What to Try Instead of Meditation - CMAP Health

1. Grounding Exercises

Note: Perfect for trauma, anxiety, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance. • 5 senses (Name 5 things you see, 4 you feel, etc.) • Hold an ice cube or splash cold water on your face

Goal: Stay in the present through sensory input.

2. Movement-Based Mindfulness

For those who feel fidgety, restless, or dysregulated when still. • Walking meditation • Stretching or slow yoga

Goal: Bring awareness into the body without stillness.

3. Creative Expression Regulation

through flow, not silence. • Doodling, sketching, painting • Journaling freely without editing

Goal: Express and process without having to “fix” anything.

Final Thought: Meditation is one of many ways to heal. If it doesn’t fit, don’t force it. Instead, find the regulating movement or outputs that works for you—whether that’s walking, writing, moving, or simply noticing and acknowledging.

References

Busch, V., et al. (2022). Breathing Practices for Stress and Anxiety Reduction: Conceptual Framework of Implementation Guidelines Based on a Systematic Review of the Published Literature. *Brain Sciences, 13*(12), 1612.

Kang, S.S., Sponheim, S.R., & Lim, K.O. (2020). Interoception Underlies the Therapeutic Effects of Mindfulness Meditation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial. *arXiv*.

Kuyken, W., et al. (2010). How does mindfulness-based cognitive therapy work? *Behaviour Research and Therapy.*

Sedlmeier, P., & Theumer, J. (2020). Why do people begin to meditate and why do they continue?. Mindfulness, 11, 1527-1545. Verywell Health. (2024). 7 Easy Somatic Exercises for a Healthier Mind and Body. *Verywell Health*.