Techniques for Modifying Imagery

Guided Imagery

Author

Aron Beck

Therapy

 Cognitive-Behavior Therapy

Principal

 Mind-body connection

Guided imagery is based on the concept that your body and mind are connected. Using all

your senses, your body seems to respond as though what you are imagining is real. Just as body

can become tense and stressed in response to thoughts that make us angry or anxious, it can also

become more calm and relaxed in response to calming, peaceful, and pleasant thoughts Guided

imagery is not just a mental activity. It involves the whole body, the emotions and all the senses.

Rationale

Guided imagery can be used for

 Stress management

 Depression

 Anxiety

 Anger

 Breathing issues, blood pressure, chest pain, headaches etc.

In guided imagery, the experimenter describes a situation with all the details and

participants should imagine themselves there as vividly as possible. During this procedure,

participants should imagine situations and memories related to the desired mood. They can either

imagine hypothetical situations or real events from their past. In some cases, participants listen to

an audio recording to relax, to make them comfortable, and to listen for further instruction.

 Close your eyes

 Relaxation exercise/ deep breathing

 Imagine a desired pleasant scene or ideal situation

 Feel yourself calming down and enjoying the imagined situation

 Feel your stress go away

 Your body will feel relaxed

Home Work Assignment

Guided imagery can be practiced at home whenever feeling stressed, anxious, depressed

or any somatic pain.

Author

Aron Beck

Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Rationale

Imagery rescripting is used for

 PTSD

 Social Phobia

 Phobia

 OCD

 Depression

 Bulimia Nervosa

 Nightmares

 Personality Disorders

Method

It is possible to change the memory - rescript the image by coming up with a more

positive or acceptable outcome (whether of a real traumatic memory, or a distressing imagined

future), and therefore reduce the distress and beliefs associated with the image.

 The imagery must be discussed in detail prior to the imagery rescripting, usually by

imaginal reliving of the image, so that the scenario can subsequently be worked through
 with an awareness of how to respond at each stage, and as anything unexpected comes

up.

o How do you make sense of all this?

o What does it mean to you?

o What does it say about you, what does it say about others? (Rate belief 0 –

100%)

o What would you like to have happened?

o How do other people respond?

o What needs to happen in order to change the way you feel about it now? o How

does this look now, looking back as an adult?

o If you could go back and speak to yourself at that time, what would you say?

o Who could you bring in to help you at that time? What could they say or do that

would help the situation or make you feel better?

 Use SUDs scale to assess levels of distress at any stage of the imagery.

 Use (and encourage the client to use) present tense during the imagery.

 After the imaginal reliving stage is complete, rescripting the memory can start at the

memory’s ‘hotspots’ (most distressing parts) rather than having to complete the whole

memory again.

 Discuss and agree possible options

o Change the ending.

o Client can enter image as a healthy adult (particularly in childhood trauma) to help

nurture, protect, or confront.

o Bring in a nurturing figure – real or imagined character.

o Bring in other characters which are likely to be helpful – a family member, a

respected friend, an imaginary super-hero, who can bring in their particular strengths.

o Punishing the perpetrator, perhaps by involving crime fighting agencies.

o Manipulating the characters (see earlier section) to make some appear smaller /

bigger, stronger/ weaker, make the perpetrator look different / ridiculous in some

way.

o Client can enter image as a bystander (observer perspective). Therapist can ask

bystander about their perspective, which can often help direct the rescripting.

o Bring in other objects that might change the outcome – e.g. mobile phone, personal

alarm, pepper spray

 During the imagery, help the client with encouraging prompts

o What’s happening?

o How old are you?

o Where are you?

o What time of day is it?

o What do you see? (hear, smell, taste, sense, feel)

o What are they/you saying/doing?

o What’s going through your mind?

o Who / what can you bring in to help you or the situation right now?

o What’s going on now?

o What needs to happen in the image for you to feel less distressed?

o Okay, now can you see your adult-self coming into the room now?
 o What do you need to happen now?

o What would you like to do or say?

o Can you do/say that?

o Now what’s happening?

o Re-rate original beliefs 0 – 100%

Address negative imagery Promote positive imagery

Homework assignment

Work sheets
Rational Emotive Imagery

Author

Albert Ellis

Therapy

Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy

Rationale

REI is used to change unhealthy negative emotions into healthy negative emotions.

Method

 Ask client to close eyes and imagine herself in problematic situation

 Let the client feel emotions what she/he has felt at that time

 Ask to label those feelings

 Ask to change the upsetting feelings into negative healthy emotions

 Ask client to open eyes gradually

 Ask about how he/she end up feeling? What was the thoughts that help to change the

feelings? Etc.

Homework Assignments

Practice REI daily for at least 30 days.

Arntz, A. (2012). Imagery Rescripting as a Therapeutic Technique: Review of Clinical Trials,

Ellis, A., & MacLaren, C. (1998). Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy . California: Impact
Publishers .