The Neptune Warrior

My work with Neptune Warrior and in private instruction and coaching means I will work with divers who struggle with anxiety either in the water or just in everyday life. Here is one of the techniques I use in the water and on dive sites to teach and promote the skill of grounding. In my own struggle with trauma this was a highly valuable lesson.

With anxiety it is common to have intrusive memories of traumatic events.  Even though these events happened in the past, when the memories come it can feel as though the events are happening again in the present.

This can be extremely upsetting, and it is helpful to find ways that help you to ‘ground’ yourself back in the safety of the present moment. If today or this week is the time you are diving, let’s focus and enjoy the adventure.

Breathing

When we are anxious or upset our breathing becomes more rapid. We can feel better by deliberately slowing and relaxing our breathing.  Anxious breathing is up in the chest, whereas relaxed breathing happens deeper in the belly

• Breathe in slowly and steadily through your regulator for a count of 4 – don’t rush this!
• Repeat for a few minutes until you notice a change in how your body feels
• Exhale slowly and steadily for a count of 4 – breathe out gradually – try not to breathe out with a sigh
• If you get distracted, or if your mind wanders, just bring your attention back to how it feels to breathe in and out

Smells

Smells are an incredibly powerful way of coming to our senses. Underwater smell is something we really don’t deal with. On the surface or at the dive site, if you are deliberately paying attention to a smell you are truly in the present moment. Try to find a smell that has positive associations for you –maybe one that reminds you of happy times, or a smell which you enjoy. Carry it with you and use it to bring yourself back to the present moment if you get caught up in an unwanted memory.

Grounding statements

Unwanted memories in PTSD can make us mentally ‘time travel’ back to the trauma, and we can sometimes forget that we are safe in the present.  It can be helpful to write a ‘grounding statement’ to remind yourself that you are safe. You can carry it around with you and read it if you become upset.  Useful statements talk about safety, or remind you of what is different now compared to then.

• I can solve 90% of my problems as long as I have air so for now I am going to breathe as I work my way through this process. As long as I have air, I am alright.
• It is 2021 and I am safe. My trauma happened a long time ago and I survived.
• My trauma happened in the past and I am only remembering it now. The memories upset me, but they are just memories, they cannot hurt me.