Pause: Finding Peace and Calm When Coping with Fear and Anxiety Around Public Shootings [Pause 06]

This episode was recorded a month before the latest round of mass shootings here in the United States.  I grieve for the families who lost children in Uvalde, TX and their whole community, and those who lost loved ones just weeks earlier in Buffalo and Laguna Nigel.  We live in a prosperous country with one of the highest rates of death by gun violence.  This painful reality affects even those who don't directly suffer.  Perhaps you felt it in your own bodies: when we hear stories of profound violence, we wonder if such a horror might happen to us, and we instinctively shift into fight or flight mode.  Our bodies aren't made to hold such worry.  It will wear us down and if it goes on long enough, cause physical manifestations of stress.  When we are in a place where anxiety and the "what ifs" are easily accessible, they can take over everything and before we know it our muscles are tight, our heart is racing and we are no longer in a grounded place.  Where we need to be is a place where we can manage our feelings, for our own sake, and so we can be helpful to others who need support, and be able to participate well in conversations about how to address our violent society.   Today's episode is practicing how to get out of an anxiety spiral and into the peace and calm you desire.  If you haven't tried our Pause episodes before, welcome.  Different from the sleep season episodes where we get into stories and content, here we put into practice training our minds and connecting with our body, these episodes are identified by the white raven on the podcast cover art.In this episode we:1. Discuss What An Anxiety Spiral or Catastrophizing looks like 2. Example of a worry trigger3.  Quiet Your Mind4. Invite your worry to show up5. Practice noticing where anxiety and worry show up in your body6. Return to Calm or NormalCheck out past episodes and more information here: https://www.drkimber.net/podcast-infoPlease remember that this podcast is not a replacement for treatment by a healthcare or mental health professional.  This content is created for education and entertainment purposes only. Join 'A Moment of Pause' Newsletter: https://drkimber.activehosted.com/f/5Fierce + Gentle Retreats - fiercegentleretreats.comConnect with Dr. Kimber:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_kimber/About My Work: https://www.drkimber.netFierce Gentle Community: https://www.drkimber.net/fierce-gentleBook: Still: Making A Whole When Parts Go Missing