Guided Imagery, Guided Meditation, Hypnosis
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What's the difference between Guided Meditation & Guided Imagery?

Short answer: The way the terms are commonly used, there is practically no difference.

Long answer:

  • A guided meditation could be any relaxing inner process where someone is making suggestions, directing, or leading your focus. The purpose of guided meditation is generally relaxation and/or spiritual growth. Guided meditation may be done with either a live person or a recording directing the focus.
  • Guided imagery is a therapeutic/healing modality that is similar to guided meditation, but often includes some interaction or feedback between the person receiving the process and the person directing the process. In the strictest sense, guided imagery is always done with a live person directing, so that he or she can dynamically interact with the person receiving the experience.

What is the difference between guided imagery and hypnotherapy?

  • Guided imagery is very similar to hypnosis in that both may induce states of deep relaxation or trance. 
  • In practice, there is so much overlap between what is done in hypnotherapy and guided imagery that it can be difficult to make a distinction.
  • Looking in on a guided imagery session without it being identified as such, one might be hard pressed to say whether it was guided imagery or hypnosis; and vice versa.


More Information About Guided Mediation & Guided Imagery