DBT Mindfulness Exercises: Skiing Guided Imagery

Use this DBT guided imagery to practice mindfulness.

Find a comfortable position in your chair, and prepare to embark on a mindful journey down the mountain...

Skiing Guided Imagery©

Guided Mindfulness Meditation Script

When you’re ready, close your eyes, and bring your awareness to the natural rhythm of your breath. First the inhale, then the exhale. As you breathe, begin to slightly lengthen your exhales, as that sends a message of safety throughout the nervous system of your body. Take in each breath, followed by a long exhale, allowing your body to feel more fully relaxed with each exhalation. As you continue to breathe, tune into your body, and feel completely supported by the chair or surface you’re sitting on. Feel the balance between the weight of your body, being pulled down by gravity, and the support it is getting from the seat you are on, catching you, and keeping you from falling. It is this same feeling of complete balance that you take with you to the top of a majestic alpine mountain. You look all around, and all you see are clear bluebird skies, without a single cloud to marr the deep blue color of the sky. Just below the sky, all around you, there are snow-covered peaks, in every direction, for as far as the eye can see. The mountains around you are white with snow, except for the trees that are poking upwards from the surface of the mountains. You can see pine trees, and aspens, growing in groves between the white trails of snow that wind their way around and down the mountains, from the top of the peaks to the very base. It’s a majestic scene that looks like it’s out of a fairy tale, or Narnia, yet it is a place of absolute peace, and serenity.

The air is crisp and cool all around you, but you are clothed in cushony, water-proof, windproof clothing. You’re warm and dry, completely shielded from the elements. Your body feels safe, warm and comfortable in this arctic wonderland.

You look down and see that your feet are held securely in boots, and that attached to the boots are two skis, When you look between and beyond the tips of your skis, down from the peak that you are standing upon, you notice that there are many ways down the mountain. One of the trails winds down the mountain gradually, with a very shallow pitch, and is covered in smooth, freshly groomed snow. There is another trail next to it that is ever so slightly steeper, and another one that’s steeper still. That one looks like it would allow you to ski down quite fast. The last trail looks very challenging and steep, with lots of bumps and obstacles to ski around. As you survey each trail, you find your attention turning inward, and notice that you are able to observe each emotion rising and falling within you, as you consider the various ways down the mountain. You notice the feelings of excitement, and anticipation. You also notice the feeling of fear rising and falling within you, as you consider the possibility of each trail. You take a deep breath, and you tune into your body. You bend and straighten your knees a few times, bouncing on your skis, finding your center of balance. You can feel your legs and skis completely supporting your body. You feel balanced and secure on your skis. You trust your legs, your feet, and your skis to move you down the mountain safely.

Once again, you look at the trails, and you feel confident to pick a trail that challenges you, that leaves you noticing a manageable level of fear rising within you. You feel brave and safe enough to turn towards the fear, to lean into it. You feel willing to fall into the mountain, noticing the fear and naming the fear, without getting caught up in it, or letting it throw you into emotion mind. You know that you have the skills and the tools you need to catch yourself, and to enjoy an exhilarating ride down the mountain.

You look again at the trail that you have chosen, without judging it as too hard or too easy, knowing that the trail you take is exactly as it needs to be. You study the trail carefully with your eyes, and you find the line down the trail that you will follow down the mountain. You take one more deep, abdominal breath… and you lean forward, with your whole body, willing to let gravity pull you down the mountain. You fall knowing that when there is a bump in the snow, your legs will bend to absorb it. You fall knowing that when there is a dip in the snow, your legs will extend to accommodate it. You fall knowing that when there is a rock or a tree, your feet and your knees will turn your skis to move around it. You fall down the mountain, feeling free and exhilarated, noticing the fear, naming the fear, and knowing that you have everything you need to move down the mountain safely. As you move down the mountain, you notice that all your senses have come alive. You hear the crisp sound of your ski edges cutting through the snow. You feel the wind on your face, and smell the cool crisp mountain air. It’s exhilarating. You are completely and utterly in the moment, as you respond skillfully and instinctively to every dip, and every bump on the trail, seeing that you will soon be at the bottom of the mountain.

Finally you notice, as you near the end of the trail, that the pitch of the mountain is beginning to level. Your speed gradually decreases, and you know that you will soon coast to a natural stop. There is nothing but pristine snow all around you. You can glide as long as you need to glide, and stop whenever gravity brings you to a stop. You don’t need to be anywhere, or do anything, except be centered on your skis, right here, and right now. And in a moment, I will count to three. As I count, you will notice yourself slowly coming to a complete stop. When you stop, you will open your eyes, feeling refreshed and vital, brave and strong, and fully trust that you can catch yourself whenever you find yourself falling. One. Two. Three.

©2024 Kenneth Michael Levine

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About This Exercise

I regularly encourage clients to use DBT mindfulness exercises in my therapy practice. Over the years, I've found that guided imagery for stress is a highly effective relaxation technique. Whether you choose to sit or lie down, these techniques provide a calming foundation for managing stressful situations and improving sleep.

Incorporating practices like mindful breathing into your routine can help you stay present with your thoughts and feelings, creating space to navigate the challenges of everyday life with greater ease. Through mindfulness activities for groups, I've seen participants transform their relationship with their emotions by learning to focus and pay attention to the present moment.

Today, I'm sharing a DBT mindfulness exercise script that takes participants on a journey down a mountain slope. It weaves together the metaphor of skiing with core dialectical behavior therapy principles, offering a practical way to integrate mindfulness into your daily life.

The Power of Guided Imagery in DBT

This mindfulness script holds special meaning for me. I wrote it in 2022, when I was participating on a DBT Consultation Team with a number of my professional mentors. Each member of the team took a turn leading the meeting's opening mindfulness exercise. When it was my turn to lead, I wanted to create something unique. I'm an avid skier, and there is no time that I feel more mindful than when I'm skiing, so that inspired me to write the script above.

Many DBT group mindfulness exercises focus on present-moment awareness through breathing or body scans. Guided imagery adds another dimension to this practice. As a clinician who has led guided meditations for groups, I've noticed that imagery-based exercises often resonate deeply with participants who find traditional meditation challenging. Practicing guided imagery can help regulate heart rate and blood pressure, making it particularly effective for stress management.

This approach creates a rich mental landscape. It lets us safely explore our relationship with fear and excitement. We can practice decision-making while remaining grounded in wise mind – that balanced state where emotional mind and reasonable mind meet.

Over the past couple of years, I have shared this exercise with both clients and other therapists. The exercise allows for the naming of emotions from a place of safety. As participants imagine themselves at the mountain's peak, they practice turning toward fear while staying physically grounded. When using these guided meditation scripts, participants learn three key skills: acknowledging fears, making conscious choices, and trusting their ability to handle challenges.

Benefits of this Exercise

This script works equally well in an individual or group setting. The exercise creates a metaphor for life's challenges while incorporating these key elements:

• Multiple choice points that allow participants to engage at their comfort level

• Opportunities to notice and name emotions without getting caught up in them

• Rich sensory details that help anchor the experience

• Clear metaphors for wise mind

• Built-in reminders to stay grounded in the present moment

Using this Exercise Effectively

Therapists who teach DBT might consider using this exercise during modules on emotion regulation or distress tolerance. It can be effective as a mindfulness exercise DBT groups, or as an individual exercise for members to practice on their own. The language adapts easily for different ages, including adolescents. Many clients find it a gentle entry point to mindfulness practice.

For individuals just beginning to explore DBT mindfulness activities, exercises such as this can become part of your regular routine. Find a quiet moment. Settle into a comfortable position. Allow yourself to be present with the imagery. There's no need to force the experience. Simply notice what arises as you follow the guidance.

For me, the beauty of this DBT mindfulness exercise lies in its accessibility. No prior skiing experience is required, but it’s also enjoyed by experienced skiers. Either way, the focus stays on emotional awareness, wise mind decision-making, and building confidence.

I hope you find that this guided imagery offers a fresh approach to building emotional awareness and resilience.