Lisa's Corner 
Summer 2013
June 05, 2013
The Summer Season is upon us (we hope) and with it comes a time that seems more relaxed and easy in Minnesota. We also are very conscience of our time. I want to take a little bit of time to encourage you to continue your sessions this summer. Even though things may seem to be going smooth the issues that brought you on this journey do not just magically go away. This can be a time where we enjoy the weather and work on our goals. I am hoping that we may have an outside table available to work at if we so desire.
I also would like to take this time to teach another skill. If you have been taught a calm place continue to read. If not ask me to teach that skill to you and then check back to read this entry.
Lisa Marie
Four Elements:
EARTH: GROUNDING, SAFETY in the PRESENT/REALITY: Take a minute or two to “land” and be here now. Place both feet on the ground and feel the chair supporting you. Look around and notice three new things. What do you see? What do you hear?
AIR: BREATHING FOR CENTERING: You can use your favorite breathing exercise here. Another option is to breathe in through your nose as you count four seconds, then hold it for two, then breathe out for four seconds. Take about a dozen deep, slow breaths like this.
WATER: CALM and CONTROLLED to switch on the RELAXATION RESPONSE: Check to see if you have saliva in your mouth. Make more saliva by moving your tongue around and imagining that taste of a lemon (or chocolate). When you are anxious or stressed, our mouth often “dries” because part of the stress emergency response involved in “fight or flight” shuts off the digestive system. So it seems that when you start making saliva, you switch on the digestive system again and the associated relaxation response. That’s a theory used to explain why people are offered water or tea or chewing gum after a difficult experience. If you have difficulty making saliva, then start yourself off with a sip of water.
FIRE: LIGHT UP the path of your IMAGINATION: Bring up the image of your CALM PLACE or some other positive resource. Where do you feel it in your body?
As you combine all four elements, remind yourself that you can continue to feel the SECURITY NOW of your feet on the GROUND; feel CENTERED as you BREATH in and out; feel CALM and in CONTROL a you produce more SALIVA; and you can let the FIRE LIGHT the path to your IMAGINATION to bring up an IMAGE of a place where you feel CALM Place or a memory in which you felt good about yourself
