Creating a Self-Care Toolkit for Survivors During Mental Health Awareness Month - The DV Walking Wounded:
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and for survivors of domestic abuse, it can be a powerful reminder that healing is possible—and that you’re not alone.
Surviving abuse takes courage, but so does healing from it. Mental health struggles like anxiety, PTSD, depression, and dissociation are common after abuse, and they deserve care, not shame. A self-care toolkit can help survivors manage overwhelming emotions, re-center in difficult moments, and begin building a life rooted in self-worth and safety.
Below, we’ll walk through how to create a personalized self-care toolkit filled with tangible, trauma-informed practices that support your mental and emotional well-being.
🌱 What Is a Self-Care Toolkit?
Think of it as a box of emotional first-aid—resources and tools you can turn to when you’re feeling triggered, anxious, dissociated, or overwhelmed. Your toolkit might include physical items, calming rituals, journaling prompts, emergency contacts, or even playlists. There’s no “right way”—only your way.
🔑 1. Grounding Techniques for When You Feel Unsafe or Disconnected
Abuse can leave your nervous system on high alert. Grounding techniques help bring you back to the present moment when you feel panicked or “checked out.”
Try adding a few of these to your toolkit:
- 5-4-3-2-1 Exercise: Name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste.
- Ice cube trick: Hold an ice cube to refocus your senses.
- Weighted blanket or comfort object: Something that feels safe and comforting to hold. There are now weighted sweatshirts that can be purchased too.
- “Safe Place” visualization: Close your eyes and picture a calming, peaceful place in great detail.
✍️ 2. Journaling Prompts for Processing and Reclaiming Your Voice
Writing can be a powerful outlet. You don’t have to be a writer—just honest. Prompts to include:
- “What does safety feel like to me today?”
- “What do I need to hear right now?”
- “Who am I becoming now that I’m free?”
- “What do I want to say to my past self—and what would I like my future self to know?”
Keep a notebook in your toolkit or use a secure app like Daylio, Journey, or Penzu if paper feels unsafe.
🤝 3. Support Networks—Because Healing Is Not Meant to Be Done Alone
Abuse often isolates. Rebuilding trust and community takes time—but connection is one of the most healing forces.
Add these to your toolkit:
- Hotlines (like the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233). Be sure and add your specific state and local DV organization hotlines to your toolkit!
- Local or virtual support groups –
- A list of safe people you can reach out to (friends, therapists, peers, agencies, law enforcement agencies, medical professionals, resources, etc.)
- Online forums or communities, like Reddit’s r/domesticviolence and r/coercivecontrol or Facebook groups for survivors
🧘♀️ 4. Mind-Body Tools for Reconnecting with Yourself
Trauma lives in the body. These practices help you gently reconnect. Include:
- Gentle yoga or stretching routines (look for trauma-informed sessions on YouTube)
- Deep breathing apps like Calm, Breethe, or Insight Timer
- Body scans or guided meditations (especially ones focused on safety or grounding)
- Aromatherapy or essential oils you find soothing
- Music or a singing bowl
🎧 5. Personal Comfort Items That Help You Feel Grounded
Healing is also about joy, softness, and reclaiming comfort. You might include:
- A calming playlist or “empowerment anthem” music mix
- A favorite book or affirmations deck
- A soft scarf, stuffed animal, or scented lotion
- Photos, drawings, or quotes that remind you of strength or peace
🛑 6. Emergency Reminders for High-Stress Moments
Sometimes the most helpful thing is a reminder that you’ve survived worse—and you will get through this.
Create a card or note with:
- “This feeling is temporary. I am safe now.”
- Coping strategies that have worked for you before
- A list of signs you’re being triggered—and how you can respond gently
💬 Final Words: You Deserve to Heal
Your trauma doesn’t define you—your healing does. This Mental Health Awareness Month, let your self-care toolkit be a reminder: You deserve peace. You deserve safety. You deserve support.
Start small. Add one or two items this week. Keep it nearby, and revise it as you grow. Healing is not linear, but you don’t have to do it alone.
