Today I want to touch on the topic of visualization. As usual, there are probably lots of definitions out there, but to me visualization is closing your eyes and picturing something in your mind. You can visualize many things – your future self, a wonderful place you want to be, running through a particular situation – it would seem that the possibilities would be endless. And, as I am referring to it here, visualizations are thought of as helpful or beneficial. Of course people can visualize negative or disturbing things, but when I talk about visualizations my hope is that they are positive and valuable to a person.
Can visualization be used in depression or for caregivers? I think so. Visualizations can be pretty straightforward and easy to access, and they can be done whenever and however you want. People can do visualization on their own or with others, and there are also resources available online and in books. Of course, with depression, it may be hard to initiate visualization, but it also may be helpful to try.
What should you visualize? That is up to you as well. For depression or caregiving, can you think about what recovery would look like? Can you think about what things you might want to do again? What about new things you would do? Is there a place you can visualize that makes you feel safe? A place that makes you feel cared for? A place of healing and hope? I am sure there are many other ideas out there as well.
Overall, what do you think about the idea of visualization? Does it seem worth a try? Honestly, I have not had a lot of experience with it, but when I have used it I feel that is has been beneficial, and many people have found it useful. My hope is that you consider giving visualization a try.