Hey there,

Have you ever run into a client who struggles to access or benefit from a calming resource the way the protocol intended?

You walk them through the setup, they follow along, and they tell you they have an image, but something is missing. The felt sense isn't there, the imagery feels flat, or they return the next week and admit that when panic hit mid-week, the tool "just didn't work."

If you've practiced EMDR for any length of time, you've probably hit this wall before.

Container and Calm Place are foundational Phase 2 resources for a reason, but they don't fit every nervous system. Some clients struggle with aphantasia (the inability to visualize), others find imagery-based resources feel too abstract, and some highly dissociative clients can actually become destabilized by the eyes-closed nature of guided imagery.

When stabilization needs go beyond the standard four resources, I find it helps to look at exactly what clinical problem you're trying to solve.

I tend to spend several sessions with clients in the preparation phase, because I want both of us to feel confident in the tools they can use to regulate and stabilize before starting into the deeper work.

Usually, it falls into one of three buckets:

1. Acute Activation (The 60-Second De-escalation)

When a client is mid-panic or facing an immediate trigger, they don't have the cognitive bandwidth to mentally retrieve an elaborate "Safe Place." They need a tool they can deploy instantly without closing their eyes.

This is where controlled breathing works well.

Techniques like box breathing, the 4-7-8 pattern, or physiological sighs work because they directly engage the parasympathetic nervous system through extended exhales and rhythmic patterns (no abstract visualization required!)

Another good option is progressive relaxation tools, where the client clenches focused muscle groups and then focuses on the release. Going through the body, activating and releasing muscles, can be a great way to discharge anxious, panicky energy.

2. Dissociation & Flashbacks (The Present-Moment Anchor)

When a client is trapped in an internal trauma response or starting to dissociate, they need to be pulled out of their head and anchored into the here-and-now.

Sensory grounding is a great tool here.

While the classic 5-4-3-2-1 technique is a great entry point, richer versions lean heavily into somatic pressure, temperature changes, and proprioception.

These tools work beautifully because they force an outward orientation to the physical environment rather than an inward orientation to an imagined space. That said, using the breath (out of the mind and into the breath and body) as a present-moment anchor can work here too.

3. Capacity Building (Building Awareness and Widening the Window of Tolerance)

This is the slower, behind-the-scenes work.

Capacity Building is about building long-term autonomic resilience so reprocessing becomes more accessible during Phase 4. Long-form mindfulness, Yoga Nidra, and Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) are phenomenal for this. Not usually practical mid-crisis, but as a daily practice, they build the baseline meta-skill of noticing and expanding awareness.

A Few Free Tools You Can Share With Clients

Over the years, I've recorded a handful of these exact grounding and stabilization exercises as free guided tracks on Insight Timer.

They are built specifically out of my clinical work with PTSD and trauma, and you are welcome to share them directly with your clients:

>>> View the full resource collection on Insight Timer here​

A quick cheat-sheet of what’s in the library and how to frame them:

• 4x4 Breathing (1 min): A pure, controlled-breathing track. Perfect for clients who need a discrete, immediate circuit-breaker during acute anxiety or panic.
• Roots (4 min): A somatic grounding technique using a tree metaphor. It focuses on posture, skeletal alignment, and feeling the physical downward pressure of feet flat on the floor to anchor someone in the present.
• Spiral (4 min): A somatic imagery tool for managing a specific stress response. It's especially useful as a transition tool, either anticipating an upcoming stressor or decompressing from one that's just passed. Bonus: this one gives clients a lot of practice with noticing distress in the body, so when it comes time for EMDR they have an easier time with it.
• Place (8 min): The closest analog to a traditional Calm Place, but it layers in a somatic and sensory activation, which is ideal for clients who need strong somatic anchoring to keep an imagery resource from feeling "fake."
• 3 Step Breathing Space (Series): Based on the classic MBCT protocol developed by Segal, Williams, and Teasdale. The collection includes a 3-minute explainer talk, a 4-minute rapid version, and a full 11-minute practice. It teaches a structured "gather, focus, expand" framework that clients can eventually learn to self-cue without an audio guide. If I could require only one for daily practice, this would be it.
• Advanced Mindfulness Training (42 min): A longer-form practice combining elements of Yoga Nidra/NSDR and MBCT. This is strictly for scheduled, daily resilience-building. Clinical note: Clients with high structural dissociation should approach longer, eyes-closed tracks like this carefully, or bypass them entirely until they have more stability.

The standard Phase 2 resources cover a lot of ground, but they aren't a panacea.

Expanding your stabilization toolkit means you never have to force a tool that isn't landing, and your clients never leave your office empty-handed. The reason I offer so many is because I know not all clients respond the same way. I share all of them and ask clients to practice and experiment, so they can discover which tools work best for them.

Have you noticed a specific grounding tool that seems to click best with your clients?

Hit reply and let me know!

I’d love to hear what's working in your practice.

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Until next time,

Chris

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Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for informational purposes only. This is not legal or clinical advice and we make no guarantees about the outcomes or results from information shared in this document. Proceed at your own risk and discretion.​