Dear Nina:

Well articulated, your post above. My therapist’s first aim with the impulsive, highly reactive person I was, was to teach me how to endure uncomfortable feelings without automatically reacting to them by trying to get rid of the discomfort any which way. In that aim he employed many strategies, many tools:

Guided sitting meditations, disengaging from my overthinking brain and focusing on the senses (sight, sound, etc.), observing thoughts coming and going, focusing body sensations/ emotions- how it feels in the body.

Mindfulness exercises (moving meditation)- again, disengaging from the overthinking (wondering) mind and focusing on any of the five senses, doing so when walking, washing dishes, etc.

Teaching me assertiveness in real life circumstances as occurred; teaching me the concept of ILOC (Internal Locus of Control), that is making things happen instead of letting others make them for (or to) me- and in so doing, helping me be more resourceful and trusting my own ability to take care of myself.

And more. I’ll be back if I think of more but there is more. He was a multi disciplinary kind of therapist. Also I did lots of yoga and Tai Chi at the time and lots of exercise and that helped as well.

anita