mending-together
with Resources
Resourcing; an overview
Resourcing is the fancy term used in many trauma informed therapies for “coping skills”. Their general purpose is similar to traditional coping strategies; to help shift and change negative or stuck feelings and experiences.
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Here at mending-together, we want to provide a library of these Resources in order to help anyone who is interested to learn about these visualization techniques and be able to practice shifting those negative experiences and stuck feelings for themselves.
*While this library is designed for you to use on your own, if you have any issues with a specific Resource or difficulty managing a specific feelings/experience, remember a licensed and trained professionals can sometimes provide essential support in figuring out how to improve your unique symptoms.*
Lightstream
Lightstream attempts to engage the brain and body's natural inclination towards healing and repairing itself. It is narrowly focused on addressing and improving experiences of chronic pain and discomfort. When this system of instinctive healing can be engaged effectively, it can result in sudden and dramatic emotional and physical changes in felt sensations.
4 Elements
4 Elements is a combination or body awareness/grounding along with positive visualization. While it is divided into 4 steps (the elements), it also can be separated into 2 parts which serve different functions.
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Part 1 (consisting of EARTH, AIR, and WATER) prepares the system to most effectively activate positive neural networks and form adaptive connections through engaging the Rest&Digest system while Part 2 (consisting of FIRE) focuses on targeting a specific positive neural network to engage and stimulate.
Haven
Haven is a Resource to help develop a connection with (or “felt sense” of) feelings of safety. Some synonymous feelings that can also be targeted to serve a similar purpose are soothing, calm, peaceful, and relaxation. Connection with these feelings results in a decrease in physiological activation as the parasympathetic nervous system, or the Rest&Digest system (contrasted with Fight&Flight), sending signals to the body that everything is “okay”.
Examples of Experiences
Experiences to address with Resource can include:
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Overwhelming emotions
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Intrusive thoughts or beliefs
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Pictures, memories, or flashbacks
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Physical sensation (ie. sounds, smells, painful/uncomfortable feelings in your body)
Additional Function
Another way Resources are designed to help is by helping move towards more positive feelings and experiences. Oftentimes positive feelings are less familiar overall and also less instinctive to connect to. Therefore Resources that are designed to help movement in that direction can be invaluable for trauma therapy and experiencing life in a positive way.
"Do not worry if sounds so foreign, different, or just so unfamiliar that you can’t even picture what it would be like. This is common and part of why learning and practicing Resources is such an important first step of trauma therapy."