Stories

I’m called Ben, I’m 10 years old but will be 11 soon.

I wanted to tell you the story of the time I went to see a Tipi counsellor, Elizabeth.

«Why did you come to see me, Ben?»

«Because I saw an attack in my local town square, it upset me, it haunted me, at home, at school, everywhere, very often.

«And it made you afraid?

«Yes, and I was upset as well.»

«What made you come to see me?»

«My big sister had already come and it helped her. When my mum suggested I should come and I told her I wanted to too.»

«Thank you, Ben. Can I ask, do you still think about this incident, this attack, that haunts you all the time?

«I sometimes think about it, it even comes into my head, but it doesn’t make me afraid anymore, it doesn’t upset me anymore.»

«So Ben, now you have learned how to do it for yourself, how would you explain it to a friend?»

«When an emotion arrives, you need to close your eyes, try to feel 2-3 places where you have sensations that are not normal, then you let the body do its thing. It can last for a very short period of time, and when you don’t feel anything anymore you can re-open your eyes. You can then ask what made you afraid if it doesn’t scare you anymore. If it comes back, you can use the emotional regulation again, and it will usually go away.»