When Your Day Is Hard To Move Through – Somatic Tools

Ana Mael’s episode is a quiet revolution in how we meet ourselves during trauma. It may seem gentle and simple on the surface, but it is a deeply layered, somatic teaching rooted in the psychobiology of complex PTSD, reparenting, and trauma-informed self-compassion.

What Ana Is Teaching:

1. A Micro-Practice of Radical Presence
2. Somatic Time Travel & Inner Witnessing
3. Accountability Without Shame

Presence with Pain Is Power

Looking at yourself in the mirror is not about ego—it’s about learning to stay with your own face, your own eyes, your own history, without leaving.

Whisper-like, almost a lullaby in rhythm.

Sacred, like a prayer whispered in a quiet room after grief.

Transcript

How do we let go of a burden and vigilance of constant worry?

One tool I'm suggesting to my clients is to see yourself in the mirror.

If you are with complex PTSD,

With complex trauma,

By default you will move away from the mirror as fast as possible,

Because pausing means seeing your eyes and seeing the history in your eyes,

The pain in your eyes and being lonely and being isolated for many years.

But this is the tool you can use.

See yourself in the mirror,

Pause,

And yes,

Discomfort will arise.

Notice that and look at her.

Look at her,

A woman,

A child,

Age of five or seven or 14.

17,

21,

27,

35.

Look at those eyes and every single age she went through and tell her you pulled through.

You pulled through.

Everything else with this age and resources will be easier.

Let me repeat this.

Notice your eyes and tell this woman or a man,

A woman or a man you see in your eyes from very young age,

You pulled through.

Everything else with this age and resources will be easier.

You pulled through.

How?

I don't know.

But I honor you.

I love you.

I love you.

I got your peace.

I got you.

I do see.

Even it's so painful to see your pain and I will start looking at you.

Every day in this mirror.

I will not abandon you.

I will not betray you.

If I do,

I wouldn't be different from others who did harm us.

I am sorry.

I am sorry for not being your companion.

And you pull through and I don't know how.

And I bow to you.

I bow to you.

And we will figure this out.

I will in this age with the resources I have.

Even now as I'm listening this podcast,

This voice,

I know we are not alone.

We are not alone.

And just pause.

Just pause.

And let your body receive.

Let your body receive.

Coming back to self.

Coming back to self.

I bow to you.

I bow to you.

For showing up.

For listening.

For learning.

One step at a time.

One step at a time.

Until next time,

I am Anamail,

Somatic Experiencing Therapist for PTSD and Trauma Recovery.

This is Exhaling Rising.

Much care.

Much care.