EMDR: the Safe Space Exercise

The Safe Space exercise can help you deal with intrusive thoughts between EMDR sessions by providing a sense of emotional safety and security. This exercise can help to create a calming and comforting environment to help reduce the intensity of intrusive thoughts. You can create a safe space in your mind or in a physical space. This exercise can help you feel grounded and connected to a safe place within yourself. Visualization is a key part of this exercise and can help you to focus on the positive aspects of your safe space and push away negative intrusive thoughts.

The steps to create your safe space.

1. Take a moment to close your eyes, and focus on your breathing.
2. Imagine yourself in a place that makes you feel safe, secure, and relaxed. It can be a real or imagined place, and it should be somewhere that you feel completely at ease.
3. Take a few moments to explore your safe space. Notice the sights, smells, and feelings of being in this place.
4. When you feel ready, bring to mind a positive belief that you would like to work on. This could be something like “I am capable of achieving my goals” or “I am worthy of love and respect.”
5. As you focus on this positive belief, allow yourself to be enveloped in the feeling of safety and security of your safe space.
6. Spend a few moments experiencing the feeling of safety and security while repeating the positive belief to yourself.
7. When you’re ready, open your eyes and take a few moments to reflect on what you experienced in the exercise.

What can EMDR do for you?

You may be looking for a way to overcome trauma and emotional distress, either for yourself or for someone close to you. EMDR therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment option, and it can help you start to heal and make progress in your life. But it can be hard to know where to start.

If you're ready to take the next step, why not reach out to me to learn more about EMDR therapy?

• I can help you understand how EMDR works and how it can benefit you.
• We can discuss how the therapy can be tailored to your particular situation and help you address the underlying issues that are causing you distress.
• With EMDR therapy, you can gain insight into your thoughts, feelings, and behavior patterns and begin to make lasting changes in your life.

Contact me today and we can get started on the journey to emotional healing.

Michiel Bosman MD

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