18/02/2026
Step 1: Pause and Notice the Feeling
Notice what’s present in your emotional landscape. You don’t need to name it yet—just acknowledge that something is here.
“I am here with whatever arises.”
Step 2: Locate It in the Body
Tune into your body. Where do you feel this emotion most strongly? Is it in your chest, throat, stomach, shoulders? Let the music guide your attention gently inward.
Step 3: Describe the Sensation
Begin to describe the sensation. Is it tight, warm, heavy, buzzing, hollow? Let the words float in your mind as the music flows.
“This is how it feels right now.”
Step 4: Stay with It Gently
Stay with the sensation. Breathe into it. Let it exist without trying to fix or change it. The music holds you in a safe container.
Step 5: Stay Curious, Not Analytical
Ask yourself: “What does this feel like?” Stay with the felt sense. Let go of the need to understand or solve. Let curiosity be your guide.
Step 6: Allow It to Move
Notice if the emotion shifts, swells, fades, or transforms. Like the waves of the music, let it move naturally. There’s no rush.
“I trust the rhythm of my emotions.”
Step 7: Offer Yourself Kindness
Place a hand on your heart if it feels right. Silently affirm: “It’s okay to feel this.”
Step 8: I am Here, and I Care
Begin to return to the present. Feel your breath, your body, the surface beneath you. You might journal, stretch, or simply rest.
“I am Here, and I Care.”
Begin to return to the present. Feel your breath, your body, the surface beneath you. You might journal, stretch, or simply rest.
“I am here, and care.”
Closing
You’ve just journeyed through your emotional landscape with gentleness and grace. Let this practice be a reminder: your emotions are waves, and you are the shore.
Helena McAllister | Certified IFS Therapist | www.helenamcallister.co.uk
