There is a lot going on in the world these days and for many of us, a lot also going in our bodies and back yards. My heart goes out to those of you in California who have lost so much with the fires and here’s a deeply supportive post with tips from someone who went through this in 2018. And my heart goes out to those all over, as we feel the effects of changes in our world. This post pulls together helpful chronic illness resources for challenging times, and that are also helpful for everyone else as we keep working to heal on the inside and address the impacts of things happening on the outside. The first resource is a 5 minute video from the trauma approach known as Somatic Experiencing (SE), It presents a short series of exercises referred to as “SCOPE” for times of crisis. Following that are pictures and links to the gentle tips I’ve shared over the years for every day use, all in one place with links to a few more areas of support at the end.
“SCOPE”: 5 Present Moment Tools for Crises+
It’s easy to think we don’t need simple tools. These 5 short activities presented in Somatic Experiencing can help in the moment for times of crisis or when you’re feeling some overwhelm. If you are feeling a lot of anxiety, numbness, quickness to anger, disconnection or overwhelm, these are indicators of stress and trauma responses. Consider these examples that support coming into the present in gentle ways. You can do these at your own pace and to the extent they feel supportive.
Thayer Case LCSW, SEP (Somatic Experiencing Practitioner) and senior SE assistant has worked for years with hospice. Before becoming a social worker, Thayer was an EMT in NYC and was one of the first on the scene during the 9/11 tragedy.
When Thayer talks about “E” for engagement, know that it’s about connection to anything that feels resourcing for you. It can be powerful to connect to others, and this is important and necessary over time. Sometimes we also need something simpler to connect to, such as Nature or an animal companion. You can learn more about SCOPE in this Somatic Experiencing’s summary with multiple additional short videos.
Over the years I’ve shared tools I’ve learned from my training as a somatic and trauma therapist that I have incorporated into my daily life. I also use these to support ways of looking at, working and being with symptoms. These are chronic Illness resources for challenging times. They are also for the everyday journey with chronic symptoms. These are helping me during times when not much seems to be changing in positive directions and for reminding me of the big picture as I gradually improve from chronic fatigue and other symptoms over time.
Many of these posts incorporate a story with lots of pictures, which can make it easier to relate to the tools and tips. You can explore them, one post or tip at a time, as it works for you. The 16 tools at the top of this list is a recently updated post with the most impactful tips I’ve learned over the past 25 years. The efficacy of many of these 16 tools is also supported by the research.
Here are others posts with gentle tips and tools:
12 Tips for Pendulating so it’s Not all Work
When we feel a level of exhaustion and struggle. Help from the SE concept of pendulating that Thayer mentions above as the “P” in SCOPE.
8 Antidotes for Trauma
Providing context, compassion and nonjudgement for times when our symptoms may be more intense or our will to do things is diminished.
17 More Antidotes
I made a large flower box and planted it full of pansies one spring when Nature was calling and there was still snow in the yard.
22 Encouraging Tips
I had a lot of fun making room for this before, during and after mini remodel of putting in a larger window and transforming this bedroom.
20 Metaphors for Transformation
A before, during and after of transforming our small front yard that included planting bulbs for major spring color and change.
18 Stealthy Ways to Act Out
Acting Out can be such fun. This post offers insights with examples of ways to act out that support our nervous systems and decreasing stuck states of fight, flight and freeze.
7 More Tips for Healing…..Shhhhh….Listen!
Tips on how to keep listening to the wisdom and impulses that lie within us, sometimes buried deep between things that tell us not to go to these helpful places (by telling us “this impulse is frivolous!” or, “it’s a waste of time!”…) and more. Support for hearing our social nervous systems (the Smart Vagus).
Making Time for Chronic Illness Resources
This is one way in which slowing down comes in. Being gentle with ourselves. Allowing Nature to inform us, soothe us, and helps us reconnect with ourselves.
15 Steps for Healing through Play
The impulse to play can seem frivolous but it’s just what our social nervous systems need to help work through and with states that can get stuck in fight, flight and freeze. I spent some time at the local beach and reservoir when I had the shift that led to this post.
Additional Resources
I wrote the following story of the healing process and what it can look like with an actual metaphor I could photograph: my experience with a splinter. Many of you shared heart felt comments about how much you could relate to this experience yourselves. Sometimes these stories help.
10 Links for Additional Resources
- More tools and stories to help with Working with Symptoms
- Books I recommend plus 3 books for 2025
- Body based trauma therapies with directories to find a therapist
- My Podcasts & Webinars that validate the trauma chronic illness connection
- More tips under the menu header “Tools”
- Six mindfulness practice videos
- The value of boundaries
- My story in a 2 year break, realizing I was improving in ways I didn’t recognize
- Attachment Trauma (“ACREs”) with an example of how I recovered from severe food intolerances and a recovery process with flares and shame
- See this website Lumos Transforms for free live Roadmap to Trauma Healing
How are You Doing?
How are you doing in these times? How are you coping and managing? What is working for you? What is your most helpful tool? Share in a comment and connect with other gentle like-mindeds hard-at-work-on-their-journeys.
great resources! Heads up that ‘somatic experiencing summary’ link says page not found
Hi Wendy, So glad to hear it, thank you! and thanks for the heads up – I have fixed the link :-)