#self-soothing

#self-soothing

Picture this: Your new puppy is pressed against the corner of the room, trembling slightly as you call their name. Their tail, which should be wagging with excitement, is tucked firmly between their legs. You've done everything the books told you, bought all the right toys, followed the feeding schedule perfectly, yet somehow your furry friend seems more nervous with each passing day.

Self-soothing advice is all over the internet, much of it in the form of warnings to avoid potentially damaging sorts like "shopping therapy" or bingeing on Ben and Jerry's, or worse, vodka martinis. Instead, experts suggest using the "good" ones, which seem to run the gamut from stimulating your vagus nerve to hugging yourself. Among the University of Miami's recommendations to faculty and staff in their current summer newsletter is "tapping."

Most of us have been reminded many times to practice self-care for the sake of our own physical and mental health or general well-being. We have been advised to eat a healthy diet, include some physical activity in each day, and get adequate sleep. These habits have been characterized as self-nurturant skills (Webb, 2014). It's not difficult to see how these actions would improve general well-being; you might even consider them to be obvious parts of a balanced lifestyle.