Technique 1.228 Fire Drill (part of Internal Family Systems - IFS)

A reflective exercise to visit parts of your life and learn from:

Perform the following steps “…

Picture someone in your life (past or present) who triggers anger or sadness in you.
Imagine them in a room from which they cannot leave.
Watch the person from outside the room through a one-way mirror. You can see them, but they cannot see you.
Now have them do or say the things that upset you.
Notice what happens to your body and mind as your protector part kicks in (your muscles, heart rate, breathing, thoughts, and emotions).
Now look at the person through the eyes of your protector. Reassure your protector that you will not be entering that room.
Encourage the protector to recognize that you are not at risk, so it can stand down.
See if your protector is prepared to separate its energy from you. Encourage it to take the energy away.
Now recheck yourself. What changes do you notice in your muscles, heart rate, breathing, thoughts, and emotions?
How does the person in the room look now?
How would it feel if you were to go into the room and be with that person, self-led rather than accompanied by the protector?
Ask the protector if it can begin to trust you. If not, why not?
When you’re ready, thank the protector for the support it has given you and the new trust it has in you.
Take some deep breaths and return your focus to the room…”

Jeremy Sutton, 2022

Repeat this exercise regularly, trying to remember how it feels throughout your day.