Did you know that over 70% of adults report feeling overwhelmed by intrusive or racing thoughts at least once a week? Our minds are constantly buzzing, with worries, plans, memories, and “what-ifs.” Sometimes it feels like there’s no escape from the mental noise.
I remember a morning some time ago: I was in Barajas Airport in Madrid, Spain, with my three-year-old daughter in her travel stroller, trying to understand why I couldn’t catch my connecting flight to Malpensa, Italy. It felt so frustrating and stressful that even though we were speaking the same language, it seemed like the person I was talking to couldn’t truly understand my need. I couldn’t focus, couldn’t sit still, and the usual meditation felt impossible. That’s when I turned to a simple EMDR-inspired practice, and in just a few minutes, I felt a remarkable shift, enough that I was able to negotiate a solution to the problem after silencing my catastrophic and intrusive thoughts.
Moments like these remind me that the mind, though loud and restless, can be gently guided back to calm. Here’s a simple routine I use whenever the mental noise feels overwhelming; inspired by EMDR therapy.
Turn Down the Volume: A Simple EMDR-Inspired Routine
1. Create Your Safe Place (1–2 minutes)
Close your eyes and imagine a place where you feel completely safe and at peace. Engage all your senses; the colors, sounds, smells, and textures. Let yourself fully inhabit this sanctuary, even if only for a brief moment.
2. Gentle Bilateral Tapping (2–3 minutes)
- Tap your knees, shoulders, or fingers alternately left to right.
- Pair the movement with a calming phrase like “I am safe” or “I can handle this.”
- This simple rhythm helps interrupt racing thoughts and bring your mind back into balance.
3. Dual Attention Awareness (2 minutes)
- Bring to mind a mildly stressful thought or worry.
- While lightly holding it in awareness, continue gentle tapping or notice your breath.
- Alternate your focus between the thought and the sensations of your body, allowing your mind to process without overwhelm.
4. Future Calm Visualization (1–2 minutes)
- Picture a situation that usually triggers tension.
- Imagine yourself responding with clarity, calm, and confidence.
- Let this vision strengthen your inner resilience and sense of preparedness.
5. Ground and Return
- Slowly open your eyes, take a deep breath, and notice your surroundings.
- Feel your body supported, your mind quieter, and your awareness restored.
Total time: 6–9 minutes; a gentle, portable reset for any moment of overwhelm.
💡 Tip: Even a few minutes of this practice each day can help “turn down the volume” of a busy mind, leaving space for clarity, creativity, and calm.
This routine is inspired by techniques described in Dr. Francine Shapiro’s book, Getting Past Your Past: Take Control of Your Life with Self-Help Techniques from EMDR Therapy, which offers practical guidance for processing stress and trauma using EMDR principles.
With A Grateful Heart by Chris Gil 
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