my tool box

today in therapy, we starting building my toolbox. me being me of course, i redid the whole thing when i got home....my homework today was to add more things to my box. i'm proud to say that i added at least five things!

my toolbox is intended for me to use when things get really hard. when i have flashbacks/nightmares/intrusive thoughts, and all that other PTSD stuff. as soon as my tools are dry (i made them all out of craft foam, hot glue, and puff paint) i'll scan them in and post images. for now though, you'll have to be satisfied with a list of what i can remember...(i'm too lazy to go downstairs and look!)

~squeezing lemons-this is a relaxation technique that my therapist taught me. it's really simple-pretend to be squeezing a lemon with one hand. relax. do it again, harder. relax. do it again, as hard as you can. relax. repeat with other hand...this has been known to stop my leg from jumping up and down.

~humor...apparently, i'm a funny person, and my therapist says that when i joke around in therapy...ouch. i forgot what she said. but she did say something about humor being in my toolbox, so it's there!

~music/singing and making up silly songs

~art-of course! although, i'm busy with my art all the time these days (thanks Wounded Genius!)

~writing-this is something that comes naturally to me. i'm glad i have that outlet!

~exercise-i'm not sure how this will work for me, but i figured, if it's in my toolbox, i might try it out one day lol.

~take a walk outside

~telling someone i need help. saying what i need from them-this one is a real challenge for me.

~flesym dnuorg em spleh siht-sdrawkcab gnilleps

~counting-another grounding technique.

there are more, i just can't think of them right now. i hope to be able to scan and post them all tomorrow!

i also decorated the outside of the box, which was almost as much fun as making the tools themselves!