This coping strategy was recommended to me at a time when I was feeling very overwhelmed. I found it useful so I thought we could do a bit of a wellbeing activity based on it! I hope you find it helpful too! I don't know a lot about the science behind it, but I do know this is a dbt skill, which basically means it can help if you're struggling with your emotions 🙂
So.. your brain can be a powerful tool when you need to cope with things. Sometimes when stuff feels really overwhelming, it can help to have a 'safe' place to go to, in your imagination, to help yourself feel calmer and safer. Of course there are times when this is more appropriate than others- usually you would want to go to your safe place if you were doing some mindfulness or trying to relax when you are feeling anxious/overwhelmed. It should be at a time when it is safe and practical to do so, and is supposed to be different from daydreaming (which I don't know very much about- you are welcome to share your experiences of these on the forums if you want!), or dissociation. You can read more about how to use imagery here and here. I'm no expert on this by any means so if you're in doubt, I would really encourage you to reach out to a professional support person (here's a list of supports)
Today's activity
- If you already have a safe place, real or imagined, feel free to share your experience of it here!
- Otherwise, create your own mental image of a safe place- for me this is a scene where I am sitting on a green grassy field next to a lake and my cats are there with me and sometimes we'll look up at the clouds or go for a swim
- If you feel comfortable, you could tell us why this is a safe space for you! Is there any special meaning attached to this place?
- It might be helpful to engage all your senses- so for me I might imagine the feel and smell of the grass and water, the warmth of the sun, the sound of the wind, etc
- Check out this older thread on the forums with some safe space ideas 🙂
