Brief connection exercises

Body scanning and mindful breathing as grounding tools

Since 45-minute meditations are not always feasible in clinical practice, ACT advocates short, powerful exercises that can be integrated into daily life or the therapy session. One of the most basic is the "body scan".

It consists of directing the focus of attention as if it were the beam of a flashlight, scanning the body from head to toe.

The key instruction is to observe the sensations (cold, heat, tingling, tension, contact with clothing) without trying to change them.

The aim is not to relax the muscles, but simply to notice what is happening in the physiology at this precise moment.Another fundamental tool is conscious breathing.

Unlike deep breathing exercises designed to calm anxiety (which can cause hyperventilation if done poorly), here the goal is purely observational.

The person is invited to notice the air coming in and out, the movement of the abdomen, or the sensation in the nostrils.

The person is asked to observe the breathing "as it is", without altering it. If it is agitated, notice it agitated; if it is shallow, notice it shallow.

This simple practice trains the brain to disengage from the mental narrative and reconnect with a physiological process that is always occurring in the present.

The "Three Senses" exercise for emergencies

For situations of high cognitive fusion or derealization, where the person feels very disconnected, a quick variant of sensory anchoring is used, often called the "Three Senses" exercise or the triangle of awareness.

The client is asked to stop what they are doing and internally name: three things they can see (e.g. "I see the lamp, I see the crack in the wall, I see the color of my shoes"), three things they can hear (e.g. "the hum of the computer, distant traffic, my own breathing") and three things they can physically feel (e.g. "the weight of the glasses, the watch on my wrist, my back against the chair").

This exercise acts as a "circuit breaker" for rumination. It forces the brain to process immediate external sensory information, which competes with processing the internal narrative of worry. It is a way of literally "coming back to the senses."

By completing the cycle, the person is invited to notice how, although the problems still exist in their mind, there is also a stable physical world around them.

This reduces the sense of imminent threat and provides a secure base from which to approach difficulties.

Summary

ACT prioritizes brief exercises that can be integrated into daily life, such as body scanning. The goal is to scan the body with mindfulness, noticing physical sensations without attempting to change or relax them.

Conscious breathing is used as a tool for observation, not control. The brain is trained to disengage from the mental narrative and reconnect with an ever-present physiological process.

For moments of high derealization, the "Three Senses" exercise acts as a circuit breaker. Naming what we see, hear and feel forces us to come back to the senses and out of the mental loop.