Soothing the Pain: How Sensory Approaches and DBT Work Together to Calm Body and Mind

When you're living with chronic pain, it can feel like your body is constantly on high alert. Muscles tighten. Breathing becomes shallow. Thoughts race. Over time, this state of fight-flight-freeze can become the norm—exhausting your nervous system and leaving you feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or even hopeless.

But what if you could send your body a different message? One of safety. One of calm. One of care.

That’s where sensory approaches and DBT’s self-soothing skill come in.

The Science Behind Sensory-Based Pain Relief

Sensory interventions have gained attention in chronic pain treatment because they work directly with the body’s sensory processing systems. Gentle, non-invasive stimuli—like soothing sounds, calming visuals, or comforting textures—can activate the parasympathetic nervous system (your body’s calm state), reduce muscle tension, and shift attention away from pain.

They don’t “cure” the pain—but they change your relationship to it. They offer moments of relief, grounding, and restoration.

In fact, research suggests that using sensory inputs intentionally can improve emotional regulation, decrease the perception of pain intensity, and increase one’s sense of control in the face of chronic symptoms.

Enter DBT: Self-Soothing with the Five Senses

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) includes a skill called Self-Soothing. It's all about using the five senses—sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch—to calm the nervous system when emotions or pain become overwhelming.

In other words, it’s a sensory-based approach to emotional regulation. And it’s that you can benefit from deeply if you live with chronic pain.

Here's how the DBT approach maps onto sensory theory in practice:

Sight

• Watch moving clouds, candlelight, or flowing water

• Look at peaceful nature scenes or calming colours

• Surround yourself with soft lighting and beautiful textures

Sound

• Play ambient nature sounds like ocean waves or rain

• Listen to soothing music or gentle humming

• Use white noise or soft chanting to create a cocoon of calm

Smell

• Use essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, or orange

• Light a scented candle or incense

• Inhale the scent of coffee, fresh herbs, or clean laundry

Taste

• Sip a warm herbal tea slowly and mindfully

• Suck on a mint or savour a square of dark chocolate

• Chew something crunchy or textured for sensory feedback

Touch

• Wrap up in a weighted blanket or soft scarf

• Run a warm bath or apply a hot water bottle

• Stroke a pet or massage your hands with lotion

Each of these is a way to gently tell your nervous system: You are safe now. You are not alone. You are cared for.

Self-Soothing Is Not Escaping

It’s important to remember that self-soothing is not avoidance. It’s not pretending everything is fine. It’s about creating enough internal calm to face life—and pain—more clearly.

Think of it as part of a sequence:

TIPP to bring your body out of crisis
Self-Soothing to calm and ground
Problem-Solving when you're ready to act wisely

If you're living with chronic pain, remember this: You are allowed to comfort yourself. You are allowed to care for your body, even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts.

Let your senses be a bridge back to your body—and a path toward healing.

By Dr Michelle Beukes-King