More than a label

The Drama Llama is the part of your mind that turns a moment into a saga. It’s 2am and it’s replaying the argument. It’s Sunday afternoon and it’s already worrying about Monday. It isn’t broken – it’s trying to keep you safe. It just doesn’t know when to clock off.

I’m Mark Lockyer, an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker. I still have a Drama Llama (I’ve had my share of low years, and I still have down days – that’s being human). The work isn’t to get rid of it. It’s to stop letting it drive.

That’s what TAME is for – four small steps you can use anywhere, any time:

Tag it · Accept & Anchor · Make room · Engage

You’re more than a label or a checklist, so I look at the whole picture: your life, your relationships and what matters to you. I offer one-to-one telehealth sessions by phone and WhatsApp, wherever you are in the world, and free tools right here to get you started.

Watch the llama in action

Short videos for real moments – the 2am brain, the Sunday-night work dread, the argument that’s over but still running in your head. One moment, one practical move.

Try it now: Wriggle your toes right now! · Radio Calm the Llama: 30-minute wind-down

FREE eBook

Free Quick TAME Guide: Tame Your Drama Llama

The four TAME steps in plain English, plus an audio version of me talking you through them. No dense theory – just what to do when the llama starts up: at 2am, before a big meeting, or halfway through a Sunday barbecue.

Inside, you’ll learn how to:

• notice when you’ve hit the Struggle Switch, and ease off the fight
• use the “wriggle your toes” anchor to come back to right here, right now
• make room for what you’re feeling and turn the volume down on the story
• engage with the next thing that matters – the next five minutes, not the whole night

It takes a bit of practice. The llama will always show up first – that’s normal. TAME gives you something to do when it does.

TAME is my plain-English take on ideas from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), developed by Steven C. Hayes and colleagues and popularised by Dr Russ Harris, whose “Struggle Switch” I borrow here.

Want to go further? A self-guided program (coming soon)

The Quick Start gets you going. I’m also working on a self-guided program to help you practise TAME in more depth.

When you grab the free guide, you’ll be first to hear when it’s ready. No bombarding – unsubscribe any time. 😊

Download your FREE copy below

Sessions and fees

Sessions by phone or WhatsApp, wherever you are in the world. One-to-one sessions are 50 minutes, US$170, and we’ll find a time that works across time zones.