoftea• Attendaworkshop• Writeinajournal• Enjoyahealthy,nourishing

meal• Other

www.drarielleschwartz.com

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