Hi,
I'm Erin Heald,
A licensed mental health counselor based in New York,
And today we'll be using an EMDR-informed technique called LightStream as a soothing and grounding tool.
If you feel comfortable,
You can gently close your eyes or soften your gaze toward the floor.
Take a moment to settle into your body,
Allowing yourself to arrive here,
Just as you are.
There's nothing you need to change right now,
Nothing you need to figure out,
Just noticing your breath as it moves in and out.
Now,
If it feels okay,
I'd like you to bring to mind something mildly uncomfortable,
Nothing overwhelming,
Just a small stress,
Maybe something like paperwork or a lingering task or a yucky feeling that's been sitting with you.
And as you notice that feeling,
See if you can gently locate where it shows up in your body.
No need to force it,
Just noticing.
And as you notice that feeling,
If it had a shape,
What might that shape be?
And if it had a size,
What size would it be?
Does it have a color?
You might also notice if it has a texture,
Rough or smooth.
Notice any sense of temperature,
Warm,
Cool,
Neutral.
Does it have a sound,
A high pitch or a low pitch sound?
Is it loud or quiet?
Just notice without needing to change anything yet.
Now,
Gently shifting your attention,
I'd like you to imagine a color that feels soothing to you,
A color you might associate with healing or comfort.
Whatever color feels right for you.
And I want you to hold that color in your awareness.
And you might imagine a soft,
Gentle stream of that light just above your head.
You can imagine this light coming from anywhere that feels right to you,
From the sky,
The universe,
Nature,
Or simply a place of calm and steadiness.
There is no limit to this light.
The more you use,
The more is available.
And when you're ready,
You can allow this light to begin to gently flow in through the top of your head.
Very slowly,
Very easily,
Light is warm,
Kind,
And steady.
Healing your head,
Your mind,
Softening,
Calming,
Moving into your face,
Your jaw,
Your neck.
You might notice your breath is beginning to slow,
Just a little.
And as this light continues to flow,
You can allow it to gently find its way to that place in your body where the feeling is.
No effort needed,
The light knows where to go.
And as it reaches that shape,
It surrounds it,
Moves through it,
Gently penetrating and filling the space around it.
You might notice a shape beginning to shift.
Now continue allowing the light to continue its journey,
Flowing through your shoulders and down your arms,
Into your hands,
And out through your fingertips.
Still steady and gentle,
Then flowing back through your chest,
Your torso,
Your abdomen,
Moving down into your pelvis,
Hips,
Legs,
Streaming all the way down through your thighs,
Knees,
Calves,
To your feet,
And out through the soles of your feet and tips of your toes.
And as the light flows through your feet,
You can imagine any tension,
Any heaviness,
Gently leaving your body,
Releasing.
Notice how you feel.
If it feels okay,
You might gently bring your attention back to that original shape.
Noticing has anything shifted,
Maybe the size or color,
Or maybe the intensity.
Or maybe it feels the same.
That's okay.
Allow yourself to rest here for just a moment,
Noticing your breath and your body.
And when you're ready,
You can begin to bring small movements back to your fingers and your toes.
And gently at your own pace,
Allowing your eyes to open.
I invite you to take this sense of calm with you as you move throughout your day.
Thank you for joining me.
