THE SOBER WITCH BLOG

Element of Earth Techniques (Coping Skills for Our Bodies)

• Breathe! Seriously, breathe like a baby breathes. Take 3 deep stomach breaths. Inhale deeply and expand that beautiful belly. Be not ashamed of thy belly! Then exhale deeply. Inhale power, exhale everything that does not serve you.
• “We are made of star stuff” as Carl Sagan said. How divine we are then! Treat yourself like the divine being you are. Eat well, sleep well, and treat your body in a way that honors its majestic origins.
• Exercise, do some yoga, take a walk around the block. Anything that gets your heart rate up and your blood pumping allows those feel-good brain chemicals (endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, etc.) to be released. Those feel-good brain chemicals help us regulate our moods, reduce stress, and increase our focus. And a witch with a focused mind is a powerful witch indeed.
• Take a magical bath with crystals, candles, herbs, and lots of bubbles. No bathtub? No problem. Hang herbs in the shower, use shower steamers, and visualize the water washing any stress down the drain.
• Crystal Suggestions: Black Tourmaline, Moss Agate
• Healing Herbal Suggestions: Echinacea, Patchouli, Verbena

Element of Air Techniques (Coping Skills for Our Minds and Intellects)

• Prioritize and simplify your To-Do List to reduce holiday stress. Think about what really matters to YOU during the holidays. Make a list of your holiday priorities then number it in order of importance. Look at the bottom of the list and see if you can reduce, limit, or even eliminate those items completely.
• Limit any media or social media that is getting you into a negative headspace. Make a conscious effort to consume media that only lifts your mindset at least until the holidays pass.
• Practice mindfulness when you notice your mind getting stuck in the past or going too far into the future. Two quick mindfulness techniques:
  • The 3-3-3 Rule of Senses Observation: Name 3 things you see in your surroundings. Identify three sounds you can hear. Move three parts of your body like your ankle, fingers, and shoulder.
  • Describe What You Are Doing Right Now: Literally, just describe what you are doing right now. For example, say you’re cleaning your house and find yourself ruminating on some wrongdoing that occurred when you were in middle school. Notice that your mind is in the past, and then say aloud, “I’m stopping that now and being fully present.” From there, describe in detail exactly what you are doing at that precise moment: “I am now opening the dishwasher. Now I am putting a plate into the dishwasher . . . ” and so on. It may feel odd at first, but the more we do this practice the more able we are to naturally stay in the present.
• Keep your mindset in the present. When our minds are in the future, we can experience fear and anxiety. When our minds go into the past, we can experience regret or shame. The present moment is at least somewhat tolerable. And even if it isn’t, at least we aren’t lumping the pain of the past and the fears of the future on top of the pain of the present.
• Meditate or do a visualization.
• Use affirmations and mantras. One that is fantastic for the Yule season and beyond is “I release what no longer serves me and absorb what strengthens me.”
• Crystal Suggestions: Aventurine, Pumice
• Healing Herbal Suggestions: Dandelion, Eyebright, Rosemary

Element of Water Techniques (Coping Skills for Our Emotions)

• Know who is in your support system, keep adding more support as you learn who you can trust, and actually utilize your support network.
• Remind yourself that anxiety and depression are unreliable narrators. They are liars that tell us we would be burdening others by expressing our feelings. They tell us that our stories don’t matter and that nobody cares. Don’t listen! How do you feel when someone entrusts you with their story, when they use your shoulder to cry on? Often, it feels like an honor and privilege for us to be there for others. There is nothing wrong with us bestowing that same honor onto others from time to time.
• BOUNDARIES! You know that last bullet point has to be followed up by boundaries. Yes, it is indeed an honor to be there for others, but we’re also not an emotional garbage disposal for others. It is one thing to be a shoulder for a loved one to cry on, it is another to be a victim of an constant energy vampire who is never without a crisis. Ensure you have people in your corner that give as much as they take and set boundaries with those who don’t.
• Journal! Journaling has been shown time and time again to be highly effective for making sense of our emotions, particularly when we are experiencing conflicting emotions. If you have a ton of time to journal, consider making a ritual out of it. If the opposite is true, then bullet point journaling is a great quick and dirty option.
• If you are working at a job that offers benefits, check to see if you have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that offers free counseling services. Typically, an EAP offers 3-5 free counseling sessions. While 3-5 sessions may not be enough to process and resolve everything, they may help to set a foundation for developing good stress management and/or emotional regulation skills.
• Crystal Suggestions: Amethyst, Azurite
• Healing Herbal Suggestions: Chamomile, Hibiscus, Jasmine

Element of Fire Techniques (Coping Skills for Our Spirits)

• Perform a ritual. Any ritual. Research has shown that entering ritual space allows the brain a minute to pause and opens us to solutions we would not have otherwise considered. Don’t know what ritual to perform?
• Just light a candle. Really! In just doing this small act, you are setting ritual space. You may still be cleaning or attending other tasks, but you are still creating an atmosphere conducive to spirit. Just be mindful of the candle and don’t leave it unattended.
• For those who want to light more than just a candle, try some Fire Scrying. There is nothing better than sitting in front of a fire on a cold winter night with a warm cup of tea. Prior to beginning your fire scrying session, consider asking a question of your higher self, seeking guidance from spirit/ancestors, or just set an intention. Allow your gaze to soften on the flames of the fire and allow your mind to open to any messages. This simple, but incredibly effective practice warms both the body and spirit.
• Get into the flow of creativity. Make something, do a craft, write, pull some tarot cards or runes. Think about those activities that were so engaging that when you looked at the clock you were shocked that an hour had already passed.
• Connect with nature in whatever way you can, whether that’s going for a hike or watching a documentary series like Cosmos or any nature program (especially ones narrated by the great David Attenborough because he is ah-mazing.) While this Coping Skill for the Spirit may seem more like an Earth Technique, it is included here in the Fire techniques for good reason. There is something deep, primal, and divine that awakens within us when indulging in the aesthetics of our natural surroundings. When the divinity within us connects to the divinity of nature it ignites a flame in our spirit which can stay lit even through the darkest times.
• Crystal Suggestions: Bloodstone, Carnelian
• Healing Herbal Suggestions: Cinnamon, Ginger, Ginseng, Pine

Please know you are not alone. Please reach out to your support system, a professional, myself, or any of the hotlines provided below if you need additional support.

You are loved. You are divine. You are worthy.

Have a wonderfully insightful and fulfilling Yule!!! Until next time, keep your sobriety strong and your witchcraft powerful!!!

GLOBAL SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINES

Argentina Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: 911

Centro de Asistencia al Suicida

In the greater Buenos Aires area, dial 135

Otherwise, call 5275-1135 or 0800 345 1435

Australia Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: 000

Lifeline Australia

Dial 13 11 14 for 24/7 crisis support

Text 0477 13 11 14 for 24/7 text support

Austria Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency numbers: Dial 112 for emergencies (EU emergency number), 133 for police, 144 for an ambulance, and 122 for the fire brigade

Emergency psychiatric hotline: 01 313 30; 24/7 support is available

Suicide prevention hotline: 01 713 3374

Telefon Seelsorge

Dial 142 for 24/7 crisis support

For online chat support, visit Telefon Seelsorge’s website; available from 4 pm to 11 pm Central European Time

Belgium Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: Dial 112 for emergencies (EU emergency number), 101 for police, and 100 for a medical emergency or the fire brigade

Zelfmoord 1813

Dial 1813 for 24/7 crisis support

For online chat support, visit Zelfmoord’s website; available from 5:00 pm to 12:am Central European Time

Canada Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: 911

Talk Suicide Canada

Dial 1-833-456-4566 for 24/7 crisis support

Text 45645 for text support; available 4 pm to midnight ET

In Quebec:

Dial 1-866-APPELLE (277-3553) for 24/7 crisis support

Text 535353 for 24/7 text support

For 24/7 chat support, visit suicide.ca

Kids Help Phone

24/7 text support: Text CONNECT to 686868

Chile Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency numbers: Call 133 for police; call 131 for medical assistance

Teléfono de la Esperanza

Dial (00 56 42) 22 12 00

Colombia Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: 123

Teléfono de la esperanza

Dial (57-1) 372 24 25

In Medellín, dial (57) 604 604 27 84

Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social (Ministry of Health and Social Protection)

Visit the website for region-specific suicide hotlines

Denmark Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: 112

Medical Helpline 1813

For emergency medical help in the Capital Region of Denmark, dial 1813 on weekends, or after 4 pm Monday through Friday

Livslinien

Call the crisis line at 70 201 201 every day.

Access online chat on Mondays and Thursdays between 5 pm and 9 pm, and on weekends between 1 pm and 5 pm.

Psykiatrifonden

Access mental health support every day by calling 39 25 25 25

France Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: 112

National suicide prevention number: 3114

24/7 crisis support; visit 3114.fr to learn more

Suicide Écoute

Dial 01 45 39 40 00 for 24/7 crisis support

SOS Suicide Phénix

Dial 01 40 44 46 45 for phone support between 1 pm and 11 pm Central European Time

Germany Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: 112 (EU emergency number), 110 for police

TelefonSeelsorge

Dial 0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0 222 for 24/7 crisis support

For chat or email support, visit TelefonSeelsorge’s website

Hong Kong Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: 999

The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong

For 24/7 support, dial 2389 2222

For English-language assistance, dial 2389 2223

For online chat help, go to chatpoint.org.hk

The Samaritans

For 24/7 support, dial 2896 0000

Ireland Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: 112 or 999

The Samaritans

Dial 116 123 for 24/7 mental health support

Mental Health Ireland

Text About It

For 24/7 text support, text 50808

On smaller phone networks (such as An Post or 48), text HELLO to 0861800280

Mexico Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: 911

Consejo Ciudadano

Dial 55 5533-5533 for 24/7 crisis support

New Zealand Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: 111

National mental health and addiction hotline: 1737

Can be reached by phone or text; learn more at 1737.org.nz

Lifeline Aotearoa

Dial 0800 543 354 for 24/7 crisis support

Dial 0508 828 865 for the suicide crisis helpline

Text HELP to 4357 for 24/7 text support

Singapore Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: 999 (police) or 995

The Samaritans of Singapore

Dial 1767 for the 24/7 hotline

WhatsApp 9151 1767 for 24/7 text support

South Africa Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency numbers: 10111 (police) or 10177 (ambulance)

South African Depression and Anxiety Group

Dial 0800 567 567 for 24/7 crisis support

Spain Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency numbers: 112

Teléfono de la Esperanza

Dial 717 003 717 for 24/7 crisis support

Sweden Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: 112

Mind Självmordslinjen

Dial 90101 for 24/7 phone support; in cases of acute crisis, call 112

For online chat support, visit Självmordslinjen’s website

Switzerland Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: 112 (EU emergency number), 117 for police, 144 for ambulance

Die Dargebotene Hand

Dial 143 for 24/7 mental health support in German, French, and Italian

For help in English, dial 0800 143 000 between 6 pm and 11 pm, or visit heart2heart.143.ch

Online chat support is available in German, French, and Italian

United Kingdom Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: 999 or 112

The Samaritans

Dial 116 123 for 24/7 mental health support

Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)

Dial 0800 58 58 58 for crisis support; available between 5 pm and midnight, BST or GMT

Visit thecalmzone.net to access chat support

Shout

Text SHOUT to 85258 for 24/7 text support

United States Suicide Prevention Resources

National emergency number: 911

Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988

Accessible by phone or text

24/7 support in English or Spanish

24/7 support for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals; learn more at 988lifeline.org. For TTY Users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988

Online chat: Visit 988lifeline.org

Crisis Text Line

24/7 text support: Text HOME to 741741