Inside the brain of a therapist......

Crisis

That is not good....

"Everything is fucked!"

"I have no control over anything!"

"I am going to lose it all!

These are some of the phrases our brains might tell us in a crisis. It could easily be a sensation like muscle tension or quickened breathing. There are a million other combinations that let us know we are in a crisis and no two people have the same exact ones.

Below are some steps to take to get your feet underneath you so that you can then start moving through the crisis.

First: Breathe

Breathe in through the nose while counting to 4 in your head. Then hold the breath to a count of 4. Then breathe out through your nose or mouth to a count of 4. Then hold the breath to a count of 4. Then repeat at least 3 or 4 times.

Second: Notice

While breathing as outlined above take a moment to notice those times at the bottom and top of the breath where you are not breathing in or breathing out. You might ask yourself what you notice. Likewise, while breathing in and out notice where the breath is going and coming from in your body.

Third: The 5 senses

Identify something you can see, hear, smell, feel or taste. For example, "I can see a green leaf" or "I hear a bird" or whatever it is you can identify using your 5 senses.

Fourth: Think small

Think about the simplest, smallest most achievable action you can take.

Fifth: Action

Complete the action from the above step.

The most important thing to keep in mind is to go slow.

With Curiosity,

Tom (a therapist)