Dazzling Wings: Bringing You Back to the Present Monday, October 12, 2009 Bringing You Back to the Present It sounded weird, even silly, when my counselor suggested it. How could it help? She told me it was a tool that had helped her more than once when she was triggered and experiencing PTSD symptoms. She thought it would help me too. The exercise is very simplistic. But it truly does help; I know that now. All you have to do is list five things you see, then five things you hear, and then five things you feel. You repeat this exercise listing four, three, two, and one thing(s) respectively. It is fine to repeat items. This exercise re-grounds you in the present moment, lessening the hold of the past event that is holding you hostage. It works! Give it a try. For me, I forgot to try it the first few times. So come back and reread this post when you need the reminder again of what to do. My prayer is that you will find relief with this simple tool and that you'll be able to then pray in the present for God's help in dealing with past crude and in processing the memories to the level that they can remain in the past as facts, not crushing emotional triggers. Posted by Tanya T. Warrington at 12:55 PM Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest Labels: Domestic Violence Awareness Month, God's Healing, Healing tools, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Response to abuse No comments: Post a Comment Newer Post Older Post Home Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom) Labels Abuse recovery (13) Action for Domestic Violence Issues (6) Anger (4) Author Interview (4) Boundaries (15) Coping (16) Damage from Abuse (24) Devotional (5) Domestic Violence (44) Domestic Violence Awareness Month (8) Doormat Thinking (17) Emotional Abuse (16) Emotional Healing (43) Forgiveness (6) God's Healing (39) God's presence (28) Good Friday (1) Healing Abuse (27) Healing Process (57) Healing tools (32) Helping Children (16) Hyper-vigilance (3) Immanuel (1) Incest (7) Journaling (5) New Life (30) Perpetrators (10) Physical Abuse (10) Poetry (22) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (6) Powerless (8) Rape (6) Recovery (43) Response to abuse (38) Restoration (16) Satanic Ritual Abuse (2) Self-care (26) Self-Esteem (11) Sexual abuse (12) Shame (19) Trust (9) Verbal Abuse (9) Warning Signs (17) Recommended Books 10 Lifesaving Principles for Women in Difficult Marriages by Karla Downing A Way of Hope by Leslie J. Barner Angry Men and the Women Who Love Them by Paul Hegstrom Battered But Not Broken by Patricia Riddle Gaddis Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend Bradshaw on the Family by John Bradshaw Caring Enough to Forgive/Not Forgive by David Augsburger Codependent No More by Melody Beattie Healing the Wounded Heart by Dr. Dan B. Allendar Keeping the Faith: Questions and Answers for the Abused Woman by Marie M. Fortune Perfect Daughters by Robert J. Ackerman, Ph.D. Recovery: A Guide for Adult Children of Alcoholics by Herbert L. Gravitz and Julie D. Bowden Safe People by Dr Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend Slay Your Own Dragons by Nancy Good The Cinderella Syndrome by Lee Ezell The Dance of Anger by Harriet Goldhor Lerner, Ph.D. The Search for Significance by Robert S. McGee Turning Fear to Hope by Holly Wagner Green When Violence Comes Home: Help for Victims of Spouse Abuse by Tim Jackson and Jeff Olson Why Does He Do That? by Lundy Bancroft Web Safety Tips If you live with your abuser, be aware that he/she can trace your internet activity on your home computer. It would be safest to use a public library computer or a friend's computer. When you leave comments on this site you can remain anonymous or use a new screen name. Welcome Being abused by another hurts deeply and creates many challenges. But you don't have to settle for merely being a survivor. You can become an overcomer with dazzling wings. You might feel worthless--but you are not. You are valuable to the creator of the universe. A new life of freedom, peace, and joy awaits. Facing abuse, ending it, and healing from it is a huge journey that leaves behind hopelessness, embracing new life. Just like myself and other abuse survivors, you can unfurl dazzling wings with the help of Jesus Christ. This journey is possible. I've done it and so have other formerly abused women and men who have shared their stories with me. Come join us on a life-giving journey of change. Helpful Resources Focus Ministries National Domestic Violence Hotline Peace And Safety in the Christian Home Project Safe Girls Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network The Silver Braid Times Up! Witness Justice: Help and Healing for Victims of Violence Email Subscriptions powered by FeedBlitz Your email address: Powered by FeedBlitz About Me Tanya T. Warrington Masonville, CO, United States For thirty-five years, I felt worthless. It seemed like I wore a sign across my chest inviting others to abuse me. Unfortunately, I had an abundance of personal experience with being a victim of domestic violence, incest, emotional abuse, physical abuse, date rape, verbal abuse, and spiritual abuse. And then I experienced being the mother and stepmother of children who were assaulted by a pedophile.I felt like a cursed woman. Since multiple people felt comfortable assualting me and then my children I assumed that there was something wrong with me. I had let me myself down in some unknown, mysterious way. What if God let me down, too? One day, in desperation, I prayed asking God to end the abuse. God heard. He rescued me. He continues to heal me. His kindness, grace, and mercy far exceed anything I could’ve imagined or hoped for. He has given me dazzling wings to soar above the pain of past abuse, spreading His message of hope: God does not approve of violence in any of its manifestations. He rescues those who cry out to Him. He heals the wounded. 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Healing Blues Mindset Piles of Shame Bringing You Back to the Present Mind Control Abused Wife ► September (6) ► August (1) ► June (4) ► May (8) ► April (17) ► March (3) ► 2008 (71) ► October (3) ► September (11) ► August (3) ► July (6) ► June (10) ► May (11) ► April (11) ► March (16) Disclaimer I share my thoughts and feelings on this blog about a very sensitive and personal topic, but I need to remind readers that I am not a licensed counselor or a legal advisor. Please weigh everything I say with prayer. Feel empowered to take what you want and leave the rest.