Podcast Summary: Dr. Laura Call of the Day
Episode: Deep Dive: Improving Life Through Visualization (Sep 18, 2025)
Episode Overview
This episode centers around using visualization as a tool for personal growth, healing, and improved relationships. Dr. Laura Schlessinger, with her trademark directness and warmth, guides callers through powerful mental imagery exercises to help shift their perspectives, manage anxiety or trauma, and embrace more positive, productive mindsets. Several real-life callers share their stories and results, illustrating the transformative effect of visualization techniques in a variety of challenges—romantic, familial, and deeply personal.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Power of Visualization as a Coping Strategy
- Dr. Laura introduces visualization as her preferred method for helping people put their problems into perspective, especially when overwhelmed by negativity or catastrophizing thoughts.
- Quick, memorable images (like “glass half full” or "petting an alligator" expecting it to purr) help clients immediately grasp her advice and carry it forward.
“Visualization is my favorite way to make a point, especially when people are upset and getting catastrophic.”
— Dr. Laura Schlessinger [01:53]
2. Real-Life Examples of Visualization in Action
A. Overcoming Fear in Relationships: The Bear & Deer Analogy
- Taryn recounts how Dr. Laura’s advice and a visualization exercise (walking into a forest, encountering a bear—which symbolized her father, versus a deer—which symbolized her future husband) helped her overcome anxiety about marriage and distinguish between past trauma and present reality.
“You told me to close my eyes and imagine walking into a forest... you get attacked by a bear... The bear was my dad and the forest represented marriage... Was that man I was dating a deer? And you said, ‘It sounds like... he's not your dad, he's not a bear, and you can walk back into the forest.’” — Taryn (Caller) [03:47]
- Taryn affirms she married "the deer" and uses the phrase fondly with her husband.
B. Shifting Focus with the Two Sides of a Coin
- Dr. Laura relays her "penny" visualization, advising a caller named Anita to focus on the “head” side—representing blessings and present happiness—instead of constantly flipping to the “tail” side, which represents lack or disappointment.
“The head side represents your beautiful life...Then I had Anita flip the penny over...‘but I want more’. Anita could choose to look at... the blessings she already had. Or...think about what she didn't have.”
— Dr. Laura Schlessinger [06:23]
- Paul calls in to share how he used the coin visualization with his young daughter to teach coping with disappointment regarding difficult family relationships.
“She asked if that bothered me. And I said, I used your visualization... I don't spend any time looking at that side of the coin.”
— Paul (Caller) [08:00]
C. Healing Difficult Memories: The Camera Pull-Back Exercise
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Kelly discusses her struggle with memories of her father’s angry outbursts before his death, and how this expectation of disapproval has colored her adult life and career.
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Dr. Laura and co-host lead her through a visualization to “pull the mental camera back”, transforming her perception of her dad from an overwhelming presence to a pitiful, small, sick man, thereby transforming the emotional charge of the memory.
“Now, I want you like one of those cameras in a movie that's pulling back...until he's about three inches high...Tell me when you're there.”
— Dr. Laura’s Assistant/Co-host [16:36]
“I guess I feel a little more pity.”
— Kelly (Caller) [17:20]
D. Addressing Trauma Through Symbolic Imagery
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Dr. Laura helps another caller, Lindsay, work through sexual trauma by visualizing her sexuality as a flower, allowing her mind to represent damage and healing.
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Guided imagery includes visualizing the perpetrator destroying the flower, physically pushing him away, then reconstructing the flower (which changes color—a sign of evolution and regained control), and finally entrusting the flower to her husband.
“Think of your sexuality as a flower...What color is the flower?... Okay, picture him grabbing the flower...throwing it on the floor and squashing it... Now pick the flower back up. Fix it... Is it weird that it looks pink in my imagination now?”
— Dr. Laura’s Assistant/Co-host & Kelly (Caller, recounting Lindsay’s story) [19:25-21:41]
“Now I want you to hand him [your husband] your flower... say to him after me, ‘Honey, I love you. I trust you. Keep my flower safe.’”
— Dr. Laura’s Assistant/Co-host [23:00]
3. Practical Takeaways
- Visualization can quickly shift emotional state and perspective, reducing anxiety, anger, and despair, while fostering gratitude, understanding, and hope.
- Dr. Laura encourages listeners to use concrete images to interrupt negative loops, and to teach such tools to children for early emotional resilience.
- For deeply rooted issues, like trauma, symbolic exercises help reclaim agency and start new narratives.
- Therapeutic visualization needn’t be complicated—it’s as simple as pulling out a penny or imagining the size of a person in your mind’s eye.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On mental habits:
“Everyone's life has disappointments. But focusing on what makes our lives lovely is the key to happiness.”
— Dr. Laura Schlessinger [07:28] -
On changing perspective:
“Once you understand that your emotions follow wherever your mind goes, you're able to alter your own mood.”
— Dr. Laura Schlessinger [12:07] -
On scalable techniques:
“When you feel in trouble... pull yourself back so they're three inches high and say, okay, this is a moment for pity.”
— Dr. Laura's Assistant/Co-host [18:20] -
On teaching visualization to kids:
“You pull out the coin and say, what's on this side? Which side do you want to look at?”
— Dr. Laura’s Assistant/Co-host [09:14]
Important Timestamps
| Timestamp | Segment | |------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:53 | Dr. Laura introduces visualization philosophy | | 03:30 – 05:16 | Taryn & the bear/deer analogy for relationship anxiety | | 06:20 – 08:43 | The penny/coin visualization with Anita & Paul | | 12:07 – 18:56 | Helping Kelly reframe painful memories of her father | | 19:25 – 24:53 | Healing sexual trauma through "flower" imagery (Lindsay) | | 27:09 | Dr. Laura’s closing thoughts on not spiraling, and resources |
Final Takeaway & Tone
Dr. Laura’s approach remains compassionate, direct, and determinedly practical. Using lively metaphors and visual stories, she helps listeners see their own power to choose perspective and change emotional reactions. The episode is rich with real-world examples enjoyed in her signature mix of humor, support, and gentle challenge, making visualization accessible and actionable for any listener.