Lesson Plan

Guide to Building Your Calm Spot

Guide students through creating a personalized mental ‘calm spot’ with visualization, planning, and reflection, so they leave with a concrete self-soothing tool.

Teaching students to build an internal safe space equips them with a practical strategy to manage stress and anxiety independently.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Familiarize Yourself with Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction and Rapport

5 minutes

Step 2

Guided Visualization

10 minutes

Step 3

Calm Spot Blueprint Creation

8 minutes

Step 4

Reflection and Feelings Check

5 minutes

Step 5

Closure and Next Steps

2 minutes

Slide Deck

Visualizing Your Safe Space

Set a soothing gradient background using the session’s colors (#A0C4FF → #89B4F8 → #628FEA). Invite the student to settle into a comfortable position. Say: “Welcome. Today we’ll visit a safe place inside your mind—your Calm Spot.”

Close Your Eyes & Breathe

Encourage the student to close their eyes. Speak slowly and softly: “Let’s begin by taking three deep breaths together. Inhale…2…3… Exhale…2…3… Feel your body settling.”

Choose Your Setting

Guide them gently: “Now imagine a place where you feel completely safe. It can be real or made-up.” Pause after each question to allow reflection.

Sight & Sound

Lead prompts for the visual and auditory senses: “What colors do you see? Are there shapes? What sounds fill the air?”

Smell & Touch

Continue the sensory immersion: “What scents drift through this place? How does the ground or object under your hand feel?”

Feelings & Emotions

Help them name the emotions: “Notice how your body feels. Safe? Relaxed? Happy? Let those feelings grow.”

Anchor & Return

Encourage them to anchor this spot: “When you’re ready, open your eyes—but carry this calm spot with you. You can return anytime by breathing and visualizing.”

Lesson Plan

Guide to Building Your Calm Spot

Guide an 8th grader through creating a personalized mental calm spot via guided visualization, blueprint sketching, and reflection, so they leave with a concrete self-soothing tool.

Providing students with an internal safe space helps them manage anxiety independently, builds emotional resilience, and promotes self-regulation strategies they can use anytime.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials and Environment

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction and Rapport

5 minutes

Step 2

Guided Visualization

10 minutes

Step 3

Calm Spot Blueprint Creation

8 minutes

Step 4

Reflection and Feelings Check

5 minutes

Step 5

Closure and Next Steps

2 minutes

Lesson Plan

Guide to Building Your Calm Spot

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Familiarize Yourself with Materials

Step 1

Introduction and Rapport

Step 2

Guided Visualization

Step 3

Calm Spot Blueprint Creation

Step 4

Reflection and Feelings Check

Step 5

Closure and Next Steps

Slide Deck

Visualizing Your Safe Space

Close Your Eyes & Breathe

Choose Your Setting

Sight & Sound

Smell & Touch

Feelings & Emotions

Anchor & Return

Lesson Plan

Guide to Building Your Calm Spot

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials and Environment

Step 1

Introduction and Rapport

Step 2

Guided Visualization

Step 3

Calm Spot Blueprint Creation

Step 4

Reflection and Feelings Check

Step 5

Closure and Next Steps

Script

Worksheet

Journal

What’s Your Calm Spot?

Alyssa