Sensory Self-Care: How to Relax at Some of Baltimore’s Best Spots
People come to therapy for all reasons and at different times of their life. A common skill sought after by folks is learning to handle difficult feelings and situations while keeping their composure and cool. Different therapy orientations seek to teach tools to help expand our range for tolerance for these tough feelings.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a skills based model that teaches tools to help people with many struggles. These range from depression, anxiety, and anger. One central concept is self-soothing. While these techniques aren’t the solution to difficult feelings, they can help serve as tools in your tool box. I often tell my clients we want as many tools as we can! Below, I describe self soothing and free ways to engage locally in the Baltimore area.
Self soothing skills and our five senses
Self soothing skills are enjoyable things we do with our five senses. Our five senses are how to connect, interact, and enjoy our world. Oftentimes when under stress, our senses become overwhelmed and places/people/objects become exaggerated. I recommend starting with one sense at a time and building our tolerance up.
Sight - how we see the world around us. Cylburn Arboretum is Baltimore’s largest public garden! They have hiking trails, a nature center with kids and adults classes, and many seasonal activities with a spring market day that is a must try. Start small and look for a single color in the garden!
Hearing - how our brain interprets the sounds around us. The Harbor Wetland outside of the National Aquarium has brought wildlife back to the inner harbor. Check out it and you’ll hear manmade and natural sounds. Start small and listen for 1 sound; I recommend finding the heron!
Touch - how our body interacts with the world around us. Patterson Park is well known for having a variety of attractions: walking trails, playgrounds, athletic fields, swimming pools, and lots of green space! I recommend picking up lunch or grabbing a sweet treat and having a picnic in the grass. Start small and touch the grass!
Taste - how food/drinks taste in our mouth! Baltimore has many great restaurants, bakeries, and bars. A favorite of mine is Artifact Coffee, a short walk from our new office building. They have sweet treats, baked goods, and a great selection of coffees and teas. Treat yourself to something on the way or leaving therapy!
Smell - how our nose interacts with the world around us. Sherwood Gardens has an outstanding tulip garden each Spring. Again, start small and go to one section of the garden!
Connecting with our senses is key to becoming aware of our body to the world around us. Almost all of these activities are outdoors for a reason! With warm weather approaching, spending time outdoors can help regulate our bodies and have us feel joined to something larger than ourselves.
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Written by: Ashley Swift, LCPC, NCC
Ashley Swift is a trauma-informed therapist who helps her clients learn new skills for managing difficult thoughts, feelings and experiences using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and DBT. Ashley provides online counseling services to individuals across the state of Maryland, and she also provides face-to-face therapy at our Baltimore office.
