The COME BACK Tool - Culturally-Attuned, Body-Centered Resourcing and Stabilization Practices

Each letter of COME BACK stands for a different guided, body-based practice (between 10-20 minutes) to help yourself or your clients to COME BACK to the present moment in an accessible and trauma-sensitive way, making these strategies appropriate for use across a diverse range of contexts and settings. The tool integrates Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY), EMDR, polyvagal theory and nervous system regulation, mindfulness practice, and self-compassion.

The COME BACK Tool helps us and our clients to use our bodies as a way to actually have a present-moment experience that is grounding and stabilizing, allowing us to expand our window of tolerance for bodily sensations. This step provides the foundation for the successful integration and resolution of traumatic material, and for our own self-care practices.

To purchase the facilitation workbook where you can get the 8 scripts of these practices, plus 2 bonus scripts, follow this link to my Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/836860201/the-come-back-tool-facilitation-workbook?ref=shop_home_active_5&crt=1 

We often make the assumption that clients have their bodies available to them as a resource during trauma treatment, such as by asking them to notice information arising from their internal world. Many people, however, have difficulty being present in their bodies while simultaneously staying within their window of tolerance, especially survivors of complex trauma and those experiencing ongoing exposure to trauma, violence, and adversity.

Clients are encouraged to identify the elements from the activities that are most helpful, soothing and grounding for them. Practicing these elements will allow the skills to deepen into resources that are held in the body and can therefore be accessed at any time. The word “practice” is used intentionally as a way to highlight that learning to COME BACK is like learning any new skill – it involves repetition! The client can then carry these skills into everyday practices of stabilization and self-care, and the therapist and client together can weave these skills into reprocessing and trauma recovery work whenever needed.

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