I recently used this metaphor with a lady with needle phobia that regularly needed to be cannulated to receive cancer treatment. She hated the experience and had the urge to rip the needle out of her arm. Having the treatment was in line with her values as she wanted to live.
‘Have you ever stood on the edge of a cliff or the balcony of a high rise building when you’ve suddenly had the thought ‘what if I jump’? (most people have had that experience and she said ‘yes’). How did you feel? Did you ever think that you would actually jump? Did you know that you were in control over whether you jumped or not? Must people experience a surge of anxiety but know that they would never jump.
What if it’s the same when the needle is put in your arm and you are attached to the drip?
You can’t control the thought (what if I jumped/pulled the cannula out of my arm?), but you have a choice to jump or to stand back and admire the view?
This lady felt much calmer in the subsequent cancer treatment sessions and said that she was able to sit back and observe her thoughts rather than buying them.
Although I used this with a lady with needle phobia it could easily be used with any situation where the client fuse with a thought and believe that they might act on it.