A Somatic Tool for Anxiety
Narrow Focus
When we experience moments of activation like fear, anxiety, or panic our attention naturally zooms in on the most intense sensations.
You might notice a racing heart, a tight chest, shaky hands, or a sinking feeling in your stomach. This is your body’s built-in threat response doing exactly what it’s meant to do: scanning for danger and preparing you to respond.
But often time, this narrow focus can actually increase and intensify distress. By fixating on those highly activated areas, we may unintentionally amplify the discomfort, reinforcing the sense that something is wrong which can lead to further activation or even panic.
Widening Your Sensory Field
Instead of staying locked into the parts of your body that feel overwhelming, you can gently guide your awareness to areas that feel more neutral and less charged. This is not about ignoring the discomfort, it’s about creating more space in your nervous system to hold it.
For example:
What’s happening in your fingers or toes?
Is there any sensation in your ears, or the tip of your nose?
Can you notice the touch of clothing against your skin?
Can you notice where your body feels supported like the back of your legs on the chair or your feet on the ground?
This wider tracking can can gently interrupt the upward spiral of panic and help you stay more present during difficult emotional states.
