When we’re stressed we think less. That’s true for everyone but it’s an especially vexing fact for our distressed clients – many of whom desperately need to make more helpful and healthful decisions on behalf of their well-being.

Milton Erickson, the famous psychiatrist and hypnotherapist, knew this too. That’s why he maintained a list to reference when his body got racked by pain due to his history with polio.

I often tell clients about Milton’s list (and my own) and why it may be a good idea for them to create something similar for times when they’re “freaking.”

* Orientation – Engage the world around you rather than reference “in you” too much. 

* Simulated Pendulation – Probably in the 3×3 pattern of “Naming 3 things you can see around you, name 3 things you can feel inside, name 3 other things you can see.” Repeat.

* The Hook – Brain Gym move where you tangle your hands, arms and legs across the midline of the body and press the tongue to the roof of the mouth.

* Sometimes breathing excercises, though rarely do I include this.

* Grounding excercises in rounds – Like standing in a doorway with the outside of the feet and hands pressing out to the doorjam.

* Squeezing things in rounds – Like plastic water bottles or towels.

* Ripping up Newspaper in rounds – The sound is so so satisfying.

* And so on…