Imagery therapy or guided imagery is a therapeutic technique used to help people lessen their stress. During guided imagery, a therapist will ask you to close your eyes and focus on specific images to induce calmness and relaxation. This therapy technique is rooted in the idea of a mind-body connection. We start by visualizing a relaxing setting and are then prompted to engage all our other senses as well—sound, touch, smell and taste.
By using this technique, essentially, we are transported to a safe place where our mind can be put at ease. Guided imagery can be done in both group or individual therapy and can even be done on our own. Individuals are encouraged to first try Guided Imagery under the care of a therapist and once they are comfortable with it, can move on to practice on their own.
Benefits of Guided Imagery
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Promotes relaxation
- Increases the mind body connection
- Creates a positive mindset
Beyond immediate calm, many people report day-to-day benefits: clearer thinking after brief visualisations, easier emotional regulation during conflict, and quicker recovery from tense situations. Because imagery recruits multiple senses, it can “anchor” a felt sense of safety that you can revisit later. Over time, this strengthens self-soothing, confidence, and the ability to shift attention away from worry toward what matters in the moment.
Issues treated with Guided Imagery
Guided imagery is a fairly common practice that can help treat many psychological issues. Some of those include:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Substance Abuse
- Grief
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Guided imagery can also support sleep difficulties, chronic pain flares, performance anxiety (exams, public speaking), and medical procedures by rehearsing coping skills in a vivid, safe “mental rehearsal” environment.
How Guided Imagery Works
When you vividly picture a soothing scene or a successful action, your nervous system often responds as if some part of it were happening now. Slow, sensory-rich images can activate the parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) system, lowering arousal and muscle tension. At the same time, observing images with curiosity helps the brain re-associate previously stressful cues with calm, which can reduce reactivity over time.
Imagery draws on memory and imagination. You might return to a real place (a beach from childhood) or create a new sanctuary (a sunlit clearing). Either way, the more specific the sensory detail, the stronger the effect. This makes imagery highly personal—your unique sources of comfort, strength, or meaning become the “ingredients” of practice.
Steps to do Guided Imagery
- Sit or lie down in a comfortable place, take a few deep breaths and relax
- Begin to picture a setting that is calm and peaceful. This setting could be anything: the beach, a meadow or even your own home.
- While imagining the scene, make sure to add as much detail as you can to help simulate that environment: Are you hearing the waves of the ocean? Are you feeling a breeze across your skin?
- When you have finished building up your scene, take a few moments to fully be in the moment.
- Try to think of a word or a sound that can help you bring you back to this mental escape in the future when you need it.
- When you are ready, slowly take yourself out of the scene and back into the present. Make sure to take note of how you feel right now.
If your mind wanders, that’s normal. Gently return attention to one sensory channel—perhaps the rhythm of your breath, the soundscape of your scene, or the temperature of the imagined air. Consistency matters more than length; a reliable 5–7 minute practice often beats occasional long sessions.
A Short, Gentle 5-Minute Script
You might read this aloud or record it in your own voice: “Close your eyes if you like. Let your shoulders soften, jaw unclench. Picture a place where your body knows how to relax. See the colours—three shades you notice first. Hear the layers of sound, near and far. Feel the surface supporting you. A light breeze brushes your cheeks.
With each exhale, imagine tension leaving like mist. If a thought pops up, nod to it and watch it float by, like a leaf on a stream. Now choose a word that belongs to this place—‘calm,’ ‘safe,’ ‘steady.’ Breathe that word in and out for five cycles. When you’re ready, open your eyes, bringing one detail of ease with you.”
Guided Imagery for Specific Goals
Sleep: Visualise a slow, predictable scene (waves rolling in, a train moving steadily). Pair with lengthened exhales and a soft word such as “rest.”
Pain management: Imagine warmth melting around the painful area, or a dial turning the intensity down a notch. Pair with soothing breath counts (in 4, out 6).
Performance: Rehearse a calm start (walking to the podium, beginning the exam), then imagine two manageable bumps and how you recover with steady breath and a cue word (“focus”).
Cravings: Picture the urge as a wave that rises, crests, and passes while you surf it with balance and patience; see yourself after 10 minutes, urge reduced, doing something that fits your values.
Working with Emotions in Imagery
If strong feelings arise, first ground in a neutral image (feet on warm sand, hand on your heart). Then, if it feels safe, let the emotion have shape or colour in your scene. Ask: “What does this feeling need right now?” Often the image will suggest a compassionate response—shade if it’s too bright, a bench if you need rest, a gate if you need boundary.
Troubleshooting Common Hurdles
“I can’t visualise.” Use other senses—sound (rain on leaves), touch (sun on skin), smell (pine, coffee). Some people prefer words or symbols rather than vivid pictures.
“I get distracted.” Expect wandering. Each gentle return builds the skill. Shorten sessions and practise at the same time daily.
“It feels silly.” Try linking practice to a clear purpose (“five calmer minutes before bed”) and note results in a log. Effectiveness tends to quiet the inner critic.
“Images turn negative.” Shift to neutral anchors (breath, sounds) or open your eyes and orient to the room. This is a cue to work with a therapist for trauma-informed pacing.
Safety, Pacing, and When to Seek Support
Guided imagery should feel manageable. If you have a history of trauma, dissociation, panic, or psychosis, work with a trained clinician to tailor the practice. We will keep eyes-open options, slow down exposure to difficult content, and prioritise stabilisation. You are always in charge of starting, pausing, or stopping.
Integrating Imagery with Other Approaches
Imagery pairs well with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (rehearsing new behaviours), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (values-based scenes), EMDR (resourcing and safe-place work), and Schema Therapy. In couples or family work, shared calming imagery can lower reactivity before difficult conversations.
Measuring Progress
Track simple indicators for two weeks: pre/post stress ratings (0–10), minutes of practice, sleep-onset time, or number of “resets” you used during the day. Many people notice earlier signs of tension, quicker de-escalation, and more intentional choices after just a handful of brief sessions.
Other Techniques in Guided Imagery
✽ Positive imagery: using pleasant images (calm beach) to introduce relaxation. Reduces anxiousness.
✽ Negative/aversive imagery: using unpleasant images such as consequences of destructive behaviour (e.g. poor health due to excessive smoking)
✽ Step-up technique: learning to cope with the feelings of anxiety by inducing anxiousness (imagining themselves in a crowded party to induce social anxiety)
✽ Associated imagery: using physical images associated with strong emotions (happy family-happiness/ person walking in the rain-sadness)
- Images serve as a reminder or help to facilitate visualisation of a specific person or past events that might be the root cause of the anxiety, distress or fears (e.g. childhood trauma).
- Individuals would be able to describe their emotions more vividly gain insightful recovery.
Guided Imagery with Children and Teens
For younger clients, imagery can be playful and concrete: “friendly bubble” breaths, drawing the safe place, or using small objects (a smooth stone, a sprig of lavender) as sensory anchors. Caregivers can learn to guide a 2–3 minute script at bedtime or before school. The key is choice—children decide where to go in their mind and when to pause.
A 7-Day Starter Plan
Day 1: 3 minutes of beach imagery + cue word “calm.”
Day 2: Forest path + emphasise sound (birds, leaves).
Day 3: Mountain overlook + practise lengthening exhales.
Day 4: Safe room at home + add comforting objects.
Day 5: Gentle “dial down” pain imagery if relevant.
Day 6: Pre-sleep meadow imagery + body scan.
Day 7: Review log; choose your favourite scene and refine details.
Working with a Therapist at Psychology Blossom
In session, we co-create scenes that fit your culture, values, and sensory preferences. We practise at a pace that feels safe, adapt for neurodiversity or mobility needs, and translate insights into daily micro-habits (for example, a 60-second reset before meetings). If difficult memories arise, we titrate exposure, resource first, and ensure you remain in charge throughout.
If you’d like to explore guided imagery for stress, sleep, pain, anxiety, or grief, our team can help you build a steady, personalised practice that supports the rest of your care.
We recommend This Video to those who wants to learn more about Guided Imagery Therapy.
About Us
We are a team comprising psychologists based in Singapore endeavouring our best to prioritise our clients’ needs. When you embark on this journey with us, we take a collaborative approach where you and your psychologist work closely together, and listen to what you have to say — No judgments, and in a safe space. Meet our Team
Quick Links
Contact Us
150 Cecil Street #07-02 S069543
Opening Hours
Monday to Friday: 8am to 6pm
Saturday: 8am to 2pm
Sunday: 10am to 2pm (Online only)
Admin Hours
Monday to Friday: 8am to 5.30pm
Saturday: 8am to 2pm
© Copyright 2023 – Psychology Blossom | Privacy Policy | Terms
