{"id":2376,"date":"2022-11-30T05:58:34","date_gmt":"2022-11-30T05:58:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/recovhercounselling.ca\/?p=2376"},"modified":"2022-11-30T06:12:17","modified_gmt":"2022-11-30T06:12:17","slug":"the-art-of-containing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/recovhercounselling.ca\/?p=2376","title":{"rendered":"The art of &#8220;containing&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"2376\" class=\"elementor elementor-2376\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6ded46c4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6ded46c4\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-15a5beec\" data-id=\"15a5beec\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-864340b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"864340b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><\/p>\n<p>As I sit down to write this, I cannot help but acknowledge the time and space we are in as we head into the holiday season.\u00a0 While we aspire to make this time of year a joyous and celebratory time, for many of us, it is fraught with chaotic schedules, financial stress and an overwhelming amount of pressure.\u00a0 If you find yourself absolutely stretched between the endless demands that are both internally and externally placed upon you, I am writing this one for you.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-ast-global-color-2-color has-text-color\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-ast-global-color-2-color has-text-color\">One of the most powerful skills that I teach and practice in my work and life as a therapist, is something borrowed from EMDR\u2014&#8221;THE CONTAINER&#8221;.\u00a0 This is not the same as suppressing feelings and distress; our goal is not to bury these burdens and forget about them (otherwise the exercise would be called &#8220;the trash can&#8221;).\u00a0 We are simply giving ourself some agency in choosing what can be temporarily put on the back burner, or \u201cin the waiting room\u201d until we can attend to it.\u00a0 Below, I have outlined a brief version of this exercise in hopes that it might support you in times of need.<\/p>\n<h4>\u00a0<\/h4>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Lets Try It<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" type=\"1\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol type=\"1\"><\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Allow yourself to find a comfortable position and see if you can bring to mind an image of a container or vessel.\u00a0 This is a temporary holding space that allows you to place things into it, and take them out with intention.\u00a0 Something capable of holding all of the pieces in life that feel too large to manage in the moment (but often come swooping in and take centre stage)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Be creative, see if you can indulge in the details. \u00a0You might ask: <em>What is it made of? What is it lined with? What kind of lock does it have? Where does it live?<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Give you container a cue word<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Imagine how you might use your container to hold all of the challenges or distress that you don\u2019t have space for in a given moment (i.e. you might imagine shrinking each problem down and placing it into your container).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Now, let\u2019s test it to make sure it works!\u00a0 Think of something that is mildly distressing.\u00a0 We\u2019re not picking up a 10 lb weight here but aiming for a good 5 lb weight.\u00a0 An example might be, <em>\u201chaving to call your child\u2019s teacher when you get home because your son is being disruptive in class\u201d<\/em> (TIP&#8211;this is something you can\u2019t attend to in this moment, but it is weighing on you).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Once you bring your distressing event to mind, see if you can cue up your container and allow yourself to gently place the event inside.\u00a0 Not pushing it away, but acknowledging that you do not have the space or ability to attend to it right now, and will revisit it when you can devote more time and care.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Lastly, reflect.\u00a0 Did you notice any positive shifts?\u00a0 It\u2019s ok if you didn\u2019t, these things take time and practice.\u00a0 You might need to try crafting a different container, something that is connected to a positive space\/thing in your life (i.e. maybe your container floats in the sky, above your favourite beach)\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Keep practicing with smaller challenges so that you can strengthen this resource and be able to lean on it a little over this holiday season.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Thank you for taking the time to read this, when your laundry list is already overwhelming.\u00a0 I am thinking of all you women&#8211;mothers, sisters, daughters, partners and sending compassion your way!\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As I sit down to write this, I cannot help but acknowledge the time and space we are in as we head into the holiday season.\u00a0 While we aspire to make this time of year a joyous and celebratory time, for many of us, it is fraught with chaotic schedules, financial stress and an overwhelming [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2381,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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