Post-Earthquake Trauma Stress Management

Deep Breathing

If you were in Tirana last week, you likely experienced some trauma.

For you to return to work AND to be effective, you need to heal.

For you to help your kids, you have to care for yourself.

During trauma, we often constrict our muscles and begin to take short, quick breaths.

Breathing deeply is one of the first steps towards lowering anxiety. Try using the following technique for two minutes.

Deep Breathing Technique

1. Get comfortable. You can lie on your back in bed or on the floor with a pillow under your head and knees. Or you can sit in a chair with your shoulders, head, and neck supported against the back of the chair.
2. Breathe in through your nose. Let your belly fill with air.
3. Breathe out through your nose.
4. Place one hand on your belly. Place the other hand on your chest.
5. As you breathe in, feel your belly rise. As you breathe out, feel your belly lower. The hand on your belly should move more than the hand that is on your chest. 
6. Take more full, deep breaths.

We recommend doing this for a few minutes each morning.
At work, you can easily do this on a break to lower your anxiety.