Using Therapy Tools Effectively

When you are introduced to a new tool or skill that you learn in therapy, one of the most important things is to use the tool when you don’t need it. If we want to maximize the effectiveness of the tool (breathing techniques, grounding techniques, etc.), then we have to strengthen it before we actually need it.

For example, if you are working on a sensory grounding technique to help with anxiety symptoms, we want to try that tool out in neutral spaces a few times before we use it to help us with the anxiety symptoms. The more familiar we are with a tool or skill, the more potential there is for it to be effective when we need it.

A hairstylist doesn’t pick up their tools without practice, a dentist doesn’t do a root canal without having first learned how to fill a cavity, and you shouldn’t have to use a tool you aren’t confident in or comfortable with! You can avoid frustration with therapy tools if you invest some time and energy into strengthening them before using them.

You want to avoid using a tool or skill for the first time when you are in crisis or trying to manage intense symptoms. Instead, focus on strengthening it over time so it is familiar and reliable when you really want to put it into action. The more familiar you are with it, the more likely you are to use it, and the more likely it is to work.