Tips for Self-Regulation

Trauma can seriously upset our sense of safety. It can mess with our mood and our sleep. It can scramble our emotions. A term you may hear a lot in healing and therapeutic spaces is dysregulation—which usually refers to fluctuating, intense emotions and uncontrollable mood swings. It’s a common trauma response, and it can be frustrating to live with. 

Self-regulation is the practice of recognizing and managing those mood swings, ideally without guilt or shame. Self-regulation can be an exercise in self-compassion—a way to notice and affirm your feelings, and to guide yourself to a state of relative calm. It’s a way to take care of yourself in the moment by providing for your physical, mental, and emotional needs, and it can take many forms. These are just a few. 

DISCLAIMER: Not every form of self-regulation is right for everybody. Breathing may be a great tool for one survivor, and for another, it may induce hyperventilation. You know yourself better than anybody—if something doesn’t feel right, or safe, you don’t have to try it! 

Drawing, Doodling or Collaging
Loose creative exercises can be wonderfully restorative. Our friends at Awakenings have compiled a number of activities that tap into our imaginative side and guide us toward emotional regulation. 

• Zentangle Drawing Meditation

• Words to Live By Collaging Activity

   

Breathwork
Some survivors may find breathwork activating or triggering. Again, there are a number of trauma-informed practices, designed with us in mind. 

• Drawing Breath Meditation
• Somatic Practice: Conscious Breathing

Meditation
Traditional mindfulness or meditation practices can actually be aggravating or overwhelming for some survivors. But there are many trauma-informed approaches to meditation, including these: 

• Intrusive Thoughts Meditation
• Body Scan Meditation
• Present Moment Awareness Meditation

Physical Exercise
Movement has a huge impact on the body’s production of cortisol (the hormone that causes stress and dysregulation). Physical activity can reduce cortisol and increase dopamine, and other calming hormones. Even a little exercise can go a long way, like: 

• A 20-minute walk or bike ride
• Dancing in your bedroom 
• Gentle stretching or yoga

Morning Check-In
The road to healing can be bumpy. Every day can look and feel very different. Starting the day with a morning check-in can help you get organized and prepared to support yourself through whatever comes up. Here’s a great daily worksheet from Awakenings. 

Writing
Writing can help lower our blood pressure, as well as improve our focus and clarity. That said, a blank page can be overwhelming. Here are a few simple ways to get started: 

• Set a timer for 10 minutes. Use that time to write freely, without judgment or agenda. Try to keep your pen or fingers moving. Give your mind a break and let your body speak. It may bring some relief, or even motivate you to keep writing. 
• Use a guided prompt to write in a more structured, detailed way, like this great journaling prompt for reframing traumatic memories.
• Or maybe you want something lighter—there are hundreds of free prompts available online (like these!). 
• Join a trauma-responsive online writer’s circle, like those offered through our Healing Partner, Time to Tell.