Page 42 - HLIF Manual

PHYSICAL WELLNESS &

TAKING CARE OF MY BODY

SUGGESTED ACTIVITY: CHANGING CHANNELS

TIME MATERIALS
5-10 mins QUIET MUSIC

ACTIVITY
- Allow participants to close their eyes and tell them to begin to think about what is on their minds.
Then tell them they’re going to practice changing the channel in their minds.
- Now ask them to change the channel by imagining themselves walking through a forest. “Imag-
ine that you are stepping one foot in front of the other, walking through the forest. There are tall
trees all around you.”
- Keep them on that channel for thirty seconds or so, then have them change the channel to a sun-
ny beach, imagining that they are lying on a towel with the sun shining on their face.
- Hold that image for thirty seconds or so, then change the channel. Do this four or five more
times.
- Have participants open their eyes and come back to the group.
- After the activity, ask the group when this activity might be useful. Examples of answers: “When
I’m worried,” “When I have a nightmare,” or “When I’ve seen a scary movie and I keep seeing the
images over and over again.”

Ideas for Channels
• At home on the couch, drinking a warm cup of cocoa
• Baking a batch of cookies and smelling them in the oven
• Swimming
• Being in a favorite place
• Holding a small pet
• Riding a bike
• Picking a bouquet of flowers

COACH’S NOTES
One option can be for participants to change the channel for the group. Another option is to ask the
group which channels we should use. Shift from something frightening to something pleasurable and
notice the responses in the body. It’s helpful to include sensory details (scents, sounds, sights, tastes, and
touch sensations) when asking individuals to imagine the channels.

AFTER THE LESSON, COMPLETE UPFITNFUN.COM WEEK 6 FITNESS ACTIVITY AS A TEAM.

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