You've probably heard me talk about my course - Building Safety Anchors - a number of times now and maybe are curious about whether or not it's actually helpful. You're interested but the price tag might scare you off. Or you're waiting for the "right time". Or you've bought into other courses and were let down. I get it.
I of course can't make guarantees about whether or not my course will be of help to you in particular. I wish I could, but that would be unethical in my opinion. I know for damn sure that it's something I pained over to get it where I thought it would probably be the most helpful.
A BSA Review
I got this extended review/testimonial from a single Mother that took the course that might provide some real-world context. She has multiple kids in the home of various ages and took the course right in the heart of the 2020 holiday season. It shares specific things she got out of taking the course that help her anchor herself in the present moment and how its impacted her life. If you have any questions about the course or what to expect, don't hesitate to contact me at justinlmft@gmail.com.
Here's the review -
The first week I began, the challenges were doable. and enjoyable.
I enjoyed learning about myself (this was actually a great way to get to know myself!) through the challenges.
I found out that the exercises I like doing (like boxing, long-boarding, and dancing) are great outlets for the pent up feelings I get overwhelmed with. I had been hearing for decades about how other people channeled their emotions into their artwork, and had dabbled in it from time to time, but the angry images I kept making left me down-hearted.
As the week became weeks of meeting new challenges, seeing goals met and feeling more equipped, I was stunned to practice these new coping anchors in a space of safety. I felt silly at first, and as I kept doing the exercises I thought about how silly I felt when I was learning to long-board and kickbox; it was the very same thing! I was flexxing!! I was learning. I was exerting and creating new firings in my brain. I was excited to try out my newly acquired anchors and waited for the moment. I knew someone would trigger me at some point in time, lol. I've been living in Fight-flight and Shutdown for a large percentage of my life, tbh.
One thing I tried was building a list of music on my Spotify named Polyvagal. It's music from angry Rage Against the Machine, which pumps me up and gets me into a fight mood (pulling me up out of shutdown), and it slowly vamps down into Gorillaz and Siames which is mellow and fills me with serenity. I get to feel the burst of fury and slide it up the ladder into calm and safe --with my most powerful tool (for me): music.
Another surprise to me as an anchor was games! I had no idea how much a game could change me. My family and I sat at the table with a new game (Unstable Unicorns) and had to endure every single emotion without taking the game attacks personally. It was a constant (emotional AND physical) battle --in the game and in the body! We all had to watch emotions slide over each other's faces and not take their anger about our attacks personally. We had to combine forces to learn the new game and understand its every rule. It was unreal.
Afterward, the family drew far closer than before. My older kids have spent the last 2 days downstairs when usually they're holed up in their rooms non-stop. The younger kids benefitted so much, they ended up feeling like equals. <3
I really was challenged to find the strength and guts to press into the Special Space goal, as cleaning and motivation are low on the totem for me atm. I ended up climbing right in there and cleaning up a space that had been haunting me for years!
Justin, your words of encouragement and the fact that the goals didn't judge me EVER kept me going.
I have to admit that the holidays held me behind. I had to pull myself a little to get back on the goal wagon, but once I did I kept feeling the rewards.
I've got a lot of tools in my pocket now. The anchors I've been able to create with your help have changed my life, immensely. For certain, I no longer feel like I'm at the mercy of my feelings and hormone dumps. I now know that I can use my emotions and feelings that overwhelm me to give me strength in fastening to my anchors, instead. I know how to channel my energy, now --before it felt foreign to me, I felt very uncertain.
I want you to know that when you said that cognitive anchors may not work for some people you were right, and I needed to hear that. I'd been relying on memories to pull me out of funks, but when the funks slammed me, I couldn't pull the memories and that would lead me down a rabbit hole of self judgements and frustrations. Hearing you validate that helped me have empathy for myself and it also helped me pour more intention into learning new anchors.
At one point during these 30 days the thought came to me: I've been given a Ferrari and told "here's the brake, here's the gas, stay off the grass. Go." After building many anchors I feel like you've handed me the manual to my Ferrari and I am so excited to see what this puppy can do!!!
My meat suit sends me messages via feelings, all I have to do is listen, interpret and get going on what it desires. My meat suit knows the way. <3 Now I can, too. I give your program two big thumbs up!
So grateful, Justin. You've helped change my life and the future for my children --for the better! <3
Contact me if you have questions
Seriously, don't hesitate to contact me if you have a question or concern. I know making the decision to financially invest in yourself is not an easy one. I'll do the best I can to address your questions and concerns before you do so. My email is justinlmft@gmail.com .
Or you can also go to the course page to find out more and sign up.