This 'Leaves on a Stream' Exercise may help you to visualise and to associate negative and intrusive thoughts with the perspective of 'leaves (floating) on a stream'. The aim is to symbolically visualise intrusive and negative thoughts as things that can come and go and that they are simply a passing and transient phase which does not mean that the thoughts represent us, or that they have to be engaged with. Also, this exercise helps the listener to be able to be 'mindful' of thoughts, whilst also being able to step away from engaging with them and visualising them as leaves that simply float along and pass along and away.