What’s the Container in EMDR Therapy? (FAQs + Examples)
Learn about the “container practice” – a way to safely store difficult thoughts and feelings until you’re ready to process them with your therapist. This blog post will answer all your questions about the container: how to create it, what to put in it, and why it’s different (and healthier) than bottling up emotions forever.
What exactly is the container in EMDR therapy?
In EMDR therapy, we sometimes use a technique called “container.” It’s a protected, metaphorical space you create in your mind. This container can be anything that feels strong and secure to you – a vault, a treasure chest, even a bubble.
The purpose is to provide a temporary resting place for difficult emotions, disturbing memories, or negative beliefs that might come up during therapy.
It’s common to use the container visualization to close an EMDR session. This helps ensure that any lingering images, emotions, or thoughts from our processing stay safely contained – until you’re ready to open it again in the next session.
Here are the basic steps of container practice.
Get into a comfortable position, seated or lying down. Take a few deep breaths.
Close your eyes, or let your eyes find a soft gaze.
Visualize a container. Notice its shape, color, size, and texture.
Open the container.
Take a few deep breaths. Send distressing energy – thoughts, emotions, images – into the container. Allow the container to hold this energy for you. Feel the energy traveling from your body into the container.
When the container seems full, close it.
Put the container away, somewhere it won’t bother you (on a shelf, underground, locked behind a door).
Move away from the container.
What’s the point of the container?
HEALTHY COMPARTMENTALIZATION: Container allows you to acknowledge difficult feelings without getting swept away by them. It’s like putting things on a shelf until you’re ready to sort through them, at a pace that feels comfortable for you.
SELF-SOOTHING: This practice regulates the nervous system, helping you feel more calm and in control. Focusing on creating the container naturally slows your breath and reduces body tension. This signals your body to shift from stressed to relaxed.
MINDFUL TRANSITION: Shifting gears between therapy and daily life can feel jarring – especially for highly sensitive and neurodivergent people, whose brains are wired to process information more intensely. The container creates a smooth transition between therapy and your daily life. If you enjoy rituals, structure, and consistency, the container can serve as a grounding practice and a way to end every EMDR session.
How do I create a container? Can it be anything?
Yes, it can be absolutely anything. Creating a container in EMDR is all about personal preference. Let your imagination lead the way – there’s no right or wrong way, only the limits of your imagination.
The key is to visualize something strong enough to contain distressing energy. You can interpret that however you wish. The more the container feels like “yours,” the more effective it will be in calming your nervous system.
Here are some examples:
igloo guarded by a polar bear
cozy hobbit hole, complete with a comfy armchair and a warm fireplace
magical seashell
superhero’s indestructible force field
treasure chest that you throw to the bottom of the ocean
giant, fluffy cloud that gently cradles your worries
hot air balloon that carries negative energy away into the sky
antique vase
sturdy oak tree with a hollow trunk
personal library with shelves to hold memories, each labeled for easy access (later!)
suitcase with secret compartments and zippers
filing cabinet
What can I put in the container?
Anything that’s causing you emotional distress can find a home in your container. This includes:
THOUGHTS: Imagine those negative thoughts as words swirling around your head. With a deep breath, visualize them gently floating into the container.
EMOTIONS: Does sadness feel like a heavy weight? Or maybe anger feels like a burning fire? Picture these emotions as colors or sensations and guide them toward the container.
MEMORIES: Sometimes, specific memories can trigger difficult emotions. Imagine a picture or scene representing that memory and gently place it within the container.
It’s important to remember that the container is meant to hold things within your own consciousness. While you can’t put actual people (or other living things) inside, you can place a symbolic representation. For example, if someone’s behavior is bothering you, imagine a picture of them or an object that reminds you of them, and place that symbol in the container.
Is using the container like bottling up emotions? Isn’t it better to just deal with them directly?
The container visualization in EMDR is not about bottling up emotions forever. It’s more like a safe storage space you use strategically.
Unlike bottling up emotions, which pretends they don’t exist, the container offers a safe, temporary storage space. Think of it like putting away dishes after a meal. You’ll deal with them later, but for now, they’re out of the way and not creating clutter.
That’s why we typically use the container at the end of an EMDR session (after your brain has done significant processing), not at the beginning.
What if I can’t visualize a container? Are there other options?
The container exercise is flexible and adaptable. While visualization is a common approach, it’s not the only way. If you struggle to see images in your mind (aphantasia is the term for this), focus on creating a felt sense of the container. Imagine the security of a heavy vault door closing or the calmness of placing your worries in a cool, refreshing stream.
Alternatively, you can use external aids. Find a photo that depicts your ideal container – a seashell, a treasure chest, anything that resonates with you. During the exercise, look at that image.
For an extra layer of grounding, you can even hold an actual physical container in your hands while visualizing placing distressing energy inside.
What happens if the container breaks or leaks in my visualization?
In the vast world of your imagination, anything is possible. If your container seems to be breaking or leaking, that’s simply a sign you might need to strengthen it. Remember, this container is yours to personalize. Here are some creative solutions:
Imagine reinforcing your container with extra security features. Add thicker walls, powerful locks, or even a trusty guardian (animal, plant, person, spiritual entity) to protect it.
Visualize yourself calmly repairing any cracks or leaks. The container’s purpose is to keep you feeling safe, so personalize it in a way that feels secure and empowering.
If the container breaks or leaks repeatedly, it might be a sign that the emotions and thoughts you’re trying to contain are particularly strong. This is valuable information to share with your therapist, as they can help you develop additional coping mechanisms.
If I put things in the container, is it okay to leave them there forever?
The container is not meant to be a permanent storage unit. While thoughts, emotions, and memories can rest there temporarily, they hold energy that can eventually be transformed into valuable insights.
During EMDR sessions, we’ll revisit the container in a safe, controlled setting. You’ll open the container and work through its contents at a pace that feels comfortable for you.
Is the container exercise something I do only in therapy, or can I use it outside of sessions too?
The container technique isn’t just for therapy. This tool can be used anywhere, anytime you feel overwhelmed.
Feeling anxious before a presentation? Imagine placing nervous energy and self-critical thoughts into your container.
Stressed out from a rough work day? Slide that energy into your container during your commute home.
At your next therapy session, you can open that container and receive support in processing its contents.
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About the Author
Liz Zhou is holistic trauma therapist providing virtual therapy services in 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 therapy intensives.
