Mindfulness Resources | Student Counseling Service

According to Jon Kabat-Zinn mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally. Here on Student Counseling Service’s Mindfulness Page, you’ll find a variety of different mindfulness practices from some of our staff members that will help you to do just that. Each practice has a brief description, so you can choose which practice is right for you in what you’re needing at this time.

Mindfulness Check-In (3 minutes)

Whether you're new to mindfulness, busy, or just want to take a quick moment to attend to your current internal experience, this mindful check-in is accessible, brief, and broad, making it applicable to any time. View script.

Mindful Check-In (6 minutes)

This exercise will give you some space to attend to whatever you may be feeling at this moment. This can be really important to do if you find yourself distancing from your emotions and wanting to create an opportunity to approach them without judgment. View script.

Grounding Exercise (4 minutes)

This exercise helps to attune to your senses and what's in your present environment. This is especially helpful if you are beginning to feel upset or activated or find yourself stuck ruminating in your head. View script.

Muscle Relaxation (7 minutes)

Muscle relaxation involves tightening and then releasing muscles in your body, one area at a time. This exercise is especially helpful when you may be feeling really agitated, with higher levels of anxiety, stress, or irritability.

Mindfulness of the Breath (7 minutes)

Mindful breathing is an important foundational mindfulness practice that helps us practice arriving in the present moment. Please use with caution if you have any breathing concerns. View script.

Leaves on a Stream (5.5 minutes)

Guided imagery is a great mindfulness tool that can help us visualize mindfulness concepts more easily, which can be especially helpful for people new to mindfulness practice who might be easily distracted. This exercise helps us to practice letting go of thoughts when they come up. This can be helpful if you find yourself ruminating and getting stuck in your thoughts that might be hurtful to you or have a hard time with concentration. View script.

Mindful Eating (7.5 minutes)

Whether you have eating concerns, find yourself rushing through your meals, or are looking to cultivate full awareness and gratitude for the essential things you do every day, this mindful eating exercise is recommended for you. Be sure to bring some food along! View script.

Guided Imagery (8 minutes)

There are times when it can be helpful to immerse yourself in an environment that brings a sense of peace and calm. This exercise guides you through the five senses as you cultivate this sense of space, whether it be somewhere you've been before or somewhere you imagine. View script.

Mindfulness for Anxiety (9 minutes)

This practice can be used to help you learn to be with your anxiety rather than fighting against it, which often makes it worse. The purpose of this practice is not to immediately help you feel relaxed when anxiety comes up, but to learn how to live side by side with your worry, which will help to decrease its negative impact on you with continued practice. It may be helpful to follow this practice with a grounding exercise or mindfulness of the breath. View script.

Mindfulness of Oppression (9.5 minutes)

This exercise is a lovingkindness meditation specifically for oppressive experiences. You will be asked to reflect upon a past experience in which you were devalued based on a social identity you hold. This does not have to be your most difficult experience. Especially as you try this practice for the first time, it may be helpful to start with something less painful and intense, and then expand to other experiences over time if it feels right to you. View script.

Lovingkindness Meditation (9 minutes)

This lovingkindness meditation focuses on sending lovingkindness to a loved one and group of people who care about you, as well as cultivating self-compassion and openness to receiving lovingkindness from others in your life. For those who struggle with self-compassion, this may be a challenging meditation. If it's available to you, give yourself permission to lean into the challenge of continuing to engage in this practice and notice how your experience with it changes over time. View script.

Please Note: It is important to lean in and challenge yourself to sit in discomfort, but also know when to give yourself space, especially if you are practicing on your own. This might mean inviting yourself out of the practice and focusing more on informal mindfulness or mindful movement, like yoga or qigong.

Consider this if you consistently: find your really distressing thoughts are consistently amplified with the practice, have a feeling of dissociation (having an "out of body" experience), recall memories of the past that are too painful and you are not connected with a counselor, or have any adverse physical side effects (such as shortness of breath).

Certain practices may impact people in different ways, so you may only notice this happening with certain exercises. If any of these occur, however, please honor what your body is telling you, stop the practice, and please reach out to a mental health professional who can further assist you.