"I hate when people tell me to just take a deep breath"
I can't tell you how many times I have heard this from people!
So, why are we talking about deep breathing?
Well... Because, many times, we are not taking deep breaths properly.
So of course it does not feel super calming when we take a deep breath!
Let's try it!
Look down at your body and...
Take a deep breath.
Where did you notice movement?
Did your chest go up and down?
Did your stomach go up and down?
Or did both go up and down?
Was your inhale or exhale longer?
Did you inhale through your mouth or your nose?
What about your exhale?
I know, I know- so many questions!
Let's chat about an actual deep breath that can help us ground ourselves.
First, put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
If you are comfortable, close your eyes.
Now, as you just breath, pay attention to your hands.
We want your BOTTOM hand to move and for the top hand to stay as still as possible!
Imagine inhaling the air into your whole body and your stomach being a balloon that is expanding.
Once you are comfortable doing that...
Inhale through your NOSE, like you are smelling your favorite scent.
Then, hold it for a few seconds (I mean, this is your favorite scent, so we want to hold on to it for a bit!)
Lastly, exhale through your MOUTH like you are blowing a nice big bubble! Nice and slow...
Then, when you are comfortable doing that....
Try to exhale for longer than your inhale!
So it would be something like this:
Breath IN, 2, 3,
Hold your breath, 2,
Breath OUT, 2, 3, 4, 5
If you can do longer, great! If you can't, that's ok! Go shorter! :)
Try doing those breaths when you are calm so you get used to taking deep breaths like that... and when you ARE escalated, or anxious, or just not grounded, try using this skill!
I use this with clients, my self and my boys often!
If it does not work, that is ok too! It is just another tool in our tool box!
So let's jump into this week's Therapist Mama Bear tip!
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