• Write every day for three to five days
• Write for 15 to 30 minutes at a time, in a place where you will not be disturbed
• Write down your thoughts and deepest emotions regarding what happened
• What you write may be associated with the past, the present, or the future, with your relationships, how to the situation has affected you, and with your wishes for the present and the future.

In the beginning, after the first writing session, it may feel difficult – but do not let that discourage you. Persevere and continue. Research and experience have shown that the next writing sessions may give you significant emotional relief.

Stress experienced after a trauma may not just go away over time, but in certain cases can stay unchanged in a person’s brain, triggering strong reactions when reminded of the trauma.

If you have a problem that seems insurmountable at the moment, the following mental exercise called the ‘rear-view mirror’ may be helpful.

• Imagine the future: for example, what would your life be like without the current problem? Look back in time.
• Try to figure out how you got there.

When a person imagines the future, they may weaken the grip that keeps them in the current situation. That may help them to see solutions and an escape from the situation instead. Try it!

• Sitting behind a desk, breathe in and lift your shoulders to your ears.
• When breathing out, let your shoulders drop heavily, loosening the tension.
• Look up, stretch out your hands one at a time like you were trying to catch the sky.
• Vigorously rub your whole head, tap it with your fingers. Lightly pull your hair, loosen your arms.
• First pinch and then pat your jaw. Yawn and say (sigh) ‘ahhhh’.

Find an intrusive thought
When you have found it, say ‘stop’
Say it silently to yourself when there is someone nearby
Prepare a replacement thought or image that you can use after you have said ‘stop’
Repeat a ‘strong’ thought to yourself, like ‘I can do it’, ‘This will go well’, or ‘I am in control of my thoughts’.
Practise that for 15 minutes a day
Use this exercise every time you have unwanted thoughts
Combine being reminded of intrusive thoughts with having strong thoughts

Imagine a TV screen in front of you and let the intrusive mental image fill it
Imagine having the remote control in your hand
Push the off button. Repeat the procedure.
If you cannot switch off the mental image, try changing the channel instead
Change the mental image in different ways

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Avoid suppressing your thoughts if it requires a lot of energy – pick a suitable time for addressing these thoughts
Do not engage in avoidant behaviour, which will prevent you from learning that the worst/the threat is already over
Staying constantly active will prevent you from processing what happened

Think about something else from the beginning to the end in great detail
Engage in your favourite activities
Listen to music or play an instrument
Read a book that captivates you
Watch an interesting film
Run, play ball, do sports
Play board games, etc., put together a jigsaw puzzle

„Imagine a big box, a container, which is large enough to fit every disturbing thing, without focusing on any specific disturbing thing or image. The box has a locking lid. You can also put a label on the box that says, ‘Not now, later’. You can open and close the lid when you want to take something out or put something in the container, a few things at a time. You may only open the box when it is necessary for understanding things, if thinking about it will help to better grasp the situation, or when you need to address your emotions or solve problems. It would be good to have someone to support you through it. The goal is to make addressing disturbing things manageable for you and for you to be able to choose a suitable time to address them yourself. Because they do need addressing. I have discussed avoidance previously.

You could also imagine a data file that you name and save on your computer. When you need to access the contents of that file, you will find it easily and it will not be able to bother you at an inconvenient time (e.g. when you are in a lesson or studying).

You can also create a container for scents or sounds. You can put disturbing sounds or words on a suitable electronic data carrier.

Imagine a river flowing and taking some leaves with it. Along with the leaves, the current is also taking away your intrusive thoughts – they are going with the flow.

Send strong emotions to space or to the bottom of the ocean.

• Inhale and exhale deeply 3–4 times
• Clench your fists and then relax
• Say ‘I am relaxing’ as you exhale
• Imagine holding anxiety in your fists and letting it go as you unfold your fingers

The last of the tension will go away when you shake your hands.

Name 3–5 neutral things in the room that:

• You can see (e.g. by colour or shape);
• You can hear (e.g. the phone is ringing, a tram is passing by, the clock is ticking, someone is talking);
• Your body is sensing (e.g. a wooden armrest, the chair underneath you, your back against the chair, your toes in the shoe).

• Adjust your body into a comfortable position. Focus on your breathing for a moment, notice how you are breathing in and out. When you notice thoughts, look at them like clouds that are moving and that you are choosing to ignore, and focus on your breathing again. There is no need to strain.
• Observe as your muscles (the muscles in your neck, your shoulders, your abdominal and back muscles) relax and your body calms down. Continue breathing evenly.
• Now imagine yourself being in a place where you feel safe and calm. It can be a place from your current life or an earlier time, and it can also be an imaginary place. It is important that you associate this place with feeling safe and protected in your mind.
• Notice the colours and the sounds, the scents.
• Notice your emotions and experience being overcome with feelings of security and peace.
• When your body feels safe and calm, you can add to that good feeling by gently slapping your knees with each your hands in turn; for example, left-right, left-right, for 6 times in total. This helps to store the good feeling in your corporeal memory.
• Finally, say to yourself ‘When I open my eyes, I will feel secure and calm.
• Adjust your body into a comfortable position. Focus on your breathing for a moment, notice how you are breathing in and out. When you notice thoughts, look at them like clouds that are moving and that you are choosing to ignore, and focus on your breathing again. There is no need to strain.
• Observe as your muscles (the muscles in your neck, your shoulders, your abdominal and back muscles) relax and your body calms down. Continue breathing evenly.
• Now imagine yourself being in a place where you feel safe and calm. It can be a place from your current life or an earlier time, and it can also be an imaginary place. It is important that you associate this place with feeling safe and protected in your mind.
• Notice the colours and the sounds, the scents.
• Notice your emotions and experience being overcome with feelings of security and peace.
• When your body feels safe and calm, you can add to that good feeling by gently slapping your knees with each your hands in turn; for example, left-right, left-right, for 6 times in total. This helps to store the good feeling in your corporeal memory.
• Finally, say to yourself ‘When I open my eyes, I will feel secure and calm.’

• Breathe through your nose – taking long, slow, even, quiet breaths.
• Try to breathe with your diaphragm. The diaphragm lifts on inhalation and lowers on exhalation. Relax your chest. It does not lift or lower much. You may put one hand on your diaphragm and the other hand on your chest. That way, you can observe which area you are using to breathe. Count to four when breathing in and out.
• It is important for the exhalation to last for at least as long as the inhalation. If you are focusing in the exhalation, it is easy to make the inhalation longer.
• Practise for 5–10 minutes every day.

• Bonus exercise. Relaxing breathing: when you breathe in, say to yourself ‘calm’, and when you breathe out, say ‘relax’.