A Mental Escape When You Can’t Leave the Situation (A DBT Skill)

Sometimes you can’t immediately change or step away from a stressful situation—but you can give your mind a brief place to rest.

Peaceful-place imagery uses your imagination to create a calming scene you can return to when emotions feel intense. This isn’t about pretending the problem doesn’t exist. It’s about lowering the intensity enough to help you get through the moment and decide what to do next.

Why It Works

Imagery is part of the IMPROVE distress-tolerance skill taught in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Research has found that DBT programs that include skills training can improve emotional regulation and reduce anxiety and other harmful responses to distress. Although studies generally evaluate DBT skills together—not this exercise by itself—imagery offers your attention a calming alternative to repeatedly focusing on the threat or problem.

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Try It Now

1. Choose a place that feels peaceful to you.
   It might be a beach, forest, cozy room, quiet garden, or somewhere you’ve visited before. You can also create an entirely imaginary place.

2. Picture what you would see.
   Notice the colors, lighting, objects, and small details around you. Is it sunny or softly lit? Open and spacious or warm and enclosed?

3. Bring in your other senses.
   What can you hear? What does the air smell like? What textures can you feel? Notice the temperature against your skin and the surface supporting your body.

4. Imagine yourself feeling safe and supported there.
   You might picture yourself resting, walking, or simply breathing. If it helps, imagine a supportive person, pet, or comforting object nearby.

5. Stay for a few minutes.
   Let your breathing remain natural as you explore the scene. When your mind returns to the stressful situation, gently guide it back to one detail in your peaceful place.

When you’re ready, slowly bring your attention back to the room around you. Notice whether anything has shifted—even slightly—in your breathing, body, or emotional intensity.

You haven’t ignored the problem. You’ve simply given your nervous system a short break so you can return to it with a little more steadiness.