Yes (((((((((Kimmy))))))))) the more I stop using dissociation the more I need some place where I can do the relaxing and unwinding that my mental safe place gave me.

So I "built" that safe real life haven. I call it the "quiet area" I bought a couple 6 foot bookcases. found a spot where a corner of a rrom was always low traffic low attention area. I set the bookcases up so that I had the appartment 2 walls as two sides of my "room" and the book cases made up the other two walls and an opening for a door. One bookcase I faced out and the other inside the new room. On the bookshelves I put everything I could think of - relaxing CD's, a walkman style CD player, construction paper, lined filler paper, plain white paper, scketch pads, markers, pens, pencils, water colors, color pencils, scissors, staplier, paint brushes, note books for journaling, a box of old magazines, cardboard, and so on, you name it I basically had it, I also put in there a rocking chair, soft blanket and pillow, then I made an sign and rules for using that room for my son and I the one main rule was that the person inside that room had to be left alone, and the person inside that room was not to use any self injury behavior while in that room. Instead the person wrote a jounal enty and relaxed and did something constructive if they wanted to or listened to the relaxation music.

I also have a foot bridge in back of my appartment where I can go to feed th e ducks and just sit and enjoy some quiet time along the river.