As you know, Armored Heart has been generous in sharing what has been beneficial in her own therapy. The recent DBT suggestions she shared (did I get that right, AH?) prompted me to share an acronym I created for myself years ago, when I was suffering with frequent negative thoughts and dissociation. I used this for a long time; gradually my symptoms subsided significantly.
So, this is what I wrote in my journal:
...How can I counter these feelings? Counter. Interesting word. My feelings count and I don't want them to take me to the ER.
C--Comfort myself. Think about recent pleasant exchanges and events.
O--Opportunity to learn and gain insight about myself through reflection.
U--Unity with the people I care about--my "team."
N--Now is the time to deal with it.
T--Treasure sensory experiences, especially beauty and pleasure. Stay with self.
E--Embrace reality. Stay oriented through brief mental life summary.
R--Reach out to others. Life's meaning is in the sharing and giving.
There you have it. A slightly different version is on AH's thread. I hope someone finds this beneficial. RT, thank you for the suggestion to create a new thread, and everyone, please add your own helpful acronyms if you would like.
You really came up with a good one, so many helpful thoughts in it. I'm going to have to do some deep thinking and see if I can come up with any 