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Hi Forest,

Yes, I do! Here is one of my favorites: as mammals, one of the ways that we can tap into soothing our nervous system is through touch. If you have pets or kids you have probably noticed that one way to soothe them when they are frightened or anxious is through touch. That's because touch releases oxytocin which is a hormone that reduces cortisol and increases our sense of safety. The cool thing is that research shows that our nervous systems can't tell the difference between our own comforting touch or the comforting touch of someone else. So when I notice I'm feeling anxious or scared or overwhelmed I put my hand on my cheek or on my chest and take a deep breath. I also think it's helpful in that moment to gently acknowledge that it's a difficult moment and try to name the feeling. The saying is "Name it to tame it." Naming the feeling is a way to engage the prefrontal cortex which is the part of the brain that regulates emotion. And naming also reduces activity in the amygdala, the fear center. So I put my hand on my heart or chest and say something like, "This moment is really difficult. I'm feeling really scared that my pain will get worse." Then I take a couple of slow, deep breaths, again, because I want to use my body to let my brain know that we are safe and that there's no immediate threat.

Hope that helps!