Symptom timeline

20 min

This practice helps you see how a symptom connects to the events of your life. It is useful to do before a psychosomatic session, so we save time and get to the heart of things faster.

What you need

A sheet of paper or notes on your phone, and 20 quiet minutes.

How to do it

1. Draw a horizontal line across the middle of the page. This is your timeline.
2. Mark the moment the symptom first appeared. Try to recall it as precisely as you can: the month, the season, the circumstances.
3. Above the line, mark every flare-up and calm period you remember.
4. Below the line, write down significant life events from the same periods: moves, break-ups, conflicts, losses, news, changes at work.
5. Circle the events that happened a few weeks or months before the symptom appeared or before flare-ups.
6. For each circled event, answer: what did I feel then? Who could I talk to about it?

Things to notice

You don't need to find the "right" answer straight away. Just collect the facts. Connections often become visible once everything is on one page.

Short exercises you can do on your own. They don't replace working with a specialist, but they help you find your footing here and now.