A Guide To Writing & Recording Guided Imagery Meditations - by Glenda Cedarleaf

COURSE

A Guide To Writing & Recording Guided Imagery Meditations

With Glenda Cedarleaf

Welcome to this 10-day course on Insight Timer where we’ll be focusing on writing and recording guided imagery meditations. This course is created for therapists and chaplains, meditators, coaches, physicians, and teachers, as well as those who want to offer their clients, patients, students, or loved ones a way to more deeply connect with their inner wisdom and capacity for healing. You may be just getting started and seeking inspiration and information for beginning this path, or perhaps you’re already recording these kinds of meditations and seeking additional tips and resources. I believe that what we cover will be helpful for wherever you are on this continuum. It is important to emphasize that this course is specifically about one style of meditation— guided imagery meditation — so the course and any questions I will be answering will center on this focus. During these 10 days, I will be supporting you to tap into your own inspiration and meditation practice for writing your scripts. You will gain a deeper understanding of what guided imagery is, learn about the various types of imagery, and how to use this powerful modality to write and record meditations. I will offer tips on how to write your scripts and pace your recording, so that your audio engages the listener in a way that is most effective and healing. We will address how to avoid common mistakes and explore various checklists as helpful guides for writing and recording. We will also address considerations for setting up a home studio - and so much more. After each lesson, you will be able to integrate the material covered for the day through experiential exercises that include journaling or brief imagery journeys. I will also refer you to some of my meditations here on Insight Timer that reinforce or exemplify specific topics that we cover. You will have access to the course classroom where you can connect with other students and share questions and expertise. Let me tell you a bit about my background. I began listening to guided imagery meditations during some challenging times in my life and they truly became a lifeline for me. I learned just how effective accessing the power of the unconscious mind for healing can be and how helpful it is to be guided into that meditative place. This also inspired me to train as a hypnotherapist and guided imagery practitioner, as well as to study somatic healing and Vipassana meditation. Since the early 90’s, I have recorded thousands of customized audios and over 100 meditations. In 2019 I published a book on writing and recording guided imagery meditations gleaned from over 30 years of working with clients and creating audios. This is my passion and I look forward to sharing this passion and what I have learned with you, so you can bring your gifts to the world through this powerful process. If this sparks your interest and you are ready to learn more, I invite you to sign up for this course. I look forward to connecting with you! Namaste.


Meet your Teacher

Glenda Cedarleaf MSW is a clinical hypnotherapist and author who has recorded thousands of customized audios, as well as over 140 published meditation audios and bedtime stories that soothe, inspire, empower, and heal. Her book, “A Guide for Writing and Recording Guided Imagery Meditations: 70 Healing Scripts Included”, offers inspiration and practical information gleaned from over 30 years of working with clients and creating audios that combine meditative practices and guided imagery with specially chosen background music and nature sounds. Her own life challenges of dealing with loss and illness, as well as the joys of creative soul exploration, inspire her work with clients and the writing of her meditations. Her training in guided imagery and somatic healing is from these mentors: Belleruth Naparstek, Dr. Emmett Miller, Dr. Peter Levine, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Dr. James Spira, and the Wellness Institute’s Heart Centered Hypnotherapy Training. Glenda was awarded “Imagery Person of the Year for 2019” by Imagery International. She has licensed her healing audios to hospitals, spas, and healthcare practices. Glenda is also a SoulCollage® facilitator and has facilitated women’s groups and retreats in the US. and Mexico. She now enjoys living in New Bern, North Carolina with her husband and loves being near the ocean, swimming, biking, and being a mother, a sister, and a grandmother.

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10 Days

6.5k students

4.9 stars

17 min / day

Creativity

English


Lesson 1

Clarifying Your Why & Identifying Your Blocks

Today, we will address the importance of your meditation practice as a foundation for writing and recording. We will touch on the concept of the wounded healer and how it deepens our ability to connect with our listeners and inspires an authentic guiding voice. We will explore your reasons for taking the course, as well as what may be holding you back from writing, recording, and publishing. This foundational work can bring clarity about what you already know and what you want to learn. It will also help identify any fears that may need to be addressed, so that you can move forward in taking the course and accomplishing your goals. We also will focus on the gift of inspiration and take a brief imagery journey to capture this important foundation for writing.

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Lesson 2

What Guided Imagery Is + Inspiration For Resourcing From Within

Today we will explore ways to be inspired for writing your scripts. We will review several categories of meditations to see which categories are most interesting to you. We will also delve into the topic of just what guided imagery is. Finally, in order to deepen your inspiration we will examine a particular guided imagery meditation with which you resonate and use reflections questions to explore what makes it compelling for you.

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Lesson 3

End State Imagery, Energetic Imagery & Cellular Imagery

In today’s lesson, we begin a 3-day deep dive into exploring the 8 types of imagery described by Belleruth Naparstek in her book “Staying Well with Guided Imagery”. We will focus on three types. End state imagery explores and reinforces a desired outcome or goal. Energetic imagery focuses on releasing stuck energy. Cellular imagery focuses on the healthy interaction of the cells. I will provide descriptions and examples of each type, as well as refer you to some of my meditations that exemplify them.

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Lesson 4

Feeling State Imagery, Psychological Imagery & Archetypal Energies

In today’s lesson we will cover feeling state imagery, psychological imagery, and archetypal energies. Feeling state imagery focuses on changing mood, such as seeing yourself in your favorite place, or recalling a happy, peaceful time. Psychological imagery offers a lens, through which to see a challenge that focuses on healing, or being loved and connected. Archetypal energies, though not listed under the 8 types of imageries, are an important component of the imaginal realm because they too help us tap into a reservoir of empowering unconscious resources. I will include examples and reference the meditations here on Insight Timer that I have created, so you can listen to the full meditation if you like.

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Lesson 5

Metaphoric Imagery, Physiological Imagery & Part 1 Of Spiritual Imagery

Welcome to Day 5. First, will we cover metaphorical imagery. Therapeutic metaphor is a tool used in hypnotherapy and guided imagery to help the listener access resources for change. Therapeutic metaphors are usually perceived as a kind of story. Meanwhile, physiological imagery focuses on the larger healing processes in the body.  We will also begin our two-part focus on spiritual imagery today. There are so many aspects to consider and so many wonderful ways to help our clients, patients, and students tap into this transformative resource. This type of imagery will not resonate for all. However, for those who do connect with spiritual imagery, hopefully our coverage of this topic will inspire you and help you find ways to effectively include it into your scripts.

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Lesson 6

Spiritual Imagery & The Concept Of Embodiment

Today we will focus on part 2 of spiritual imagery where we will further delve into this resource by  hearing several excerpts from my meditations and exploring other examples of this type of imagery. Then, we will also address the concept of embodiment, and how it helps us move out of our linear mind and into our body's felt sense, so that a deeper resonance can emerge.  

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Lesson 7

Integrating The Material We Have Covered + Components Of A Script

We will be reviewing what we have covered and then, begin to apply this knowledge to the creation of your own script. As you review what have you written so far, notice what aspects have flowed easily. And then, notice if there are places where you feel stuck as you write. Hopefully, this review will help you begin to move through those stuck places. We will also explore helpful considerations in writing your script, and learn about the components of an effective script. 

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Lesson 8

Setting Up Your Home Recording Studio

Welcome to Day 8. Today we will cover logistics and considerations related to recording and setting up your home studio. As you can imagine, this topic is expansive but we will cover a range of considerations and checklists for making your home studio functional and effective. 

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Lesson 9

Recording & Publishing Your Script

Welcome to Day 9. Now that we have covered aspects of setting up your home recording studio, it's time to talk about important considerations related to both recording and publishing your script. I will share with you the checklists I use to help me as I go through the recording and publishing process.

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Lesson 10

Creating Customized Audios & Course Resources

On our final day, I will share with you the template of questions that I use for creating customized audios. I create customized audios for each of my clients at the beginning of our work together and have found this creative process to be a wonderful way to help them reconnect with their inner resources, reinforce our work together between sessions, support their ability to self-soothe, and help them become comfortable with the hypnotherapy process. Finally, I will share the resources I use for background meditation music, for meditation cover images, audio editing, and more. We will close with an inspiring excerpt from Dr. Emmet Miller's review of my book and a beautiful quote by Kahlil Gibran.

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Ask your teacher

This course includes 50 community questions and 6 audio replies from Glenda Cedarleaf. The community classroom and teacher audio replies are only available via the app.

50

4.9 (73)

Recent Reviews

Jennifer

January 30, 2026

This was both informative and a personally nourishing course. Glenda covers everything from macro level- self care to maintaining a professional yet compassionate voice- to micro level- from the legal use of music and other soundtracks to how to use blankets to create a home sound studio! Highly recommended.

Kim

April 14, 2025

Really inspiring and affirming! Thank you

ARKlady

February 17, 2025

Glenda provides an entire scope of helpful information for preparing to become a teacher or creator. Robust and useful course filled with tips and ideas for creating a script, finding music, and creating guided meditations and other quality audios.

Madeleine

January 30, 2025

Very informative course. Glenda generously shares her expertise. I learned a lot and enjoyed it.

Laura

September 28, 2024

This course holds a wealth of information and is beautifully laid out. Thank you for sharing your gift and knowledge.

Lisbeth

July 13, 2024

Wow! This was absolutely exquisite in every way! I loved your specific recommendations for creating customized recordings for clients! I also appreciate the recommendations for quality sound resources! Thank you for making your wisdom and teachings so accessible! This will deeply enhance the work I do with my clients and being able to support them in deepening their practice of self love and soul nourishment! In deep gratitude 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

Henrik

February 29, 2024

Thank you! I give meditations along these lines in a meditation group, in individual sessions and on Insight Timer but you have it professionalized, it was generous and very helpful. Impressive!

Theresa

February 13, 2024

This was beautiful and full of so much information. Very helpful.

Renee

July 29, 2023

Thank you

Miranda

July 23, 2023

Loads of valuable information, thank you 💗

Karey

June 28, 2023

Wow! This course was full of both inspirational content and the nitty gritty how-to stuff. I didn’t think I wsnted to create audios for a mass group, but the last session inspired me to create individualized meditations for my physical therapy patients to help with their hesling process. Thank you.

S

June 21, 2023

So helpful! I'm really excited to finish my recording and put my meditation out there.

Lee

June 15, 2023

Thank you! I appreciate your guidance 🙏💛

Jennifer

June 1, 2023

I love u Glenda ur my favorite on insight timer and I just checked out your website I want to make meditations too so this was divine. Thank u. Many wonderful wishes, Jennifer lee

Brian

May 20, 2023

Hermione

May 6, 2023

Wonderful Thank you

leo

April 13, 2023

Thank you so very much

Denise

February 17, 2023

So helpful and detailed. Thank you so very much for sharing your experience with us. 🌟💜🦋

Maria

January 31, 2023

Thank you, Glenda for your guidance and confidence in my ability to do this work. I've taken my time w each session journaling as you directed and I now have a vibrant, imagined writing studio that I visit daily. I will be creating scripts over the next few weeks and begin recording soon after. To be encouraged by such a talented teacher to go out and create new guided imagery dissolves the limiting belief I'm not good enough, or I have nothing new to add. Many thanks for sharing your vast and sparkling experiences.

Debi

January 24, 2023

What a wealth of information. Thank you for your time and efforts.

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