Tools for Dissociation
Have you ever had that moment where…
…you’re powering through life, juggling a thousand things, and then bam—you hit a wall? That “deer in headlights” moment. You freeze. Your body feels like it’s checked out while your brain is frantically looking for the “exit” button. Ever been there? Yeah, you’re not alone. And today, we’re going to talk about how to navigate all of it.
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In this episode, we’re diving headfirst into practical tools to deal with dissociation —the kind of techniques that are handy to have when you feel like your brain and body feel like they’re speaking two different languages.
But don’t worry, I’m not just handing out “5 Easy Steps” like another Pinterest pin. You’ll also hear about why grounding exercises matter—especially for those of us who’ve perfected the art of rolling our eyes at anything remotely woo-woo. (Spoiler alert: I’ve been there, too.) This is about building real skills to help you feel just a little more at home in your body.
In this episode, I’m talking about:
Practical tools for managing dissociation and grounding yourself in the moment.
The 54321 grounding exercise.
Deep breathing as a simple, effective way to center yourself using slow, intentional breaths.
Body scans to notice and describe physical sensations neutrally.
How to use Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR).
Using grounding objects to bring attention to touch sensations.
Grounding statements to identify neutral facts about your environment and yourself to stay present.
The importance of building tolerance for being in your body gradually to reduce reliance on distractions.
How somatic awareness helps process emotions and experiences beyond what words can capture.
How dissociation is often tied to past or preverbal experiences stored in the body.
Using body awareness to identify emotions and respond effectively in interactions.
Tweetable Quotes
"Dissociation is just sort of like what it sounds like: dissociated from whatever's going on." - Rachelle Heinemann
"Our bodies hold everything in that is important." - Rachelle Heinemann
"There has to be some wiggle room to be able to open yourselves up and try something new." - Rachelle Heinemann
"If you eye roll too much, or if you use sarcasm through all of this, then you completely cut off yourself from your internal somatic experience." - Rachelle Heinemann
"Your body will often have the answers way before your brain does." - Rachelle Heinemann
Resources
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Related Episodes
Episode 119. Eating Disorders Don’t Have a Look
Episode 74. The Best Advice You’ll Ever Get
Episode 69. High Functioning Eating Disorders
Episode 49. Attachment Styles and Food Relationships with Dr. Sarah Chipps
Episode 27. Eating Disorders and the Mind/Body Disconnect with Danielle Novack, Ph.D
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Hey there! I’m Rachelle, the host of the Understanding Disordered Eating Podcast. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, I work with clients to make sense of life’s messy emotional experiences.
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