Table 1 AIR + Mindfulness program

Session 1

Overview of the retraining and mindfulness course. Introduction to the course. Goals. Work method. Developing a regular mindfulness practice. Mindfulness practices. Guidelines for the regulation of the nervous system. Thought diary. 3-minute mindfulness practice. Health visualization.

Session 2

Hypothesis on the origin of Long COVID. Theoretical aspects. The amygdala-insula-limbic hypothesis on how stress activates the nervous system. Conditioning and reconditioning, and health visualization. Breathing meditation.

Session 3

Main technique of reeducation of the amygdala and the insula. Reconditioning. Learning to break physical activations caused by stimuli and symptoms. Patterns, meanings, and unconscious negative emotions. Somatic responses in the body. Guidelines for establishing a daily practice. Body scan meditation.

Session 4

Attitudes with retraining: reducing stress and expectations during the intervention. Meanings and activation caused by the fear of failure in terms of recovery. Disidentification and acceptance of symptoms. Introduction to the work of subpersonalities. Awareness of personality traits. Mindfulness practice. Incorporation of informal practices into daily life. Walking meditation.

Session 5

Management of symptoms and related negative emotions. Disidentification and radical acceptance of symptoms. Resistance to symptoms. Lifestyle and pace to support retraining. How to pace yourself, sleep more soundly, expose yourself to daylight, healthy lifestyle and cope with crises. Smooth Flow Practice.

Session 6

The AIR accelerator technique. Retraining of repeated somatic signals, patterns, beliefs, behaviors related to persistent Covid disease. Disidentification of mental contents. Mindfulness practice. visual metaphors.

Session 7

Awareness of limiting beliefs related to the disease. How to identify and change them with tonsillar reeducation work. Motivation and meaning of life. Meditation on values.

Session 8

Cycles and stages of recovery and return to normal life. How to incorporate the tools into daily life as health improves. How to stay healthy in the long term. Positive visualizations of the future. Positive psychology. Exercise on gratitude. Cultivating positive emotions. Practice on Reconnecting with happiness. Protocol review and summary