Table 2.

Ten Defusion Exercises

Element	Description
Leaves on a stream	As thoughts pass by, write them on leaves and drop them into the stream in front of you to watch them float away.
Hands in front of your face	Cover your face with your hands, and slowly move your hands away from your face.
The guest house	Greet different thoughts, feelings, and versions of yourself as if they were guests in a house.
Playground bully	Treat your negative thoughts and feelings the same way you would a school or playground bully.
Silly voice	Write down any negative thoughts and feelings, then say them out loud in a silly voice (e.g., cartoon character).
The view from above	Think of your situation and life, then visualize zooming out from your life until you are zoomed all the way out to the solar system or galaxy.
Plato’s IMAX	Imagine your thoughts and feelings as you would see them on a movie screen with yourself sitting in the audience, watching.
The sky and the clouds	Look up to the sky, and watch the clouds pass by. The mind is the sky, and the clouds are thoughts and feelings.
Flushed with pride	Write down the negative thought or feeling, fold it up, and flush the paper down the toilet. Thank the thought or feeling for helping, and note you are now letting it go the same as you let go of food after taking nutrition from it.
You are the Buddha	Imagine sitting in front of the Buddha. Note the positive thoughts and feelings. Imagine integrating with the Buddha and recognizing the Buddha within you (e.g., the highest version of yourself).