ANXIETY BUSTERS: Starfish Breathing Technique - The DV Walking Wounded:
Calm that anxiety, girl (OR guy)! I wanted to share my techniques for battling anxiety that I have discovered on my journey of healing. I also have C-PTSD, so this helps to alleviate those anxious and helpless feelings. I’m having my son, who is on the Autism Spectrum, do this particular exercise so when he doesn’t understand and gets manic, that he can help calm himself. I honestly wish I had this technique when I was going through all of my DV court appearances and appointments relating to my EPO and divorce!
This technique is called Starfish Breathing. It is a breathing exercise that uses touch to calm and distract while consciously slowing the breath (which also slows the heart rate/calms palpitations) and assists you in resuming control. Starfish Breathing is a simple, calming breathing exercise often used with children to help them manage stress and anxiety. Adults find it helpful, too!
NOTE: I know the concept sounds weird, but real-life starfish breathe through their feet, so it’s NOT based on the actual animal but merely on the fact that your hand resembles a starfish.
Here are the steps to perform the Starfish Breathing exercise:
- Spread Out Fingers: Extend one hand outward, with fingers spread wide, resembling a starfish. Do not rest it on anything, such as your table or a leg. Pick your dominant hand (the one you write with), as the starfish. The exercise works the same way regardless of whether you use your left or right hand. The critical part is tracing the fingers while focusing on your breathing. That coordination could need practice.
- Pointer Finger Ready: Place the index finger of your opposite hand at the base of your thumb on the spread hand.
- Inhale and Trace Up: Slowly inhale through your nose as you trace up the side of your thumb with your index finger.
- Exhale and Trace Down: Slowly exhale through your mouth as you trace down the other side of your thumb.
- Keep Tracing: Continue the path of tracing, not stopping or taking the tracing finger off of the hand. You’re tracing as if you were outlining it on paper with a pen or pencil. It’s the
- Repeat for Each Finger: Continue this pattern of inhaling and tracing up, exhaling and tracing down for each finger, moving across the hand until you’ve traced all five fingers.
- Reverse for More Breathing: If you need more calming breaths, reverse direction and trace back across the fingers following the same inhale/exhale pattern. You can also trace down and around the lower palm, back up to the thrumb for another “circuit” or “round,” too.
By focusing on the movement and rhythm of your breath, this exercise helps to promote relaxation and mindfulness. Please use as needed. If you’re trying to teach someone, breathe with them so they’re confident about what they are doing.
I plan to share one of my “anxiety busters” tools every few weeks, so stay tuned! Also, please comment on whether this was helpful or not. Thank you for reading and for being a follower!
Love and light! <3
Video Demonstration Here:
