Posted by TherapyGirl on August 13, 2009, at 19:21:39
In reply to Re: Distress tolerance, posted by Daisym on August 13, 2009, at 0:32:54
One thing I found helpful when it got so bad last winter was to sing. I think it forces me to breathe better than I do when I'm that upset without having to think about it, which just makes it worse.
The other regular thing I have done in the past, which is not working so well right this moment, is imagine that my T is holding me. This is particularly effective in the middle of the night when the anxiety is through the roof.
I also do the projecting forward thing that Daisy mentioned. That's also what I do with physical pain. I never have anesthesia with dental work, for instance.
Now if I could just figure out how to use ALL of this when my T leaves. I did tell her tonight that I wanted to be able to use her as a distraction again without it being so painful as to make things worse. I didn't tell her exactly what I do because it sounds pathetic, but she probably has a guess.
And Dinah -- she LOVED the handout that I printed from your link. She wishes she had thought of that. I looked at her and said, "I wish you had, too." Off topic -- all in all, the best session we've had in months. Let's see if our Ts can pull off a double header this week!
poster:TherapyGirl
thread:911764
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20090730/msgs/911977.html