Resource as an anchor, finding steadiness to return to.

There are moments when life feels manageable, and moments when it does not. Often, the difference lies in whether there is something we can return to, something familiar that helps us stay present when experience becomes demanding.

Within trauma informed work, resource refers to the supports that allow us to remain connected and within our capacity. Resources offer steadiness. They create enough grounding for experience to be met without overwhelm, even when difficulty is present.

When resource is available, challenges do not disappear, but they become more workable. There is space to stay with what is here, rather than needing to push through or shut down.

For me, one such resource is the sea.

More precisely, the memory of it.

The sound of the waves, the rhythm of movement, the temperature of the water, the sense of space around the body. Recalling these sensory details brings a feeling of familiarity. Something settles. I do not analyse the experience, I notice how it supports me.

This is often how resource functions, through sensation, memory, and recognition.

What do we mean by resource?

Resources can take many forms. They may be physical, relational, emotional, sensory, or contextual. In many cases, they already exist in a person’s life and become more supportive once they are recognised and intentionally returned to.

Resources may include:

• movement, posture, breath, or physical strength

• contact and support, such as feet on the ground or the back against a chair

• creativity, humour, or curiosity

• relationships, pets, or trusted people

• nature, familiar places, or spiritual practices

The value of a resource lies in its effect, not its category. A resource is meaningful when it supports steadiness, presence, or a sense of relief.

Trauma informed practice recognises that resources are highly individual. What supports one person may feel uncomfortable or activating for another. For this reason, resources are explored gradually, with attention to choice and pacing.

Why resource matters in trauma informed work

Trauma shapes the nervous system in adaptive ways. Patterns such as vigilance, bracing, or disconnection often develop in response to threat and uncertainty.

Trauma informed approaches recognise that directing attention inward can sometimes increase activation rather than reduce it. Experiences such as stillness, rest, or body awareness may carry mixed or challenging associations.

Because of this, trauma informed work places stability at the forefront. Resource supports capacity before deeper exploration is considered. Through resourcing, the window of tolerance can widen gently, allowing experience to be met at a pace that respects the nervous system.

These principles apply across contexts, including therapy, parenting, teaching, and self support.

Anchors and safe place

A safe place is typically a real, remembered location that carries a sense of familiarity. In trauma informed practice, lived sensory memory is often more supportive than imagined imagery. Safe place is used to support stability and orientation, with its effectiveness guided by the individual’s experience rather than assumption.

An anchor refers to something concrete and familiar that already exists in a person’s life. This may include a person, a pet, a memory, a place, or an activity that brings a sense of ease. Anchors provide reliability, offering something known to return to when stress increases.

Safe place can be understood as a particular kind of anchor, usually a physical location a person has actually been to, such as a beach, a forest path, or a familiar room. Within trauma informed work, safe place is introduced as a stabilising resource, supporting regulation rather than processing. Familiarity with this resource develops over time, making it easier to access when needed.

Working with neutral points of support

For many people, especially those with trauma histories, the body may not initially feel like a place of safety. Trauma informed practice takes this into account.

Rather than focusing on safety, work often begins with neutral or tolerable points of support. This might involve noticing contact with the ground, the support of a chair, or a posture that feels manageable. Attention is placed lightly and briefly, without expectation or interpretation.

These moments of orientation offer a way to stay connected without asking for more than the system can offer. Over time, neutral points of support can become reliable references that assist regulation in everyday life.

How resource is explored in clinical and therapeutic settings

In clinical and therapeutic contexts, resourcing is explored early and revisited often. The focus remains on supporting stability and capacity.

This may involve:

• identifying existing anchors or familiar supports

• exploring safe place as a remembered, sensory grounded experience

• offering brief, optional practices

• observing what supports regulation rather than intensifying symptoms

• coordinating approaches within a wider treatment context

Throughout this process, collaboration and choice remain central. Resource is offered as an invitation, with the individual’s response guiding the pace and direction.

Resourcing yourself while supporting others

For therapists, yoga teachers, and parents, maintaining connection with personal resources supports presence and attunement.

From a trauma informed perspective, offering resource to others involves creating conditions where support can be noticed rather than directed. Invitations, choice, and responsiveness allow resources to emerge organically.

Resourcing remains optional and responsive.

A place to begin

You may have arrived here through the newsletter and explored a short practice focused on contact through the feet and seat. Simple practices like this can become familiar over time, offering a steady reference during moments of transition or intensity.

Presence, rather than calm, remains the guiding intention.

Resources are often already woven into our lives, through places, relationships, sensations, and memories that carry familiarity.

The work lies in recognising these supports and allowing them to be returned to, gently and in one’s own time.

You might begin by asking yourself, where do I already feel supported enough to stay present?

References

Courtois, C. A., & Ford, J. D. (2016). Treatment of complex trauma: A sequenced, relationship-based approach. Guilford Press.

Ogden, P. (2015). Sensorimotor psychotherapy: Interventions for trauma and attachment. Norton.

Rothschild, B. (2000). The body remembers. Norton.