Containment Strategies

Containment refers to techniques that help you feel boundaried and held, especially when experiences feel like they might be "too much." These are foundational self-regulation skills that should be used liberally, especially by beginners.

Why Containment Matters

During TRE, the body may release more than anticipated. Containment provides:

• Boundaries: A sense of where you end and the world begins
• Support: Feeling held even when alone
• Presence: Staying connected to the here and now
• Control: Managing intensity without having to stop completely

Key Insight

More containment equals more capacity for release. Containment and release are not opposites; they work together.

Grounding Techniques

Grounding keeps you connected to the present moment and to your body, preventing dissociation or being swept away by intense experiences.

Physical Grounding

Technique	How to Do It
Feel the ground	Notice the surface beneath you. Feel the support it provides. Sense the weight of your body being held.
Press your feet	Press feet firmly into the floor. Feel the solidity. This engages the legs and anchors you.
Open your eyes	If you have been tremoring with eyes closed and feel yourself drifting, open them. Look around. Name what you see.
Touch yourself	Place a hand on your chest, belly, or thigh. Feel the warmth and pressure of your own touch.
Name your experience	Silently say what you notice: "I notice trembling in my legs. I notice my breathing is faster." Naming creates a little distance.

The 5-4-3-2-1 Technique

A powerful grounding exercise using all your senses:

Sense	Practice
See	Name 5 things you can see
Feel	Name 4 things you can physically feel (physical sensations)
Hear	Name 3 things you can hear
Smell	Name 2 things you can smell
Taste	Name 1 thing you can taste

This sensory engagement brings you back to the present moment effectively.

Movement Grounding

If you feel ungrounded during or after tremoring:

• Stand and gently bounce on your feet
• March in place
• Rock side to side, feeling your weight shift
• Do a few gentle stretches
• Shake out your limbs intentionally

Physical Containment

Physical containment uses body position and touch to create a sense of being held.

Self-Holding Techniques

Technique	How to Do It	When to Use
Self-hug	Wrap arms around yourself, holding your own body	When feeling exposed or overwhelmed
Foetal position	Curl onto your side with knees drawn up, arms wrapped around yourself	To stop tremoring and feel safe
Hand on heart	Place one or both hands on your chest	For emotional soothing
Hand on belly	Rest hands on your belly, feeling your breath	For calming and centering

Using Props

Prop	How to Use
Heavy blanket	Place a weighted or regular blanket over yourself during or after tremoring
Pillow hold	Hug a pillow against your chest or belly
Wall support	Sit with your back against a wall to feel supported behind you
Rolled blanket	Tuck rolled blankets along your sides to feel boundaried

Protective Boundary Visualisation

Imagine a protective bubble, shield, or boundary around your body. Visualise its colour, texture, and quality. Sense that nothing can enter this space without your permission. You are contained and protected within it.

Mental Containment

Mental containment uses thoughts and attention to maintain a sense of safety and control.

Reality Reminders

Tell yourself:

• "This is just a practice session. I am safe."
• "This is temporary. It will end."
• "I am in my living room (or wherever you are). I am okay."
• "This is my body releasing. I am not in danger."

Calming Phrases

Develop personal mantras:

• "I am okay."
• "This is temporary."
• "I can handle this."
• "My body knows what to do."
• "I am safe right now."

Safe Place Visualisation

Bring to mind a place where you feel completely safe and calm:

• It can be real or imagined
• Notice the details: colours, textures, sounds, smells
• Feel yourself there for a moment
• Let the feeling of safety settle into your body

Temporal Containment

Method	How to Use
Set a timer	Know the session has a defined end
Time-limited commitment	Tell yourself: "I will do this for 5 more minutes, then I will rest"
Remember impermanence	Remind yourself that all sensations and emotions are temporary

Breath Regulation

The breath is a powerful tool for nervous system regulation. During TRE, you can use breath to modulate your state.

To Calm the System

Technique	How to Do It
Extended exhale	Make the out-breath longer than the in-breath (e.g., in for 4, out for 6)
Pursed lip exhale	Exhale through pursed lips, as if blowing through a straw
Slow breathing	Simply breathe more slowly overall
Exhale pause	Pause briefly at the end of the exhale before inhaling again

To Stay Present

Technique	How to Do It
Notice without changing	Simply observe your breathing as it is
Count breaths	Count 1, 2, 3, 4... then start again
Feel the breath	Notice where the breath moves in your body
Belly breathing	Place a hand on your belly and breathe into your hand

Signs Your Breathing Needs Attention

If you notice:

• Rapid, shallow breathing
• Holding your breath
• Gasping or air hunger

These may indicate activation. Consciously slow the breath and consider using the brake pedal to reduce tremor intensity.

Do Not Force the Breath

While breath can be a tool for regulation, aggressive breath control can suppress natural processes. Use breath gently. If the body wants to sigh, yawn, or breathe deeply, allow it.

Using Containment Proactively

Do Not Wait Until You Are Overwhelmed

You do not need to wait until you feel overwhelmed to use containment. Use these techniques throughout your practice to maintain a sense of safety and boundaries.

Consider starting each session with:

• Hand on heart or belly
• A few grounding breaths
• A blanket over you
• Eyes open initially

This creates a foundation of containment from which release can safely happen.

Combining Techniques

The most effective approach often combines multiple techniques:

Example combination for moderate activation:

1. Use the brake pedal to slow tremors
2. Open your eyes and orient to the room
3. Place a hand on your heart
4. Take three slow breaths with extended exhale
5. Tell yourself: "I am safe. This is temporary."
6. Continue when you feel settled, or stop if needed

Example combination for strong activation:

1. Bring knees together to stop tremors
2. Roll to your side and curl into foetal position
3. Wrap arms around yourself
4. Open your eyes and look at something specific in the room
5. Name aloud where you are and that you are safe
6. Stay curled until you feel completely settled
7. Consider ending the session

Building Your Personal Toolkit

Over time, you will discover which techniques work best for you. Some people respond strongly to physical grounding; others find breath work most effective. Experiment and notice:

• What helps you feel grounded?
• What helps you feel contained?
• What calms your nervous system fastest?
• What techniques are easy to remember in the moment?

Build a personal toolkit of 3-5 go-to techniques that you can access automatically when needed.

Containment as Foundation

Paradoxically, more containment often allows more release. When your nervous system knows it is held and safe, it is more willing to let go. Think of containment not as restriction but as the riverbanks that allow the river to flow.

The Paradox of Containment

The container does not limit the process; it makes the process possible.