Grounding in Times of Crisis: Gentle Ways to Regulate When the World Feels Unsafe

Estimate read time: 7 minutes

Lately, many people are feeling overwhelmed, activated, and unsettled.
The uncertainty around immigration enforcement, the fear of moving through communities, and the loss of lives have created a collective sense of threat that is hard to ignore, especially for immigrants, mixed-status families, and those who love them.

When safety feels unpredictable, our nervous systems respond first.

You might notice:

• a tight chest or shallow breathing

• racing thoughts or difficulty sleeping

• feeling on edge, numb, frozen, or easily overwhelmed

• a constant sense of “waiting for something bad to happen.”

These reactions are not a personal failure.
They are natural survival responses to prolonged uncertainty and fear.

This post offers a collection of gentle practices to help you steady yourself when things feel like too much. You don’t need to do all of them. Even one moment of regulation can make a difference.

Why Moments Like This Feel So Hard on the Body

When the world sends repeated signals of danger through news, community stories, or lived experience, the nervous system can get stuck in protection mode.

From an Internal Family Systems (IFS) perspective, protective parts may step in to:

• scan for danger

• prepare for worst-case scenarios

• shut down emotions to survive

• push you to stay hyper-alert

From a Somatic Experiencing (SE) lens, the body may stay activated because it hasn’t had a chance to complete its stress response.

Nothing is “wrong” with you.
Your system is trying to keep you safe.

Regulation is not about forcing calm; it’s about creating enough safety for your system to soften, even a little.

A Gentle Pause (Start Here)

Before reading further, try this:

Place one hand on your chest or belly.
Notice the support underneath you: the chair, the floor, and the ground.
Let your eyes gently look around the room and name three things you can see.

No need to change anything.
Just notice.

This alone helps signal to the body: Right now, in this moment, I am here.

Self-Regulation Tools You Can Use Anytime

1. Slow the Exhale

You don’t need deep breathing. Simply make the out-breath a little longer than the in-breath.

Try:

• Inhale for 4

• Exhale for 6

Repeat for 1–2 minutes.
A longer exhale gently supports the nervous system in settling.

2. Orient to Safety

When fear is high, the body forgets the present.

Slowly look around and ask yourself:

• What tells me I am safe enough right now?

• Is there something neutral or pleasant that my eyes want to rest on?

This might be light through a window, a plant, a familiar object, or a loved one nearby.

Let your gaze linger.

3. Get Curious About What’s Activated (IFS-informed)

Instead of fighting the anxiety, try gently naming it:

• A part of me feels scared.

• A part of me is bracing.

• A part of me feels angry or exhausted.

You’re not trying to analyze, just acknowledge.

Then silently add:

It makes sense that this part feels this way.

Being witnessed softens protective intensity.

4. Support the Body to Discharge Stress

Stress wants movement.

Try one:

• Gently press your feet into the floor

• Roll your shoulders slowly

• Stretch your arms and hands

• Shake out your hands for 10–20 seconds

Follow what feels manageable. Small movements matter.

5. Limit News Intake Without Avoiding Reality

Staying informed is different from being flooded with information.

If possible:

• Choose specific times to check updates

• avoid doom-scrolling before sleep

• balance hard information with grounding input (music, nature, connection)

Your nervous system deserves boundaries.

6. Co-Regulate When You Can

You don’t have to hold this alone.

Connection, even brief, helps regulate the body:

• a trusted friend

• a support group

• a therapist

• a shared moment of silence or laughter

Regulation is often relational.

If You Are Directly Impacted

If immigration uncertainty is personal for you or your family, please know this:

Your fear is not irrational.
Your exhaustion is understandable.
Your reactions are human.

You are allowed to prioritize rest, safety, and support even while caring deeply about what’s happening around you.

A Closing Note

In times of collective crisis, self-regulation is not selfish.
It is how we stay present, connected, and able to respond rather than collapse or burn out.

You don’t need to feel calm to be okay.
You only need enough safety to take the next breath.

If this resource helps, feel free to share it with others who may need it.
And if you’re looking for additional support, you’re not alone. Help exists, and community matters.

🌱
All parts of you are welcome here.