What’s the Calm Place Practice? | Resourcing in EMDR Therapy
Before you ever process a distressing memory through EMDR, you’ll first build your toolkit of resources. One essential tool is the Calm Place practice, designed to soothe and stabilize your nervous system. In this blog post, we’ll share creative examples of calm places and offer guidance for those who struggle with visualization.
What’s EMDR therapy?
EMDR stands for: Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing. It’s a mouthful! And yet, the basic concept is quite simple.
EMDR is a brain-body therapy that helps you process distressing and traumatic memories.
EMDR is not about talking at length about what happened. It’s about accessing the parts of the brain where traumatic memories are stored.
Through a technique called bilateral stimulation (which looks like: self-tapping, eye movements, audio tones in your ears), EMDR helps you:
unlock a distressing/traumatic memory in your brain
change the neural wiring around that memory
and then file the memory away again — in a way that doesn’t cause as much distress as before.
So a memory can become just a memory... instead of a painful experience that you relive over and over again in the present.
This all happens with very little talking. You don’t have to spend hours rehashing every detail. EMDR works directly with your brain's natural healing processes.
→ Curious about the science behind EMDR?
Check out this blog post: How Does Bilateral Stimulation Work? | Why EMDR Therapy is Not Just Eye Movements
What’s resourcing in EMDR?
Resourcing is the initial phase of the EMDR therapy protocol, designed to increase emotional regulation and resilience.
The purpose of resourcing is to expand your window of tolerance, allowing you to confront difficult experiences without becoming overwhelmed.
Before you ever process a distressing memory through EMDR, you’ll first build your toolkit of resourcing practices.
This way, if intense emotions, thoughts, or sensations come up during EMDR processing, you’ll have a way to “come back home” to yourself.
Resourcing practices include:
Grounding Tree
Healing Light Stream
Today, let’s explore the Calm Place Practice.
What’s the Calm Place Practice?
The Calm Place is any scene that evokes feelings of peace, safety, and comfort. It’s a mental retreat you can access to soothe yourself during times of stress.
Here’s a recorded meditation, as well as a script to follow along.
Find a comfortable position – seated or lying down, eyes open or closed.
Take a few slow, deep breaths.
Imagine a place that brings you calm and peace.
It could be a real or imagined location, anywhere you feel comfortable and at ease.
Now, step into your calm place.
Notice what you can see — colors, shapes, textures.
Take in the whole visual landscape of your calm place.
Notice the sounds around you, near and far, and the direction they’re coming from.
As you breathe, imagine that you’re inhaling the smells of this place.
Feel the fresh air entering your lungs, filling your cells with calm energy.
In your calm place, there are resources you can access.
Perhaps it’s a sense of peace, a surge of creative energy, or a deep inner knowing.
Take a few moments to connect with these resources.
Notice where you feel the calm in your body.
Know that you can return to this place within you, whenever you need it.
Use the next few breaths to transition out of your calm place, bringing these feelings with you.
FAQs
How do I find my calm place?
You can recall a real-life experience, such as a serene natural setting or a joyful moment with loved ones.
Alternatively, you can create an imaginary scene, drawing inspiration from movies, books, or famous artwork.
The key is to choose a place that feels truly calming and restorative for you.
What are examples of calm places?
NATURAL SETTINGS
Beach
Forest
Mountain
Meadow
Igloo
Cave
Cottage on the lake
A tree in your favorite season (summer, fall, winter, spring)
PERSONAL MEMORIES
A comforting childhood memory, like playing with a beloved pet
A joyful moment with loved ones, such as a wedding, special dinner, graduation, or holiday
IMAGINED SCENES
A secret room in the Hogwarts castle
The garden in Narnia
A planet in a far-off galaxy
A scene from your favorite fairytale
How can I practice accessing my calm place?
You can practice Calm Place regularly, and across many different contexts.
To begin, your therapist will guide you through Calm Place during an EMDR session. You and your therapist will discuss what works for you and what doesn’t work, and adjust the practice to fit your needs.
Once you’re familiar with the practice, you can guide yourself – such as while lying in bed; before a stressful meeting; or during a formal meditation practice.
All you have to do is: 1) take a few deep breaths, and 2) visualize yourself in your chosen setting. Pay attention to the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings associated with this place.
Why is practicing my calm place important in EMDR therapy?
Calm Place can positively rewire your brain, making it easier for you to regulate your emotions and come back to “home base.”
With consistent practice, it can help you process distressing memories without becoming overwhelmed.
Can I use my calm place outside of EMDR therapy?
Yes! Your calm place is a personal resource that you can use anytime, anywhere. Whenever you feel anxious, take a few moments to mentally transport yourself to this place.
To enhance your access to your calm place, consider carrying a small photo or drawing of it with you.
What if I can’t visualize a calm place in my mind?
That’s perfectly okay. While visualization is a common technique, it’s not the only way to access a calm place. You can engage your other senses — sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, and more.
For example, you might focus on a sound, like the crashing of waves or a gentle breeze. You can also pay attention to physical sensations, like the feeling of soft fabric against your skin or the warmth of the sun on your face.
Another approach is to focus on a “felt sense” of being in your calm place. As you think about this place, observe what happens inside or around your body. You might notice a sense of lightness, warmth, or a decrease in physical tension.
IN SUMMARY…
Calm Place is a resourcing practice used in EMDR therapy, designed to soothe and stabilize your nervous system.
Your EMDR therapist will help you develop and access your Calm Place. Once you’re familiar with the practice, you can guide yourself anytime and anywhere.
There are many different types of Calm Places. You can choose whichever setting, real or imaginary, that feels good for you.
Looking for an EMDR therapist who can guide you through resourcing & trauma healing?
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About the Author
Liz Zhou is holistic trauma therapist providing therapy services in Denver, Colorado. She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults and couples heal from the past and connect with their authentic selves. Liz’s specialties include EMDR, IFS, psychedelic integration, and trauma therapy intensives for individuals and couples.
