Mindfulness Excercises

E E
FR 73 MINDFULNESS
EXERCISES
FOR CLINICIANS & CLIENTS
PRACTICAL AND ENGAGING

PRINTABLE TOOLS TO USE WITH YOUR CLIENTS
Introduction to
Mindfulness Exercises
Mindfulness, which is one skill set at the heart of DBT, has become extremely
popular among therapists. Yet, many therapists struggle teaching mindfulness
to clients.
In essence, mindfulness is the process by which you attend to the moment,
being focused and non-judgmental. In DBT, we practice this process through
mindfulness exercises.
Mindfulness skills open doors to acceptance, experience, and connection to yourself
and the world. This approach is additive and allows for more complete and richer
information and experience to guide us. It is also different from some of our default
ways of being: disconnected, judgmental, and alone. These default approaches
reduce our experience because we label, categorize, and quickly move on without
seeing and connecting to the bigger picture.
Ultimately, we can use mindfulness to slow down and find peace, contentment,
and enjoyment in everyday life. Share the following 73 mindfulness exercises with
your clients.
3 T h e E x p a n d e d D B T S k i l l s Tr a i n i n g M a n u a l
Mindfulness Exercises
CORE CONCEPT: Use these exercises to practice your mindfulness skills.
These mindfulness exercises will strengthen your ability to practice mindfulness and
happen to be quite enjoyable too! With all of the exercises, remember to engage each
of your senses and to take your time. The text following each exercise just scratches
the surface. Go deeper and make the exercise your own!
During your practice, when judgments, other thoughts, or any other distractions
occur, do not fuss over them, but gently turn your attention back to the exercise.
1. Explore a fruit: Use Observe and Describe to explore an orange. What are
the visual features, what does it feel like, and what does it smell like? Now,
slowly start to peel the orange and continue to tune in to each sense. Notice any
emotions, thoughts, or other experiences that you have during this process, but
cling to nothing, instead staying engaged in the activity. Ultimately, you may
choose to mindfully eat the orange.
2. Create with Play-Doh: Study the Play-Doh container, noticing the writing,
colors, and design elements. Slowly peel the lid off the container, and notice
the smell. What comes up for you? Notice any associated feelings, memories,
or other experiences, and then turn your attention back to the Play-Doh. Feel
it in your hands and begin to knead and work it. Notice the texture, the
temperature, and whether there are changes in its flexibility as you handle it.
Experience the Play-Doh without the need to create anything. (Alternatives:
Create what you choose with the Play-Doh, be it an animal, a sculpture, or
something else. Let go of judgments as to how the creation is shaping up. Or,
imagine you are a child experiencing Play-Doh for the first time. Allow yourself
to be immersed in this discovery!)
3. Connect with a sound: Put on music; listen to the sounds of waves, nature, or
another soothing sound; or pick up on the naturally occurring sounds around you
(the hum of an appliance, the sound of traffic, or the bustle of a workplace). Close
your eyes and tune in to your chosen sound. Stay with the sound, returning to it
when a distraction happens, and perhaps notice how you breathe along with it.
4. Guided imagery: Use imagery from a CD, from a website, or recorded from
your therapist or another person. Visualize that you are in the place that is being
described, hearing the sounds, and feeling the other sensations. Lose yourself
in this experience, and, when the exercise is over, bring its benefits back to the
present moment.
Copyright © 2017 Lane Pederson. The Expanded DBT Skills Training Manual, 2nd Edition. All rights reserved.
5. Create a safe place: Similar to guided imagery, create a place that is safe and
comfortable. It may be a room, a cabin in the woods, or an imaginary land where
you are protected by fire-breathing dragons! Use your senses to fully enter the
safe place. Notice how it looks, paying attention to even the smallest details.
Notice the sounds, or the silence. How does it feel? Stay in this place for a
while, and go there whenever you need to soothe and calm yourself.
6. Sounds of a bell: Strike a bell or chime, or clang mini-cymbals to create a tone.
Listen to the sound until it fades into complete silence. Repeat as many times
as you wish. This can be done anytime during the day, before meetings, before
meals, or at any other time that you want a break or to return to the moment.
7. Mindful eating: Strive to eat mindfully each time you sit down to eat. Notice
your food, seeing the shapes, colors, and textures. Smell the aromas. Take it all
in before experiencing your first small bite. Our taste buds register tastes more
vividly during the first few bites. Eat these bites slowly, experiencing the tastes,
smells, temperature, and textures of each bite. Chew slowly, noticing the release
of flavors and the sensations associated with eating. Continue thoughtfully,
deliberately, until you notice feeling satisfied, and then stop and reflect. As they
say, if you love food, spend some time with it!
8. Mindfulness of smell: Gather a variety of scented candles or essential oils and
spend some time exploring the smell of each one. Notice the differences and any
reactions you have to each kind of smell. Alternatively, disguise the labels on
your candles or oils and see whether you or others can guess each scent.
9. Mindful listening: Pick a song, close your eyes, and listen closely to the music.
Follow the lyrics, notice the different instruments, or take in the song as a whole
experience. If you have heard the song before, did you notice anything new?
Alternatively, pick a song that has a repetitive lyric, phrase, or melody line.
Count how many times you hear the reoccurring detail.
10. Mindfulness of touch: Take any object into your hands. Explore the object with
your hands and fingers, feeling the shape(s), texture(s), and temperature of the
object. This can be done in combination with vision, or done with your eyes
closed, focusing exclusively on touch. Alternatively, gather various fabrics such
as silk, cotton, wool, and velvet and experience the different feels. Of course,
this exercise can be done with any collection of objects (e.g., stress ball, worry
stone, sandpaper).
11. Mindfulness of nature/thunderstorms: Put on a nature CD or the sound of a
thunderstorm. Listen and notice what emotions, thoughts, and sensations start to
come up.
12. Mindful walking: Take a walk outside or around your room. Pay attention
to the sensation of your feet in contact with the ground. Let go of thoughts,
emotions, and other distractions and just walk, as if being mindful of every step
is vitally important. Alternatively, play a game and avoid cracks (or step on
them) or count steps between fixed objects such as light poles or mailboxes.
13. Mindful nature walk: Take a walk outside through nature. Notice the sounds
and smells. What do you see? Take this time to observe, as if this is the first
time you have experienced this scenery and the surrounding elements of nature.
When you find yourself getting distracted, come back to the scenery around you.
14. Objects in a bag: Take a bag and add in various types of objects. Make sure
the objects are different in texture and shape. Pass the bag around and take turns
using your sense of touch to guess what each object is. Observe and Describe
the sensations.
15. Making sounds: Go around the group making funny sounds, one person at a
time. Pass the sound from one person to another. Notice and release judgments,
staying with the game. Alternatively, break into small groups or dyads and
create a mantra (word or phrase to repeat) for relaxation, connection, energy,
teamwork, or some other concept. Share your mantras and repeat them as a large
group for 1 minute each, noticing the connection between the mantra and the
resulting emotions and experience.
16. Meditate on an object: Find something in the room to focus on and use that
object to ground you while you breathe. It could be a painting, a vase, or any
ordinary household object. Fix your gaze on your chosen object, staying with it
as you breathe. If you get distracted just pull yourself back to the object of focus.
17. Spaceship: Imagine you have a spaceship that can rocket you to your favorite
place, real or imagined. Climb into your ship and count down from 10 to 1 and
then blast off to your destination. Stay at your destination awhile and practice
breathing, and then ride back home via your rocket ship or another means
feeling relaxed and refreshed.
18. Easy and enjoyable sitting mediation: Sit in a comfortable chair, on a park
bench, or out on your deck or porch. You are alive! So breathe the air, see your
surroundings, listen to the sounds, and feel bodily sensations such as your
physical connection to your seat, the air temperature, the breeze, etc. You have
no place to be but here. Keep it simple.
19. Mindfulness apps: Search your smartphone, tablet, or computer for free or
inexpensive mindfulness apps. Practice each one you find several times, and
share them with your friends and family.
20. Breathing colors: Choose two different colors, one to breathe in and one to
breathe out. Blue works well for the in-breath, since it matches the cool feeling
of the air coming in. Red works well for the out-breath, as it matches the warm
feeling of the air leaving your body. However, choose the colors you want, for
the reasons you want. Close your eyes and pair each color with its breath.
21. Square breathing: Start by breathing in for four seconds. Hold your breath for
four seconds, and then breathe out for another four seconds. Repeat four times.
22. Deep breathing: Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. To
increase focus and quiet the mind, you can use a mantra such as “in” for when
you breathe in and “out” for when you breathe out.
23. Belly breathing: Lie down on your back on the floor or in bed (preferred), or sit
upright in a chair. Place a hand on your belly, and as you breathe in watch how
your belly expands. Breathing in this way promotes deep breathing, which helps
to get oxygen into your system. More oxygen helps us relax our bodies and think
more clearly. Set an alarm and breathe deeply for a minimum of 1 minute.
24. Progressive muscle relaxation: Use the classic “squeeze and release” relaxation
technique, beginning with your toes and working all the way up to your face.
Squeeze each part of your body, holding the tension for a couple of seconds, and
then release. Notice both the state of tension for each body part as well as the
state of release. Although this exercise works best using your whole body, it can
also be condensed to use fewer body parts, such as just squeezing and releasing
your hands (making fists and then shaking them out), or by just scrunching up
your face before relaxing it. For more directions, search for progressive muscle
relaxation scripts online or on YouTube.
25. Body scan: Use Observe and Describe to scan your body from top to bottom,
noting areas of tension and discomfort. Gently dismiss judgments that arise,
and take a deep breath into each area of the body where this discomfort exists.
Do not have an agenda about changing how these areas feel, but do notice
differences that happen as you continue to breathe and connect. Also, notice
areas of your body that feel relaxed and comfortable. Breathe into these areas
too.
26. Rigid body/relaxed body: Stand and tighten your body, assuming a rigid and
stiff stance. Hold that pose for 10 seconds or more. Then, relax your body and
assume a loose, flexible, and comfortable stance. Identify the different emotions
and sensations that came up with each pose.
27. Half-smile (or full smile): Sit in a chair and take a couple of deep breaths. As you
continue to breathe, slowly start to turn the sides of your lips upward to make a
small smile. Relax your face and take on this more serene look. Notice whether
your emotions begin to change, as your face communicates acceptance to your
brain. Alternatively, look in a mirror, make a peace sign with your first and middle
fingers, and use those fingers to push up the sides of your mouth into a goofy
smile. This moment need not be so serious, even if your life sometimes is!
28. Positive memories: Remember a positive event from your life, and use
your imagination to transport yourself back to that time and place. Play it in
your mind as if it is a movie, and tune in to your senses to fully enter into
the memory. Notice what emotions come up as you immerse yourself in the
experience. Let this positive memory have an impact on you.
29. Compassion for others: Think of a person who has offended you or others
with his or her behavior. Imagine what factors would lead a person to behave in
ways that hurt or put off others. Or imagine that person as a child or a baby with
innocence. Send this person compassion from your heart, wishing them well in
this world. Does sending compassion feel different from holding on to painful
feelings about this person?
30. Pictures and judgments: Look at photos in a magazine and describe what
comes to mind. What judgments do you notice? Now take a second and describe
what you see in a matter-of-fact manner, sticking to the facts. Notice the
difference in the experience.
31. Gratitude lists: Make a gratitude list with everything you can think of on it,
both big and small. Mediate on the list for several minutes. Note any changes in
your emotions. Alternatively, write a thank-you letter to someone, being specific
about what the person did to receive your gratitude.
32. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 senses: To increase your awareness and ground yourself in the
present moment, list five things you see, four things you hear, three things you
feel, two things you smell, and one thing you taste.
33. Standing like a tree: Stand up and pretend your legs are the roots of a tree,
reaching your arms up to be the branches. Start to sway side to side as if you are
blowing in the wind. Notice that your legs don’t move, keeping you grounded.
Imagine yourself being a tree when the winds of life whip up. Be flexible yet
grounded, like a strong tree weathers a storm.
34. Finding your center: Sit upright in a comfortable position and take several deep
breaths. On the next exhale lean as far to the right as you can without falling
over. Inhale and return to center. Then exhale and lean far to the left. Inhale to the
center. Slowly start to repeat, leaning less and less every time. When you finally
reach the middle, your center, take several deep breaths and notice what it feels
like to be in balance.
35. Seeking clarity: Take a jar, fill it with water, and put in fine sand, glitter, or
another substance that can be shaken up. Once the lid is tight, shake up the jar.
Notice the chaos as the sand or glitter moves about the water, with the water
being cloudy or unclear. Then, mindfully watch as everything slowly settles,
ultimately bringing clarity to the water. Think about the parallels between
Emotion Mind and chaos compared to Wise Mind and clarity.
36. Yoga: Take 5 minutes and assume simple yoga poses (check out a book or video
on yoga). Notice your body and remember to breathe as you hold each pose.
Just notice emotions, thoughts, and sensations that arise, clinging to none. With
practice, this exercise is grounding and relaxing, and promotes regulation of
body and mind.
37. Mandalas and coloring books: Mediate on the process of coloring, losing
yourself in the activity.
38. Simon says: This game is all about focusing and sustaining attention.
Remember to let go of judgments and have fun!
39. Jenga: Focus with one mind as you remove blocks and build the tower higher
and higher. Notice your connection to removing and stacking the blocks,
immersing yourself in the activity. When the tower tumbles, remember that this
is the natural outcome of the game.
40. Categories: Pick a category such as animals or foods and list as many items
from that category as possible. In a group setting, go around the circle with each
person repeating the items already listed before adding to the category.
41. Picnic game: Start with the phrase “I am going on a picnic and I’m bringing. . .”
Go around the circle with each person adding something they are bringing, but
only after he or she has said all the items that were mentioned before, in order.
For an added challenge, this game can be played listing items from A to Z.
42. Riddles: Buy a book on riddles or search for them online. Contemplate possible
solutions. An example: “I am an ancient invention that allows people to see
through walls. What am I?”
43. 20 Questions: Play 20 questions with a friend, a child, or your family.

44. Untie knots: Start with string or a shoelace that has been tangled and knotted
up. Start to untangle and untie the knots. What emotions come up. Frustration?
Impatience? Breathe and practice acceptance as you mindfully complete this
activity.
45. Blow bubbles: Blow bubbles and watch as they float through the air, eventually
popping. Notice sensations, such as your breathing, the air you blow into the
bubble, and any emotions that arise from the activity.
46. Play catch: Play this simple game with the goal of being in the moment.
47. Play catch with categories: Take one ball to throw around a group of people
standing in a circle. Pick a category such as countries, music artists, or movie
stars. Every time someone catches the ball, they add to the list. If a person
cannot add to the list, he or she can create the next category and continue the
game.
48. Energy ball: Imagine a ball as a source of negative emotional and mental
energy. Hold on to the ball in your hand and take some time to process what it
is like to hold on to your negative energy. Do you want to continue to hold on
to it? Tell yourself that you have the choice to let the ball go and put it down.
Alternatively, decide to bounce the ball off the floor or wall, imagining the
negative energy leaving the ball with each bounce, until the ball becomes neutral
again.
49. I spy memory game: Find a page in a magazine full of various objects and
take 1 minute to mindfully look over the page. After the minute is up, close the
magazine and write down all of the things that you remember.
50. Write with your nondominant hand: Create an encouraging or coping
statement and write it out 10 times with your nonwriting hand. Notice any
frustrations or judgments that come up and practice releasing them. Engage in
the process, noting the level of focus needed to have the writing be legible.
51. Attention to small moments: Small moments in our lives include those that we
do not typically notice and those we take for granted. A small moment may be
having a cup of coffee or a cool glass of water, spending a moment with a child
or pet, or performing any everyday activity that goes by without our attention.
Enjoyment, peace, and serenity in life happen in the small moments. Each hour,
orient yourself to the small moments that you might otherwise miss.
52. Focus on senses: Take time to notice what comes through your five senses:
what you see, hear, smell, taste, and/or touch. Your senses are your gateway to
the world. (See Self-Soothe in Module 3: Distress Tolerance.)
53. Breathing: We all breathe, and we can all breathe more effectively. Our breath
is our anchor and is an excellent way to center ourselves. Take time to breathe
mindfully in and out. Stay focused on the sensation of the air coming into your
air passages and lungs, holding it, and then letting it out. Use a mantra, such as
“in” as you breathe in and “out” as you breathe out, or count each breath from 1
to 10, starting over when you reach 10 or if you lose count.
54. Breathing life cycle: Another way to breathe mindfully is to notice the
beginning, middle, and end of each inhalation and exhalation (like how you can
hear the beginning, middle, and end of sounds—another mindfulness exercise).
Concentrate on the life of each breath going in and out.
55. Quiet/still time: Set time aside each day to be quiet and to experience that quiet.
Be One-Mindful with the stillness, finding your center and noticing comfort in
the moment.
56. Your favorite song (or album): Listen to your favorite song or album with your
full attention. Listen closely to the lyrics and their meaning. Be mindful of each
word and phrase. Listen to the sounds of the different instruments. Pay attention
to the guitar, bass, drums, vocals, or any other instrument that is central to the
music. Notice the production values: Is the song basic or elaborate? Bare bones
or highly orchestrated? Be mindful of things you have never noticed in music
you have listened to many times.
57. Your favorite show: Watch your favorite TV show, paying attention to the
small details. Notice what the actors are wearing, how the sets are designed and
decorated, and other elaborate details that go into your show.
58. The room you know so well: Observe and Describe details that you never
noticed about your bedroom, living room, office, or any other place in which
you have spent a significant amount of time.
59. 10 details: Anyplace, anywhere, pause and Observe and Describe 10 details you
would not have otherwise noticed.
60. Turn down the noise (or embrace it): Turn off all extra sources of noise in
your home. If you are not mindfully listening to the radio or TV, turn it off. Work
on being present without the competition for your attention. If you are unable to
turn down certain noises, practice being mindfully aware of them, noticing them
without judgment.
61. People (or anything) watching: Be a watcher of people, or of anything that

might hold your interest. Remember not to judge what you see, but simply let it
into and out of your experience like clouds floating through the sky.
62. One chore/one task: Do one chore or one task, such as washing the dishes or
folding laundry, with all of your attention and care. Be One-Mindful with the
experience without adding or subtracting.
63. “Holding” a feeling: Hold your present feeling like it is a baby. Calming a
distraught baby involves compassion and One-Mindfulness. Babies can tell
when we are either frustrated or do not want to be with them in the moment.
Our feelings are like babies: They too can tell when we either reject them or are
not fully present with them. Holding your feeling and being mindful of it will
usually cause it to diminish in intensity. If not, consider distraction skills.
64. Interconnection: Contemplate how you are connected to all of the items around
you, to your surroundings, to all of the people in your life, and/or to the universe
in general.
65. Relative thinking: Contemplate the upsides and downsides of any judgment
without sticking to any conclusions. See how “good” and “bad” depend on the
circumstances and are not fixed.
66. 5/60: Plan 5 minutes out of every hour to engage in a mindfulness activity. This
may include breathing, doing a scan of your body for tension and then relaxing,
or one-mindfully accomplishing any task.
67. Find your center: Before engaging in thoughts and behavior, spend a moment
to breathe and find your center. Know that finding your center helps you to
access your Wise Mind. Practice the directives of the mantra: Pause, breath,
center . . . enter.
68. Write and release: Write what you would like to let go of on paper and shred
it, burn it, or place the paper under water and watch the ink wash away and
disappear.
69. Lie in the grass: On a day with nice weather, find a patch of lush, green grass in
your yard or a park. Lie down, close your eyes, and turn your attention toward
the connection and sensations between your body and the grass, feeling yourself
supported by the ground. Breathe in the sensations and stay there awhile.
Following the exercise, notice what you are feeling. Alternatively, keep your
eyes open and gaze at the sky, watching the clouds float into and out of your
field of vision. Contemplate the connection between yourself, the earth, and the
sky. Take your time in this place, and breathe.
70. Practice compassion for yourself and others: Sit or lie down in a comfortable
spot, and turn your attention to your breathing. As you breathe say to yourself
over and over, “May I experience peace and happiness.” Once you have settled
into mediating on this mantra, change the mantra to focus on another person by
saying, “May (Person) experience peace and happiness.” Continue to breathe as
you meditate on this thought from your heart. Extra credit: Make the person you
wish peace and happiness to someone you dislike.
71. Report on your experience or surroundings: Write or narrate what is
happening right now with your emotions, thoughts, physical sensations, and/or
behavior. In doing so, pretend that you are a reporter giving an objective account
to your audience. Notice what it is like to Observe and Describe your experience
in this somewhat detached manner.
72. Explain a task (and then participate in it): Take any daily task or chore, such
as making coffee, sweeping a room, or watering plants, and break it down into
its component steps. Imagine that you would have to explain how to do this to
a child or even an alien, and go into minute detail. Now, actually engage in the
task or chore, noticing each step and participating in it mindfully.
73. Look through a new window: Pick a window in your home, school, or office
that you never (or almost never) look through. Sit down and spend 5 or more
minutes gazing through the window, observing what is outside. Notice the
scenery and whether anything is happening outside the window. Describe the
scene and/or action to yourself and connect with it. Extra credit: Contemplate
the “windows” in your life you do not or refuse to look through. What would
you notice if you chose to look through one or more of these windows?
Award Winning
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manual available with more skills than
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E E

PRACTICAL AND ENGAGING

43. 20 Questions: Play 20 questions with a friend, a child, or your family.

61. People (or anything) watching: Be a watcher of people, or of anything that

This second edition is the most

Beyond updates to the classic skills

Designed for DBT therapists, eclectic

Order Your Copy Today at

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