For a long time, I thought visualization was just a mental exercise—something people used to imagine success or focus on future goals. But as I delved deeper into my own practice, I discovered that visualization is much more than that. It’s a powerful tool for creating real change within the body, helping us access areas we’ve been disconnected from and allowing deep emotional and physical shifts to take place.
In my work, visualization has become an essential way to help people connect with their bodies. It’s not just about imagining an outcome or a feeling. Visualization goes deeper—it elicits a response from the body. When I guide someone to visualize a certain image or sensation, I’m asking their body to respond, to shift the way they breathe, release tension, or access areas that have felt closed off or disconnected. Our minds are incredibly powerful, and when we visualize something vividly, our bodies follow. It’s like sending a direct message to the nervous system, inviting it to relax, open up, or let go.
One of the most beautiful aspects of visualization is how it helps people connect with parts of their body they may have ignored or shut down for years. Through breathwork and guided visualization, I’ve seen people reconnect with energy centers, release deep-seated tension, and experience sensations in parts of their body they thought had gone numb. Visualization creates a bridge between the mind and the body, helping us find those spaces we’ve lost touch with.
But visualization isn’t just an internal practice. It also connects us with the outside world, grounding us in the present moment and in the environment around us. I often use visualization to help clients focus on a specific process, whether it’s breathing into a certain area of the body or anchoring themselves to a sense of stability and calm. It’s a way of bringing the mind and body into alignment, guiding the breath and the body’s awareness to where it’s most needed.
One of the most fascinating aspects of visualization is how it can reveal deeper truths about what’s happening inside. When I ask a client to create a mental picture—whether it’s of a body part, an emotion, or a place of tension—what emerges often surprises them. The subconscious mind starts to fill in the details, revealing a wound, a need, or an area of resistance. It’s like allowing the subconscious to speak through images, to show what words often can’t. In these moments, visualization becomes a tool for understanding the deeper layers of the self.
In Internal Family Systems (IFS), a therapeutic approach I often draw from, visualization is key to getting in touch with our internal parts. When we give these parts form, color, or texture, they become more real to us. We can interact with them, understand their needs, and offer them the care they’ve been longing for. Visualization allows these parts to emerge from the shadows and take shape in a way that fosters healing and integration.
If you’re curious about using visualization in your own practice, here are a few steps to help you get started:
1. Ground with the Breath: Begin by focusing on your breath. Take a few deep inhales and exhales, allowing yourself to become fully present in your body and grounded in the moment.
2. Visualize a Body Part or Space: Pick an area of your body that feels tense or disconnected. Close your eyes and visualize that space. What does it look like? Feel into its shape, its texture, and its energy. Allow your breath to move into this area, releasing any tension or blockages.
3. Connect with Your Parts: If you’re feeling emotionally stuck, try visualizing different parts of yourself. What do they look like? What color or form do they take on? This can help you understand your emotional landscape more clearly and begin to work with these parts in a compassionate way.
4. Allow the Subconscious to Speak: Trust that whatever comes up in your visualization is valid. Whether it’s a surprising image, a sensation, or an emotion, let it surface without judgment. This process often reveals hidden needs or wounds that are ready to be addressed.
Visualization isn’t just a mental exercise—it’s a way to directly communicate with the body, the breath, and the subconscious mind. It helps us access parts of ourselves we’ve forgotten, opens up pathways to healing, and connects us to both our inner and outer worlds in a profound way. The changes that come from this practice aren’t just imagined—they’re felt deeply in the body, creating real and lasting shifts in how we move through the world.
If you are eager to explore further steps into visualizing and nurturing the relationship with yourself send me a quick message and I will share some easy first steps with you.
Best,
JJ