Guided meditation can be very effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety. Often I introduce this method to children by asking them to take an imaginary trip with me. They are almost always willing! So I ask them where they think we should go if we want to feel calm on the inside. They can usually come up with a place but if they struggle with it I give them ideas or we look at pictures and they choose one. Then we close our eyes and “go there” in our minds…Very slowly.  While we’re there I calmly suggest they think about what they see, hear, feel, smell. What colors? Is it warm or cold? Do they feel the sun on their skin? Sand between their toes? Have them experience it in as much detail as possible and guide them very slowly and calmly, breathing slowly and deeply through the process. And after we go through this process (the length of time depends on the age of the child) we gently come back into the room and then talk about what it felt like to do this and how they feel now that it’s over. I encourage them to take these trips at home when they’re feeling stressed. This is guided meditation, although I rarely use that term with kids. It works for adults too, of course. So if you and your children are feeling stressed these days cooped up in the house quarantined together it may be time to take an imaginary trip!