Healing is not linear: Part 2
The first part of this blog post discusses the stages of awareness, acceptance and commitment. I discussed some of the strategies to help for each stage. As a refresher, this infographic below includes all the stages of healing:
Exploration, discovering cause and effect is the third stage of healing. What I mean by exploring and discovering cause and effect is knowing why you reacting a certain way. For example, something goes against how you wished it would go and you get annoyed. In this situation, ask yourself the why behind the annoyance or feeling irritated. The tools that can help you is in this are : journaling about it and go deep, observe your behavior , and be aware of your reactions. These are starting points, but a coach/ professional can help you explore on a deeper level. Once you know the cause and its effect, the stage of releasing and replacing comes in.
Releasing and replacing is when you let go of the behavior/ habit and replace it with a healthier coping habit. Releasing the behavior can occur on two levels: somatic ( physical sensations ) and behavioral ( habits). The tools I would suggest for somatic releases are Wim-Hof style breath work( Circular breathing pattern) and allowing yourself to feel the physical sensations in your body like tension or tingling in hands. Behavioral releasing comes in the form of a mantra or making an oath to yourself like I let go of this unhealthy coping behavior. Once you release the habit/behaviors, replace it with new habits so you become consistent and follow through with it. An example would be the act of tending to my emotions when I feel stressed rather than avoiding it through distractions like overworking. The journal can be a great tools where you write down and be specific about how you want to replace this behavior/habit.
Lastly, integration is the last stage where you allow it blend with your routine. The key in this stage is to remain consistent and check in with yourself regularly. Checking in means spending time reflecting on your progress and make adjustments as you go. This step may be challenging for some, but having support makes integration easier! Soon this new behavior will be of an automatic coping mechanism to you!
As a reminder, the healing journey is not linear. If you notice yourself between different stages, it’s okay and normal!Embrace your healing journey and be patient with yourself!
If you have any questions, reach out to me @embracing_wellbeing on instagram or go to the contact page!