I don't want to hijack this thread, but I have a question for both of you @Echo and @shimmerz : You both mention having a "safe place," and that seems to be one of the keys to calming oneself. My therapist, early on, asked me to visualize this. I am a powerful visualizer--no problems with that at all. Yet I cannot seem to manufacture a safe place. When my T asked me to imagine a specific time when I felt safe, I couldn't find one. I told him I don't ever remember feeling safe. I'm not actually sure what safe feels like in my body or my emotions...I can often get to a safe soul-place, but it is very separate from physical and emotional feelings. So the question is, do either of you have any body or emotional memory of feeling safe/being safe that has helped you create your safe place? Or, if not, how did you manage to create one?
@Echo (sorry lost quote here)
I found myself shifting focus to the 'soul level' which is where I found my wisdom, strength and calm.
Does this focal place feel connected to your body and emotion? So sorry to be so technical. I'm struggling with this. I don't have a true sense of whether when I'm in that soul-place I am actually depersonalizing/derealizing etc., or actually doing something healthy. As you both probably know, not too many people are able or willing to talk about this kind of thing, so I'm hoping you might have some insights.
@Echo (sorry lost quote here)
I found myself shifting focus to the 'soul level' which is where I found my wisdom, strength and calm.
Does this focal place feel connected to your body and emotion? So sorry to be so technical. I'm struggling with this. I don't have a true sense of whether when I'm in that soul-place I am actually depersonalizing/derealizing etc., or actually doing something healthy. As you both probably know, not too many people are able or willing to talk about this kind of thing, so I'm hoping you might have some insights.