Episode 23: A Safe Release for Overwhelm
- Tina Boogren
- Feb 8
- 5 min read
Description: Sometimes when we feel overwhelmed, we do not need to reframe or process, we need to release. In this episode, Tina shares a simple, safe release reset for moments when overwhelm is sitting in your body. Through sound, movement, or a long exhale, this invitation focuses on letting your nervous system do what it has been trying to do all along, let it out.
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Transcription: Hi, and welcome to Everyday Wellness with Dr. Tina H. Boogren. I am your host, Dr. Boogren. This is episode 23 and this week's episode, I think it's gonna feel really good. I hope so at least. So we're going to call this week's invitation, the Safe Release Reset because here's what I know, there's something that we often don't talk about, and that is the feeling of overwhelm.
And here's the truth, sometimes we don't need or want to reframe. We don't really need or want to process, and we don't really need or want to be grateful. Sometimes when we are feeling overwhelmed, what we want and need to do is release, release. And one of the most effective ways that we can do that is to scream.
That's right. I'm inviting you to scream. I want you to scream into your pillow or in your car or somewhere else that is private and safe. This is not about being dramatic. This isn't about losing control. It is actually, here's what it is. It's about letting your body do what it has been trying to do all along.
We know that when we are overwhelmed, our bodies hold that tension. Our nervous system holds it. Our chest, our jaw, our throat, our shoulders. And a suppressed response still takes energy, where a released response gives some of it back. So that invitation for this week to scream, just think of this as a ten second release.
So if you happen to be alone and in a place where you can do this. Do it right now. If it doesn't work right now, hold onto this invitation. Write yourself a reminder and do it at some point. All you're gonna do is take a deep breath in, and then on your exhale, make a sound. It can be a scream, a yell, a growl, a long loud sigh, no words required. Don't have to explain yourself. Do it once. Do it twice, if that feels really good.
Let me just go through that process again. You're gonna inhale, and on the exhale you're going to make a sound, scream, yell, growl, give just a long loud sigh. And I want you to do it a few times if that feels good. And then I want you to pause and notice. Do your shoulders feel a little bit more relaxed? How about your jaw? How about your breath? Does it feel different to let it out? And quite honestly, if screaming feels like a little bit too much, that's okay. It doesn't have to be loud to be effective, to let ourselves release.
What if? What if you punched a pillow? Notice I said a pillow. What if you punched a pillow as hard as you can? What if you stop and you just started shaking out your hands? I'm doing this as I'm recording this. I don't know if you can hear it in my voice, but man, that just kind of feels good. Again, just let out. It doesn't have to be loud, but what if you let out a long, exaggerated exhale? What if you just pause and say out loud, this is a lot. You know, we've talked in the past about, we name things to tame them, and sometimes just saying out loud, “Oof this is a lot” can just feel like its own release. Your body understands these signals, even if your mind wants to judge them.
So again, let me just stress, this isn't about losing it. Really what this is, this is actually listening to your nervous system when you are feeling overwhelmed. You've got to release it. And yes, in the past we've talked about different things we can do to kind of reframe, but this is not about that. This is about release. Releasing that overwhelm, that does not mean that you are weak. Not at all. In fact, you are really wise to choose to release it before it comes out in unhelpful, hmm, and kind of scary ways.
You know, you've probably at some point in your life, some where, some way you sat in your car and screamed or like screamed into a void or screamed into your pillow. Didn't you feel a little bit better when you got done? Right? That's not just kind of a random thing, that's actually regulation. Like those emotions, I just kind of can almost picture an animated, kind of short about this. Like all the emotions just whirling around and creating this kind of tumbleweed of just, oh, so much happening and it's spinning faster and faster and faster like a tornado, and you just have got to get rid of it. And it's like you scream and that tornado just comes out of your mouth. That might be graphic, but that is like what I'm picturing. And man, it can just feel good. Just get it out. Just absolutely get it out.
So I want you to kind of hold on to this idea that sometimes the kindest thing that you can do is to let a feeling of overwhelm just get out by screaming. punching a pillow, doing a deep, loud sigh, shaking out your hands or your entire body, and giving yourself permission to try that. So many of us, myself included, tend to suppress those emotions and we try to kind of put a shiny bow on them. And we do a lot of this reframing where we look for the gratitude and listen, that's all good stuff, until it's not. And so this invitation is, let's take it a different approach this week. Let's try it out and let's see, let's see if we can take that deep breath in and then exhale and make some sort of sound.
Remember, we can yell, we can growl, we can sigh. Maybe we punch a pillow, we shake out our hands or our body. We let out that long exhale, or we just simply say out loud, or maybe you scream it, “this is a lot!” or “this is too much!” and just see what it feels like to release it and let it go.
Oh, I'm going to definitely, definitely do this this week because this is not a go-to strategy for me, but just talking about it right now, it feels really good and really empowering, and so I hope it does the same for you. So that's it. That's your invitation for the week. This safe release reset. Try it out. I will have prompts over in the Facebook group to help us kind of sort through this, see what we try, see what works for us. And I just picture us all like screaming into the void this week and like, ah, just get the emotions out and finding and feeling this huge relief when we do that.
Ugh, I'm cheering so hard for you. Feel my hand on your back as you experiment with this this week. I can't wait to hear from you over in the Facebook group. As always, a huge thank you to Adrienne. A thank you to Solution Tree and Marzano Resources and a huge thank you to you, this Badass Wellness Squad. Go scream it out this week. I'm cheering so hard for you. You are amazing.
If this episode resonated with you, find more emotional wellness episodes here.
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