TIPI Method: fight against your phobia in 30 seconds only!

I would like to talk about the TIPI method. It is a simple technic you can use to end up your phobia. It can also be applied to many other emotional sufferings.

What is the difference between fears and phobia?

There is a great difference between the two:

• phobia is irrational

• a fear is ‘justified’

For instance, having a spider phobia is an irrational fear because there is no real danger. The danger is real only in your mind. However, a fear response to a man with a gun is rational, because there is a real threat.

What is the TIPI method?

It’s a technic to control emotions, invented by the French educational adviser Luc Nicon.

TIPI means ‘Technique d’Identification sensorielle des Peurs Inconscientes’ (= Sensory Identification Technique of Unconscious Fears). It’s all about spotting the mechanisms linked to your fears and learn how to quickly regulate them. The goal is to be able to do it without even thinking about it.

These mechanisms manifest as physical sensations such as: sweaty palms, shivers, stomach ache, difficulties to breath,… Luckily, we are all able to listen to these feelings and naturally control the emotional issues they produce.

How to fight against your phobia in 30 seconds?

There are 6 steps that you can use for any kind of situation that could require an emotional control.

1. Face your fear.

Let’s say you have acrophobia (fears of heights).

You are afraid, maybe your are angry at yourself because you are afraid, you are agitated, everything melts in your head, you are unable to move or think, you are shaking,…

No choice: you must grasp the nettle. Or, to be clearer, it’s not about fighting against your feelings, but embrace them. It’s all about be integral with emotions, and not confront them.

If you can’t encounter a situation linked to your phobia, I suggest you to try visualisation. Imagine the situation. If you really have a phobia, imagination only is enough to have your body react. Visualisation is an efficient tool to control your fears.

2. Close your eyes.

It allows you to focus on yourself only, and forget about external stimuli.

Following the previous example, if you are afraid of heights, you don’t have to pay attention to the gap in front of you, or think about the height that you are at. Closing your eyes, you will start to accept the situation.

3. Focus on your physical sensations.

You have to analyze the physical sensation you are currently feeling. How is your body responding? Do you have sweaty palms, stomach ache, difficulties to breathe,…?

Focusing on your body helps you not to think too much about possible scenarios, and allows you to focus only on the present. Doing this, you will help your body to unconsciously regulate its emotions.

4. Let your sensations change.

Focusing on your physical feelings, you will slowly notice that your sensations are changing. Some are stronger, while some others are disappearing.

5. Observe and welcome.

You are a spectator, and you look at your sensations as if it was a show in front of you. Welcome them without any judgement. Just live the situation as a neutral experience: it’s not bad nor good.

6. Wait for the storm to end.

Once you went through all the previous steps, you will start feeling calm, appeased.

The average length of coming back to a ‘normal state’ (calm mind and full moving/thinking capacities) is about 30 seconds. Of course, it depends on the person. The more you will practice this method, the more it will be quick and efficient, until you don’t need to do it anymore.

Follow the 6 steps of emotional control every time you feel the need. It is said that 5 to 10 utilisations are required before feeling a concrete and more sustainable change. Thanks to this technic, your brain will more focus on the present, rather than on the possible scenarios. It is a highly efficient technic to overcome your phobias on the long term.

---

Follow Guillaume

Blog: MrBienEtre.fr