08/19/2026
Low-stakes, interactive tools help set up clients for success in low-stakes situations. State-shifting is the goal!
State-shifting is the ability to shift from one state to another. In this context, a state is a familiar, felt sense of an embodied emotion. Each client has a unique set of internal states that they can identify, including both comfortable and uncomfortable.
State-shifting is used to guide clients back into their window of tolerance and resolve prediction errors by learning the skills and concepts of prediction, self-awareness, self-compassion, duality, orienting, and co-regulation.
There are 6 concepts of state-shifting:
The concepts behind state-shifting work together like a set of gears. While each client’s skill areas vary, when one gear turns, it will help the others turn. Together, each concept makes state-shifting possible. Practicing these concepts helps clients understand their emotions, how they feel in their body, and ultimately how to shift states.
Games as a Conduit:
Using games is just one of many ways to play with the concept of state-shifting in a low- stakes, interactive way to prepare clients for real life experiences. State-shifting is about getting back to choice (prefrontal cortex), and in using games as a conduit, clients will slow down and learn that they have choices regarding their emotional states each step of the way. In doing so, they will learn that experiencing a variety of emotions is a normal part of life.
Concepts Working Together:
The first few months of sessions is about learning the individual and meeting them where they are at. Over time, using conduits such as the matching game helps clients learn how to navigate their thoughts, behaviors, and emotions at a low-risk level to prepare themselves for larger ones they will experience in life. Low-risk exercises help to build resilience and rewire the brain, making real-life experiences more manageable.
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