The Breathing Colors visualization technique is a calming mindfulness activity that combines deep breathing with guided imagery. It entails breathing in a color that makes you feel good and breathing out a color that helps you let go of big feelings. Research shows that breathing exercises increase parasympathetic activity — they lower stress and increase relaxation.
The Breathing Colors Exercise handout introduces a calming exercise that teaches clients to manage their feelings using breath and imagination. It explains how the technique works and provides six simple steps to guide the client’s practice. The handout also includes suggested colors and feelings (like breathing in blue for calm or yellow for joy), while also reminding clients that there are no right or wrong color choices.
With this exercise, kids and teens will feel grounded during moments of stress. We recommend reading through the 6 steps together and encouraging the child or teen to choose colors that personally feel calming or energizing.
Practice the technique regularly, especially during breaks, quiet moments, or before stressful situations, to help it become a go-to calming strategy.
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References:
- Magnon, V., Dutheil, F., & Vallet, G. T. (2021). Benefits from one session of deep and slow breathing on vagal tone and anxiety in young and older adults. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-98736-9
- V, Vijaya. (2023). Psychological Effects of Colour. Journal of Biotechnology & Bioinformatics Research. 1-2. 10.47363/JBBR/2023(5)157.
