Taking breaks is one of the healthiest things people can do for their minds. The truth is, rest doesn’t always mean traveling far. Research shows that mental imagery — simply using the power of imagination — can bring the same sense of calm and renewal.
The Mental Vacation handout is a step-by-step guide that teaches clients how to create a calming mini-vacation in the mind. It outlines six simple steps for imagining a safe, happy place that eases stress and restores focus. To make the experience richer, it shares tips for adding details — like sounds, scents, and sensations — that make the imagined scene feel more real.
With this handout, kids and teens discover that relaxation doesn’t require leaving home or spending money. After reading the handout, they can start by trying a short mental vacation whenever stress builds up, whether before a big test, after a busy school day, or even during a quiet moment at home.
Caring adults can encourage young people to pair their mental vacations with soft background music, gentle stretches, or even drawing the place they imagined afterward. Another idea is to create a mental vacation journal, where they record the details of each calming escape to build a personal collection of getaways they can return to whenever life feels overwhelming.
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References:
- Koivisto, M., & Grassini, S. (2024). The restorative effects of mental imagery of nature: A study on subjective and physiological responses. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 96, 102346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2024.102346
- O'Craven, K. M., & Kanwisher, N. (2000). Mental imagery of faces and places activates corresponding stimulus-specific brain regions. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 12(6), 1013-1023. https://doi.org/10.1162/08989290051137549
- Packer, J. (2021). Taking a break: Exploring the restorative benefits of short breaks and vacations. Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights, 2(1), 100006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annale.2020.100006
