Using the Five Senses for Trauma Healing and Relaxation

The Five Senses and Trauma

Have you ever been caught off guard by a smell, sound, or image that stirred up emotions you thought were long behind you? Our senses - touch, taste, sight, sound, and smell – often play a powerful role in both our past painful experiences and our healing. Many people think of trauma flashbacks as images or comprehensive memories of the past, but often these reminders of past painful experiences are stored as sensory information. For example, someone might find themselves suddenly triggered by someone’s appearance, a perfume scent, or a specific sound connected to a traumatic experience.

The subtle nature of these reminders can often leave people feeling silly for being triggered by something they perceive as small or insignificant or even feeling like they are being triggered out of nowhere. They are, however, real, valid reminders stored in the nervous system — and understanding them is an important part of trauma healing.

Meeting Sensory Triggers with Curiosity

An often difficult, but important, task throughout trauma therapy is gently bringing curiosity to our present moment experiences. This is often hard because we naturally want to avoid pain (I know I do!). But by allowing ourselves to notice how a trigger gets activated – with support and plans in place to remind ourselves that we are safe here in the present – we can start to meet the experience with compassion and curiosity rather than fear and avoidance.

Using the Five Senses for Grounding and Relaxation

On the flipside, those same senses that can trigger our distress can also be rich resources for comfort and grounding. The scent of a favorite meal, a song you love, or the image of someone you care about can all be tools in helping you connect to the present and create deeper senses of safety and relaxation

As a mindful experiment, it can often be helpful to try out a variety of sensory experiences and notice how they land on you. As with any exercise, it’s important to know yourself and your limits. If you know certain senses might be more sensitive and more likely to trigger something unpleasant for you, make sure you’ve got the right support in place before trying out new experiences with them.

To help you get started, here are a few ideas of things you can try for each of the five senses:

Touch

• Touch a variety of fabrics to see if one feels soothing to you. Maybe it’s a favorite blanket or a small piece of fabric that you could carry around with you.

• Try gentle self-massage and notice what feels calming or energizing.

• Look on YouTube for videos of Qigong or Havening Technique to try out.

Taste

• Eat a favorite meal slowly and take time to notice the tastes, textures, etc.

• Chew on a piece of gum or pop in a mint and notice the flavors and sensations.

• Test out slowly drinking both hot and cold drinks and notice how temperature changes the experience.

Sight

• Take a ten-minute walk outside and notice what draws your attention.

• Look through a book of nature or art images.

• Look at a picture of a happy memory or of a loved one. Keep it nearby so you can look at it when you need a sense of connection or a mood boost.

Sound

• Listen to different types of music and see how you respond. Are there certain types of music that help you to relax? Feel energized? Wind down for the day? Feel connected?

• Sit for a minute and just pay attention to all of the sounds around you.

• Listen to a variety of nature sounds, or, if possible, step outside and listen directly.

Smell

• Light a favorite candle and notice what feelings it evokes.  

• Wear a favorite scent. Notice how it makes you feel.

• Go outside and smell flowers, the fresh grass, or fresh air.  

These are just a few ideas out of the many, many ways that you can experiment with your senses to find tools and resources that help you to feel more calm, connected, and relaxed. If you find some that you like, you might consider putting together a sensory toolkit that you can easily access when you need it.

And if you’d like more support in using sensory tools and in building resilience in trauma therapy, I’d be glad to help. Feel free to reach out and schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.