Mind-Body Workbook for PTSD (23 page)

3. Do the What or Whom I Avoid mapagain. Write the same activity, place, person, or event in the oval. Before you start writing, listen to background sounds and feel your body’s pressure on your seat, your feet on the floor, and the pen in your hand. Once you are settled, keep feeling the pen in your hand as you start writing. Watch the ink go onto the paper and listen to background sounds. For the next few minutes, jot any thoughts that come to mind.

What or Whom I Avoid Map with Bridging

Notice the differences between the two maps:

1. What’s your mind-body state after bridging?
   

   ______________________________
   

   ______________________________
   

   By bridging, this map shows you that your need to avoid people and situations relates directly to your I-System. When your I-System is overactive, you give up your freedom of choice. With a calm I-System, your past trauma doesn’t limit your choices of whom to interact with, where to go, or what activities to engage in.
   

2. Now can you defuse your requirements from the previous map when the situation comes up again and take back your freedom of choice? Yes ____ No ____
   

Day Five     Date:____________

1. During the day, whenever you are emotionally numb, take a moment to tune in to your senses and then go back to what you were doing.

1. When you tuned in to your senses, what happened?
   

   ______________________________
   

   ______________________________
   

2. Were there events that triggered your I-System and caused you to go numb? If so, list them:
   

   ______________________________
   

   ______________________________
   

3. Can you identify the underlying requirements?
   

   ______________________________
   

   ______________________________
   

4. How did you defuse the requirements?
   

   ______________________________
   

   ______________________________
   

   Whenever unwanted emotions come up, it’s important to recognize the underlying requirement that causes you to go numb (for example,
   I don’t want to feel this or think about that
   ). Using your bridging awareness practices lets you see that you are far more than your past traumatic event and the feelings you want to avoid. Making a habit of using your bridging awareness practices is important to feeling alive again.
   

2. Do an Emotion map. In the oval, write the emotion that’s affecting your life the most (for example, anger, rage, sadness, or numbness). Around the oval, scatter your thoughts for three to five minutes, without editing them. Write about your body tension at the bottom of the map.

Emotion Map

Body Tension:

______________________________

______________________________

1. Bubble your map, drawing a circle (bubble) around the thought that brings lots of body tension. Take a few minutes to scatter more thoughts around the circled item. Bubble any other troubling items.
   
2. Identify and list as many requirements as possible:
   

   ______________________________
   

   ______________________________
   

   ______________________________
   

3. How do you act in this state?
   

   ______________________________
   

3. Do the map again, writing the same emotion in the oval. Before you start writing, listen to background sounds and feel your body’s pressure on your seat, your feet on the floor, and the pen in your hand. Once you are settled, keep feeling the pen in your hand as you start writing. Watch the ink go onto the paper and listen to background sounds. For the next few minutes, jot any thoughts that come to mind.

Emotion Map with Bridging

What’s your mind-body state after bridging, and how do you act in this state?

______________________________

______________________________

Like thoughts, all emotions are from natural functioning until the I-System captures them. During the day, when your emotions seem to be getting the best of you, use your bridging awareness practices and thought labeling to recognize two parts of emotions: thoughts and body sensations. As you learned from this map, emotions can’t take the driver’s seat away from your true self when your body is calm. Try it right now. Stir up a troubling emotional situation, listen to background sounds, and notice what happens to your body. To take over control, your I-System needs your body to be tense.

Day Six     Date:____________

1. Jot the three biggest things holding you back in your life. Do they include your looks, brains, kids, lack of money, poor education, race, trauma, or something else?

______________________________

______________________________

2. Do a What’s Holding Me Backmap. In the oval, write the biggest thing that’s currently holding you back. Around the oval, scatter your thoughts for three to five minutes, without editing them. Write your body tension at the bottom of the map.

What’s Holding me back Map

Body Tension:

______________________________

______________________________

1. List your storylines:
   

   ______________________________
   

2. List your requirements:
   

   ______________________________
   

3. How do you act in this state?
   

   ______________________________
   

3. Do this map again. In the oval, write the same problem that’s holding you back. Before you start writing,listen to background sounds and feel your body’s pressure on your seat, your feet on the floor, and the pen in your hand. Once you are settled, keep feeling the pen in your hand as you start writing. Watch the ink go onto the paper and listen to background sounds. For the next few minutes, jot any thoughts that come to mind.

What’s Holding me back Map with bridging

1. What’s your mind-body state after bridging?
   

   ______________________________
   

   ______________________________
   

2. Are the things on your previous map what’s really holding you back, or is it your listed requirements?
   

   ______________________________
   

   ______________________________
   

3. Can you see new options on this map that will let you move forward with your life? List them:
   

______________________________

______________________________

Day Seven     Date:____________

Today, if you feel irritable, angry, on guard, or easily startled, or if you’re having a tough time concentrating, take a moment to tune in to your senses and use your favorite mind-body bridging tools.

1. List the situations. How did it go?
   

   ______________________________
   

   ______________________________
   

   ______________________________
   

2. Did you recognize your underlying requirements? If so, list them:
   

   ______________________________
   

   ______________________________
   

   ______________________________
   

3. Do you see that your I-System, activated by your requirements, causes your distress, limitations, and troubling behaviors? Yes ____ No ____
   
4. Can you experience yourself as not being incomplete or damaged? Yes ____ No ____
   

2. List any of the previous situations that still causes distress even when you use your mind-body bridging tools:

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

3. Do a map using the most troubling situation from the previous list. Write it in the oval, and scatter your thoughts around it for three to five minutes, without editing them. Write your body tension at the bottom of the map.

Situation Still Causing Distress Map