The Second Step to Stress Relief

First, I’d like to extend my deepest gratitude for those of you who have been sticking it out with me during the pandemic. I am so incredibly grateful for your love and support. Thank you for coming to classes and reaching out and staying connected. It means so much to know we’re not alone during this time!!! So much love to you.

So…last week, we talked about the first step of stress relief which is feeling that you’re supported and safe (ie. regulation). Remember, this is a body experience, not just a thought in your head. You can learn these tools in the Somatic Movement classes or in private sessions with me. Once you feel support, notice the ways your body is telling you that you’re stressed. Where are those sensations in your body?

This week’s step (and it relates to Thanksgiving) is about what to do once you notice how you feel? Let’s say in this moment you feel sadness in your belly. Instead of trying to make it go away, you get to know it, cozy up next to it and connect to all of the ways it’s talking to you. By doing this, you can help whatever emotion you are feeling to pass through, instead of it getting lodged in your body tissue to carry around for years and years.

What’s fascinating about learning how to work with emotions is that we want all of them to come, feel them fully, and allow them to finish. Even the yummy ones, learn to cozy up with them. For some people this can feel even more challenging as we tend to gloss over the nice moments of life in search of the next thing to do, plan or worry about. I would say this skill of marinating in the good is even more valuable because when you marinate in what feels good for you, the easier it is to return to a feel good state. This is a big part of repatterining the nervous system AND I think feeling good more often is what we’re truly seeking. By the way, when I say good, I don’t mean mind blowing ecstasy, although that’s pretty awesome. I just mean, the easeful everyday enjoyment of being alive. Use your senses to take it all in.

So, this week, I know there’s a lot of mixed emotions. The holidays during a pandemic can bring up an incredible amount of sadness and loneliness if you’re not with your people. Grief is especially hard during the holidays. AND its a great opportunity to continue traditions, remember loving times and make new memories. My hope is that you’ll take it all in, the good, the bad and the ugly, from a place of being grounded and really feeling into it in your body home. May this practice bring up your natural gratitude for all that you get to experience in life. As weird as it is right now.

And I’m here to support you.
Come to class (info below)
and/or
Reply to this email for 1 on 1 private Somatic Experiencing sessions

Each somatic yoga movement class includes:

~nervous system regulation exercises (creates a feeling of safety and presece)
~tracking your own nervous system
~yoga poses and breathing
~alignment that is functional and can be used in all areas of your life
~deep rest

Carve out space to develop a connection to your nervous system this week and clear out what’s bogging you down.

Join us for Somatic Movement classes this week.

Monday 6-7 pm CST (YOGA)
Wednesday 9:30-10:30 am CST (BOWSPRING)
Friday 12-1 pm CST (YOGA)
Saturday 10-11:15 am CST (YOGA)

Register at www.doriesilverman.com/classes

Can’t make a live class?
All classes are now recorded. To receive a recording of a class, register for the class and then send me an email or text letting me know you’d like the recording link. It will be available for 24 hours.

Register at www.doriesilverman.com/classes
And check out the resources and testimonials below.

I'll see you on the mat!

With Love and Regulation

~Dorie

P.S. Are you looking for more individualized one-on-one support for anxiety, depression or overwhelm? Reply to this email to have a chat.

The referral of your friends and family is the greatest compliment you can give me. Thank you for your trust.

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Thriving in Stressful Times - The first step

What are the signs that your body is stressed, anxious or overwhelmed and what should you do about it?

Thriving involves variation. With stay at home orders in effect, we’re spending more time in one place. So that means less variation in your environment, your vision, your hearing, your senses. This, on top of the incredible stresses of our time, can cause more anxiousness and overwhelm than every before.

It’s time to accept that pro-actively creating rituals, routines and practices will help your body stay healthy during this time.

The first step is to notice what’s happening inside your body when you’re stressed, anxious or overwhelmed: (not what you think you should feel)

What do you notice in your vision? Is it clear or foggy? Can you see in your peripheral vision or does it feel like your eyes are stuck looking forward?
What sensations are in your eyes? Do they feel tired, heavy, open, pressure?
What do you notice in your jaw? Is it tight, are your teeth clenched?
What sensations are in your chest/throat?
What about your belly?
Do you feel connected to your body or is it hard to feel it?

Getting to know those signs will start the process of truly attending to yourself.

Then, finding a way to shift your attention, environment or do some gentle movement to help your body process and come back to being present.

Want some tools?

1. Join a somatic movement class this week (class info below)

2. Reply to this email for 1 on 1 private sessions

Each somatic yoga movement class includes:

~nervous system regulation exercises (creates a feeling of safety and presece)
~tracking your own nervous system
~yoga poses and breathing
~alignment that is functional and can be used in all areas of your life
~deep rest

Carve out space to develop a connection to your nervous system this week. Let’s keep letting the body know we’re safe.

Join us for Somatic Movement classes this week.

Monday 6-7 pm CST (YOGA)
Wednesday 9:30-10:30 am CST (BOWSPRING)
Friday 12-1 pm CST (YOGA)
Saturday 10-11:15 am CST (YOGA)

Can’t make a live class?
All classes are now recorded. To receive a recording of a class, register for the class and then send me an email or text letting me know you’d like the recording link. It will be available for 24 hours.

And check out the resources and testimonials below.

I'll see you on the mat!

With Love and Regulation

~Dorie

P.S. Are you looking for more individualized one-on-one support for anxiety, depression, or overwhelm? Contact me here for a chat

One BIG Way to Handle Anxiety and Stress - An Election Story

On Saturday, November 7th 2020, at 10:40AM, when Biden’s win was announced, I was in the middle of teaching yoga. One of the gals in the class wrote a message in the zoom chat, “PA called it, we have a new president.” At about the same moment, there were screams from my neighbors and notifications were streaming in on my computer. Immediately I felt the impulse to celebrate. I wanted to raise my arms and jump up and down. I wanted to high five someone and share the news. I wanted to look into another person’s eyes and share the win.

But I couldn’t, I was teaching a class. And I know that if I announced it, class would be over. I had to keep going.

So, there I am, full of heart, hope and impulses. I needed to focus on you guys and what I was teaching. But, inside, things were brewing.

I said to myself, “Ok Dorie, this is a great opportunity to hold excitement and celebration inside your nervous system. You’ve been training for this.”

When it comes to rewiring your nervous system, one of the most important skills is building capacity to experience and finish emotions. When it comes to feeling like shit, it is a little easier to access these experiences and sometimes get stuck in them (not you, just me ;). On the other hand, when it comes to feeling good, celebrating and enjoying things, we tend to quickly move past them and onto the next task, plan or worry.

So, back to the class. After finding out that Biden was our president, I spent the next 40 minutes practicing staying present (ie. regulated), teaching and holding this excitement. It was hard, but a great opportunity to marinate in the sensations of a yummy moment without rushing to the next thing.

We have a lot more work to do to heal this country.

AND

You can stretch out the enjoyment of things. Not to be complacent, but to create more space for healing and connection which will affect the people around you.

Opportunities for you to stretch out enjoyment and transition stress, anxiety and overwhelm into being focused and productive:

1. Join a somatic movement class this week.

2. Click here to chat about working 1 on 1

3. Come to the next Settle Your Sh*t - Thanksgiving Edition workshop (coming in 2 weeks so keep your eyes peeled for deets)

Each somatic yoga movement class includes:

~nervous system regulation exercises (creates a feeling of safety)

~tracking your own nervous system

~yoga poses and breathing

~alignment that is functional and can be used in all areas of your life

~deep rest

Carve out space to develop a connection to your nervous system this week. Let’s keep letting the body know we’re safe.

Join us for Somatic Movement classes this week.

Monday 6-7 pm CST (YOGA)
Wednesday 9:30-10:30 am CST (BOWSPRING)
Friday 12-1 pm CST (YOGA)
Saturday 10-11:15 am CST (YOGA)

Register here

Can’t make a live class?

All classes are now recorded. To receive a recording of a class, register for the class and then send me an email or text letting me know you’d like the recording link. It will be available for 24 hours.

And check out the resources and testimonials below.

Where were you when the presidency was announced? I’d love to hear your stories.

With Love and Regulation

~Dorie

P.S. Are you looking for more individualized one-on-one support for anxiety, depression or overwhelm? Let’s Chat

Photo: Alyce Henson Photography