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Releasing Old Fears

Mind & Body Trust28 min · full session

A gentle visualisation for acknowledging a worry and taking a little space around it.

You do not have to make a fear disappear to deserve support.

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Make this moment yours.

Find a comfortable place where you can listen safely and without needing to stay alert. Never listen while driving.

There’s no need to get it perfect. Pause or stop whenever you choose.

This session uses imagery such as a leaf or a cloud to explore holding a thought more lightly. It is an optional relaxation exercise, not treatment for trauma or severe anxiety. You do not need to revisit a difficult event, close your eyes or continue if you feel distressed. Some worries point to questions that deserve answers and care. If fears affect daily life, feel overwhelming or relate to a previous experience, talk with your midwife or another qualified professional about support.

When you might listen

  • When a gentle thought-based practice appeals to you.
  • When you want a short reflective pause.
  • Alongside appropriate support for worries.
  • When imagery feels comfortable today.

What you’ll practise

  • Notice a manageable thought without forcing it.
  • Use an image only if it feels helpful.
  • Keep awareness of your surroundings.
  • Stop and seek support if the practice feels distressing.

Related guidance

This is guided relaxation, not medical care. Follow your maternity team’s advice, including during labour.

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Reading edition

508 words · approximately 2 minutes to read

What to expect

A trauma-aware reflection for changing your relationship with birth fears without demanding that they disappear, become positive or be processed alone.

You will ground through roots, notice an old-recording metaphor, use colour with the breath and visit fog, river-stone and balloon images before building a selective boundary.

This public reading companion is available without an account. The complete guided audio is part of the Premium listening library.

Safety and choice first

Welcome to Releasing Old Fears. We all carry stories, memories and warnings. Today you do not need to open every suitcase. The aim is to meet fear with a little more space, not to force it out.

Choose a position that feels contained and look around the real room. Name a few things you can see. Notice the door, floor and support beneath you. Keep your eyes open if that feels steadier.

Imagine roots from your feet or hips reaching into the ground. You can end the visualisation at any time and return to these real details.

An old recording

Picture a record player. A familiar fear may feel like a needle dropping into the same groove: ‘What if,’ ‘I can’t,’ or ‘I am not enough.’ The repetition does not make the thought a prediction.

You do not need to break the record. Imagine lifting the needle for one moment. Silence may follow, or another thought may appear. Both are acceptable.

Choose a colour for fear and another for steadiness. With a natural inhale, picture a little steadiness arriving. On the exhale, allow some of the fear colour to move or remain. Do not push it away with the breath.

Fog in the meadow

Imagine a meadow covered in fog. The path is hard to see, but the fog is weather rather than the whole landscape. You may stand still, take one step or wait for company.

A warm sun begins to show the shape of the grass and flowers. Some mist thins; some stays close to the ground. Confidence and fear can exist in the same scene.

Ask a balanced question instead of requiring a positive answer. What if I have more support than I expect? What choices would help if pain is difficult? Who can I contact when fear feels large?

The stone and the balloons

Picture standing in a shallow river with a stone in your hands. It may represent fear of pain, loss of control or someone else’s story. Decide whether to set it down, hold it more lightly or keep it for now. Choice matters more than release.

If you set it down, watch the water move around it. You can remember what the fear was trying to protect without carrying its full weight every moment.

Now picture balloons labelled Unknown, Control and Other People’s Stories. Release only the strings you are ready to release. You can keep one tied safely nearby while you seek information and support.

A boundary that lets help in

Imagine a pearly, transparent boundary around you. It lets in kindness, evidence, useful stories and professional help. It gives you space from graphic stories, pressure and unsolicited advice.

Keep compassionate words: Fear is a feeling, and feelings can change. I can be afraid and prepare. I do not need fear to vanish before birth. I can ask for specialist support. I can make preferences and adapt them.

Let the boundary fade into the room. Feel the roots and the surface beneath you. Move your hands and open your eyes. If the practice stirred something difficult, choose contact and care rather than carrying it alone.

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