This technique is known by various names including the Safe Place, Calm Place, Healing Place, Sacred Place, and Mini Mental Vacation. This is found and often used within EMDR, Hypnosis, and other therapies.
In EMDR specifically, this resource invites you to close your eyes and visualize a location where you feel secure, calm, or at peace. Focus on the details of this place—its colors, sounds, and other sensory features. It might be a serene beach, a quiet forest, or any setting that brings relaxation. While you concentrate on the positive sensations, bilateral stimulation (BLS), such as tapping or eye movements, can be used to strengthen the connection to this soothing experience. You might also incorporate the Butterfly Hug as you engage with this visualization. To easily recall this resource later, associate it with a cue word that evokes the same positive feelings. Practice recalling your safe or calm place while noticing the positive sensations it brings, followed by additional BLS. To test its effectiveness, think of a minor, slightly unsettling memory. Then, focus on your safe or calm place and notice any shifts in your body, enhancing the association with further BLS.