The Container

This is an exercise used to compartmentalize difficult feelings, memories, and images. This is a good practice if you're having a stressful day, or if you're struggling with rumination. This exercise can be especially helpful for those in EMDR therapy.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to the container practice.

This is a quick practice to help compartmentalize difficult emotions and experiences.

As always,

I invite you to take whatever feels helpful and leave what may not feel helpful for today.

Take a moment to quiet down your thoughts and tap into your creative mind.

You can do this by getting into a comfortable position,

Closing down your eyes,

And focusing in on your breath.

I'd like to invite you to imagine a container that you will use to store distressing feelings,

Sensations,

Or experiences.

As you think of this container,

Consider what would this container have to be like in order to securely hold your distress.

How would you describe it to someone?

What is your container?

What color is it?

How big is the container?

What does the container look like?

What's it made of?

What makes it safe and secure?

Take a moment to just solidify the image of your container.

Now I'd like you to imagine taking a distressing experience or image and set it inside or send it to the container.

Take a moment to consider,

Is there anything else that needs to go in the container for now?

Now,

Shut the door securely on the container.

How would you ensure the door on the container is secure?

Is there any way we can make the door more secure?

Consider where you would feel comfortable to store the container.

Now I'd like you to imagine putting some distance between yourself and the container.

Now that the distressing image is safely stored in the container and there's some distance between you and the container,

I'd like to invite you to just check in and notice.

How are you feeling now?

Know for the future,

If anything disturbing comes up,

You can imagine sending it to the container and leaving it there.

Thank you for participating.