The Wheel of Awareness: A visual metaphor of the mind that is also a time-in practice to promote neural integration. The outer rim of the wheel represents that which is the object of attention, such as sight and sound, bodily sensations, emotions and thoughts, and a sense of connectedness to people and things outside of the bodily self. The hub represents the experience of being aware.— Pocket Guide to Interpersonal Neurobiology, Daniel J. Siegel
Before I learned the Wheel of Awareness, Dr. Siegel taught me something simple but revolutionary: I could choose where to place my attention. For someone who had spent her life feeling hijacked by fear and overwhelm, this was a revelation.
We began with a few minutes of breath awareness each day, gently returning my focus whenever it wandered. Over time, this built the foundation for the Wheel of Awareness—a practice that’s like a crash course in Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB.)
The Wheel uses the metaphor of a wheel – I picture a bicycle wheel – the hub is the knowing of awareness, the rim holds all the things we can know, and the spoke is the focus of attention. By moving the spoke around the rim—senses, body sensations, thoughts and feelings, connection to others—I learned to notice my experience without becoming lost in it.
This practice became especially significant in my recovery from DID. It offered a way to support the integration of the fragmented dissociated self-states of my experience and provided a structure for staying present while safely engaging with the past. The Wheel helped me recognize that I was not my trauma—I was the one aware of it. That shift in perspective was central to my healing process.
Today, the Wheel is not just a therapeutic tool but a daily practice that continues to support my well-being. I use it both personally and professionally, sharing it with clients as a powerful pathway to presence, choice, and integration.
If you would like to learn more about the Wheel of Awareness, you can find free guided Wheel meditations check out Dr. Dan Siegel’s website.