QUESTIONS
• If you tend to bottle things up, what does the bottle represent
(that is, in what place are you containing your thoughts
and feelings)?
• What emotions are you bottling up about the specific
situation you have in mind? What percentage of the bottle
is consumed with these emotions? What thoughts are you
bottling up regarding that same situation? What percentage
of the bottle is consumed with your thoughts?
• If you were to draw the bottle showing the part and percentage
that represent your emotions and the part and
percentage that represent your thoughts, what would that
look like?
• Which of your emotions might you pour out at this time
because, as you think about it now, they really do not
belong in the bottle? What else could you say or do at this
point to reduce the build-up of your negative emotions
about the situation or the other person?
• What thoughts might you pour out now because, as you
think about it, they really do not belong in the bottle? What
else could you say or do at this time to reduce the build-up
of your unproductive thoughts?
• What else that you have not mentioned yet is contained in
the bottle that is unhealthy? What will it take for you to
pour those contents out?
• If you prefer to keep things bottled up and contain your
thoughts and feelings and anything else inside, why is
that so?
• If you ultimately decide to empty the bottle, what will be
the last thought, feeling, or other ingredient that you will
pour out? What is healthy in there that you will retain?
• What do you think it will feel like to empty the bottle?
• When you begin to bottle things up at a future time, what
might you do differently if you don’t want to repeat this
response?
• What else occurs to you as you consider these questions?
• What insights do you have?
