Mind-Body Workbook for PTSD (5 page)
Read Mind-Body Workbook for PTSD Online
Authors: Stanley Block
- What are the differences between this map and the map in exercise 1?
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- Do you see that you can face the world as it is, without the pressure and distortion of your I-System that’s shown on the previous map you made?
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When a situation comes up in your life (
Chris doesn’t show me respect
), tune in to your senses and you’ll no longer have an overactive I-System adding mind clutter and body tension. You can now face that situation with a ready and relaxed mind and body.
Day Two Date:____________
Whenever you have body tension and mind clutter, it’s a sign that one of your I-System’s requirements is not being fulfilled. This exercise is about increasing your awareness of your requirements, and then using bridging awareness practices and thought labeling to reduce your I-System’s activity. Recognizing requirements is another mind-body bridging tool. Once you identify a requirement, you’ll be clearer about the situation.
A twenty-two-year-old Iraq War combat veteran waits in a government office for an appointment to discuss his Veterans Administration benefits. After checking in and waiting ten minutes, he becomes tense. Five minutes later, he storms out of the office, swearing to himself. He realizes his distress comes from the thought
The VA doesn’t care about me!
Later he decides he’s too pissed off to go through the process of applying for benefits. Fortunately, this vet enters a mind-body bridging group, where he’s able to identify his requirement (
The VA should care about me
) and develop a strong bridging awareness practice. Several weeks later, he decides to go back to the benefits office. After checking in and waiting ten minutes, he notices his chest tightening, fists clenching, and thoughts spinning, and recognizes these as signs of his overactive I-System. Then, using his newly learned bridging awareness practices, he feels the fabric on the chair and his feet on the floor, and hears the hum of the air conditioner. He starts relaxing a little, and clearly sees his I-System’s requirement,
They shouldn’t keep me waiting.
After ten more minutes, he is called in and applies for his benefits. Is he cured of his symptoms? No! But he
is
developing tools that are greatly improving the quality of his life. As he puts it, “I’m starting to realize that though anyone can kick my tires, my I-System is the only thing that can let the air out of them.”
Be on the lookout for your requirements during the day. Notice your own earliest indicators of an overactive I-System. For example, maybe you start to raise your shoulders, your toes curl, you feel overwhelmed, you grip your golf club too hard, you feel a pain in your neck, you stop hearing the fan, or you slump in your chair. Once you notice a sign, see if you can find the requirement that activated your I-System. When you identify your requirement, you have more control over what’s upsetting you. Remember, it’s not the other person’s behavior that activates your I-System; it’s your own requirement.
Next, list what requirements you observed today and what happened when you used bridging awareness practices and thought labeling.
1. List the requirements you observed today:
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2. Did your bridging awareness practices and thought labeling put you more in control when you used them? What happened?
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Day Three Date:____________
A
trigger
is an event or thought that violates a requirement that, in turn, activates your I-System. Any event or thought is a trigger if, and
only
if, that event or thought violates a requirement. Every coin has two sides, and even when flipped, it’s still the same coin. Triggers and requirements are the same way. When you become aware of a trigger, it’s important to realize that it points you to the requirement (the other side of the coin). Remember, it’s not the event itself that activates the I-System; it’s your requirement about that event.
1. Today, observe what triggered your I-System, and list the behaviors or events and your body tension.
Your body tension is your
signal
that your I-System has been activated. Next, note the thoughts and stories you weave about the trigger behavior or event.
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2. Do a Triggers map by jotting down what triggered your I-System, such as how others behave or demands you make of yourself (for example,
Terry broke his promise
,
I did it wrong
, or
Ann doesn’t respect me
).
3. From your Triggers map, write down your body tension, triggers, and requirements. Mind-body mapping is always about
your
I-System requirements, not someone else’s behavior. Remember that the trigger points to your requirement.
How many requirements did you identify?
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Day Four Date:____________
1. Whenever it’s hard to find the underlying requirements, it’s helpful to do a What’s on My Mind map. Take a couple of minutes to write whatever pops into your mind around the following oval. Work quickly, without editing your thoughts.
- Is your mind cluttered or clear?
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- Is your body tense or relaxed? Describe your body tension:
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This is a momentary snapshot of what’s on your mind. Notice which thoughts are connected to body tension (for example,
My life was ruined when I was sexually abused
,
The bomb’s explosion ruined my life
,
My car needs work
). Recognize the requirement in the item
(I should not have been sexually abused
,
I should not have been hurt
,
My car shouldn’t be broken
). - What are your requirements?
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2. Do this map again, this time using bridging awareness practices. Before you start writing, listen to any background sounds, feel your body’s pressure on your seat, sense your feet on the floor, and feel the pen in your hand. Once you feel settled, keep feeling the pen in your hand, and start writing. Watch the ink go onto the paper, and listen to any background sounds. For the next few minutes, jot whatever thoughts pop into your mind.
Observe the differences between the two maps:
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Remember, thought labeling helps. For example, if you have the thought
I ruined my life
, say to yourself,
I’m having the thought “I ruined my life.”
What’s ruining your life right here, right now, isn’t the bomb (or the abuse), but the thoughts your I-System has spun about the bomb (the abuse). You don’t have to fix your thoughts, push them away, or force any changes. During the day, being aware that this thought is just a thought is all it takes; then you can return your awareness to the task at hand.
Mind-body bridging is an ongoing practice. When you use bridging awareness practices (use your senses) and thought labeling, you gain the ability to live every aspect of your life with a calm I-System (your true self). The only question you need to answer is
who
is living your life, your I-System or your true self?
Day Five Date:____________
1. Throughout the day, be aware of your body tension. Although the I-System generates body tension and impairs how you live your life, it isn’t your enemy any more than a friend who is giving you important information. Awareness of the early signs of body tension lets you know when you are heading the wrong direction. Use it like a compass (figure 2.1). When you recognize that the I-System is on, and you use your mind-body bridging tools to quiet its commotion, it becomes a friend. You are
befriending your I-System
.
- When were you able to use your body tension as a compass? What happened?
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- When were you
unable
to use your body tension as a compass? What happened?______________________________
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- Does this compass help you find requirements? How?
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When your body is tense and your mind cluttered, your I-System is in the driver’s seat. To quiet your I-System, note that it’s your requirement, not the situation, that’s causing your distress. Next, listen to any background sounds, sense whatever you’re touching, and fully return your awareness to what you were doing.