Creativity and safe places in therapy

 

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One of the most basic rule in psychotherapy, specifically employed when practicing breathing exercises and mindfulness it’s that of holding a safe space for content and imaginary exploration; a process of , enabling, guiding and holding a confidential place where clients can develop and examine their inner worlds and imaginary safe places. 

 

 Breathing exercises and mindfulness in therapy are very much part of a client’s inner dialogue that then is canvased onto a dialogue and communication with their therapist – the client/patient can create such images with their mind, exploring their aims and creating a safe place that can be reached when feeling overwhelmed and or distressed one way or another.

 

Colour and choice of colours are essential in breathing exercises and various forms of meditation and in therapy clients are encouraged to describe their emotional understanding of different colours and attach their own personal meanings. However that is not to say that colours in emotional terms are universal because that is really not the case but what matters most is whether or not there is harmony, connectedness and creating that emotional content whatever that may be.

 

Mind and body alignment and or emotional connectedness - it may sound as most encountered phrases for desired states of being, certainly some of the most sought after in therapeutic encounters and described as seeking restfulness, peacefulness and inner peace. In many instances, such meditative states are simply about readiness for day/s ahead, a very well established practice as daily routine and a timeout from a rapid  - or what it's felt as rapid - pace of daily life. 

 

One central premise when practicing breathing exercises with clients/patients is based around ideas of acceptance. 

 

Acceptance is not for things that can be changed, but for things that cannot be changed -  we can alleviate, address, enable, empower, live in, gain insight and all with (self) compassion and a wish for healing. There are situations when such practices are integrated into a larger focus for client's work as forms of explorations and healing psychological/emotional wounds. 

 

There are states of being that form part of who we are and in such states, restlessness and or a racing mind are the very ways of being that then need negotiating and peacefully asserted and guided to ways of coexisting with requirements of realities of our lives.

 

Another version of above thoughts was also provided to Counselling Directory for a wider reach to interested public with a recognition of aspects discussed being of importance to wellbeing of population at large.