The Container Method for Processing Trauma, PTSD and Intense Emotions

Do you tend to avoid thinking about difficult emotions or memories? Have you heard it’s unhealthy to just “stuff down” all the hard things? In this video, I’ll present a helpful strategy to use in order to slowly and deliberately work on distressing emotions and memories. And it’s a resource that trauma therapists use all the time to help people.

PTSD and Trauma can create overwhelming feelings. The container method is a way to slow down the processing of them until you are in a safe place. It's often used with other trauma-healing approaches like EMDR, CBT, or other forms of therapy.


Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.
In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.

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[DaintyDiaries]

As soon as I click on one of Emmas videos, it feels like a hug. Always calming, straight to the point and easy to digest info. Thank you! !❤

[rebeccakimbrough]

I’m a licensed professional counselor who works predominantly with first responders, and this is probably the BEST description of the container method I’ve come across so far. Thank you for sharing this!

[edoherty]

You have a great teaching style. The clarity of how the info is delivered and the pace makes it easy to remember the whole lesson on the first try.

[PatchworkDragon]

I use an imaginary music building with a hallway full of practice rooms. The rooms are small, soundproof, and have glass doors - so I can peek in without fully re-experiencing the event.

[NoalDavis]

I hid abuse from family for 40 years so I’m nervous but am willing to try. Thank you.

[rosemarieleoncekealy]

Hi There ! Oh you don’t know how much your short therapy sessions help people like myself to navigate through the trauma that affects daily living . The methods you give us are practical that we can practice on a conscious level . Thank you and I appreciate listening to your sessions on you tube . I’m so glad I found your site .

[DanielCastielRiddjuheim]

Hello! Last vacation I got hit with my first ever anxiety attack and your videos saved me, in just under a month im going on vacation again and wanted to thank you for giving me the necessary tools to identify, bring me out of the evil circle and understand my bad habits that makes it worse. We have never met, but I owe you alot.

[vishaldk]

You are like a gift from God to us, didi. Thank you immensely for these videos. For someone who can't access a therapist, you are our main support. I wish that you always stay happy and healthy.

[louisesaw]

I love the idea of drawing something to represent the memory or trigger. Words can be really hard to access when triggered. When language center isn't accessible it's great to capture it in a sketch or image or shape or color. It can self validate that it was a thing and helps carve out space for it

[madhatterelacc]

Binge watching the videos on your chanel rn, you are a gem 😭 as someone who can’t afford therapy these are so helpful

[Dragonfly]

Crisis and trauma counselor here and when I was about 12 my precious uncle could see how emotionally overwhelmed I was from the pressure of being an elite child athlete and he taught me about the "worry box." He taught me to put all my worries on individual slips of paper and fold them up and place them in the worry box(for safe keeping) and then maybe once a week or once a month we take the notes out of the worry box and see how someone resolved on their own, how some were worked through by our actions and how some we left in the box bc all we could do was give it to God. I am 46 now and I still use the worry box.

[linzlu]

I think I naturally do this in therapy, but it's nice to have a name for it and to practice it more!

[MendeMaria-ejbf]

The method you are presenting seems to be similar to the methods of decluttering. In fact the issues and symptoms seem to be interconnected. Thank you for your tutorial. It helps me starting my day. ❤

[le_th_]

Thank you for teaching this. I've know young children who do this naturally when they've been traumatized and it did not bode well for them at all because they never unpacked those trauma boxes, they kept them locked and that early childhood terror is what they feel when they think of unlocking the (Pandora's) box. I think this is possibly healthier for adolescents and adults, as long as they get around to processing the trauma sooner (a few months) rather than later (4 months or long) after full blown PTSD develops.

[lindagray]

Great Emma. I learned this box tactic from Thomas Markle. Megan's Dad. He said to do it. So I got a small cardboard box and wrote on paper slips what was bothering me with anxieties and my fears. It does help quite a bit. When the thought enters your brain, I just said, No to it, its in the box and staying there, it gives you that breathing space to work on your thoughts gradually and helps your body to heal itself over time after trauma. So yes, it's a great idea to use.

[greeneyes]

We can all make a difference in the world, but Emma 100% has made such a huge difference in so many lives. Thanks Emma 💚

[alicewright]

I just realized that I have been too hard on myself for too long this video is letting me know that I need to slow down and take easy thank you so much your channel has helped me so much since losing my parents and getting sober for three years ❤

[rubin-healmysocialanxiety]

Great video on giving oneself grace through the healing process - beautiful video Emma!

[alexistokarska]

I wasn't expecting this, but turns out I was using this method during my breakup.
I was in a short but really emotionally chaotic relationship that I ended half a year ago and all the memories and emotions from this relationship didn't make any sense, they were already like unpacked boxes in my head. I just kind of left them here focusing on what's "open" and then the more time have passed, the more boxes started to open up sometimes by themselves. I did that, because I thought that hey, I don't have to process the whole relationship right away and my body will tell me when it's ready for the next memories. I think it's a great method :DD

[tammy]

I love this idea! Great ideas!
It’s just like compartmentalizing.