You have just completed the next to last session of ERT. Over these last two sessions, you have been working on proactively imagining and engaging important actions and considering how you may feel conflicted about these actions and how this conflict can be addressed and resolved. In addition, you have been learning many new skills and practices over these past few weeks that have been designed to help you understand and manage distress. It’s our hope that you will continue putting the ERT program to work, now and in the future, in your day to day life.
We hope that the instruction and practice with your therapist has given you a stronger sense of self-reliance to manage life’s challenges; and we hope that, as you are more comfortable utilizing your ERT skills, you are left feeling more grounded and confident in responding to your emotional experiences. This confidence is not meant to be an extreme, self-sufficient, “go-it-alone” attitude; rather, it reflects a willingness to engage fully and clearly what matters to us and whatever emotions arise in each moment of our lives going forward. A shorthand way to remember this point is that you are beginning to Know ERT By Heart. You are now perhaps understanding the concepts, skills, and practices of ERT in a way that feels easier and more fully relatable to your life and personal circumstances.
We hope that the instruction and practice with your therapist has given you a stronger sense of self-reliance to manage life’s challenges; and we hope that, as you are more comfortable utilizing your ERT skills, you are left feeling more grounded and confident in responding to your emotional experiences. This confidence is not meant to be an extreme, self-sufficient, “go-it-alone” attitude; rather, it reflects a willingness to engage fully and clearly what matters to us and whatever emotions arise in each moment of our lives going forward. A shorthand way to remember this point is that you are beginning to Know ERT By Heart. You are now perhaps understanding the concepts, skills, and practices of ERT in a way that feels easier and more fully relatable to your life and personal circumstances.
We would like you to keep in mind the orienting, allowing, distancing, and reframing skills that you have learned and ideally incorporated into your daily schedule. Keeping up with the offline practices will help you make use of them the next time you are confronted with stressful and painful life circumstances and help you to formulate an effective counteraction. The proaction work you have been conducting in the second half of ERT, thus far, is supported by the same practices, which can help you decide the best way forward in relation to new and personally relevant goal.
Going forward, Clarity for Action remains available to help you face distressing events that arise. Clarity for Action is also ideal when imagining exciting and new possibilities to bring contentment, joy, and pleasure into your life.
At the same time, the upcoming end to your twice weekly attendance in ERT might result in quite a mix of emotions. Maybe you are feeling relief, hope, and pride, associated with a sense of accomplishment; or maybe you feel some apprehension and doubt about whether you are ready to use your ERT skills without the guidance of your therapist. For many people who complete this program, they describe a combination of all of these feelings.
Whatever you are feeling at this point, we have tried to make some space for you to explore what this upcoming transition means to you. This transition is not a complete goodbye to ERT. You will be provided access to continue using the online portal, to support your self-directed, Clarity for Action work. You will also have some time in your next session, to explore, discuss, and reflect on your participation in ERT.
Whatever you are feeling at this point, we have tried to make some space for you to explore what this upcoming transition means to you. This transition is not a complete goodbye to ERT. You will be provided access to continue using the online portal, to support your self-directed, Clarity for Action work. You will also have some time in your next session, to explore, discuss, and reflect on your participation in ERT.