Using a container visualization provides a way to set aside material until it can be reprocessed.
When something distressing happens (an experience we are not prepared to handle) our brains need to review everything seen, heard, tasted, touched, smelled, and experienced in any other way in order for it to identify what is worth keeping and what isn’t. I refer to this reviewing ability as “processing”. That’s what’s happening when we go over something again and again in our minds.
When we can’t give something our full attention so that our brain can fully process it the memory or experience will continue to cause us distress.
EMDR therapy allows the brain to review unprocessed material so that it can know what to take from an experience and what to discard—much like when the body digests food and holds on to what is helpful and discard the waste that we don’t need. Until the brain is given a good opportunity to do this kind of processing we will still feel distress about specific memories and experiences.
Basic truths about reprocessing (learning from our experiences):
• It requires our full attention. The brain doesn’t change unless we’re focused.
• We can only reprocess the amount our system can handle at one time.
• We need to feel/be safe in order to review or reprocess experiences.
• We may not be able to reprocess some experiences by ourselves.
• We learn important information immediately, but need to fully review it to learn all we need.
How Having a Container is Helpful
Now here’s the thing....
We can’t learn about something if we are thinking about a whole bunch of things at the same time.
In therapy, we will occasionally need to work on focusing on one part of an experience or memory at a time. This is kind of like removing distractions when we sit down to do homework or when we need to listen intently to a loved one.
Sometimes we need to help our brain put things away until we can give them our full attention.
During EMDR therapy sessions we will be using right/left brain stimulation to connect what you’ve already learned and processed with unprocessed information you haven’t had a chance to review.
As we do this we need to take things a piece at a time so your system doesn’t get overwhelmed. This is accomplished by learning how to set things aside when we are not specifically processing them.
One way to do this is by having an image of a place or container to put unprocessed material in. This allows us to consciously take control over the amount of material that we will review during and in between sessions.
Consider this: What comes to mind as a place where whatever you still need to review can be stored until you can give it your full attention? It can be an image in your mind, or you can even use a physical container as a way to visualize the containment process.
Examples could include: trunks, boxes, safes, Tupperware, a vase, a cave, a pensieve (like in Harry Potter), a water tower, a tank, a submarine under the ocean. It can really be anything.
When an image comes to mind for you I’ll ask you to describe it to me in session so we can make sure it has a lid or some way to ensure that material stays in.
Once you have a container I will ask you to focus on it and let everything past, present, or future that needs to be reviewed, go into your container, in whatever form it takes. I’ll ask you to tell me when it is all in, or if you are having trouble.
I want to encourage you to begin using your container between now and our next appointment. Keep in mind that you’ll get better and better at using it the more you practice. If your container changes or develops that’s what needs to happen and that’s fine.
Typical problems and possible solutions:
Remember If you can’t think of anything/an image you may be experiencing performance anxiety—trying to get it “just right”. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to work.
If material won’t go into the container consider the following questions:
“Are you TRYING to make it go in, or just looking at it, to see what happens?”
“Is there any danger of letting it go in?”
“What do you feel might be keeping it from going in?”
If most of the material in the container goes in but there is some material that stays out remember everything you need is always available. What’s being set aside is only what hasn’t been reviewed. You’ve probably already learned a lot from your experiences and that knowledge is available whenever you need it. Once you have thought about that see if what’s left will go in.
If some pieces still won’t go in and there seems to be a sense of urgency in the material that probably means something in your system is REALLY ready to be reviewed. It is important for us to pace the work so you stay comfortable. Together we can decide the best time to target it, now, next session, or later. Ask yourself, “What specifically won’t go in?” Identifying won’t go in often produces additional insight.
Remember, we don’t place people in containers. Only memories, information, or concerns need to go into our containers. If a person is particularly disturbing to you just notice what happens when you ask all concerns about the person to go in.
Container Dos and Don'ts
• Do practice using it when your distress is low.
• Don’t wait until there’s a very upsetting issue. You won’t think of using it if it’s not a habit.
• Do use it for vague uncomfortable feelings and when you don’t know why you’re upset.
• Don't try to figure out what it is if you need to put it away (that’s reprocessing/learning).
• Do schedule a Re-View Time each day to focus on what you can process on your own.
How to use the container:
Whenever you can’t give concerns or feelings (physical or emotional) your full attention...or it doesn’t feel safe...or you don’t have time right the...say to yourself:
“Whatever still needs to be sorted through (reviewed), can go into my (name of your container) for now.”
Now you can go back to focusing on whatever needs your attention at the time.
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