Chapter 4

Ch4Exercise2.pdf

Mindfulness Exercise 2: Body Scan

(Approximately 5-10 minutes)
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 to your sides. (Demonstrate for the client by modeling the posture.) This posture helps us to stay alert and focused. There is nothing particularly difficult about doing a mindfulness exercise; it just requires your attention. I would like you to begin by closing your eyes or by finding a place on the floor in front of you on which to fix your gaze. Now I would like you to turn your attention to your toes. Wiggle them for just a moment to help you get your focus there. (Time the next instructions so that clients have about five to ten seconds to become aware of each of the areas you are focusing on. We have included ellipses to denote pauses.) Now slowly begin to scan from your toes to the bottom of your feet, feeling the ball and the arch and the heel. Now circle your attention around to the top of your feet, taking a moment to notice that you can sense that area of your body Begin to scan further up to your ankles, taking a moment to notice the sensation that is present in your ankles Now scan up to your calves, becoming aware of your calves, and then wrap around to the front of your lower legs, taking a moment to notice your shins Scanning up further, place your attention on your knees, feeling the bend there and then move up to your thighs, feeling the sensation of your thighs Now gently circle around to the back of your legs, feeling the area of the hamstrings and then gently scan up to your hips, feeling the bend there Then scan up to your lower back, feeling the sensation in that area of your body Now scan around to the front of your body, becoming aware of your abdomen scanning up, notice your stomach and scanning higher, become aware of your chest Circle around to the middle of your back and then scanning upward notice the area of your upper back and shoulder blades Now scan out across your shoulders and gently move your attention to your upper arms, noticing the biceps then, wrapping around, also notice the triceps, or the back of your upper arms Scan down to your elbows, noticing the bend in your elbows and then scan to your lower arms, noticing the tops of your lower arms and then circle around to the bottom Scan further to your wrists then to your palms and knuckles and scan right out to the tips of your fingers Now, releasing your attention from the tips of your fingers, place your attention at the base of your neck Begin to scan upward, noticing your neck and then the base and back of your head Scan around to the front of your head, becoming aware of your chin Begin to scan upward, noticing your lips nose cheeks eyes forehead and then scan upward, right to the top of your scalp, becoming aware of the sensation at the very top of your head Now, gently releasing your attention from the sensation at the top of your head, I would like you to take a minute to notice your whole body sitting in the chair Be aware of the sensations of pressure, noticing where your body touches the chair and the floor and where it does not And releasing your attention from your body, gently place your attention on the image of this room and this group of people Now, when youre ready, open 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