![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Kath on February 27, 2008, at 11:55:16
Hi All,
Sometimes I find it helpful to have other people to give mutual encouragement; bounce experiences/ideas off, etc if I'm trying something new.
I'm posting this in case any of you are interested. I am calling this method (that I learned at my first Group Therapy session Monday) "Here & Now" for want of a better name, instead of keeping calling it 'the method'!
The doctor called it a 'template'. It's to bring oneself into the present, as a tool to help not worry. I used it in the car on the way home & it actually worked.
Here it is for anyone interested:
It's using our senses (5) to get out of our 'head' focus in the 'now'. You say each sentence & fill in the blank. You don't need to do them in order. It's about noticing our surroundings & our present moment.
Say, "Now I Am Aware of SEEING -----"
"Now I Am Aware of HEARING----------"
"Now I Am Aware of SMELLING---------"
"Now I Am Aware of TASTING--------"
"Now I Am Aware of TOUCHING------ with (part of body)"
for ex:
Now I am aware of seeing the blue sky.
Now I am aware of hearing the engine of the car.
Now I am aware of smelling the hot chocolate.
Now I am aware of tasting a sweet taste from the hot chocolate.
Now I am aware of my hands touching the steering wheel.
Then I repeated the exercise, trying to notice different things. If I couldn't notice different things, & the only thing I could notice was what I noticed before, I just repeated that.
Then I repeated the exercise 2 or 3 more times.
I felt MUCH calmer. Quieter in my mind. Settled down. And those feelings stayed. When a worrying thought came into my mind, I did the exercise again 3 or 4 times.
I find it QUITE GOOD. I guess I could go through the day doing it as necessary!!!!
YESTERDAY - I used it again. I did it slightly differently. I found that for me, seeing & hearing were the easiest. And I noticed that when I said, "Now, I am aware of hearing the car engine" or some other sound, it pulled me into the present WAY more than any other sense. So I decided to just keep saying that one. So........
Now I am aware of hearing the windshield wipers.
Now I am aware of hearing the water splashing under my tires.
Now I am aware of hearing the gears change.
Now I am aware of hearing that truck drive by.
etc. It kept me RIGHT in the 'now' & was actually quite enjoyable. Felt one heck of a lot better than worrying!!!
YAYYYYYYYYY
SO - that's the method! Now if I could find one that works for depression, when that comes up for me, I'd be delighted!
:-) Kath
Posted by ClearSkies on February 27, 2008, at 12:13:32
In reply to Anyone interested in a 'Here + Now' group?, posted by Kath on February 27, 2008, at 11:55:16
OK, I am game as I'm having another crap day:
Now I Am Aware of SEEING the wind blowing furiously outside my window"
"Now I Am Aware of HEARING my cat crunching her munchies"
"Now I Am Aware of SMELLING spaghetti sauce as it heats up for my lunch"
"Now I Am Aware of TASTING tears as I cry"
"Now I Am Aware of TOUCHING those tears on my cheeks with my fingers"
The knot of anxiety in my chest is just a bit less tight having done this exercise.
CS
Posted by Phillipa on February 27, 2008, at 12:53:54
In reply to Re: Anyone interested in a 'Here + Now' group? » Kath, posted by ClearSkies on February 27, 2008, at 12:13:32
40 steps time. I'm aware of feeling spacey from percocet, aware of being a pain to husband, aware of him making noise, aware that I shouldn't be posting while under the influence of prescribed pain meds. Back to the couch. Love Philipa
Posted by Angela2 on February 27, 2008, at 13:00:33
In reply to Anyone interested in a 'Here + Now' group?, posted by Kath on February 27, 2008, at 11:55:16
Now I am seeing my fingers
now I am hearing the tv
now I am touching the keyboard
now I am smelling nothing?
now I am tasting hot chocolate
Posted by tina on February 27, 2008, at 13:31:28
In reply to Anyone interested in a 'Here + Now' group?, posted by Kath on February 27, 2008, at 11:55:16
This is how I'm living my life now Kath. I'm trying not to contribute to "stories." The idea that all those yapping voices in my head are telling stories (embellishing old stories, writing new ones etc. ) and if I bring myself into the present, I don't contribute anything to, or embellish or inflate the stories. I is working for me. With my paying no attention to the stories, my past is just fading away and the future is some unknown void just 'out there." It's quite calming.
Posted by Kath on February 27, 2008, at 14:54:19
In reply to Re: Anyone interested in a 'Here + Now' group? » Kath, posted by ClearSkies on February 27, 2008, at 12:13:32
Aw CS - I'm so sorry it's that kind of a day.
I'm glad it helped a bit. I found that it helped to do it over & over for a bit. As I said, I found it helped with anxiety & worry.
I'll try it when I'm feeling basically crappy also & see what happens.
I'm not feeling as badly now, as my friend, Christine has been at my house & it's been nice to see her and a distraction.
I send hugs CS.
luv, Kath
Posted by Kath on February 27, 2008, at 14:56:23
In reply to Re: Anyone interested in a 'Here + Now' group?, posted by Angela2 on February 27, 2008, at 13:00:33
Hi Angela,
The doc said it's really important to do these exact words:
Now I Am Aware of.................
And I found I had to do it more than once for it to bring me to the present.
Did you notice anything?
hugs, Kath
PS -how is your 'venturing out into the world' project going? xoxo K
Posted by Kath on February 27, 2008, at 14:57:31
In reply to Re: Anyone interested in a 'Here + Now' group? » Kath, posted by tina on February 27, 2008, at 13:31:28
Jeez Tina - this sounds wonderful. I'm going to print that out to refer to!!
luv ya, Kath
Posted by Angela2 on February 27, 2008, at 16:20:16
In reply to Re: Anyone interested in a 'Here + Now' group? » Angela2, posted by Kath on February 27, 2008, at 14:56:23
Kath, check the psych board I wrote more on there.
Posted by Kath on February 28, 2008, at 18:41:47
In reply to Re: Anyone interested in a 'Here + Now' group?, posted by Angela2 on February 27, 2008, at 16:20:16
Posted by fayeroe on February 29, 2008, at 14:36:08
In reply to Anyone interested in a 'Here + Now' group?, posted by Kath on February 27, 2008, at 11:55:16
Say, "Now I Am Aware of SEEING the blue sky.
"Now I Am Aware of HEARING J.J. Cale singing "Don't Go to Strangers"
Now I Am Aware of SMELLING fresly brewed green tea
"Now I Am Aware of TASTING nothing
"Now I Am Aware of TOUCHING Fayeroe, my dog
Posted by Kath on February 29, 2008, at 17:16:38
In reply to Re: Anyone interested in a 'Here + Now' group? » Kath, posted by fayeroe on February 29, 2008, at 14:36:08
((((((((((you)))))))))
Thanks for posting here. :-)))))))
hugs to both you and the REAL Fayeroe
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Social | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.