Steady in the Storm: Steadying Yourself in the Storm

The water is rising. Roads are submerged. Homes, memories, and routines are being swept away. For many across Texas right now, the flooding isn’t just a news story—it’s personal.

And in moments like this, when nature feels out of control, our emotions often follow. Panic. Rage. Despair. These aren’t abstract ideas—they’re pounding in your chest, tightening your throat, stealing your breath. And in those moments, you don’t need platitudes. You need something that works.

This blog is the first of a 4-part series designed to give you those tools.  Whether you are impacted by the current floods in Texas or feeling flooded by other life events, these tools are effective and FREE - you can use them anywhere, anytime!

One of the fastest tools—simple, ancient, biological—is this: change your temperature.

It sounds too basic to matter. But it’s real, and it works. The technique comes from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a treatment developed for people who live in emotional extremes. It’s part of what DBT calls the TIPP skills: Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, Progressive muscle relaxation. Today, we focus on the “T” because it’s the one you can use right now—even in a flooded home, even in a borrowed shelter, even when everything else feels out of reach.

Your Nervous System Has a Side Door

You’re not just a mind watching your body fall apart. Your body is your mind’s partner—and it holds tools older than language.

One of them is called the dive reflex.

When cold water touches your face—especially around your eyes, cheeks, or forehead—it sends a signal to your brain: Slow down. Reset. Your heart rate drops. Your breathing shifts. Your panic starts to loosen its grip.

This is not magic. It’s biology—your body’s built-in way of calming the storm inside.

How to Do It: With Whatever You’ve Got

You may not have a lot right now. But you might still have this.

• Splash cold water on your face.
  Sink, hose, water bottle—whatever you’ve got. Aim for your eyes and forehead. Let it shock your system. That shock is the reset.
  

• Use ice, if you have it.
  Press it gently to your cheeks, forehead, or chest. Hold it there while you breathe slow. If your heart is racing, this will help it slow.
  

• Submerge your face.
  Bowl, tub, cooler, basin—anything filled with cold water. Take a breath. Dip your face in for 10–30 seconds. Come back up. Notice what’s shifted.
  

• Cold shower, if possible.
  This isn’t about “wellness.” This is about survival. Cold water helps the body slam the brakes when your emotions are spinning out.
  

Why It Works (And Why That Matters Right Now)

• It gives you control—when everything else feels lost.
  You can’t stop the floodwaters. But you can steady your nervous system.
  

• It interrupts emotional spirals.
  Your thoughts may be racing. But cold pulls you out of the swirl and into the now.
  

• It activates your calming system.
  The parasympathetic nervous system is like your internal brake pedal. This helps press it.
  

• It grounds you.
  When everything around you is in chaos, ice is real. Water is real. Breath is real. And from that place—you can make decisions, not just reactions.
  

Order Over Chaos

Whether you’re helping your kids through their fear, filling sandbags, or just trying to make it through the night—resilience starts in your body. You cannot command your mind without anchoring your body.

So when the stress hits—and it will—don’t collapse. Don’t snap. And don’t disappear into a fog of panic.

Cool it. Literally.
Use the ancient reflex God built into you.
Because the storm may be out of your control.
But you still get to decide how you meet it.

If you or a loved one is still struggling, reach out for help from a professional counselor.