SELF-SOOTHE WITH THE FIVE SENSES: A DBT SKILL TO MANAGE HOLIDAY STRESS
- Stacey Schmitt
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
By Stacey Schmitt, MSW, LICSW
The holiday season can be bittersweet. It is a time that offers warmth, celebration, and connection, but may also bring added stress, tension, and pressure. Balancing work demands, expectations around family obligations, and personal needs is often challenging. For some, it may impact mental health & wellness. An effective tool that can help with those moments is a Dialectical Behavioral Therapy distress tolerance skill called Self-Soothing with the Five Senses.
What is Self-Soothing with the Five Senses?
Coined by Marsha Linehan, the founder of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Self-Soothing is a skill designed to utilize the five senses—sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch—to calm the body and mind when stress levels rise. It is a sensory experience intended to bring comfort, grounding, and/or temporary distraction during moments of emotional intensity. When attempting to balance multiple responsibilities and cope with varying circumstances during the holidays, self-soothing helps to create space to breathe, a moment to connect with the self/body, and a chance to respond more effectively to stressful situations. It is a way to nurture ourselves intentionally and with compassion.
Practical Ways to Integrate Self-Soothing this Holiday Season
When the to-do list feels endless or emotions are elevated, take just few minutes to pause and gently reconnect with the five senses. Simple, purposeful actions can make a real difference:
Sight: Observe a candle flickering or lights twinkling, or notice the moon’s glow or birds in a tree.
Sound: Listen to calming music, a clock ticking, the wind blowing, or a fire crackling.
Smell: Enjoy a favorite scent, smell a cup of coffee, flowers, a candle, or just a breath of fresh air.
Taste: Cook a comforting meal, or savor a warm drink or sweet treat; focus on its texture and flavor.
Touch: Wrap up in a cozy blanket, take a warm shower or bath, or curl up with a pet.
Give Yourself Permission to Slow Down and Create Balance
Taking a moment to self-soothe isn’t selfish, it is creating an opportunity to take a momentary break and maintain emotional balance. It provides space to recalibrate and a chance to come back to a situation, thought, or emotion at another time. This season, let your own senses guide you back to balance!
We Are Here to Help
If you would like to learn more about DBT and how to integrate these skills into your life, watch out for future blog posts or reach out to schedule an appointment! At Counseling West Seattle, we understand the complicated nature of the holiday season and provide a safe space to support you.
Helpful links for more self-soothing tools and other ways to cope with holiday stress:
Comments