Trauma Healing Exercises: Reclaim Your Strength
Trauma lingers in your nervous system and thought patterns. Through guided breathwork, somatic release, and mindful processing, you can reconnect with your body's natural resilience.
This guide offers five evidence-based techniques—from progressive muscle relaxation to narrative restructuring—allowing you to process experiences at your own pace, rebuild self-trust, and restore emotional regulation in daily life.
Guide Overview
Format
4 self-paced exercises including progressive muscle relaxation, breathwork, somatic release techniques, and narrative restructuring—each with clear, step-by-step instructions
Goal
Process trauma stored in your nervous system, rebuild self-trust, restore emotional regulation, and reconnect with your body's natural resilience
Setting
Private, PIN-protected She Reclaims app environment designed for trauma-sensitive practice at your own pace in a safe, comfortable space of your choosing
Exercise 1: Ground Your Body – Feel Safe Now
Position
Find a quiet space where you won't be disturbed. Sit with your spine straight or stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Feel the physical connection between your body and the surface supporting you—this creates a foundation for safety.
Sensory Grounding
Engage your senses deliberately to anchor yourself in the present: Name 5 specific things you can see around you, touch 4 different textures nearby, identify 3 distinct sounds in your environment, notice 2 scents in the air, and acknowledge 1 taste in your mouth.
Deep Breathing
Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 seconds (feel your belly expand), hold that breath for 4 seconds (notice the sensation), then exhale gradually through your mouth for 6 seconds (feel tension leaving). Repeat 5 times.
This exercise activates your parasympathetic nervous system, shifting you from "fight or flight" mode to a state of present safety, allowing your body to recognize that the danger has passed.
Exercise 2: Release the Weight – Let It Out
Find a quiet spot
Choose a private space where you won't be disturbed for at least 10 minutes. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart on a stable surface, keeping knees slightly bent.
Shake it out
Begin by gently shaking your hands as if drying them. Gradually increase intensity, allowing the movement to spread up your arms, shoulders, and through your entire body. Continue for 1-2 minutes while taking deep breaths.
Rest and notice
When ready, slowly stop and stand or sit quietly. Pay deliberate attention to physical sensations—tingling in your fingertips, warmth spreading across your chest, lightness in your shoulders, or any emotional shifts. Take 5 deep breaths to integrate the experience.
This somatic release technique actively discharges trauma energy stored in your nervous system, helping cortisol levels drop and activating your body's natural relaxation response. Many trauma survivors report immediate relief after this practice.
Exercise 3: Rewrite the Story – Reframe Pain
Select a Memory
Choose a memory that still carries emotional weight but doesn't overwhelm you. Rate it 4-6 out of 10 on your distress scale—challenging but manageable. Find a quiet space with your journal ready.
Write the Facts
Spend 5-10 minutes describing exactly what happened without emotional language. Use objective phrases like "This occurred, then that happened." Notice if your body tenses—pause, breathe deeply, then continue.
Create New Meaning
Now rewrite the same event highlighting your strength, resilience, and what you've learned. Use phrases like: "This shows my ability to..." or "I've grown by..." Include how this experience connects to your values today.
This exercise activates your prefrontal cortex, helping you process trauma cognitively while strengthening neural pathways associated with resilience and self-compassion. Practice weekly to build narrative ownership.
Exercise 4: Anchor in Hope – Build Forward
Visualize Safety
Close your eyes and picture a specific safe place—perhaps a childhood treehouse, grandparent's kitchen, or peaceful beach. Focus on a location where you felt completely protected and at peace.
Add Sensory Details
Enhance your safe place with vivid sensory elements: the sound of gentle waves or a crackling fireplace, colors that calm you (soft blues or warm ambers), and textures that comfort (smooth stones or soft blankets).
Practice Deliberately
Visit your safe place for 2 minutes each morning after waking and evening before sleep. When you arrive, say aloud "I'm here now, I'm safe" to strengthen neural pathways connecting imagination to emotional regulation.
Harness Inner Strength
While in your safe place, identify which personal strength emerges—perhaps patience, resilience, or self-compassion. Name this strength and bring awareness to how it feels in your body, creating a resource you can access during difficult moments.
How to Use These Exercises
Go Slow
Begin with Exercise 1 (Grounding) for 5-10 minutes daily before attempting somatic release techniques. Your nervous system needs gentle recalibration, not overwhelming activation.
Track Progress
After each exercise, rate distress levels (0-10) in the app's secure journal. Note physical sensations like decreased tension, improved sleep, or moments when you felt safe in your body.
Prioritize Safety
If memory reframing (Exercise 3) triggers flashbacks or numbness, immediately use the grounding technique from Exercise 1. The "Quick Exit" button activates a guided 60-second breath meditation.
Find Support
Schedule weekly check-ins with the Sisterhood Circle after practicing the visualization in Exercise 4. Share one strength you've rediscovered through the anonymous Q&A forum or community chat.
Healing in Action
Physical Release
Grounding releases physical trauma stored in your body.
Emotional Healing
Rewriting tackles emotional scars. Your story is yours to shape.
Restoration
You're not broken. You're reclaiming what's always been yours.
In She Reclaims' anonymous digital space, heal with science at your pace, without judgment.