Maneuver Space: Sensitive Items

Volume 2, Issue 1

If you served in the military no matter what branch of service you were in, you learned at some point the importance of having space to maneuver. Whether you were maneuvering pairs of boots, a tank, a ship, or a fighter jet, having adequate physical space was essential to executing maneuver smoothly and safely. Likewise, when we encounter challenges in life, our minds need maneuver space to mentally negotiate difficult moments. This series will highlight each month a different brief cognitive tool that you can use in your daily life to potentially create more maneuver space.  Remember having maneuver space, or space to think, is a gift in life. Once you create it, use it to your advantage!

Sensitive Items

In the military, sensitive items are pieces of equipment that require special security and/or storage procedures to prevent their loss or theft. These important items are often locked in a secure container or arms room that can be opened only by authorized individuals. What about sensitive thoughts, feelings, or emotions that we might experience in our mind, body, or that impact our behavior? Is there a place we can secure them so that we can focus on life in the present and deal with them when we are ready? 

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy is often used to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A focus of EMDR is to ultimately help someone, “Put away or set aside disturbing memories, thoughts, worries, urges, or cravings until they are able to function more fully in the present rather than having their attention hijacked by the past or future.”[1] It often uses different types of ‘resources’ to allow individuals to create mental space so they can then potentially change how they process those memories. 

The container resource is a nice mental exercise from EMDR that resembles how we secure sensitive items in the military. It’s a technique that we can use on a daily basis to create mental maneuver space by stabilizing ourselves in the moment so we can better cope with challenges. This exercise works best when you listen to somebody guide you through it initially. Then once you get the hang of it, you can do it on your own. You can find similar container exercise audio files online.

Basic EMDR Container ‘Script’

[2]

Step 1: BREATHE. Focus on your breathing initially. If you’re comfortable, close your eyes or focus them at one point on the ground or horizon. Breath in deep through your nose, expanding your chest and belly. Think of the world calm. Breath out your mouth. Think of the word relax. Continue to do this for a few moments while noticing and paying attention to your breathing.

Step 2: CONSTRUCT THE CONTAINER. Start to imagine a container. This container should be something you would feel comfortable using to secure highly sensitive items. You have unlimited resources to construct this container so it should be something strong, secure, and large enough to hold anything troubling or disturbing. It should be well constructed, with a way of closing it completely and locking it if desired. You may now start to have an image come to mind. Just notice whatever that is—checking to make sure that it is large enough . . . and strong enough . . .and has a way of closing securely…What color is it?…How big is it?…What material is it made from?…What does it feel like?

Step 3: DEEPEN THE CONTAINER. Now that you have your container, lets get more comfortable with it. Any modifications you want to make to it? This is your container, give it a name. What is your containers name? Now…if your comfortable closing your eyes, try to picture your container in your mind. Describe it to yourself again as you look at it.

Step 4: FILL THE CONTAINER. Now that you have an image of your container in your mind, let’s go ahead and use it. Open the container now, notice the inside and all the empty space it has.  Start to put anything disturbing or troubling thoughts on your mind into the container…You may know some of the things you are putting in, other things you may not notice…Just watch the things going in. . . just let them go in . . . let it go in . . . anything disturbing . . . You don’t need to give these things your attention . . . You can just put them away for now . . . knowing they will be available later — when you are ready — to deal with them effectively . . . So just keep letting those things go in . . . taking all the time you need…not rushing…there is a lot of space…take all the time you need.

Step 5: CLOSE THE CONTAINER. Good, now notice your container and just see it….You can see it is filled but there is still room to hold more if you need it….Now close it…Feel it close securely…It is sealed now…What sound did it made?…Lock it now… What sound did the lock it make?…The container is closed and locked…Only you know how to open it…It is completely secure…Got it?…Okay.  As you continue to breathe just notice how you feel. What was that experience like? What did you notice in your body?

Step 6: TEST THE CONTAINER. Ok let’s test your container. The best way to test your container, is to take something out and then return it to the container safely and securely. Just like we took sensitive items out of the arms room in the military to use them, we need to return them now and secure them again. Before we test it, picture first in your mind how you are going to take the item out of your container…Do you have to fully open your container?…Or can you open only a portion of it to remove it?…Or is there a small slot to pull items out maybe so we don’t even have to fully open it?….OK…Ready?…If your comfortable, close our eyes and notice your container again…Call it by the name you gave it…Bring up the image of your container again…Describe it again to yourself. What color is it?…How big is it?…What material is it made from?…What does it feel like?… Now, what is a mildly troubling concern or memory you could take out for this little test run?..This should be something that causes some disturbance…but not a whole bunch…When you are ready, pull the mildly troubling concern or memory out of your container. You are looking now directly at this item from the front and center of your awareness…Notice any changes you feel in your emotion…or body…what do you notice?…Now…let’s put that item you took out back in your container for now.. You can see the item going back in your container…take as much time as you need….its back in there now…Your container is secure again now…it is locked again…Notice how did that feel…How does your body feels now?….Now gently allow the image of your container to fade…Continue to breath comfortably and easily…when you are ready, exhale fully and open your eyes. Your container is always available. If something difficult comes up during your week or a past memory, urge or craving, or future concern that starts to interfere with your ability to be in the present effectively, your container is always there to hold these things. You only need to open your container and look at these things when you want to, not when they want.

Securing Sensitive Items is Like Securing Challenging or Disturbing Thoughts

Secure disturbing thoughts, beliefs, or images in a secure container of your choosing to be opened only when you desire is a lot like being the armorer of an arms room that stores sensitive items. The container resource is not an exercise in avoidance, its more about securing sensitive memories for safekeeping, and knowing that these will be there and ready for the individual to resolve them when they are ready.[3] It is your mental arms room to secure sensitive memories. To keep them safe and accounted for until you have the mental maneuver space to deal with them on your terms.

About the Author: Mr. Bongioanni is a licensed mental health counselor who alsoworks for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He is also a senior leader in the U.S. Army Reserve. His professional interests include human behavior, applied psychology, and military cultural competence. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

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[1] Murray, Katy. Container. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, Volume 5, Number 1, 2011, 29-32.

[2] Adapted from: Shapiro, Francine. (2001). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.

[3] Murray, Katy. Container. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, Volume 5, Number 1, 2011, 29-32.

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As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.