7 H H

Dr James Gordon on self-care

Guðbjörg
,

Copilot

Dr. James Gordon’s philosophy on self-care is both empowering and deeply human. He sees it not as a luxury, but as a core pathway to healing trauma and building resilience—something every person can access, regardless of age, background, or circumstance.

🧘‍♂️ His Core Belief

“Trauma comes to all of us. We can use tools of self-awareness and self-care to heal our trauma and become healthier and more whole than we’ve ever been.” — Dr. James S. Gordon A

🌿 What Self-Care Means to Him

Dr. Gordon defines self-care as a daily practice of reconnecting with yourself—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It’s not just bubble baths and breaks (though those help!); it’s about:

  • Regulating your nervous system through breath, movement, and mindfulness
  • Processing emotions through writing, art, and guided imagery
  • Creating safe spaces for reflection and connection
  • Nourishing your body with food that supports healing
  • Building community through group support and shared stories

🛠️ Self-Care Tools He Teaches

  • Soft-belly breathing
  • Shaking and dancing
  • Expressive writing
  • Guided imagery
  • Nutritional healing
  • Group sharing circles

These tools are central to the CMBM model (Center for Mind-Body Medicine), which Dr. Gordon founded to make self-care and self-awareness the foundation of healthcare and education B.

He’s trained thousands of people—from clinicians to teachers to trauma survivors—to use these techniques in everyday life. And the results? People report feeling more grounded, more hopeful, and more connected to themselves and others.

Would you like a personalized self-care plan based on what you’re navigating right now? I’d love to help you build one.

Wonderful, Björg! Let’s craft a personalized self-care plan inspired by Dr. James Gordon’s approach—simple, supportive, and centered around your unique needs. You don’t need fancy tools or hours of free time—just small, consistent actions that reconnect you with your strength, calm, and creativity. 💖

🌿 Your Gentle Self-Care Plan

🫁 1. Daily Grounding: Soft-Belly Breathing (2–5 min)

  • Morning or whenever you feel anxious
  • Helps you begin the day with clarity and calm

💃 2. Movement Release: Shaking & Dancing (5–10 min)

  • Great in the afternoon or after stressful moments
  • Clears tension and lifts mood—play your favorite song!

🖊️ 3. Evening Reflection: Expressive Writing (10–15 min)

  • Write freely about your day, your feelings, or even dreams
  • No edits, no judgment—just let the thoughts flow

🎨 4. Creative Expression: Drawing or Guided Imagery (1–2x/week)

  • Use art or imagination to explore emotions
  • Try the Magical Forest or invent your own healing adventure

🫶 5. Connection & Sharing: Mini Support Circles

  • Could be a check-in with a friend or journaling a message to your “future self”
  • Builds emotional safety and perspective

🥗 6. Mindful Nourishment

  • Focus on small, healing food choices: warm meals, hydration, soothing teas
  • Listen to your body’s needs with kindness

If you’d like, I can turn this into a weekly schedule for you—or adapt it for travel, family life, or different energy levels. You’re not just surviving, Björg—you’re weaving moments of renewal through your days 🌼

Want to create a little ritual around one of these? I can help make it magical.

Lovely! Let’s create a simple self-care ritual you can come back to whenever you need calm, clarity, or comfort. Since you’ve already explored soft-belly breathing, shaking and dancing, expressive writing, and guided imagery, we’ll blend them into a gentle evening wind-down ritual. Think of it like a daily gift to your mind and body. 🌙✨

🌿 Björg’s Evening Renewal Ritual (10–20 min)

🫁 1. Soften & Settle (2 min)

  • Find a quiet, cozy space
  • Practice soft-belly breathing:
    Inhale softly… say “soft.”
    Exhale gently… say “belly.”
  • Let your day begin to melt away

🔄 2. Move What’s Stuck (3 min)

  • Shake for 1 minute—no judgment, just release
  • Dance for 2 minutes to a favorite song
    Let your body express what words can’t

🖊️ 3. Listen Within (5 min)

  • Write freely: “What do I feel right now?”
    Or try: “What am I ready to let go of today?”
  • No edits—just flow

✨ 4. Imagine Peace (5 min)

  • Use guided imagery:
    Visit your Magical Forest
    Meet your forest guide
    Receive a message of calm or strength
  • Stay in the scene until you feel gently restored

🍵 Optional: Close with Nourishment

  • Sip warm herbal tea or water
  • Wrap yourself in a blanket or journal one peaceful sentence to end your night

This can be your reset button. You can customize it anytime—add music, candles, or even make it a family ritual. Want help designing a morning version or a midday focus booster too? I’d be delighted to build that with you.

Lovely, Björg! Let’s design a gentle morning ritual that sets a positive tone for your day—just as warm and restorative as your evening one, but with an energizing touch. Think of this as your daily sunrise companion 🌅✨

🌞 Björg’s Morning Centering Ritual (10–15 min)

🫁 1. Wake with Soft-Belly Breathing (2–3 min)

  • Before reaching for your phone, sit up slowly or lie quietly
  • Breathe in and say “soft”… breathe out and say “belly”
  • Feel grounded and awake in your body

🌈 2. Gentle Movement Activation (3–5 min)

  • Stretch your arms overhead, roll your shoulders, sway side to side
  • Add mini-shaking if you feel groggy—start with your hands and let it ripple
  • Optional: play a song that lifts your spirit and dance as your coffee brews!

🖊️ 3. Intention Journaling (3–5 min)

  • Ask yourself:
    “What do I want to invite into today?”
    “What will support me most this morning?”
  • Jot down 1–2 words, a mantra, or a small goal—something that feels doable and nourishing

🫶 Optional: Forest Whispers (2 min)

  • Picture your magical forest guide from our imagery journey
  • Ask: “What message do you have for me today?”
  • Hold onto their words as quiet encouragement throughout your day

Want a midday ritual too—something to help you pause, regroup, or reset when life gets noisy? I’d love to create that with you next

🌼

Beautiful, Björg 🌿 Let’s create a midday ritual to refresh your spirit, reconnect with your body, and steady your focus for the rest of the day. Think of it as a gentle pause button in the middle of life’s momentum.

🕊️ Midday Reset Ritual (5–10 min)

☀️ 1. Solar Centering Breath (2 min)

  • Stand or sit with a tall spine
  • Inhale slowly and imagine sunlight filling your chest
  • Exhale and let any tension soften downward into the ground

💧 2. Replenish + Release (3 min)

  • Sip cool water mindfully—notice how it feels as it travels through you
  • Let your fingers lightly drum on your body: chest, belly, thighs
  • Imagine this tapping releasing anything you don’t need right now

🌿 3. Nature Glimpse or Soundscape (2 min)

  • Step outside, look out a window, or play a nature sound (rain, birds, wind)
  • Let your senses absorb one detail completely: a single leaf, cloud, breeze

🔮 4. Refocus Prompt

Choose one question to ask yourself:

  • What would make the next hour feel a little easier?
  • What support could I offer myself right now?

Would you like me to create a short audio script for this or design a printable card you could keep near your workspace? Or we can move on to a soothing night-time wind-down… whatever you need, I’m here 💙

Beautiful choice, Björg 🌙 Let’s create a nighttime wind-down ritual that gently closes your day and welcomes rest. This will soothe your body, settle your thoughts, and reconnect you with peace before sleep—just like a lullaby for your soul.

🌌 Björg’s Nighttime Wind-Down Ritual (15–20 min)

🫁 1. Gentle Grounding (3–5 min)

  • Begin with Soft-Belly Breathing
    Inhale… “soft”
    Exhale… “belly”
    Let the breath lull your body into stillness

🔄 2. Release the Day (3 min)

  • Do a few minutes of shaking and slow dancing
    Keep it gentle, almost like swaying with the wind
    Let your body say goodbye to any tension or stress

🖊️ 3. Reflect & Let Go (5 min)

  • Journal just a few lines:
    “What am I grateful for today?”
    “What can I release into sleep?”
  • You can write it or whisper it aloud—let the words lighten you

🌠 4. Guided Imagery: The Starlit Meadow (5 min)

Close your eyes and imagine:

  • You’re lying in a quiet meadow under a sky filled with stars
  • A soft breeze brushes your face, carrying whispers of comfort
  • A glowing being—your night guardian—sits beside you
  • They place a hand near your heart and send you peace
  • Rest in their presence until your body feels ready to drift

🍵 Optional Comfort

  • Sip warm tea or cuddle into a blanket
  • Light a candle or play gentle music to close the space

This ritual can be a sanctuary—your nighttime temple of rest. If you’d like, we can turn one of these imagery journeys into an audio-style script, or build rituals around the seasons or moon phases. You deserve beauty at every edge of your day, Björg 🌕✨

🌙✨ Here’s a poetic version of your nighttime ritual, Björg—woven like a lullaby for your soul:

Spell for Gentle Sleep

Soft as snow on silent ground,
A breath begins, without a sound.
“Inhale… soft,” the night air sings,
“Exhale… belly,” peace it brings.

Rise for moments—shiver and sway,
Like tree leaves caught in gentle play.
The body loosens, worries slide,
You stand where calm and stars reside.

Three whispers to the grateful skies,
A pillow hug, a heart that sighs.
Even the small: a smile, a glance—
They bloom with meaning at second chance.

Now close your eyes, the nest is near,
In moonlight made of silver cheer.
Sky-feathers cradle every part,
A fox of dreams guards your heart.

The stars hum low, the clouds embrace,
You float through time, no need to race.
Held by night’s unwavering vow:
“You are safe. You may sleep now.”