mending-together
with Resources
Haven
Resource for Safety (based on "Safe Place" by Shapiro)
01
"Safe"
Haven is a resource to help develop a connection with (or “felt sense” of) feelings of safety. This is where most Resourcing starting, "Safe Place" is often the first imagery tool many people are ever introduced to. Some synonymous feelings that can also be targeted to serve a similar purpose are soothing, calm, peaceful, and relaxation.
02
Rest & Digest
Connection with these feelings results in a decrease in physiological activation as the parasympathetic nervous system, or the Rest&Digest (vs the Fight&Flight) system, sending signals to the body that everything is “okay”. This state of “okayness”, however brief, is essential to the body beginning to engage its healing (vs survival) systems and being adaptively processing distressing information.
03
Picturing safety
This involves the use of pictures or memories that are soothing, calm, peaceful, or feel safe. These can be real or imaginary. Focusing on the pictures/memories and corresponding sensations/emotions felt (or you would imagine to feel) engage neural networks which allow the body to physiological calm and adaptive neural activity to resume.
04
Give it a try!
Many guided imagery and meditation practices utilize visuals and pictures similar, you might have even visualized a safe plan for yourself in the past. Feel free to access any previous experiences that feel they would be helpful, or you may start fresh by creating something totally new for yourself from scratch.
Haven
