This skill can be used when you are in finding yourself often inside your head and stuck on your thoughts or feelings. I want you to imagine your thoughts and feelings as a train. Much like a train, thought and feelings keep going. When we get lost in our thoughts it is like we are on the train in one of the cars. We are not going to be able to stop our thoughts or feelings. But we can get a different perspective. Imagine looking at the train from and overpass or from the side of the road as it goes by. Get this image in your head. As this train goes by in your mind, simply notice any thoughts, feelings, or body sensations you are having and place them on the train cars and watch them go by and out of site. Simply just notice without judgement thoughts, feelings, and sensations. Place them on the train cars. Try this for at least a minute. This is a skill that will give you some distance from your thoughts and feelings. So instead of being in the thoughts, you are observing your thoughts. This can help to better see that fact that thoughts come and go, they will always come, but they will also go, and we can let them take their natural path instead of feeling stuck in trying to fix something we can stop. With distance to, we can choose what we want to do with these thoughts, such as buy into them or let them simply be. There is flexibility in being able to observe our thoughts vs being in them. You can try this with the train imagery, or imagine yourself sitting on the side of a stream that has leaves floating by. Place the thoughts, feelings, or sensations on the leaves. If you like this video and want to find out more about my approach to therapy check out my website www.peterbinnings.com. You can also call me at 510-761-6706 or email me at . I specialize in treating anxiety. I work with Adults and teens in the Santa Cruz, Los Gatos, San Jose, Scotts Valley, and Capitola Area.
