Helping the client experience an emotion as a wave that rises, peaks, and falls, rather than as an emergency requiring immediate escape.
Step-by-step guide
- Name the emotion and rate its intensity
- Locate it in the body
- Track its rise and fall minute by minute
- Notice urges without acting on them
- Use breath as an anchor, not as suppression
- Review the natural change in intensity
When to use
- During mindful awareness and exposure modules
- When the client fears that emotion will last forever
Key phrases
Can we watch this emotion like a wave?
Follow-up questions
Is it rising, peaking, or falling?
What urge appears at the peak?
What happens if you do not immediately escape?
Alternative phrasings
The wave is uncomfortable, but it has movement.
Warnings
- ⚠️ Do not use breath to suppress or push emotion away
- ⚠️ Monitor for dissociation or shutdown
Source: Barlow et al. 2018
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.