Container Workbook by Embody Healing

2. When we go through life with the variety of
daily tasks that are needing to be taken care
of, while also carrying the load of various
possible stressors, we can begin to become
overwhelmed and experience symptoms of
anxiety, depression, and tension within our
systems. This might surface as us being short
with loved ones if we have been unable to
find ways of mitigating the stress.
I like to tell my clients to imagine their lives
as if they were a balloon, if you keep adding
more and more pressure to this balloon,
eventually it is bound to pop if there isn’t a
way to relieve the pressure.
We want to make sure that we instill tools
to help us release and relieve this pressure
before it builds up too much within
our systems.
One important tool that helps with this
process is doing container exercises.
A container helps to hold all of that which
we currently do not need to be carrying
or processing.
Imagine that you just received a ticket on
the windshield of your vehicle, on your way
to take an important test or have a job
interview. If this happened to be a
stress-inducing situation, playing the
previous events over and over in your head
could impact your performance and cause
further upset.
Container exercises help you to mentally
have a place to store memories, emotions,
and physical tension until you are in a space
where you are able to fully process them.
What are
Container Exercises?

3. Container Journal
What did you notice about your
body before you began the
container exercise?
Was it easy to allow everything
to flow into the container?
What did you notice about your
body and state of mind after
the exercise?
Is this something you can see
yourself adding as a helpful tool to
your self-regulation practice?
If so, when might you want
to use it?
Which different ways are you able to place things into your
container when you need to?

4. NOTES