Although months have passed since the Eaton fires, its aftermath still continues to impact our community. From fire, the sight of a scorched building, smell of ash, to sounds of emergency vehicles, these sensory reminders can transport us back to past moments of distress and panic. As disaster relief workers your duties increase your likelihood of encountering these overwhelming sensory reminders. The self-calming touch techniques provides simple physical movements and vocalizations to help individuals navigate anxiety and stress from distressing memories and experiences. Furthermore, this practice promotes self-compassion, and kindness. Steps below offers ways to practices the techniques:
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- Arm Rub: While calmly breathing gradually in and out, cross your arms by placing your hands on your shoulders. Gently and slowly run your hands up and down your shoulders to the top of your palm. Practice saying aloud “calm and relax” in combination with these motions. (1-2 minutes).
- Face Stroke: Start by envisioning a peaceful scene (a scenic location, being with loved ones, doing a fun activity etc.). With your fingers gently and slowly stroke your forehead then run your fingers down the either sides of your cheeks.
- Palm Touches: With the tips of your fingers, gently touch your palms in a circular motion. You can also incorporate this with the above exercises
- Coloring with Self-Compassion: Take a movement to imagine compassion and kindness as a color. While using any of the above techniques, imagine your body being painted with this color.
The effects of the Eaton fires still linger, especially for disaster relief workers often exposed to distressing reminders. The technique offers simple tools to ease anxiety and build resilience. Through gentle touch and calming words, it encourages self-compassion and emotional relief.