You'll often hear the words "loving-kindness meditation" (LKM) pop up in therapy, whether it's ACT, RO DBT, or DBT.
Most of my clients struggle with the idea of generating warm kindness towards themselves, or they may think meditation practice is hokie, greatly dislike meditation or just don't see the purpose.
RO DBT highlights the purpose and reason for practicing LKM. By practicing this meditation, your safety system neural substrate is activated (parasympathetic nervous system- ventral vagal complex). That means you feel calmer and more socially connected with others, enhancing your ability to be open and receptive to others and experiences (Hofmann, Grossman, & Hinton, 2011). Since most of my clients experience activation of their threat neural substrate, and sometimes their freeze substrate, I'd say it's worth a shot doing a quick 7-minute meditation.
While reports of the length of time the benefit from LKM varies, I've heard clients report after repeated use of the meditation, the practice becomes easier, and their warmth towards others can last for hours. However, new practitioners are able to benefit as well from immediate positive emotions (Hutcherson, Seppala, & Gross, 2008).
If you experience anxiety around meditation, self-enquiry can be useful as to what specifically is causing your anxiety. If you experience a trauma reaction during meditation, talk to your therapist about what is happening in your body and brain to determine if you can use other safety system activation skills or if other forms of mindfulness are helpful instead.
Check out the RO DBT version of Loving-Kindness Meditation on Insight Timer.