HOST: Hey everyone! I’m Kendell and welcome back to The Common Thread, brought to you by
DUPIXENT MyWay® for DUPIXENT® (dupilumab). Life is so busy and we all know it can get stressful sometimes. Sometimes it feels like we aren’t able to slow down. Our guest today, Brianna, is going to walk us through what you can do when life gets too stressful. She’s a yoga and meditation teacher, and she’s going to lead us through a short guided imagery exercise to help us all relax.

GUEST: Yes, thank you so much for inviting me today, Kendell. We’re going to do one of my favorite
exercises, a guided imagery exercise. It may be a wonderful way to reduce stress by imagining yourself in one of your favorite places—it engages all five of your senses. Slow, deep breathing is wonderful because it can help lower your heart rate and calm your nerves, so it’s such a great tool to have when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
HOST: That sounds so relaxing. Finding ways to help reduce stress and take advantage of those pockets of downtime in the day to breathe and be mindful is so important, especially as parents. The more we pay attention to how we feel, the better we can take care of ourselves and those around us. I’m excited to try it.
GUEST: Alright, so let’s start by finding a quiet space, ideally to lay or sit on the couch or floor. Try to
find a space where you won’t be easily disturbed or distracted.
Let your eyes gently fall closed.
Without changing anything, check in with your breath. How is it? Notice how it’s flowing.
Now take one nice long inhale through your nose, then slowly release it out of your mouth.
Now seal your lips and take nice long breaths in and out through your nose.
Inhale. Exhale.
Checking in with your neck and shoulders—slowly roll your neck side to side, left, and then right.
Shrug your shoulders up to your ears and then drop them down your back.
Start to bring your awareness to your toes, your legs, your torso, arms, and fingers.
Relax the muscles in your face.
Now, picture yourself walking outside in a place you love. It could be a place from a memory, or
somewhere you’ve never been.
Picture the sky above you. Is the sky clear? Is it sunny?
Feel the temperature on your skin.
Crouch down and touch the earth. What do you feel? Grass? Maybe dirt, or sand?
Notice the sounds you might hear in the distance. Maybe there are birds, waves crashing, or maybe you hear absolute silence.
Breathe in the air around you. What do you smell? Maybe you inhale the scent of flowers, or maybe it’s something cooking nearby. Take a few more inhales.
Is anyone with you? A family member, friend, or loved one?
Spend a few breaths exploring this scene in your mind as you feel yourself relaxing deeper.
Take one final deep inhale through your nose, then sigh it out of your mouth.
We’ll gradually start to come out of our scene, counting backwards from 10.
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.
Slowly open your eyes.

HOST: Wow, Brianna. That was amazing. I really feel relaxed.
GUEST: I’m so glad. Next time you’re stressed, you can find some time during the day to do this exercise and just drop back into your senses. It is such a wonderful tool to have.
HOST: No kidding. Thanks so much for coming to the show today.
GUEST: Thanks so much for having me, Kendell.

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