How Glimmers Bring You a Sense of Ease, Safety and Joy

What Are Glimmers?

The term "glimmer" was coined in 2018 by Deb Dana, LCSW as part of her work on the applications of the polyvagal theory to regarding psychological trauma.

Glimmers Bring a Momentary Sense of Ease, Safety and Joy

A lot of people are familiar with trauma triggers (see my article: Coping With Trauma: Becoming Aware of Triggers), but fewer people are familiar with the terms "glimmers".

A glimmer is the opposite of a trauma trigger. A glimmer is an internal or external cue that gives you a sense of ease, safety or joy.

According to Deb Dana, LCSW, glimmers are gentle, yet powerful, ways that your nervous system finds moments of being okay--that might mean, as mentioned above, being calm, feeling at ease or feeling joy.

She indicates that glimmers happen all the time, but if you're not accustomed to noticing glimmers, you can miss them (see my article: Seeing Small Wonders All Around Us If We Take the Time to Notice).

So, it's important to develop the ability to find glimmers, notice them, feel them and celebrate them--even if it's just for a moment.

According to Deb Dana, when you begin to notice glimmers, you naturally look for more. 

She also indicates that glimmers are not toxic positivity or about "counting your blessings".  Instead, they're reminders that the human nervous system is built to hold both suffering and, at the same time. to notice moments of goodness. 

What is the Difference Between Trauma Triggers and Glimmers?

Trauma triggers are sensory reminders that cause you to feel unsafe because they are reminders of previous experiences of unresolved trauma.

Glimmes Bring a Sense of Ease, Safety and Joy

Glimmers are the opposite of triggers, as mentioned above. 

Glimmers are also sensory cues, but they are sensory cues that make you feel calm, connected, safe, peaceful and possibly joyful.

What Are Examples of Common Glimmers?

Here are some common glimmers that you might experience:

• Enjoying the warmth of the sun
• Seeing a sunrise or a sunset
• Stargazing
• Enjoying the smell of fresh cut grass
• Walking in nature   
• Sipping your favorite coffee or tea

Glimmers Bring a Sense of Ease, Safety and Joy

• Enjoying the breeze off the ocean
• Petting your dog or cat
• Seeing a rainbow
• Listening to soothing music
• Enjoying the taste of your favorite food
• Giving or getting a hug
• Receiving a smile
• Seeing a butterfly
• The internal sensation of feeling at peace with yourself and in peaceful surroundings

How Are Glimmers Beneficial to You?

When you have unresolved trauma, your body can be looking, consciously or unconsciously, for signs of possible danger--real or imagined.

When you're constantly on guard for danger, glimmers can be momentary internal or external cues that allow you to feel joy, connected and safe.

Glimmes Bring a Sense of Ease, Safety and Joy

If you have been unable to recognize glimmers in the past and you're beginning to recognize glimmers now, you might be experiencing the early stage of recovering from trauma because, possibly, your body isn't as on guard as it used to be.

Even if you have just a moment of enjoying a glimmer, that's a moment when you're not hypervigilant or on guard waiting for danger to occur.

How Can Glimmers Support Your Healing From Psychological Trauma?
Here are some of the ways glimmers can support your healing from psychological trauma:

• Regulating Your Nervous System: Glimmers can help to regulate your nervous system by counteracting the hyperarousal from triggers related to trauma.

• Providing You With a Sense of Safety: By appreciating glimmers, you can let your "survival brain" know that. you are safe and this can reduce fear and anxiety.

• Building Resilience: Appreciating glimmers can strengthen your nervous system's ability to cope with stress, including the stress of overcoming unresolved trauma in therapy. Glimmers can also makes it easier to deal with other challenging situations (see my article: Resilience: Coping With Life's Inevitable Ups and Downs).

Glimmers Bring a Sense of Ease, Safety and Joy

• Cultivating Optimism: Noticing glimmers can help you to shift your mindset from negative experiences to positive moments. This can also help you to internalize a positive outlook--even if it's for the moment.

• Developing Increased Self Awareness: Glimmers can help to promote increased self awareness and personal growth (see my article: What is Self Reflective Awareness and Why Is It Important to You?).

• Promoting Emotional Healing: Noticing and appreciating glimmers on a regular basis can help to boost your mood, reduce depression and anxiety and improve your overall mental health.

How to Develop Your Awareness of Glimmers

Here are some suggestions that can help you to develop your awareness of glimmers:

• Use Your Senses: Notice what you see, hear, smell, sense/tactile and taste in the environment around you.

• Practice Mindfulness: Take time to be in the present moment (see my article: The Mind-Body Connection: Mindfulness Meditation).

Glimmers Bring a Sense of Ease, Safety and Joy

• Keep a Gratitude Journal: Notice, appreciate and write about the small things around you that bring you joy in a gratitude journal (see my article: Keeping a Gratitude Journal).

• Engage in Activities That You Enjoy: Spend time in nature, play your favorite music, dance, pursue your hobbies and engage in other activities that you enjoy.

• Curate Your Social Media: Unfollow accounts that trigger your trauma and you and follow accounts that are uplifting.

Conclusion

Glimmers can help you to improve your mental health.  

If you're working on unresolved trauma in therapy, glimmers can help you to experience moments of joy, calm and ease while. you're in trauma therapy.

Recognizing Glimmers During Trauma Therapy

As a trauma therapist, I recommend appreciating glimmers to my clients (see my article: What is a Trauma Therapist?).

Anyone can learn to develop the skills of noticing and appreciating glimmers. It just takes practice and as you begin to notice them, continuing to recognize and appreciate glimmers can get easier over time.

About Me

I am a New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT (for couples), Somatic Experiencing and Sex Therapist.

I have over 20 years of experiencing helping individual adults and couples.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.