How is Mindfulness Different from Guided Imagery?

Clinical social worker Belleruth Naparstek is a psychotherapist and guided imagery pioneer. According to Belleruth, guided imagery is “a deliberate, directed daydream designed to create healing, change, learning, or growth.” It involves using our imagination to engage in a multisensory experience that brings relaxation, peace, or positive change.

Guided imagery is a powerful and effective practice, and it is not the same as mindfulness. The central technique in guided imagery is “voting for something with your imagination” (Naparstek, 2022). It is the opposite of mindfulness, because mindfulness is not voting for anything at all. It is nonjudgmental awareness, just observing our life in this moment as it is, while letting go of our preferences and opinions about our experience.

While mindfulness is also a very powerful and effective practice that may result in relaxation, peace, and growth, it takes a very different path than guided imagery. To be sure, there are some overlaps between the two, and there are components of mindfulness in guided imagery. For instance, both involve intentional engagement with our attention, though attention is directed differently in each. One is about staying in the present moment and letting go of preferences/judgment; it is not changing or adding anything to our experience as it is. The other is going to a different time, place, and reality through imagination, engaging our senses in vivid ways to make that imagined experience come alive.

There are many techniques that can be helpful, and different people benefit from different approaches. We may also find that different tools are helpful in different situations. The important thing is to be aware of what technique we are practice and to do it correctly. If we doing guided imagery, just do it 100%. If we doing mindfulness, then do mindfulness 100%. When we do that, it is already mindfulness practice—being in the moment, doing what you are doing right now, completely and attentively.

REFERENCES:

Naparstek, B. (2022). Guided Imagery Training for VA Clinicians. Talent Management System, U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs.