Emotional Toolbox Imagery techniques are an Emotional dispute using the power of the imagination. This is aimed at gaining a sense of control in terms of managing your feelings. It has particular value when it comes to checking out whether a new rational alternative will actually work for you. Rational emotive imagery Using the power of your imagination, REI can prepare you to deal with situations you would rather avoid because of anxiety. The steps, showing an illustrative example, are as follows: Procedure 1. Imagine, vividly and clearly, the event or situation with which you have trouble. 2. Allow yourself to feel - strongly - the self-defeating emotion which follows. 3. Note the thoughts creating that emotion. 4. Force the emotion to change to a more functional (but realistic) feeling. It is possible to do this, even though briefly. 5. Note the thoughts you used to change the emotion. 6. Practice the technique daily for a while. Coping rehearsal Coping rehearsal is a variation of rational-emotive imagery. You imagine experiencing the dysfunctional reaction you anticipate, then imagine yourself changing the self-defeating thinking involved, and feeling and behaving in more functional ways. Here are the steps you would follow: 1. Do a rational self-analysis. (website link or use "Choose to be Happy") 2. Vividly imagine yourself in the situation you are concerned about. 3. Feel the emotions that follow and see yourself behaving in the self-defeating ways you anticipate, and repeating the self-defeating beliefs you listed in the analysis. 4. Then imagine yourself (still in the situation) disputing and replacing those self-defeating beliefs, using the rational alternatives you developed with your analysis. Feel your negative emotion reducing to a level you can handle, and visualise yourself acting appropriately. You can use this to prepare yourself for many situations - behaving assertively, giving a talk, coping with a job interview, negotiating a contract, and so on. The 'blow-up' technique Use the power of humour to get a feared situation into perspective. Imagine whatever it is you fear happening, then blow it up out of all proportion till you cannot help but be amused by it. Laughing at your fears will help you get control of them. Let's say, for example, you are afraid to assert yourself with a co-worker who dumps her work onto you. Visualise yourself telling her how you feel about it. See her accusing you loudly of being selfish and unwilling to work as part of a team, the rest of the office gathering around and agreeing with her, management called in to deal with you, the police called to take you away, your picture and a description of your actions on the television news, the country in uproar, the Government passing an Act to have you personally restrained from ever confronting anyone again, the army, complete with tanks and artillery, patrolling your workplace to make sure you stay in line. Time projection This technique is designed to show that one's life, and the world in general, continue after a feared or unwanted event has come and gone. Visualise the unwanted event occurring, then imagine going forward in time a week, then a month, then six months, then a year, two years, and so on. Consider how you will be feeling at each of these points in time. You will eventually see that life will go on, even though you may need to make some adjustments. You can use this with a range of events and circumstances, such as actual or feared redundancy, loss of a contract, business failure, reduction in income, death of a loved one, disability, failure to pass an examination, and so on.