Stress Management: Doing Guided Imagery to RelaxStress Management: Doing Guided Imagery to RelaxHow do you do guided imagery? To give guided
imagery a try, follow these steps: - Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down.
Close your eyes.
- Start by just taking a few deep breaths to help
you relax.
- Picture a setting that is calm and peaceful. This could
be a beach, a mountain setting, a meadow, or a scene that you
choose.
- Imagine your scene, and try to add some detail. For
example, is there a breeze? How does it feel? What do you smell? What does the sky look like? Is it clear, or are
there clouds?
- It often helps to add a path to your scene. For
example, as you enter the meadow, imagine a path leading you through the meadow
to the trees on the other side. As you follow the path farther into the meadow
you feel more and more relaxed.
- When you are deep into your scene
and are feeling relaxed, take a few minutes to breathe slowly and feel the
calm.
- Think of a simple word or sound that you can use in the future to help you return to this place. Then, when you are ready, slowly take yourself out of the scene and
back to the present. Tell yourself that you will feel relaxed and refreshed and
will bring your sense of calm with you.
- Count to 3, and open your
eyes. Notice how you feel right now.
It may help to have an instructor or audio recording to
follow. You can also use a script (a set of written instructions), but hearing
the instructions may be a better way to relax into the process. Test Your Knowledge You can do guided imagery with audio recordings, an
instructor, or scripts to lead you through the process. - True
- False
Continue to Where to go from here Return to Stress Management: Doing Guided Imagery to Relax Medical Review: Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine Steven Locke, MD - Psychiatry Last Updated: May 15, 2012 |
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