Welcome,
This is Jennifer Barba with Connecticut Healing Center.
Let's find a comfortable position.
Allow your body to soften just a little.
You do not need to force relaxation.
You do not need to get rid of anxiety.
Today we are practicing something different.
We are practicing staying.
Take a slow inhale through the nose.
And a gentle exhale out of the mouth.
Lengthening on the exhale.
Again,
Breathing in safety.
Breathing out resistance.
Notice the surface beneath you.
Notice the support around you.
Notice that in this moment you are here.
And as you settle.
You may begin to notice sensations.
A tightening in the chest.
Erasing thoughts.
A flutter in the stomach.
In urge to escape,
Fix or avoid.
And instead of fighting those sensations.
We are going to practice allowing them.
Not because they are comfortable.
But because your nervous system can learn that discomfort is survivable.
You are not in danger because anxiety is present.
Take another slow breath in.
In a gentle exhale.
Imagine now that you are standing at the edge of something that normally creates fear or anxiety for you.
Not the most overwhelming version.
Just enough to notice activation.
Maybe it is a conversation,
A crowded place.
Being alone.
Driving,
Uncertainty,
Being seen.
Feeling vulnerable.
Allow yourself to gently imagine the situation from a safe distance.
And your body responds.
Simply notice.
Notice the sensations without needing to stop them.
You might silently say,
This is anxiety.
My body is responding.
I can feel this and remain safe.
I do not need to run.
Take a breath in.
And exhale,
Lengthening the exhale.
Your nervous system may want certainty.
But healing often begins when we stop demanding immediate relief.
Stay with the sensation just for a few moments longer.
Notice what happens when you do not immediately escape.
You are teaching your brain something powerful right now.
That anxiety rises.
And anxiety falls.
Sensations move.
Waves pass,
Feelings shift.
You are building tolerance.
You are building trust with yourself.
Not through force,
But through presence.
Now imagine yourself taking one small step toward the feared situation.
Just one.
Not perfection.
Not flooding.
Just one grounded step.
And notice the strength it takes to remain present.
You are not weak for feeling anxious.
You are courageous for staying.
Take a slow inhale.
And as you exhale,
Allow your shoulders to soften.
Your body does not need to be alarmed forever.
With repetition.
With safety.
With compassionate exposure,
The nervous system learns.
You can feel discomfort without abandoning yourself.
You can experience uncertainty without collapsing into fear.
You can stay connected to your body even when anxiety appears.
Now slowly bring awareness back to the room around you.
Notice the sounds nearby.
The air on your skin.
The support beneath you.
And before we close,
Remind yourself.
I am safe enough to stay.
I can feel anxiety without becoming it.
My nervous system is learning a new way.
One small step at a time.
Take one final deep breath in.
And a long,
Steady breath out.
And when you are ready.
Gently open your eyes.
This is Jennifer Barba with Connecticut Healing Center.
