The 3-Step Process I Use to Nurture Myself During Depressive Episodes

When I am in a low and depressed mood, I feel very helpless and experience physical pain in my body.

Through practice, I have discovered that these three steps help me tremendously and shorten the amount of time I struggle:

1. Find the place in your body where you are struggling.

For me, it’s usually my heart, so I place both hands over my heart and hold myself in a gentle and tender way. We often hold pain in our hearts; our stomach and our throat when we are in emotional despair during a depressive episode or experiencing grappling anxiety.

2. Speak to the pain.

While holding my heart I will say out loud, “It’s OK love, I love you and you are going to be alright, this pain will pass and you will feel free again.” Coming up with something that feels good to you will feel very natural when you speak to yourself in this loving and compassionate way.

3. Envision a healing light activating the location of the pain.

Doing a visualization of a healing white light shining through your hands to the area of your pain can help lighten the heaviness you are feeling. Give yourself around two to five minutes to breath in this light and imagine it is breaking down the pain inside your body.

The next time you find yourself stuck in a depressive episode or are dealing with anxiety, I invite you to give this process a try.

This is one way to practice self-love and compassion when you are in the midst of struggle.

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