How It Works

Stress and trauma disrupt the connection between our mind and body. Each hand has 17,000 mechanoreceptors, receptors that sense touch, temperature, pressure, vibration, texture, pain, skin stretch and the position of our body in space (proprioception).   With this wealth of sensory input, our hands are superb resources for repairing the disrupted mind-body connection.  As we move our hands, our stressed brain begins attending to the various sensations and distracts from the anxiety.  The various movements occupy our hands (which can ‘hold’ a lot of our stress) and require our brain to focus. Movement also improves blood flow which warms the muscles, relieving tension and improving flexibility. 

How to Use

Move your hands through the various exercises, adapt them to your needs and invent new ones. Use your arms and legs as platforms for tap, walk, press. Especially useful in settings with space restrictions or large movement restrictions, where walking/running is not possible.

When to Use - Signs of Stress/Trauma

• immobilized, freezing, not moving

• preoccupied, worried, overwhelmed

• anxious, panicked, agitated

• hypervigilant: scanning for danger

• mind is racing

• withdrawn: struggling to connect with others

What It Can Do

• relieve stress, muscle tension

• decrease anxiety

• occupy your mind, distract you from distressed feelings

• improve mood, increase control over feelings (self-regulation)

• improve body awareness

• promote integration of mind and body, improving self-control and self-efficacy