TAM-TAD

(Tuck-away momentarily, Talk-and-do)

TAM-TAD stands for Tuck away momentarily, then Talk and do. The tucking away process starts with what I

call “going into your cocoon.” A cocoon can be a literal place or a metaphorical/imaginary place, but it is

essentially a place or space that you deem safe where you can go to relax and meditate without distraction.

Any space that makes you feel safe, secure, and nurtured is your cocoon. Once you are inside your cocoon we

begin a progressive muscle relaxation/diaphragmatic breathing/guided imagery sequence that calms the body

and prepares the mind for problem-solving. The sequence is completed in four steps, which is outlined below.

TAM-TAD Technique

Preparation
1. I want you to go into your Cocoon and close the door, or the lid, or pull the covers over your head.
2. Gently and slowly close your eyes, and as you do this, I want you to take one big deep breath in… and
release it in a relaxing sigh with the lips just barely parted.
3. Now get comfortable in either a lying or sitting position, keeping your eyes closed throughout the
entire process.
4. Take a deep breath through your nose and hold it for 5,4,3,2,1,… and let it out through your mouth
with a sigh 4,3,2,1. Again, inhale through your nose and hold for 5,4,3,2,1 and let go of the breath with
a relaxing sigh 4,3,2,1.

Relaxation/breathing sequence:
Right hand and forearm.
 Make a fist with your right hand, hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and release. When you release the body
tension, don’t forget to breathe out in a relaxing sigh.

Right upper arm.

 Bring your right forearm up to your shoulder to “make a muscle,” hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and release.
When you release the body tension, don’t forget to breathe out in a relaxing sigh.
Left hand and forearm.
 Make a fist with your left hand, hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and release. When you release the tension,
don’t forget to breathe out in a relaxing sigh.

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 Left upper arm.
 Bring your left forearm up to your shoulder to “make a muscle,” hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and release.
When you release the tension, don’t forget to breathe out in a relaxing sigh.
Forehead.
 Raise your eyebrows as high as they will go, as though you were surprised by something. Hold for 5,
4, 3, 2,1 and release. When you release the tension, don’t forget to breathe out in a relaxing sigh.
Eyes and cheeks.
 Squeeze your eyes tight shut. Hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and release. When you release the tension, don’t
forget to breathe out in a relaxing sigh.
Mouth and jaw.
 Open your mouth as wide as you can, as you might when you‘re yawning. Hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and
release. When you release the tension, don’t forget to breathe out in a relaxing sigh.
 Neck.
 Be careful as you tense these muscles. Face forward and then pull your head back slowly, as though
you are looking up to the ceiling. Hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and release. When you release the tension,
don’t forget to breathe out in a relaxing sigh.
Shoulders.
 Tense the muscles in your shoulders as you bring your shoulders up towards your ears. Hold for 5,
4, 3, 2,1 and release. When you release the tension, don’t forget to breathe out in a relaxing sigh.
Shoulder blades/Back.
 Push your shoulder blades back, trying to almost touch them together, so that your chest is pushed
forward. Hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and release. When you release the tension, don’t forget to breathe
out in a relaxing sigh.

Chest and stomach.

 Breathe in deeply, filling up your lungs and chest with air. Hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and release. When
you release the tension, don’t forget to breathe out in a relaxing sigh.
Hips and buttocks.
 Squeeze your buttock muscles. Hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and release. When you release the tension,
don’t forget to breathe out in a relaxing sigh.
Right upper leg.
 Tighten your right thigh. Hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and release. When you release the tension, don’t
forget to breathe out in a relaxing sigh.
Right lower leg.

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  Do this slowly and carefully to avoid cramps. Pull your toes towards you to stretch the calf muscle.
Hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and release. When you release the tension, don’t forget to breathe out in a
relaxing sigh.
Right foot.
 Curl your toes downwards. Hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and release. When you release the tension, don’t
forget to breathe out in a relaxing sigh.
Left upper leg.
 Tighten your left thigh. Hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and release. When you release the tension, don’t forget
to breathe out in a relaxing sigh.
Left lower leg.
 Do this slowly and carefully to avoid cramps. Pull your toes towards you to stretch the calf muscle.
Hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and release. When you release the tension, don’t forget to breathe out in a
relaxing sigh.
Left foot.
 Curl your toes downwards. Hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and release. When you release the tension, don’t
forget to breathe out in a relaxing sigh.

Imagery/visualization sequence:
 Now I want you to imagine a personal problem behavior that causes you pain, distress, health or
social problems. Scan your body to detect any tension as you imagine the situation. If there is any
noticeable tension, I want you to take a deep breath, Hold for 5, 4, 3, 2,1 and release. When you
release the tension, don’t forget to breathe out in a relaxing sigh.
 Think about a desirable behavior that you would love to see replace this problem behavior. Name
it. Keep it in the forefront of your mind.
 Now, I want you to imagine negative self-statements that you may make to yourself while engaged
in the problem behavior. These can be anything like, “Nobody cares for me,” “I hate his life,” or
“people deserve to be punished.”
 Now, I want you to imagine yourself in your cocoon replacing those negative self-statements with
positive self-statements. Take a deep breath and slowly release as you make positive statements
such as, “I care about myself, that is why I make time to relax and refresh everyday,” or ”Life is
meant to be enjoyed and I’m going to find ways to enjoy it,” or “I deserve happiness and less
stress.”
 If you need to take some type of action such as walking away from an argument or slowing down
with tasks, you can engage in self-statements such as, “don’t fall into that trap,” or “Focus on one
step at a time, until you get the job done,” or “Walk away, it’s not worth your time or energy.”

Self-instruction sequence:
 Now that you have learned how to relax, how to pay attention to your body sensations, and how
identify problem and replacement behaviors, it’s time to start solving the problem.

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  You are going to give yourself instructions that will help you improve your performance or
positively influence your behavior in a distressing situation.
 I will use an example from my own life to illustrate the last part of this technique (i.e., I really
want that piece of strawberry cake. I’ll only have one piece, or “I really don’t want to exercise
today. It’s just too much work).

1. Think about the behaviors (competing behaviors – smell of the cake, the desire to have
something sweet, going to places where the cake exists) that stop you from performing the
desirable behaviors (i.e., making positive statements such as, “no, that is not good for your
health,” or “Make a healthier choice. You will be glad later,” “You can do it. Just walk away and
go call your accountability partner.” Walk away from the cake and call your “trouble foods”
accountability partner who can help your talk about your struggle before you make a decision
about consuming the “trouble foods”).
2. Identify instructions you can give yourself (self-instructions) that will cue you to engage in
desirable behaviors to solve the problem.
3. Role-play self-instructions out loud while engaging in desirable behavior to solve the problem.
4. Role-play self-instructions in a progressively softer voice while engaging in desirable behavior
to solve the problem.
5. Role-play self-instructions without producing any sound while engaging in desirable behavior
to solve the problem.
6. Role-play self-instructions covertly without moving lips while engaging in desirable behavior to
solve the problem.

In order for self-instructional behavior to become common practice, you must practice the self-
instructions in role-plays that simulate the problem situation so that when you need to actually use
them, they will be available and ready to implement.

***This program was created via adaptation of several sources including the Centre for Clinical Interventions

(Progressive muscle relaxation sequence) - http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/docs/Info-PMR.pdf and Raymond

G. Miltenberger’s Behavior Modification Principles and Procedures (Sixth Edition, 2016).

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