Existential dread is a heavy, unsettling feeling—one that can arise unexpectedly or linger in the background of our lives. It’s the awareness of life’s uncertainty, impermanence, and the search for meaning that can feel overwhelming. While this experience is part of being human, there are ways to navigate it with more ease and self-compassion. Below are three mind-body approaches—art therapy, sensorimotor techniques, and Internal Family Systems (IFS)—that can help you process and move through existential dread.
1. Art Therapy: Externalizing the Intangible
When words fail, art can speak. Existential dread often feels amorphous, difficult to articulate, and deeply internal. Creative expression allows you to externalize these emotions, giving them form and making them more tangible. Try:
Abstract painting or scribbling: Let your hand move freely across the page without a plan. Notice any emotions or insights that arise as you create.
Collage work: Cut out images or words that resonate with your experience of existential uncertainty and piece them together. This can help uncover subconscious patterns or emotions.
Symbolic drawing: Represent your feelings visually—a storm, an open door, a maze—and reflect on what emerges.
Rather than searching for answers, let the process of creation be a space for exploration and release.
2. Sensorimotor Techniques: Grounding in the Present
Existential dread often pulls us into the vast unknown, making us feel unanchored. Sensorimotor approaches help ground you in the body, offering a sense of stability. Practices to try include:
5-4-3-2-1 grounding: Name five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.
Somatic shaking: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and shake out your arms, legs, and torso. This releases built-up tension and resets your nervous system.
Breath-focused movement: Pair slow, deep breaths with gentle stretching or rocking to reinforce a sense of safety and presence.
When dread arises, tuning into the body can remind you that you are here, now, and supported by the physical world.
3. Internal Family Systems (IFS): Befriending Your Inner Parts
IFS helps us explore the different “parts” of ourselves—especially the ones carrying fear, uncertainty, or avoidance. Instead of pushing existential dread away, IFS invites us to get curious about it. Ask yourself:
What part of me is feeling this dread? Can I visualize or sense it in my body?
What does this part need from me? Reassurance, attention, space to express itself?
Is there another part of me that wants to respond? Perhaps there’s a calm, wise part within you that can offer comfort.
By acknowledging these parts, we create internal dialogue rather than feeling consumed by a single overwhelming emotion.
Finding Meaning in the Process
Existential dread does not require immediate resolution—it asks for presence, curiosity, and self-compassion. Through creative expression, grounding in the body, and exploring inner dialogue, we can approach it with a sense of openness rather than fear.
If you’re feeling stuck in existential questions and want to explore these practices further, I’d love to support you in the process. Reach out to learn more about how we can work together to navigate uncertainty with greater ease and self-understanding.
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