Therapy comes in many shapes and forms. Put simply, therapy can be understood as a treatment that helps someone to feel better, to grow stronger, or to heal. Therapists use a range of tools and techniques to support those they work with. Regardless of what type of therapy one uses, mindfulness can be interwoven into the approach
If you are new to using mindfulness in your work with clients or patients, mindfulness scripts for therapists can be of great support. Such scripts can be used to enhance one’s understanding of the thoughts and sensations they experience, which can enable your client to uncover deeper insights and degrees of healing.
What Is Mindfulness Based Therapy?
Therapy that is rooted in mindfulness might be called mindfulness based therapy. Mindfulness, which is simply non-judgmental awareness of any given moment, becomes the focal point of the therapy. It enables individuals to gain a clearer sense of what is happening right now in order to help them grow, strengthen, and heal.
Perhaps the most common form of mindfulness based therapy is Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). It combines cognitive therapy with meditative practices and attitudes that are rooted in mindfulness. This type of therapy helps people to develop a new relationship with the thoughts and moods that govern their experience.
However, it is not necessary to practice mindfulness based therapy in order to bring mindfulness into your work. Therapists of all types can weave mindfulness into their work in any way that it makes sense for them. For instance, psychotherapists might use mindfulness to help clients become more aware of recurring thought patterns during a session. Or, a physiotherapist might use body scan practices to enhance a client’s interoceptive sensitivity. Since mindfulness is simply non-judgmental, moment-to-moment awareness, it can be explored alongside any therapeutic modality.
“To state this more succinctly, awareness of the body’s state influences how we organize our lives. Knowing your body strengthens your mind.”
- Daniel J. Siegel-
How to Use Mindfulness Scripts as a Therapist
While some therapists will also become certified to teach mindfulness meditation, you can begin simply by exploring the use of mindfulness meditation scripts in your practice. There are many different ways to use mindfulness scripts as a therapist. Consider some of the ideas below as a place to start:
Explore mindfulness practices to help clients settle into a session...
First and foremost, mindfulness is an excellent practice to help both client and therapist settle into a session as it begins. A simple mindfulness of breathing practice can help both individuals to drop into the present moment attentively. This type of grounding practice is a great place to begin a session from.
Use mindfulness scripts for therapists as inspiration – and then go off-script.
Additionally, mindfulness scripts can spark inspiration for various topics you might wish to explore with your client. For instance, self-compassion, stress management, and emotional awareness are some of the themes that frequently crop up in mindfulness scripts. Choose a themed script that speaks to you, read through it, and consider how you might bring the associated techniques into your work with someone.
Record meditations for your clients to use in-between sessions
If it is appropriate to do so in your line of therapy, consider recording mindfulness meditations to support your clients in-between sessions. These might be offered as ‘homework’ or simply as an extra resource to help your client ground into the earth, their breath, or their body when they need the extra support.
Hold multi-disciplinary workshops or retreats.
As a therapist, you might consider branching out to explore different ways of supporting people. Holding a multi-disciplinary workshop or retreat is one way of doing this. For instance, you might host a weekend workshop on emotion regulation that explores mindfulness practices alongside the therapeutic techniques that you are trained in.
Use mindfulness scripts for promotional purposes.
Furthermore, you can use mindfulness scripts to help promote your business – to show potential clients who you are. For example, you might record short meditations and post them to your website or on social media. This will help new clients get a sense of your energy and approach to wellbeing. It will highlight your interest in mindful therapy.
“Mindfulness is a way of befriending ourselves and our experience.”
-Jon Kabat-Zinn-
Learn more about how to certify to teach mindfulness meditation.
Best Practices for Script Reading
Reading mindfulness meditation scripts is not hard work, but to do it effectively and naturally requires preparation, attention, curiosity, and fluidity. Keep the following ‘best practices’ in mind the next time you plan to use a mindfulness script in your therapeutic work.
Read the script a few times before working with your patient or client.
Read the script a few times before working with your patient or client.
Reading the script a few times before working with your client will help you to get a sense for how long the meditation will be, how long you should pause for, and what adjustments you should make to the script.
Modify your mindfulness script to suit your own voice, inclinations, and the needs of the person you are working with.
It is important to feel free to edit scripts as you feel inclined to. You might do this to make the words flow more authentically or to more effectively reach your client or patient. How we read a script will vary from session to session. Be thoughtful and intuitive when making adjustments.
Be open to subtle cues from your client or patient.
Furthermore, it is crucial that while reading a script you remain open to subtle signs that indicate how well the person before you is receiving your words. For instance, if you notice a lot of stirring, you might venture off-script in order to help this person settle into the earth or to take a few long breaths. You should also be mindful of whether or not your client is exhibiting signs that they are beyond their Window of Tolerance. Such signals indicate that you may need to shift gears or intervene appropriately in some other way. Signs can include:
Bring trauma-sensitivity to your script reading.
On that note, it is important to weave trauma-sensitivity into your script reading. Trauma-sensitive mindfulness is the practice of taking a trauma-informed approach to our work with mindfulness and meditation exercises. It is fundamental to mindful therapy.
You can begin by familiarizing yourself with the 4 R’s of trauma-sensitivity and bring it into your work and your script reading:
10 Resources for How to Teach Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness.
9 Mindfulness Scripts for Therapists
If you are ready to explore mindfulness in your therapeutic practice, consider the following mindfulness scripts. These scripts cover some of the basic mindfulness practices and more.
One of the first mindfulness practices that you can offer to those you work with is mindfulness of breathing. This type of meditation can be used both as a way to help your client settle into a session and as a take-away tool that they can continue to practice at home.
Self-compassion goes hand-in-hand with mindfulness – and, it is fundamental to growth, strength, and healing. Self-compassion enables us to ask, “What do I need right now?” You can explore self-compassion with your patients using this script, modifying it in any way that you wish you.
Furthermore, it can sometimes be helpful to assist our patients or clients with releasing the pressure of emotions. This is not about denying or pushing away how we feel; rather, it is about developing a new, loving relationship to any difficult emotions that we experience.
Another gift of mindfulness is that it can help us to recognize what we need on a deeper level. Compassion? Insight? Support? This script is another one of many great mindfulness scripts for therapists to consider. It can assist clients in identifying their emotional needs.
RAIN is an acronym for: Recognize, Allow (or Accept), Investigate, and Nourish. It can help us to relate to our emotions in a curious and compassionate way. This meditation script can be used to guide clients through their difficult thoughts and emotions.
Another helpful tool you can offer through your work as a therapist is the practice of noting one’s judgments in a non-judgmental and curious way. This mindfulness meditation script can help patients to develop a new way of witnessing the assumptions, judgments, and biases they carry.
This short meditation script can empower those you work with to regain a sense of ease and clarity in the present moment. It is a grounding practice that invites us to soften. Consider using this script when and as it feels appropriate to do so.
Some therapists might find it beneficial to help those they work with enhance their sense of body awareness. This body scan meditation script provides guidance on how to mindfully draw one’s attention throughout the physical body.
Lastly, sometimes it is helpful to assist our clients in easing the stress response during a session. This can enhance communication, openness, and the possibility that new insights could arise. Soft belly breathing is one way of promoting relaxation.
Instantly download 200 guided meditation scripts.
It is important to note that not all mindfulness practices are suitable for everyone or in any moment. For instance, diving into a particular emotion or sensation may not be supportive for those that are still working through trauma. Ensure that you explore mindfulness with care to avoid re-traumatization.
If you are unsure of how to begin, start small. For example, you might simply invite those you work with to take five mindful breaths at the beginning of a session. Allow your mindful therapy practice to grow in natural and authentic ways as it helps to awaken wholeness and well being in those you support.
