Tools and resources for emotional recovery

When a natural disaster strikes, adrenaline carries us through. We focus immediately on survival: safety, evacuation, and urgent physical cleanup. But eventually, the dust settles. The cleaning crews pack up, the emergency alerts quiet down, and the videos stop trending on social media. For survivors, this is precisely when the second, invisible disaster sets in. As the adrenaline begins to subside, our survival mode drops. If you are finding that your anxiety is spiking right now or if you are feeling a profound sense of exhaustion and grief that you didn’t feel in the immediate aftermath – you are experiencing a completely normal response to an abnormal event. Long after the mud and debris are cleared, the psychological toll of trauma can linger, mutate, and resurface. If you notice your anxiety changing or intensifying over time, the National Center for PTSD offers excellent guidance on understanding trauma-focused tools and managing these psychological shifts.

Navigating this phase requires a shift in how you treat yourself because you simply cannot run on emergency mode forever. To help your brain process the crisis, here are some actionable tools to signal to your body that the danger has passed:

1. Belly Breathing (Diaphragmatic Breathing): Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Inhale deeply through your nose, ensuring your belly expands outward while your chest remains relatively still. Exhale slowly through your mouth, feeling your belly fall. This deep diaphragmatic movement directly stimulates the vagus nerve, triggering your body’s natural relaxation response to halt panic and anxiety.
2. The 5-4-3-2-1 Method: Look around your immediate surroundings and silently name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can physically feel (like the fabric of your shirt), 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. This quick exercise detours your brain away from racing thoughts and anchors it directly in your physical environment.
3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Start at your toes, squeezing the muscles tightly for 5 seconds, and then completely releasing the tension. Move slowly upward through your body – your calves, thighs, stomach, hands, shoulders, and jaw. Physically feeling the contrast between tight tension and total relaxation teaches your body how to let go of stored trauma stress.

Trauma shatters our sense of predictability, making us feel unsafe and deeply isolated. However, because disaster trauma is a shared community experience, healing can often be found within that same community. Talking openly with neighbors and friends who lived through the event with you can be incredibly powerful. Validating each other’s lingering anxieties dismantles the isolation that trauma tries to create. If you or someone you care about needs extra support finding resources or community support groups, you can look through the Mental Health America Disaster Resource Guide or Disaster | Mental Health America. Be exceptionally gentle with yourself today. Your body survived the event; now, give your mind the time and grace it needs to catch up.

Additional Resources:

• EAF Resources – Emergency Assistance Foundation Resources
• Call 211 for Essential Community Services | United Way 211
• Disaster Cash Assistance (TANF): Known as Colorado Works in our state, this program provides up to $2,000 for directly impacted families with children who are making a gross income under $75,000.
• Call, text, or chat with a 988 Lifeline counselor for help during difficult moments anytime, day or night. Available 24/7/365. Your conversations are free and confidential.

Here’s to your good health!

It’s okay not to feel okay.

If you or someone you know has been struggling with their emotions, behaviors, or substance use please reach out to us. We can help you find appropriate tools and services that could help you overcome obstacles in your life. We are here for you. Please contact the Southern Ute Behavioral Health Division at 970-563-5700 for more information or to set up an appointment to see a counselor or therapist.

Reminder: If you need to talk to someone, please reach out.

And for those interested in opioid use education, harm reduction, and support, please contact us for quick Naloxone (Narcan) training and fentanyl test strips. We can schedule individual, family, or friends training times at our Southern Ute Behavioral Health Building, or we can come to you, and the training is around 30 minutes. Please call us at 970-563-5700 to set up a training appointment.