Guided Imagery for Stress Relief

Guided imagery for stress relief

Visualization, or guided imagery, is a variation on traditional meditation that can help relieve stress.

When used as a relaxation technique, guided imagery involves imagining a scene in which you feel at peace, free to let go of all tension and anxiety. Choose whatever setting is most calming to you, whether a tropical beach, a favorite childhood spot, or a quiet wooded glen. You can do this visualization exercise on your own, with a therapist’s help, or using an audio recording.

Close your eyes and let your worries drift away. Imagine your restful place. Picture it as vividly as you can—everything you can see, hear, smell, and feel.

Guided imagery works best if you incorporate as many sensory details as possible. For example, if you are thinking about a dock on a quiet lake:

• See the sun over the water (is it just coming up. high in the sky, beginning to set)

• Hear the birds singing (hear the insects, and the water, and the boats, and the animals)

• Smell the pine trees (the water, the flowers)

• Feel the cool water on your bare feet (your toes, your fingers)

• Taste the fresh, clean air

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