Hello and welcome to CARE: Carl-Approved Relaxation Exercises! As Carleton students, it is easy to lose touch with your self-care needs. And it can be even harder to stay present and positive while studying abroad! CARE was created by Josh Pitkofsky ‘17 and Hettie Stern ‘17 to help you assess and improve your mental health. We will provide you with our favorite mindfulness and guided meditation practices tailored to your particular needs.

Mindfulness and meditation have been scientifically shown to benefit mental health*, and we’ve personally seen their positive effects. We’ve found these practices to be helpful in all kinds of situations, such as surviving a term at Carleton, coping with transition shock (including culture and reentry shock), getting a better night’s sleep, and generally feeling more centered and satisfied. They can help you tolerate intense/overwhelming emotions, reduce worrying about problems out of your control, cultivate happiness, and connect to yourself and others. It can remind you of some ways to advocate for your own mental health (in non-crisis situations or as temporary relief while waiting for professional help).

This website is not intended to replace medical and psychological care - Carleton has licensed mental health counselors on-call 24/7/365. For urgent phone counseling, access the on-call counselor by pressing the button below.

Call Counselor *such as in studies like:

• Donald, J. N., Atkins, P. W., Parker, P. D., Christie, A. M., & Ryan, R. M. (2016). Daily stress and the benefits of mindfulness: Examining the daily and longitudinal relations between present-moment awareness and stress responses. Journal of Research in Personality, 65, 30-37.
• Fredrickson, B. L., Cohn, M. A., Coffey, K. A., Pek, J., & Finkel, S. M. (2008). Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 95, 1045-1062.
• Keng, S. L., Smoski, M. J., & Robins, C. J. (2011). Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: A review of empirical studies. Clinical psychology review , 31(6), 1041-1056.
• Weinstein, N., Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2009). A multi-method examination of the effects of mindfulness on stress attribution, coping, and emotional well-being. Journal of Research in Personality, 43(3), 374-385.

Before we get to mindfulness and meditation, take a few moments to evaluate your basic self-care practices. This site is best viewed in landscape mode on mobile devices. If you answered “no” to all of the above or have addressed your basic self-care needs to the best of your current ability, good work! Proceed to the next page for mindfulness and meditation resources.

This is a 15-minute walking meditation from the New York Times’ meditation guide. Walking meditation focuses on the moment-to-moment sensations of walking. It can be a good alternative to sitting meditation, especially when you are first developing a practice and/or feel uncomfortable or restless while sitting still for extended periods of time. This practice is led by Sharon Salzberg, an American Buddhist meditation teacher and co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society, one of the first meditation retreat centers in the US. Sure I'll try it out

If you’re looking to start a meditation practice, these apps can help you make a routine of it. Headspace NYT VR App Kabat-Zinn on mindfulness & compassion Videos for more resources page / developing a meditation practice What is mindfulness & why practice it

This breathing exercise naturally calms your nervous system in just a few minutes. To begin, inhale through the nose for 4 counts. Hold the breath for 7 counts. Then exhale audibly through your mouth for 8 counts. Repeat for a total of four breaths or as long as desired. The important part of this exercise is the 4:7:8 ratio--the exact number of counts can be adjusted (e.g. speeding it up if you have a shallower breath) as long as this ratio is maintained.

This is a transcript of a three-minute body scan meditation from the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. Body scans can help you tune into your physical sensations, release any tension that you may be holding, and reconnect your mind and body. Feel free to engage in the practice while reading along (keeping your eyes open) or read the transcript all the way through and then engage in the practice with your eyes closed. Three minutes is just a suggestion--you can take as little or as long as you’d like to complete the meditation. Sure I'll try it out

This is a transcript from a five-minute guided meditation from the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. This meditation focuses on the breath and presence in your own body. It may be helpful for centering yourself in times of stress, settling into relaxation, and/or falling asleep. Feel free to engage in the practice while reading along (keeping your eyes open) or read the transcript all the way through and then complete the practice with your eyes closed. Five minutes is just a suggestion--you can take as little or as long as you’d like to complete the meditation. Sure I'll try it out

This article is a great introduction to mindfulness, i.e. non-judgemental awareness of the present. It describes 6 different mindfulness exercises that can be done as you go about your life or during spare moments. Try mindfulness for greater appreciation of life in the moment and connection to yourself and your environment. When you develop a mindfulness practice, you may find yourself calmer in the face of stressors and more likely to make intentional choices rather than reacting impulsively. Sure I'll try it out

Mindfulness is non-judgemental awareness of the present. Mindful eating is one activity that can be used to greater appreciate the moment and to cultivate calmness. When we focus on the sensory experience of eating, we are more likely to enjoy our food and feel satisfied from its nourishment. Follow the following instructions from the NYT meditation guide to try mindful eating: “Instead of wolfing down whatever is on the menu, make the time and space to give the experience your full attention. You can do this when you’re eating any meal alone. Or, find some time to experiment with mindful eating using a simple food, like a raisin or an apple. Take time to acknowledge every aspect of the eating experience, and your reactions to it. Notice how you feel as you sit down for a meal. Are you hungry? Is your mouth watering? Take a close look at the food. What does it look like? Inspect it carefully. Is it warm or cold? What does it smell like? Does it make a sound when you hold it? As you prepare to take your first bite, pay close attention to your own reactions. More salivating? Are you already thinking about the next bite? When the food hits your tongue, what happens? Notice the impulse to chew. Are you already inclined to swallow and take the next bite? How does the feeling of the food change as it gets chewed? What does it feel like as it makes its way down your throat? Can you feel it in your stomach? Take your time. When you’ve completely finished one bite, move on to the next, again noticing everything you can about the experience — from the tastes, smells and physical sensations, to your own desires, reactions and impulses.”

This is a two-minute guided mindfulness exercise from the New York Times’ meditation guide. It requires a cup of tea or other hot beverage. Mindfulness is non-judgemental awareness of the present and can help you greater appreciate the moment and cultivate calmness. This exercise is led by Sharon Salzberg, an American Buddhist meditation teacher and co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society, one of the first meditation retreat centers in the US. Sure I'll try it out

This is a 12-minute body scan from the New York Times’ meditation guide. Body scans can help you tune into your physical sensations, release any tension that you may be holding, and reconnect your mind and body. This body scan is led by Tara Brach, an American meditation teacher who combines Western psychology and Buddhist meditation practices. Sure I'll try it out

This is 28-minute guided meditation found among the University of Auckland’s Computer-Assisted Learning for the Mind (CALM) resources. It focuses on mindfulness of breath and is described on the CALM website as follows: “The breath has been one of the most common objects used for calming and meditation techniques. Vidyamala guides us in a classic mindfulness of the breath exercise. This exercise has existed for more than 2500 years and remains relevant in calming our minds. In a more profound level, it teaches us how to learn to respond to situations and not just react. Studies show that regularly practicing Mindfulness of the Breath for 2 months can result in improvement in anxiety, higher levels of contentment and calm.” Vidyamala Burch is a New Zealand-based teacher of secular mindfulness and Buddhism. Sure I'll try it out

This is a 45-minute guided body scan found among the University of Auckland’s Computer-Assisted Learning for the Mind (CALM) resources. Body scans can help you tune into your physical sensations, release any tension that you may be holding, and reconnect your mind and body. This body scan is led by Vidymala Burch, a New Zealand-based teacher of secular mindfulness and Buddhism. Sure I'll try it out

This is 19-minute guided muscle relaxation found among the University of Auckland’s Computer-Assisted Learning for the Mind (CALM) resources. This technique is used for stress management and can also be helpful for relaxing and falling asleep. It is led by Matt Shepherd, a researcher in the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Auckland. Sure I'll try it out

This is a 9-minute guided walking meditation. Walking meditation focuses on the moment-to-moment sensations of walking. It can be a good alternative to sitting meditation, especially when you are first developing a practice and/or feel uncomfortable or restless while sitting still for extended periods of time. This meditation is led by U Vansa a.k.a. Sean Pritchard, a Canadian monk with a PhD in clinical psychology. Sure I'll try it out

This is 9-minute loving kindness meditation found among the University of Auckland’s Computer-Assisted Learning for the Mind (CALM) resources. CALM describes the practice as follows: “This is a good introduction for beginners to Loving Kindness Meditation. The goal is to increase and enhance feelings of compassion and connectedness to ourselves, other people and other beings.” This meditation is led by Sharon Salzberg, an American Buddhist meditation teacher and co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society, one of the first meditation retreat centers in the US. Sure I'll try it out

This is a 2-minute loving kindness meditation found among the University of Auckland’s Computer-Assisted Learning for the Mind (CALM) resources. CALM describes the practice as follows: “This is an active form of meditation combining walking and loving kindness meditations. The goal is to incorporate loving kindness aspirations in our routine thinking process. Instead of constantly being immersed in our worries, a loving kindness wish to ourselves and other beings becomes an oasis in our busy and frenetic minds.” This meditation is led by Sharon Salzberg, an American Buddhist meditation teacher and co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society, one of the first meditation retreat centers in the US. Sure I'll try it out

This is an 18-minute guided meditation focused on relaxation. It is accompanied by footage of waves crashing to shore. Sure I'll try it out

This is a 10-minute guided meditation addressing anxiety and worry. It can be used while closing your eyes or focusing on the accompanying calming images. Sure I'll try it out

This is a 19-minute guided meditation intended to help you fall asleep. Sure I'll try it out

Tara Brach is an American meditation teacher who combines Western psychology and Buddhist meditation practices. This is a 20-minute guided practice in vipassana or “insight” meditation, which involves awareness of our moment-to-moment perceptual experiences. It is described by Tara as follows: “This meditation awakens the senses with a mindful scanning of the body, establishes an anchor for presence, and invites us to arrive again and again, deepening the pathway home. When difficult or intense experience arises, the practice is to learn to open to what is here with a clear, allowing and kind attention.” Sure I'll try it out

This is a one-minute guided practice that can be used as a short introduction to meditation and/or for becoming more centered while on-the-go. It is led by Tara Brach, an American meditation teacher who combines Western psychology and Buddhist meditation practices. Sure I'll try it out

This is a 14-minute guided meditation focused on opening and calming. It is led by Tara Brach, an American meditation teacher who combines Western psychology and Buddhist meditation practices. She describes this practice as follows: “This meditation guides us in collecting and quieting the mind with the breath, and then relaxing all effort, and simply resting in what is.” Sure I'll try it out

This is a self-compassion practice from the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. Practicing self-compassion can help us tolerate distress and mitigate its effects on us. It can increase our sense of peace and our compassion for others. This practice has a suggested time of 5 minutes, but feel free to take as little or as long as you’d like to complete it. Sure I'll try it out

This is a transcript from a 10-minute loving kindness meditation from the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. Practicing kindness is one of the most direct routes to happiness: research suggests that kind people tend to be more satisfied with their relationships and with their lives in general. We all have a natural capacity for kindness, but sometimes we don’t take steps to nurture and express this capacity as much as we could. Loving-kindness meditation is a great way to cultivate our propensity for kindness and increase our connection to ourselves and others. Feel free to engage in the practice while reading along (keeping your eyes open) or read the transcript all the way through and then complete the practice with your eyes closed. Ten minutes is just a suggestion--you can take as little or as long as you’d like to complete the meditation. Sure I'll try it out

This is a transcript from a three-minute guided meditation from the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. This meditation focuses on bodily sensations and the sounds that we hear around us. It may help you feel more grounded in your body and environment. Feel free to engage in the practice while reading along (keeping your eyes open) or read the transcript all the way through and then complete the practice with your eyes closed. Three minutes is just a suggestion--you can take as little or as long as you’d like to complete the meditation. Sure I'll try it out