The Container Exercise:
Clinical Grounding For Emotional Containment
This is a short (4min 20sec) container exercise, often used after EMDR processing sessions.
After EMDR, it’s common for your brain to keep working in the background, you might notice emotions, body sensations, memories, or dreams feel a bit more “stirred up”.
This audio helps you gently park anything that feels unfinished or too close, so you can get on with your day and let your nervous system settle.
You can also use it anytime you feel overwhelmed, stuck in overthinking, triggered, or trying to switch off before sleep.
About the Container Exercise
After an EMDR processing session, it’s common for your brain to keep working in the background. You might notice emotions, body sensations, vivid dreams, memories popping up, or a general “stirred up” feeling.
A container exercise helps you gently park anything that feels unfinished or too close, so you can go back to your day, get some sleep, and let your nervous system settle, without needing to shut it down or push it away.
You can also use this audio:
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After a hard therapy session (any modality), when you feel a bit raw
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After a trigger, flashback, or intrusive memories
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When you’re ruminating or stuck in overthinking
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Before sleep, if your mind won’t switch off
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After a tough conversation or conflict
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When you need to focus (work, study, parenting) but your brain keeps pulling you back
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Any time you’re feeling overwhelmed and you want a steadier baseline
Please note: This is a grounding and containment exercise. It is not trauma processing. If you notice distress increasing please stop the exercise and orient back to your environment.
Developed by Dayna Taberner, Accredited Mental Health Social Worker