Healing Sexual Trauma Workbook by Erika Shershun

Author:Erika Shershun
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
Published: 2022-03-03T22:47:07+00:00

Think of a sentence or phrase that will help remind you the trauma is in the past, such as, “Today is Monday, May 3, 2021. I’m okay; I survived,” or “I’m an adult now. I’m no longer dependent. They can’t hurt me anymore.”

To avoid intensifying the flashback, acknowledge that the trauma occurred in the past. Always use past-tense verbs when talking during or describing a flashback. Rothschild suggests changing a present-tense phrase, such as, “I feel him…!” to the past tense, such as, “When he….,” or “When I was…” This will help lessen the activation taking place within your nervous system. It’s okay to say, “I’m having a flashback,” since the flashback itself is occurring in the present (Rothschild 2010). Download the “Flashback Strategies” handout at http://newharbinger.com/46509.

Practice: The Container Exercise

Containment imagery is used in many therapy modalities, such as EMDR, to help aid in containing memories. The container isn’t meant to be used to lock things away indefinitely. Rather it’s used to contain an overwhelming memory until you can work with it at a later time when you’re not as activated or with a trauma-informed therapist.

Ground and make yourself comfortable.

Imagine a container. It can be any size or shape and made of any material you wish. It can be beautiful and ornate or something simple like a paper box or a jar. The important thing is that it has a lid that closes tightly.

Once you have a clear image of your container, try slowly tapping it in on one side of your body then the other seven or more times (as you did in “Tapping in the Good”).

If there’s a challenging memory and accompanying feelings and sensations that you want to put in your container, open it up and imagine putting them inside one at a time.

Slowly tap them in.

Now close the container nice and tightly.

Tap in.

You can give the container a name if you wish.

Tap it in.

Describe your container.

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