Compassion in Therapy with Awake Network
When life feels intense, many of us try to think our way out of it. But change often begins when we can witness what we’re experiencing instead of getting swept away by it. Mindfulness and somatic approaches help clients return to the present with more steadiness.
Mindfulness, in its simplest form, is the ability to be with an experience rather than being in it. When we’re “in it,” we tend to be reactive and flooded. When we’re “with it,” we can pause and choose our next step with more care.
Mindfulness, Curiosity, And Compassion Go Together
Mindfulness isn’t only meditation. It’s a learnable skill we can weave into therapy in small, everyday ways. And it naturally travels with curiosity and compassion. When we stay curious about what’s happening inside, we’re more likely to meet our inner experience with kindness rather than judgment.
This matters because many clients arrive with an internal stance that is harsh or ashamed. Mindful attention offers a different relationship: not “fix this now,” but “let’s notice what’s here and support it.”
The Window Of Tolerance Helps Us Track Regulation
The window of tolerance is a practical map for understanding regulation. Inside the window, we can think clearly, feel emotions without being overwhelmed, and stay connected to our bodies. Outside the window, we shift into dysregulation.
Above the window is hyperarousal (fight or flight): urgency, irritability, anxiety, or avoidance. Below the window is hypoarousal (freeze): numbness, collapse, or disconnection. Naming these states helps clients feel less “broken” and more able to work with what’s happening.
Bringing Mindfulness Into Session In Real Time
Talk therapy can become story-heavy. The story can matter, but it can also pull us away from what the client is experiencing right now. A simple shift is asking present-moment questions as a client shares:
What’s happening inside right now as you say that?
Where do you notice it in your body?
Is it getting stronger, softer, or staying the same?
We can also slow the pace with a gentle pause: “Can we take a moment and get curious about what’s happening in your body right now?” This kind of empathic interruption often creates space for regulation, insight, and choice.
The Body As An Ally: Learning The Language Of Sensation
Our bodies communicate through sensation, but many of us don’t have language for what we feel. Somatic work helps clients get specific and stay present. Is it tight or heavy? Warm or cool? Moving or still?
When we describe sensation with detail, we practice mindful witnessing: we’re with the experience rather than in it. And we remember that sensations change. They shift and soften, especially when we stay with them in small, respectful doses.
Three Simple Tools: Check-In, Grounding, And Centering
Somatic skills are tools in a toolbox. If one doesn’t help, we try another.
Check-in: “How am I doing right now?” Then include the body: “How is my body doing?” If nothing is available, choose something neutral like temperature.
Grounding: Feel the feet on the floor and press gently, then release. Add a hand to the chest or belly. Then ask: better, worse, or neutral?
Centering: Roll the shoulders back and down and notice the spine lengthen. Many people naturally take a fuller breath when they align.
The Takeaway
Mindfulness and somatic practices help us build compassionate attention and expand the window of tolerance. They give clients a way to return to the present, access inner resources, and relate to their experience with more gentleness. If the patterns you’re working with are connected to trauma, you can learn more about support options on our Trauma Therapy page.