Guided Imagery

Using your imagination to help your body settle

Have you ever imagined an argument that hasn't happened yet and noticed your heart start beating faster? Or thought about biting into a lemon and almost felt your mouth begin to water?

Our bodies can respond to what we imagine, even when we know it isn't actually happening in front of us.

Guided imagery uses that connection intentionally. Instead of allowing the mind to automatically rehearse what could go wrong, we create an image or experience associated with calm, comfort, safety, strength, or whatever we may need in that moment.

You might picture yourself somewhere peaceful, imagine the feeling of warmth moving through your body, revisit a comforting memory, or create an entirely imaginary place. As you add sensory details, the experience often becomes easier for your mind and body to connect with.

Guided imagery is commonly used for relaxation and stress management, but it can also be a useful way to practice grounding, prepare for something difficult, or reconnect with an internal sense of steadiness.

Why Can Imagery Feel So Real?

Your brain is remarkably responsive to imagination. Think about what happens when you remember an embarrassing moment from ten years ago and suddenly feel embarrassed all over again. The event isn't happening now, but your body can still respond to the memory of it.

Imagery can work in the other direction too.

When you intentionally imagine something associated with comfort or calm, particularly when you include sights, sounds, physical sensations, smells, and other sensory details, you give your brain information that is very different from the threat-focused imagery that often accompanies anxiety.

The goal isn't to convince yourself that you're somewhere you're not. You still know you're sitting in your bedroom, office, or living room. You're simply using your mind's ability to imagine as another way of influencing what you're experiencing in the present.

Let the Image Develop

You don't have to work very hard at guided imagery. In fact, trying to make yourself see every detail perfectly can make the exercise harder. Try to focus on body sensations and how you feel, rather than forcing it as a thought.

Start with whatever comes to you and allow the scene to develop gradually. Maybe you initially have only a vague sense of being near water, and then you begin noticing the sound of waves or the feeling of warm sand. As you spend some time there, notice what happens in your body. Maybe your breathing slows, your jaw softens, and your shoulders relax a bit.

Try It

Start by finding a comfortable position and choosing something you'd like to imagine. If you're new to guided imagery, a place associated with calm or comfort is usually an easy place to begin.

It can be somewhere you've actually been or somewhere that exists only in your imagination. Maybe it's a quiet beach, a cabin during a rainstorm, a trail through the woods, a comfortable room, or a place that doesn't exist anywhere outside your mind.

Once you have something in mind, begin filling in the details rather than trying to create the perfect picture.

What can you see?

Notice the light, colors, shapes, movement, and what's around you.

What can you hear?

Maybe there are waves, rain, birds, a crackling fire, leaves moving in the wind, or complete quiet.

What can you feel?

Notice the temperature of the air, the ground beneath you, warmth from the sun, a breeze against your skin, or the feeling of being supported by whatever you're sitting or lying on.

Are there any smells or tastes?

You might notice salt air, pine trees, rain, coffee, flowers, or something else connected with the experience.

There is no need to include every sense. Spend more time with whatever comes naturally to you.

You Don't Have to “See” It

When we say visualize, it can sound as though you're supposed to close your eyes and see a vivid movie playing in your head. Not everyone experiences imagination that way.

Some people see clear images. Others have a vague impression of what something looks like. Some think primarily in words, sounds, sensations, or ideas.

If you don't naturally create mental pictures, you can still use guided imagery. You might focus on how your imagined place feels, describe it silently to yourself, imagine the sounds you associate with it, or follow a recording that helps you build the experience one detail at a time.

If Imagery Doesn't Feel Calming

For some people, closing their eyes and turning inward doesn't feel relaxing at all. This can be especially true when you've experienced trauma, dissociation, intrusive imagery, or simply feel safer when you're aware of what's happening around you.

Keep your eyes open if that feels better. Choose something neutral rather than deeply relaxing. Imagine a familiar place rather than an unfamiliar one. You can also stop the imagery altogether and use an outward-focused grounding exercise instead.

The purpose is to help you regulate, and paying attention to how your own nervous system responds is part of the practice.

Guided Imagery and Therapy

You may encounter imagery exercises in several different kinds of therapy. A therapist might help you develop a calming place, imagine a protective figure, rehearse how you want to handle an upcoming situation, connect with a younger or future version of yourself, or use imagery as part of trauma work.

Some of those exercises are designed to be done with a therapist rather than independently. The guided imagery practices in this Growth Library are meant to help with relaxation, grounding, and emotional regulation, rather than processing traumatic memories on your own.

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