Self-empathy: Guided Meditation

This exercise is an example of a self-empathy guided meditation for you to use with your clients. In preparation for this exercise we recommend that you refer to Self-empathy: The Building Blocks. You can also read more in our series of articles in Psychology Today starting with The Self in Empathy: Self-empathy.

Background:

The practice of self-empathy may take many different forms. It can be short and efficient or longer and relaxing. The tone can be slow and meditative or short and business-like.

The aim of self-empathy is to get in touch with the inner life of thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations, and know something about them so that you can assess whether they are relevant for your current intentions, then regulate them to be more relevant to the job at hand.  

When is “Self-empathy Guided Meditation” Valuable:

The recording in this exercise is one example of a self-empathy exercise. It is somewhat meditative but also fairly matter of fact. As a facilitator you can use it to guide a group through a self-empathy exercise  or to illustrate one way of practicing self-empathy. 

You may want to share the link with clients  to use as homework between sessions.

When working with individual clients, couples or groups working through tricky moments together, It can be used to slow down and regulate emotions when they escalate. 

When facilitating groups it is a useful check-in for participants to become aware of, and name, any preoccupations, residual stress or hidden agendas that may distract from the job to be done in the group.

In training for leadership or supporting and caring professions, it is useful as a regular practice to help practitioners to open up an empathic space in themselves for their clients.

Tool Description:

• This exercise consists of an audio guided meditation and example reflective questions.
• The audio guides you through the phases of self-empathy.
• The following questions encourage a reflection on the experiences. feelings and bodily sensations. 
• As a practitioner you might like to play the audio in your session to illustrate a way of practicing self-empathy. 
• You might also like to share the link with clients  to use as homework between sessions.

Audio: Self-empathy Guided Meditation

Take a few moments to listen to this audio file: Self-empathy Guided Meditation.

Reflection

Reflect on what you’ve just experienced. These questions can help to structure your reflection: 

1. What did you do to shift your attention from the activity of outer life to your inner experience?  
2. Were you able to draw your attention to your body? 
3. What sensations did you notice in your body? 
4. If you noticed sensations, what story did they tell?
5. Name any judgments that emerged.
6. State the intention for your preferred state: I intend to …..