Reduce Numbness & Stress Seated Somatic Self-Touch Practice

In this 10-minute seated somatic practice, we’ll use gentle self-touch to help you reconnect with sensation and reduce stress. This practice moves slowly from the top of the body down, using light touch, gentle squeezing, and pressure that feels supportive to your nervous system.

This is a simple practice for moments when you feel shut down, overwhelmed, frozen, or far away from yourself.

You can do this seated in a chair or on the floor. Please adjust the touch, pressure, and pace so it feels safe and supportive for your body.

Transcript

In this practice. We'll use gentle self-touch to reduce numbness and disconnection. We'll move slowly from the top of the body down. Exploring varying amounts of pressure to help us feel a little more here. Let's start. Go ahead and find a comfortable seat. And start to notice your breath. And see. How you feel in this moment. Notice if you feel present. No. Disconnected. Or anything else. We'll start. With our head, Face, And neck. Applying gentle self-touch. You can use your fingertips. Your full palm. Gentle tapping. Or any other way of touching. Your head, Face. And now. That feels good. In this moment. Notice temperature, Pressure. Texture. In any sensation. Remembering to breathe. As your hand. Meet your body. Next, We'll move down to our shoulders. Are. In here. Touching as lightly or as firmly. As you'd like. Maybe gentle squeezing. Or tapping. Let your hands remind your body that you are here. Now let's move down into our chest. Weee! And belly. Placing our hands on these parts of the body. Firmly. Or lightly. You can move and circle. Explore the different ways your hands can meet this part of your body. Notice any sensations present. You can notice warmth. Or numbness. Give yourself permission. To make contact with your body. In the way that feels right for you. Now we'll move down into our hips. Will they? In pelvic region. Give yourself full permission. To skip. Or linger in. Whatever part. You like. Varying the type of touch, Noticing what feels right. You may notice a motion. Resistance. From now on. Or anything else. Do your best. Not to judge what you notice. Now let's move our hands down to our legs and feet. If you can't reach your lower legs or feet, Let your feet touch each other. Or Let your feet meet the floor with varying amounts of pressure. Placing your hands firmly or lightly. Or even squeezing. Down your legs. Remembering to honor what feels right for you. Noticing sensation. In allowing any emotion. As your body starts to remember. That it's here. Notice if there's any part of your body that wants more attention. Give yourself permission. To place a hand. Wherever that may be. Now go ahead and place your hands on your lap. And notice your breath. Notice the space around you. Feel the support. Beneath and behind you. Notice how you feel now. Compared to when we started. You don't have to feel fully connected. Even a small return. Back to you. Count. Thank yourself. Thank your body. Thank you.