Video 054 4 Elements Exercises for stress reduction
Use this solution
Instead of safe/calm place prior to starting EMDR standard processing, or with R-Tep and G-Tep, or as a ‘stand alone’ technique to help clients manage stress.
Originator:
Elan Shapiro, 2012
Video production
Matthew Davies Media Ltd, Llanidloes, Powys. www.matthewmedia.com
What this covers
John was a retired civil servant, who’d come to therapy because of anxiety. He had always been an anxious person, but it had become worse since retiring. Now his worries seemed to increase in number and intensity.
How long
8.26 minutes
Related videos
See Video 050 & 051
Go to ‘Take-away’?
For further information for the client see the Wrap up. To use in a session with the client see the Aide mémoire.
Take-Away Section
+ Aide Mémoire
You can copy and paste this text into a Word document, and can edit it, adding any additional text you might find helpful.
(Earth – Air –Water –Fire)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Explain the four elements and how they can be used together as they build on one another, or individually according to which part or parts prove most helpful to the client. Move through the four elements in sequence, starting with EARTH and ending with FIRE.
Repeat the exercises before the end of the session if possible so that the client is more able to perform these on his/her own at home. If necessary, provide the client with a ‘crib sheet’ to take with them (see Wrap up section).
You may suggest to a very anxious client that they would benefit from doing this exercise when they get up in the morning, during the day whenever anxiety comes and before going to bed.
1-EARTH : GROUNDING, SAFETY in the PRESENT/REALITY…Say, “Take a minute or two to “land”… to be here now … place both feet on the ground, feel the chair supporting you…. Look around & notice 3 new things … What do you see … What do you hear?” (don’t ask this if it draws attention to on-going dangers). (Attention is directed outwards to the reality of safety in the present).
2-AIR: BREATHING for CENTERING …Say, “You can do your favourite breathing exercise here, or follow me…..breathe in through your nose (for abdominal breathing) as you count 7 seconds, then hold for 2 and then breathe out for 9 seconds – adjusting the count to the capacity of the client). Take about a dozen deeper slower breaths like this.” (Attention is directed inwards to your centre).
3-Water: CALM & CONTROLLED – switch on the RELAXATION RESPONSE…Say, “Do you have saliva in your mouth?....make more saliva….when you are anxious or stressed your mouth often dries because part of the stress emergency response (sympathetic N S) is to shut off the digestive system. So when you start making saliva you switch on the digestive system again (parasympathetic N S) & the relaxation response “-(that is why people are offered water or tea after a difficult experience- when you make saliva your mind can also optimally control your thoughts & your body). (Attention is directed to producing saliva & becoming calmer, focused & more in control).
4-FIRE: LIGHT up the path of your IMAGINATION… Say, “Bring up an image of your SAFE PLACE (or some other RESOURCE such as a memory when you felt good about yourself) – what do you feel & where do you feel it in your body?” Install with brief slow BLS/butterfly hugs. (Attention is directed to the feelings of safety/calm/etc. in your body).
+ Wrap up
Managing stress with Earth – Air –Water –Fire
Suggestions:
Find a quiet place where you can do these exercises without interruption. They will usually take twenty or thirty minutes to complete.
It’s recommend that you work through the four elements, as they build on one another. At least initially, and until you are able to master all four, learn to use all four elements.
At some point you may find one or more of the elements are particularly helpful, in which case you may decide to focus on these rather than doing all four. If you are very anxious, you may find it beneficial to do the exercises when you get up in the morning, during the day whenever anxiety comes and before going to bed.
The sequence:
1-EARTH : GROUNDING, SAFETY in the PRESENT/REALITY…Take a minute or two to “land”… to be where you are right now … place both feet on the ground, feel the chair supporting you…. Look around & notice 3 new things … What do you see … What do you hear? (Pay attention to being safe right where you are, in the present).
2-AIR: BREATHING for CENTERING … You can do your favourite breathing exercise here, or follow this one : breathe in through your nose as you count 7 seconds, then hold for 2 and then breathe out for 9 seconds through your mouth – adjusting the count to your breathing capacity. Take about a dozen deeper slower breaths like this where the count breathing out is slightly longer than the count breathing in.” (Focus your attention inwards to your centre).
3-Water: CALM & CONTROLLED – switch on the RELAXATION RESPONSE…Do you have saliva in your mouth? Make more saliva….when we are anxious or stressed our mouth often dries because part of the stress emergency response is to shut off the digestive system. So when you start making saliva you switch on the digestive system again and the relaxation response. When you make saliva your mind can also optimally control your thoughts & your body). (Focus on producing saliva & becoming calmer, focused & more in control).
4-FIRE: LIGHT up the path of your IMAGINATION…Bring up an image of your SAFE PLACE (or some other RESOURCE such as a memory when you felt good about yourself) – what do you feel & where do you feel it in your body? Strengthen the feelings/sensations with brief slow BLS/butterfly hugs. (Focus on the feelings of safety/calm/etc. in your body).
What this is about: The case is about a man in his forties who has lost his family and career. He experiences extreme dysregulation, suicidal thoughts and an inability to make sustained relationships. He has a childhood of extreme neglect and abuse. The defining condition is a lack of any hope of change or relief in the future. He is unable to contemplate dealing with past and current traumas.
What you will learn: How to work, first with the future loss of hope using the standard EMDR protocol. You will also learn how to use aspects of Brief Solution Focused Therapy to create a hopeful future, if the client is unable to do so himself. This hopeful future will become the target in this first phase of the three-part therapeutic journey.