Breathing with conscious awareness is grounding and centering for the whole being. If done properly, research shows that it can provide the following benefits: normalizing the stress response, helping regulate your emotions, reducing anxiety, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and ADD, as well as lowering heart rate and reducing blood pressure.

Trauma Treatment in Rapid City, South Dakota encourages patients to practice mindful breathing as a way of coping with stress and anxiety.

The process is simple and doesn’t take too long to learn. Anybody can do it almost anywhere as a quick exercise to get your stress levels in check. Patients can choose to combine this technique with other elements, such as trauma therapy, aromatherapy, and music.

Here’s how you can start.

While sitting down - back straight against the chair - put one hand on your chest and one above your stomach.
The hand on your stomach should rise as you breathe in through your nose and slowly exhale through your mouth.
Try and push out as much air as you can while contracting your abdominal muscles.
Keep breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Make sure to inhale enough, so your lower abdomen regularly rises and falls. Count slowly as you exhale.

If you find it challenging to breathe from your abdomen while sitting up, you may try lying down.

Black Hills Center For Healing and Advancement of Psychotherapy provides patients with various approaches to healing through trauma treatments and EDMR in South Dakota. Contact us here for more information.

Nobody wants to think about the probability of a crisis, but they do occur. That doesn’t mean you need to feel powerless. Many healthcare providers ask patients to curate a crisis plan and suggest that it be shared with trusted family and friends. Trauma Treatment in Rapid City, South Dakota is also a holistic preventive approach.

Talk to your loved ones about their options.

If your loved one refuses to work with you on a plan, you can make one on your own. Be sure to include the following information:

Phone numbers of your loved one’s therapist, psychiatrist, and other healthcare or trauma therapy providers
Local crisis line number (you can usually find this by contacting your NAMI Affiliate, or by doing an internet search for “mental health crisis services” and the name of your county)
Addresses of walk-in crisis centers or emergency rooms
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Previous psychosis or suicide attempts, history of drug use, and common triggers

Go over the plan with your loved one, and if he is comfortable doing so, with his doctor. Keep copies in several places.

Simple Relaxation Breathing Exercise

Suicide Awareness: Crisis Preparation