The Sedona Method is a self-help method for letting go of difficult feelings.
Learn how it works, its pros and cons, and tips to try it.
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So what are you supposed to do with your emotions, exactly?
!and it is.
Like many other healing methods or mental health tools, its not for everyone.
licensed psychotherapist and chief clinical officer at D’Amore Mental Health
Using a series of questions, the procedure enables people to recognize and release these feelings.
What does the Sedona Method entail, exactly, and who can benefit?
Heres what you should know.
What is the Sedona Method?
(If the Sedona Method had a theme song, itd be Frozens Let It Go.)
Essentially, most of us have been taught to suppress our emotions for one reason or another.
The Sedona Method seeks to teach you how to feel your feelings and move onwithout getting attached.
Using a series of questions, the procedure enables people to recognize and release these feelings.
The method was developed in the 1970s by Lester Levenson, an American physicist and entrepreneur.
licensed psychotherapist and chief clinical officer at D’Amore Mental Health
It was later made famous by Hale Dwoskin, a mentee of Levenson.
In 2003, Dwoskin authoredThe Sedona Method, a book about the practice.
In essence, the method offers a simple process for acknowledging and releasing your emotions.
The principal way to try the method is by reading Dwoskins book.
However, there are no studies on The Sedona Method published in any scientific journals.
How does the Sedona Method work?
Heres what working through those techniques looks like.
Step two is to ask yourself these three questions:Could I let this feeling go?
Could I allow this feeling to be here?
Step three is to ask yourself:Would Ilet this feeling go?
The goal of this question is to judge your willingness to do so.
Willingness is key here, Tucker says.
No matter what your final answer is, move on to step four.
Step four is to ask yourself: When?
The implied answer is now.
To truly let go, youll want to nix any attachment towards that particular emotion, Tucker says.
It might take several rounds of running through these questions to feel relief, she says.
If new emotions or layers of the original emotion come up, apply this process again, she says.
For example, you may start with letting go of grief only to find that anger is underneath.
To do this, it’s crucial that you stop resisting the feeling.
Concentrate on your breaths.
Relax into the feeling.
If you get stuck, he recommends switching to one of the other techniques for releasing.
What are the 4 basic wants of the Sedona Method?
Underpinning the Sedona Method is the concept of four basic wants.
These wants are part of the process because they usually serve as foundations for our emotions, Tucker says.
(For example, are you fearful of getting married because you want more independence?)
Then, you have the option to explore, then let go of that want along with the emotion.
Below, read more about each of the wants and how they might show up.
Approval or disapproval
Wanting approval is the need for others recognition, love, and acceptance, Tucker says.
If you want it, its likely because you feel like you dont have it.
Disapproval, on the other hand, is a bit trickier to conceptualize.
(After all, most of us dont go around trying to piss people off.)
To control or be controlled
If you want control, you probably feel like you dont have any.
This may manifest in resistance to whats happening to you or the person or thing thats controlling you.
Security or insecurity
Wanting security is wanting safety, stability, and comfort, Tucker says.
This desire generally means you dont have it.
You may feel like youre in survival mode.
If you want separation, you may constantly be trying to differentiate yourself from others.
When you want oneness, you wish to belong, likely feeling alone or isolated.
What are the 9 emotional states of the Sedona Method?
They come in handy as you name and acknowledge what youre feeling.
9 emotional states of the Sedona Method
Is the Sedona Method effective?
For instance, EFT has been found to significantly reduce symptoms ofanxiety6,depression7, andPTSD8in numerous clinical trials.
Mindfulness practices, as supported by extensive research, have been shown to improveemotional regulation and reduce stress9.
And depression and anxiety were effectively reduced by emotion-focused treatments, which are comparable to the Sedona Method.
Some people find that it helps them achieve lasting happiness by addressing deep-rooted emotional problems, Tucker adds.
This doesnt mean it cant help, but its worth considering before you drink the Kool-Aid.
How long does the Sedona Method take?
The Sedona Method isnt a one-and-done process.
(Think ofmeditating, for example.
After a while, it may even become second nature.
Like most self-help techniques, it works best with frequent repetition over time, English says.
So if you want to see real results from the method, practice regularly.
And above all, be patient.
Be gentle with yourself, she adds.
Releasing deep-seated emotions takes time.
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