The 5 Step Self Hold

The 5 Step Self-holding Exercise is an exercise helps with releasing stress, anxiety and symptoms of PTSD.

Instructions:

It doesn’t matter which hand (Right or Left) goes in which position. Experiment to find out what feels right for you.

Make sure to do the Felt Sense to the best of your ability as you do this exercise. That means, feel and notice all the

sensations as they pass though you, like watching a stream and noticing the colors, shapes, energy, sounds and motion.

1. HEAD SIDES Place your hands on either side of your head. Think about how you are creating edges for your thoughts. You are creating the sides of a container that contains your thoughts. Feel the sensation between your hands.

2. HEAD FRONT-BACK Place one hand on your forehead and one hand on the back of your head. Feel the container around of your thinking. Feel the sensation between your hands.

3. FOREHEAD – HEART Place one hand on your forehead and one hand on your heart. See if you can sense some sensations between your hands.

4. HEART – STOMACH Place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly – it can be over or near your belly button. Feel the sensations between your hands.

5. SOLAR PLEXUS – BASE OF HEAD Place one hand on your solar plexus – the point above your belly and right below your rib cage – and the other hand behind the base of your head – halfway covering the base of your head and halfway onto your neck. The middle of your hand should be over the deepest indentation.

Goal:

To little by little decrease our level of activation. To reach a state of “calm alert.”