Thanks,
I think I have the thinking, planning, visualizing, and talking (well not talking but journaling) parts down. even been doing a lot of rational talking to myself. I think I need to get up the nerve to attempt the final phase of doing...

This is really weird but earlier this I year had gone through some tough therapy sessions and had started having nightmares and would wake up in the middle of the night in a panic. One morning after about 2 weeks of this, as I drifted awake I realized that in my sleep I had been sort of repeatedly mentally triggering and then settling myself. It was like my brain was practicing calming myself in my sleep (or partially sleep state). What ever it was doing it worked because later that day my H wanted a close encounter and I was able to deal with it better. Over the following few days the nightmares gradually subsided. I wish I could figure out what my brain was doing that morning and consciously repeat it when I need to. Have you ever heard of people desensitizing themselves while they sleep?