Visualization Technique at St Louis High School, Dahisar
A counsellor is a listener and confidante. With changes in the pedagogy, the role of a counsellor is dynamic. There exists a continuous need to use newer modalities to ensure the mental health of students.
After exploring Talk therapy, CBT, NLP and EFT, I realized that the Tenth Graders had varying levels of anxiety. At St Louis High school, they are guided by a wonderful team of skilled teachers under a proactive management. The academics, tutorials and evaluation have a very systematic approach. All they needed was a positive force to boost their confidence.
Each student had a different goal. Few were happy with a moderate 75 percent and others wanted a neat ‘90 percent and above.’ Group counselling helped in finding a better scope for time management and smarter study techniques. Often students used words like ‘silly mistakes’ which was re-phrased to ‘improvement areas.’
With time as a constraint and gentle pressure building up, I realized that a new approach will make them adopt a better approach than a ‘motivational talk’. So, I walked up to their class, told them to draw the curtains, use more bench space, sit back, relax and close their eyes. Some giggled, but all of them calmed as I began the ‘Visualization Technique’.
Steps: (USE dramatic voice modulation)
- Sit back, relax your shoulders, take a deep breath and release it.
- Imagine a white light akin to a tube light around you, it is following you, enveloping you, around your legs, chest and head. Feel safe and protected with this white light.
Imagine this in a sequence.
- After a happy breakfast, You are now ready for the Board exams, the writing instruments are organized. With the exam pad in your hand, you sip a water and enter the exam hall. The white light is around you.
- The invigilator hands out the question paper, you notice the white light around you as you read the questions. You choose the options.
- A question or two is perplexing but you begin to write sensibly, managing time. The white light calms you.
- Ah! A tough question, you are hesitant, you seek guidance with a deep breath from the white light around you. (take a minute). Your thoughts get clearer, the answers un folds, you resume to write.
- The paper is done, you take a deep breath and begin checking, taking deep breaths and realize – You have done well!
- You thank the white light, appreciate your hard work, close the materials, hand over the paper to the invigilator and thank the white light.
- Congrats! You have completed one exam. Open your eyes. Smile.
It was inspiring for me as a counsellor, when I noticed the students’ faces were brighter, some had slept but looked refreshed. There was a sense of calm.
Request : Do try this technique in your school.
Thank you
Kamakshi Gupte
Counselling Psychologist and Graphologist
