Trauma can shake your life to its core. Regardless of what happened to you and when, it leaves its mark on your body, heart, and mind.

But healing is possible—step by step. It takes patience, self-compassion, and a willingness to try new approaches. The following 10 techniques can help you process your trauma and find inner stability again.

1. Mindful breathing

Our breath is our anchor in the here and now. When memories or feelings become overwhelming, it helps to consciously breathe in and out deeply.

Through conscious breathing, we supply our body with more oxygen and activate our parasympathetic nervous system, the rest nerve.

Well-known techniques for conscious breathing are:

Abdominal breathing: Breathe deeply into your abdomen so that your belly bulges outwards. As you exhale, pull your belly back in.

Box breathing: Count to four as you inhale, hold your breath for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, and empty your lungs for four seconds.

And another simple exercise: inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 6 seconds – repeat several times.

2. Writing as self-healing

Writing down your thoughts and feelings gives them a safe place. Journaling can help you gain clarity and let go of inner burdens. Just a few minutes a day can have a liberating effect.

There are no rules. You can be completely free, similar to writing a diary, or seek inspiration in the form of workbooks. The important thing is to take your emotions seriously and ask yourself regularly: How am I feeling today? Only through regularity can you get closer to yourself again.

Just don’t put pressure on yourself! Journaling is an expression of your own creativity and awareness of your strengths and feelings.

3. Bodywork and exercise

Trauma is often stored in the body. The resulting illnesses are manifold and are often ignored by Western medicine. The connections between emotional trauma and physical illness should not be underestimated.

Yoga, dance, Pilates, or simply going for a walk help to release pent-up energy. Gentle movements in particular can restore trust in your own body.

It is important to recognize the old behavior patterns that we often express with our bodies. A traumatic childhood in particular often prevents a healthy body image. We have problems with our body perception, we don’t feel slim, healthy, beautiful, never good enough. We lack awareness of our body’s needs, both in terms of nutrition and exercise. No wonder, since the body is often still stuck in survival mode.

4. Activate inner resources

Imagine a “safe place” – a place where you feel secure. You can use this imagination anytime you feel overwhelmed.

You can create this place yourself using simple exercises and meditations. This can be a guided meditation that connects you with your inner child or a journey to your innermost self, your soul.

In any case, you can visit this place whenever you need a moment of peace and security. Through such visualizations, we can escape the overstimulation of our everyday lives and reactivate our inner resources.

5. Learning to set boundaries

Traumatic experiences often arise when boundaries have been crossed. Healing also means learning to say no—clearly, lovingly, and without guilt.

However, setting boundaries also means working with your emotions. Here, too, you can find guidance in meditations and exercises to reconnect with your innermost self.

Setting boundaries means facing your fears and trusting your (justified) anger. We learn to stand up for ourselves and defend ourselves. The trauma has torn down our boundaries, but we can rebuild them.

6. Conversations and exchange

Trauma isolates – healing connects. Talk to people you trust or seek professional help. Shared suffering loses its weight.

Trauma and the perpetrators live on through silence. Keeping silent about your experiences only protects those who deserve protection the least. When you start talking about YOUR experiences, you give yourself back your voice. And not only that: by communicating with other people, you can not only learn new things about yourself and find comfort, but you also have the chance to help others with your story. Because no one should have to be alone.

7. Creative expression

Painting, making music, or dancing are ways to express feelings that cannot be put into words. Creativity opens up spaces where healing can gently take place.

Creativity is the key to taking the right steps toward healing. Through creativity, we find our personal expression. We can bring out parts of ourselves that we would otherwise not have access to. Our inner child, our soul—they find expression in creativity.

8. Meditation & mindfulness

Regular meditation helps to calm the mind and gain distance from stressful thoughts. Just 5 minutes of silence a day can make a difference.

Mindfulness is a widely practiced concept and is characterized by its flexibility: anyone can incorporate mindful exercises into their everyday life. These can be practices in silence and small rituals that allow us to calm down. It is important to be aware of these moments and not to try to rush through them or do them hectically.

As with the Japanese tea ceremony, it is about moments of silence, slowness, and conscious deceleration. We are fully engaged in the activity, while our mind is allowed to become still.

9. Rituals of self-care

Small rituals—a cup of tea in the morning, a warm bath, lighting candles—signal to you: “I am there for myself.” Such actions strengthen the feeling of security.

Self-care is a concept that was never learned, especially due to the experiences of a traumatic childhood. We never learned to take proper care of ourselves, as the focus was always on our own survival.

If we shift this focus away from trauma and negativity toward a healthy self-image that goes hand in hand with a healthy body image and positive self-perception, we can gradually draw new strength.

10. Spiritual practice

Many people experience deep healing through spirituality. Prayer, gratitude practices, or reading inspiring texts can give you hope and open up new perspectives.

Everyone is free to express spirituality in their life in whatever form they choose. Some people find that dialogue with God helps them to find themselves. Some incorporate spiritual practices into their everyday lives, such as meditation, but also gardening, playing music, etc. Everyone can find joy and peace in their life – you just have to find the right path for you.

Conclusion

Overcoming trauma is not a straight path—sometimes you move forward, sometimes backward. But every small step counts. The important thing is that you don’t have to do it all alone. Support from therapists or coaches can make this journey easier.

Which of these techniques appeals to you the most—and which ones could you try today?