About this resource
A calm place image can become a portable way to settle. This script guides the listener to imagine a place, real or imagined, that feels calm, noticing what they see, hear, feel and smell, and then returns them to the room. It offers choices throughout.
Purpose
To provide a ready-to-use script for building a calming mental image.
Who it is for
Primary profession: Counsellors and therapists. Also relevant for psychologists, youth workers.
Client or participant group: Adolescents and adults learning relaxation and self-soothing skills.
Practice setting: Counselling sessions, or recorded for practice at home.
Suggested uses
- Relaxation skills
- Self-soothing
- Recording for home practice
- Group programs
Instructions for practitioners
- Explain the place can be real or imagined.
- Offer eyes-open options.
- Stop if the practice brings up distress, and ground in the room.
- Ask afterwards what it was like and adjust.
Instructions for clients or participants
- Get comfortable.
- Imagine your calm place.
- Come back to the room slowly.
Accessibility considerations
Can be recorded as audio. Offer a written copy.
Scope and limitations
A practice script for use within counselling. Some people find imagery unsettling; use with care.
Research basis
Relaxation training, including breathing and muscle relaxation, reduces anxiety across a range of groups. Mindfulness-based approaches show moderate benefits for anxiety, depression and stress across many groups.
- Khoury, B., Lecomte, T., Fortin, G., Masse, M., Therien, P., Bouchard, V., Chapleau, M. A., Paquin, K., & Hofmann, S. G. (2013). Mindfulness-based therapy: A comprehensive meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 33(6), 763–771. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2013.05.005
- Manzoni, G. M., Pagnini, F., Castelnuovo, G., & Molinari, E. (2008). Relaxation training for anxiety: a ten-years systematic review with meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry, 8(1), 41. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244x-8-41
What is included
A 2-page printable A4 PDF, including a practitioner notes page with the research basis (version 1.0).
Originality
Original Practitioner Plus content: wording, activity structure, layout and icons were created for this resource. No third-party worksheets, illustrations or text were reproduced.
