###### Protector Toolkit The Protector Toolkit is a collection of safe and effective tools, skills, and strategies to help skill-up our [[💡 Protector Parts|Protector Parts]] so they're better able to do their jobs. This creates a stable-enough foundation for us to explore our inner-community through [[🕯️ Parts Practices]]. It can be helpful to take note of whatever it was that caused us to need this resource in the moment in something like a [[🛠 Parts Log]]. This way we can refer back and revisit those [[💡 Parts|Parts]] when we feel safe enough. > [!tip] Tip: Choose practices before you need them > Different practices work for different people. If we [[🔑 Trust your experience and intuition|🔑 find what works for us]] ahead of time and practice when we aren't [[💡 Emotional Dysregulation|dysregulated]] we will be able to more easily call on them when needed. > > **Our [[💡 Protector Parts|Protectors]] have potentially decades of practice at their current methods. It will take time for them to choose and learn new ones and for them to become as well practiced and effective as what we're accustomed to.** The methods our [[💡 Protector Parts|Protector Parts]] are accustomed to are well-practiced or even become [[💡 Habits]]. They know exactly where to find them and how to use them without effort. Practice [[🕯️ Mindfulness]] and [[🕯️ Mindful Moments]] to notice those impulses before the [[💡 Protector Parts|Protector Parts]] take over in order to help them transition. > > If you are currently triggered, see: [[⭐️ Safety Tools and Resources]] and then make a list of your own when you're regulated. ![[On Tools, Skills, and Practices...]] The table below is a collection of suggestions, neither perfect nor definitive, and they can be combined. | [[💡 Therapy\|Therapy]] | Tools | Practices | Assistance & Supports | | :--------------------------------------: | :-----------------------------: | :---------------------------------------: | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: | | [[💡 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy]] | [[🛠 Dopamine Menu]] | [[🛠 Ideal Parent Figure Protocol]] | [[⭐️ Safety Tools and Resources]] | | [[💡 Dialectical Behavior Therapy]] | [[🛠 Containment]] | [[🧘 Loving-Kindness (Metta) Meditation]] | [[⬆️ Medication]] | | [[💡 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy]] | [[🛡️ Self-Distraction]] | [[🕯️ Grounding]] | [[🦮 How to Soothe Triggered Parts]] | | | [[🛠 Anchors]] | [[🧘 Samatha Meditation]] | [[⭐️ Outdoors]] | | | [[🛠 Bilateral Stimulation]] | [[🧘 See, Hear, Feel Rest]] | [[⭐️ Co-Regulation]] | | | [[🛠 Safe Place Visualization]] | [[🕯️ Pendulation]] | [[⭐️ Community Care]] | | | [[🕯️ Grounding]] | [[🕯️ Breathwork 💨]] | [[🦮 How to Recover from Trauma#Phase 1 Safety and Stabilization\|Safety & Stabalization]] | | | [[🛠 Recovery Space]] | [[🕯️ Grounding]] | [[⭐️ Rest and Restoration]] | | | [[🛠 Pendulation Anchor]] | [[🛠 Self-Soothing]] | | | | [[🛠️ Cold Exposure]] | [[🧘 See, Hear, Feel Rest]] | | | | | [[🕯️ Simple Morning Practice]] | | | | | [[🕯️ Journaling]] | | | | | [[🕯️ Movement and Exercise 👟]] | | [[🔑 Exiles are capable of overwhelming us]], and [[🔑 Most parts can choose to not overwhelm us if asked]] but this doesn't always work. If we find ourselves outside of our [[💡 Window of Tolerance|Window of Tolerance]] and more in [[💡 Overwhelm|overwhelm]], and if our [[💡 Parts|Parts]] are unwilling to [[🕯️ Unblending|unblend]], it's because they don't feel safe. Sometimes [[🕯️ Parts Practices|🛠 Parts-attuning practices]] can create that safety, and sometimes [[🔑 We need Protectors]]. [[🔑 Emotional Regulation is not the end goal]], but when we equip our [[💡 Protector Parts|Protectors]] with effective tools to help them do their jobs better, they can help us with [[🕯️ Pendulation]] and [[🕯️ Titration]] and [[💡 Cognitive Load#🦮 How to Lighten Your Cognitive Load|🦮 lighten our Cognitive Load]]. If Parts Work were like learning to ride a bike then these tools are what give us the chance to put one foot on the ground when we lose balance. Once we're balanced again, we can move to [[🕯️ Parts Practices|🛠 Parts-attuning practices]] or [[⭐️ Rest and Restoration]]. If these aren't effective enough and more extreme [[💡 Reactive Protectors|Reactive Protectors]] have to do their jobs, please try to have [[☀️ Compassion]] for them and for yourself. [[🔑 There are no bad Parts]]. Our [[💡 Reactive Protectors|Reactive Protectors]] will eventually learn to notice the subtle signs of [[💡 Emotional Dysregulation|emotional dysregulation]] put fires out before they have the chance to overwhelm us. [[💡 Emotional Dysregulation|Emotional dysregulation]] will happen less often, be less intense, and last for a shorter duration, which reduces the risk of our exiles being [[💡 Trigger|triggered]] or re-traumatized. [^1]: