Practical Tool for Building Reflective Distance
What Is Reflective Distance and Why Does It Matter?
Reflective distance and containment are powerful psychological capacities — often nurtured in therapy — that help us navigate our internal and external worlds with greater ease and stability.
When we have reflective distance, we’re able to observe our thoughts, emotions, and bodily responses without becoming completely overwhelmed, reactive, or fragmented by them. Instead of avoiding or defensively cutting off from difficult experiences, we can respond to them with grounded awareness, compassion, and curiosity.
This ability is supported in therapy through a “holding mind”— a calm, non-judgmental, and attuned presence that guides us toward greater understanding and peace. But we can also learn to cultivate this ability ourselves, outside of therapy, by using practical tools to help us reflect safely and compassionately.
TICES: A Tool for Reflective Self-Observation
The TICES framework is a simple, trauma-informed tool designed to help you break down and reflect on your experiences in a way that feels manageable and empowering. By guiding you through each component — Trigger, Image, Cognition, Emotion, Sensation — TICES lets you observe your internal world piece by piece, reducing overwhelm and strengthening your ability to stay present.
Here’s how it works:
✅ T – Trigger:
Identify the external or internal event that triggered your reaction.
For example: Missed call from the bank.
✅ I – Image:
Picture any mental images that arise in association with the event.
For example: Your home being repossessed.
✅ C – Cognition (or Belief):
Consider the thoughts or interpretations that come up in response.
For example: “I am a failure”; “I am in danger”; “I am not good enough.”
✅ E – Emotion:
Identify the emotions you’re experiencing in the moment.
For example: Shame, fear, anxiety.
✅ S – Sensation:
Bring awareness to physical or bodily sensations you’re experiencing.
For example: Tightness in your chest, a flutter in your heart, sickness in your stomach.
Using TICES to Foster Grounded Awareness
This structured approach prevents overwhelm and instead promotes a grounded, mindful engagement with your internal world. TICES isn’t just for navigating distress; it can be a powerful tool for reflecting on life-affirming experiences as well — like feeling excited before a big event or experiencing warmth during a moment of connection.
Reflective distance is a powerful tool for navigating life’s twists and turns. With practice and support, we can all learn to observe ourselves more compassionately and respond to stress and overwhelm in a more grounded, constructive way.
How we can help
If you feel that you or somebody that you love may benefit from developing greater reflective distance, containment, and embodied self-awareness, we’d be delighted to help. Our team at Psychology Health Studios provides a range of therapeutic services that may be of assistance.
Request an appointment online for a time that suits you.
