Chapter 9

Ch9Exercise1.pdf

Mindfulness Exercise 1: We Are All In This Together

(Approximately 10-15 minutes)
This exercise (Hayes et al., 1999) can be done in group or individual therapy. If conducted in individual therapy, you would adapt by having the client focus on you, the therapist, rather than the person sitting next to them, and then move on to the portion that begins with rising up out of the building. Before beginning the exercise with a group, have the clients look to their left and to their right just to be aware of who is sitting next to them. Therapist:  I would like everyone to start this exercise by placing your feet squarely on the ground and sitting up in your chair so that your back is straight but not rigid. Make sure that your head feels square to your shoulders and place your arms in a comfortable position at your sides Remember that this posture helps us to stay alert and focused. So lets begin by first noticing or paying attention to the fact that your body is actively sensing the environment. Notice that you can feel yourself sitting in the chair, and you can feel your feet on the ground. Now, gently close your eyes. I would like you to place your attention at the tip of your nose and begin to notice the sensation of air moving in and out of your nostrils Pay attention to your breathing. ( pause) Now I would like you to gently expand your awareness to your body, noticing what you feel, sense, and hear. Be aware of the position of your body and all of the experiences it is having. ( pause) Now, gently expand your awareness to noticing that there is a person sitting to your right Be aware of that person, bring to your minds eye what they look like, and notice that they are feeling and sensing too. Also notice that as you do this, someone is being aware of you. ( pause) Now gently shift your attention to your left. Be aware of that person, bring to your minds eye what they look like, notice that they are feeling and sensing too Also notice that as you do this that someone is being aware of you. ( pause) Expand your awareness even further, so that it encompasses this whole group. Notice all who are here, each feeling, sensing struggling. ( pause) Now imagine that a part of you could float above this room and see this group of people from overhead Allow this part of you to rise further, passing through the ceiling and out of the building so that you are hovering above the building Now, using the best of your imagination, picture all of the people who might be in this building, notice that they too are sensing, feeling, experiencing, struggling, and that all are working on living. Now imagine that you could float even higher so that you could see the city below. To the best of your imagination, picture all the people moving about living their lives, feeling, sensing, fearing, loving, worrying, sleeping struggling. ( pause) Now travel out even further so that you can see the whole state, and again, to the best of your imagination, picture all of the people who might be there living, some thinking about not living anymore, some preparing to die, some loving, all thinking, feeling, sensing, worrying, wondering, struggling. ( pause) Now imagine that you could float even higher so that you could see the whole of North, Central, and South America. Again, imagine to the best of your ability all of the people living their lives, having feelingssome good, some badhaving anxiety, having love, growing, changing, hurting, crying, loving, and struggling. ( pause) Now allow yourself to float even higher, out of the atmosphere, so that you are floating high above the earth You can see the whole earth Now imagine, as best you can, all the

Robyn D. Walser & Darrah Westrup/New Harbinger Publications 2007

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder & Trauma-Related Problems

Chapter 9

Ch9Exercise1.pdf
people living their lives, trying to live, having pain, having joy, having luck, having sorrow, all struggling. ( pause for a longer period ) Now imagine that you are floating back toward the earth It is growing in size, and now you can see North, Central, and South America come into view Now float down even further until you see our state. Then continue on until you see our city and then float further until you are hovering right over this building Bring yourself back to hovering right over this group of people. ( pause) Picture the person to your left who struggles too and then picture the person to your right who also struggles Then gently bring your awareness back to yourself, your body, your senses, your feelings and thoughts, and just gently note that we are all in this together. ( pause) Now picture the room, notice the sounds of the room, and when you are ready, rejoin the room by opening your eyes.

Robyn D. Walser & Darrah Westrup/New Harbinger Publications 2007

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder & Trauma-Related Problems