Guided Imagery

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Guided Imagery

Posted On : Nov-18-2010 | seen (473) times | Article Word Count : 1262 |

Guided imagery is the conscious use of the imagination to create positive images which is called as healing visualizations in order to bring about healthful changes in both the body and the mind.

Introduction

Guided imagery is the conscious use of the imagination to create positive images which is called as healing visualizations in order to bring about healthful changes in both the body and the mind. Creating mental images is nothing new for most people. Everyone has daydreams which are nothing but visualization only. Guided imagery takes this natural process a step further. By working with a trained therapist or using special audiotapes, one can learn to communicate more effectively with unconscious mind, requesting the body function in an optimal and healthy way.

History

The belief that the power of imagination can help people heal has ancient roots. Traditional folk healers known as shamans used guided imagery to treat ailments. In Eastern medicine, envisioning well-being has always been an important part of the therapeutic process. In Tibetan medicine in particular, creating a mental image of the healing god would improve the patient’s chances for recovery. The ancient Greeks, including Aristotle and Hippocrates who is called as father of modern medicine also had their patients use forms of imagery to help them heal.

It was not until the 1960s, that psychologists exploring the emerging field of biofeedback first began to appreciate the powers of the mind on the physical body. Through biofeedback, they could teach patients to slow heart rate, lower blood pressure or open incapacitated lungs with asthma. Then, in the 1970s, O. Carl Simonton, M.D., chief of Radiation Therapy at Travis Air Force base in Fairfield, California, and psychotherapist Stephanie Matthews-Simonson, devised a program which today known as the Simonton method; that utilized guided imagery to help his cancer patients. The patients pictured their white blood cells attacking their cancer cells. It should be noted that this sometimes resembled the popular video game Pac-Man. Simonton found that the more vivid the images his patients used, for example, ravenous sharks attacking feeble little fish, the better the process worked.

Since then, a good deal of research into mind-body connections has appeared in mainstream medical literature. While many conventional physicians remain skeptical that the mind has an actual physical effect on the reversal of an illness, guided imagery often conducted by psychiatrists or psychologists is now used in many medical inpatient and outpatient programs throughout the world. Many holistically oriented psychologists and other counselors routinely employ guided imagery for stress reduction, smoking cessation, weight reduction, immune stimulation and the relief of both physical and emotional illness.

Line of Action

Practitioners say that guided imagery works because, in terms of brain activity, picturing something and actually experiencing it are alike. Brain scans have verified this. Stimulating the brain with imagery can have a direct effect on the nervous and endocrine systems and can ultimately affect the immune system as well. If one pictures oneself luxuriating at the beach on a tropical island then muscles will actually relax and the skin will feel the warmth of the sun rays. Likewise, if one imagines recovering quickly and effortlessly from gallbladder surgery, is more likely to heal faster and with less pain.

Visual cortex of the brain, which processes images, has a powerful connection with the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary activities such as pulse, breathing and physical responses to stress. Soothing, uplifting images can actually slow the pulse and breathing and lower blood pressure as well as help trigger the release of hormones such as endorphins, which makes one feel good and nurture restorative powers of the body.

Procedure

Although one can learn guided imagery techniques with self study using books, it is best to work with a practitioner or purchase an audiotape dealing with the issue important to oneself. Being a creative individual, one can write his own guided imagery script, read it onto a tape and then use the tape as guiding tool. If anyone works with a practitioner, it will probably take only a couple of sessions to learn a technique. The sessions may be as short as 30 minutes or as long as 90 minutes. It will speed the process considerably if the practitioner allows to tape the session for home use.

During the first session, the practitioner who may be a psychiatrist, psychotherapist or psychologist will take the medical history and ask about the need of using the guided imagery. The practitioner will probably ask questions about favorite vacation spots and times of year and about experiences that have made one feel confident and secure. The answers will help oneself and the practitioner to develop images that make one feel good.

Then the practitioner may ask the patient to lie on a couch or sit in a chair. Once settled in, the practitioner will lead the patient through a breathing exercise or relaxation technique. Then, the practitioner will guide the patient through a visualization exercise, using all five senses and perhaps focusing on a special place where one usually feels happy and peaceful. The practitioner may suggest some ideas but will leave most of the imagining up to oneself. The best images are the ones you invoke up yourself because they have personal meaning for you.

With practice, anyone will be able to bring up healing images quickly, anytime, anywhere. Anyone will be able to use guided imagery to relax during stressful moments as well as to treat a particular health problem.

Benefits

While there is no scientific evidence indicating that guided imagery by itself helps to heal disease, this technique has been shown to promote relaxation and to improve quality of life. It is especially useful for conditions that are made worse by stress, such as high blood pressure, pain and headache as well as stress and anxiety themselves. It may also help certain eating disorders.

In a 1997 study at the University of Miami, researchers found that guided imagery helped elevate mood and decrease stress. The participants rated their moods before and after practicing guided imagery and had their blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol measured. The subjects who used guided imagery reported a significant decrease in depression, fatigue, and total mood disturbance, and measured significant decreases in cortisol, as compared to the control group.

Actors, athletes, and public speakers also use guided imagery to prepare for important events. They say that picturing themselves performing at top form helps them do their best in reality.

Note

There is no certification or licensing for practitioners of guided imagery, although many professionals who practice it are licensed in other areas of health care, such as psychiatry and psychology. Many psychotherapists, nurses, physical therapists and hypnotists also offer guided imagery training. The best way to find a reputable practitioner is to seek referrals from your primary-care physician and friends you trust. Ask for references and check them. Be sure you feel comfortable with the style of the practitioner before you begin to work together.

Cautions

Guided imagery generally is a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone, from children to the elderly. It should be noted that people who suffer from some form of mental illness, particularly people who are prone to hallucinations, should discuss the process in advance with a trained therapist. If you ever experience disturbing images or memories during a session, you may also wish to discuss the experience with a trained therapist.
Choose images that are pleasant to you. If you know in advance that an image may be disturbing, let your practitioner know. If you’re participating in a group session, feel free to sit out the exercise.

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<h1>Guided Imagery</h1> Author: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/profile_Parry P.aspx'>Parry P</a> Introduction

Guided imagery is the conscious use of the imagination to create positive images which is called as healing visualizations in order to bring about healthful changes in both the body and the mind. Creating mental images is nothing new for most people. Everyone has daydreams which are nothing but visualization only. Guided imagery takes this natural process a step further. By working with a trained therapist or using special audiotapes, one can learn to communicate more effectively with unconscious mind, requesting the body function in an optimal and healthy way.

History

The belief that the power of imagination can help people heal has ancient roots. Traditional folk healers known as shamans used guided imagery to treat ailments. In Eastern medicine, envisioning well-being has always been an important part of the therapeutic process. In Tibetan medicine in particular, creating a mental image of the healing god would improve the patient’s chances for recovery. The ancient Greeks, including Aristotle and Hippocrates who is called as father of modern medicine also had their patients use forms of imagery to help them heal.

It was not until the 1960s, that psychologists exploring the emerging field of biofeedback first began to appreciate the powers of the mind on the physical body. Through biofeedback, they could teach patients to slow heart rate, lower blood pressure or open incapacitated lungs with asthma. Then, in the 1970s, O. Carl Simonton, M.D., chief of Radiation Therapy at Travis Air Force base in Fairfield, California, and psychotherapist Stephanie Matthews-Simonson, devised a program which today known as the Simonton method; that utilized guided imagery to help his cancer patients. The patients pictured their white blood cells attacking their cancer cells. It should be noted that this sometimes resembled the popular video game Pac-Man. Simonton found that the more vivid the images his patients used, for example, ravenous sharks attacking feeble little fish, the better the process worked.

Since then, a good deal of research into mind-body connections has appeared in mainstream medical literature. While many conventional physicians remain skeptical that the mind has an actual physical effect on the reversal of an illness, guided imagery often conducted by psychiatrists or psychologists is now used in many medical inpatient and outpatient programs throughout the world. Many holistically oriented psychologists and other counselors routinely employ guided imagery for stress reduction, smoking cessation, weight reduction, immune stimulation and the relief of both physical and emotional illness.

Line of Action

Practitioners say that guided imagery works because, in terms of brain activity, picturing something and actually experiencing it are alike. Brain scans have verified this. Stimulating the brain with imagery can have a direct effect on the nervous and endocrine systems and can ultimately affect the immune system as well. If one pictures oneself luxuriating at the beach on a tropical island then muscles will actually relax and the skin will feel the warmth of the sun rays. Likewise, if one imagines recovering quickly and effortlessly from gallbladder surgery, is more likely to heal faster and with less pain.

Visual cortex of the brain, which processes images, has a powerful connection with the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary activities such as pulse, breathing and physical responses to stress. Soothing, uplifting images can actually slow the pulse and breathing and lower blood pressure as well as help trigger the release of hormones such as endorphins, which makes one feel good and nurture restorative powers of the body.

Procedure

Although one can learn guided imagery techniques with self study using books, it is best to work with a practitioner or purchase an audiotape dealing with the issue important to oneself. Being a creative individual, one can write his own guided imagery script, read it onto a tape and then use the tape as guiding tool. If anyone works with a practitioner, it will probably take only a couple of sessions to learn a technique. The sessions may be as short as 30 minutes or as long as 90 minutes. It will speed the process considerably if the practitioner allows to tape the session for home use.

During the first session, the practitioner who may be a psychiatrist, psychotherapist or psychologist will take the medical history and ask about the need of using the guided imagery. The practitioner will probably ask questions about favorite vacation spots and times of year and about experiences that have made one feel confident and secure. The answers will help oneself and the practitioner to develop images that make one feel good.

Then the practitioner may ask the patient to lie on a couch or sit in a chair. Once settled in, the practitioner will lead the patient through a breathing exercise or relaxation technique. Then, the practitioner will guide the patient through a visualization exercise, using all five senses and perhaps focusing on a special place where one usually feels happy and peaceful. The practitioner may suggest some ideas but will leave most of the imagining up to oneself. The best images are the ones you invoke up yourself because they have personal meaning for you.

With practice, anyone will be able to bring up healing images quickly, anytime, anywhere. Anyone will be able to use guided imagery to relax during stressful moments as well as to treat a particular health problem.

Benefits

While there is no scientific evidence indicating that guided imagery by itself helps to heal disease, this technique has been shown to promote relaxation and to improve quality of life. It is especially useful for conditions that are made worse by stress, such as high blood pressure, pain and headache as well as stress and anxiety themselves. It may also help certain eating disorders.

In a 1997 study at the University of Miami, researchers found that guided imagery helped elevate mood and decrease stress. The participants rated their moods before and after practicing guided imagery and had their blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol measured. The subjects who used guided imagery reported a significant decrease in depression, fatigue, and total mood disturbance, and measured significant decreases in cortisol, as compared to the control group.

Actors, athletes, and public speakers also use guided imagery to prepare for important events. They say that picturing themselves performing at top form helps them do their best in reality.

Note

There is no certification or licensing for practitioners of guided imagery, although many professionals who practice it are licensed in other areas of health care, such as psychiatry and psychology. Many psychotherapists, nurses, physical therapists and hypnotists also offer guided imagery training. The best way to find a reputable practitioner is to seek referrals from your primary-care physician and friends you trust. Ask for references and check them. Be sure you feel comfortable with the style of the practitioner before you begin to work together.

Cautions

Guided imagery generally is a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone, from children to the elderly. It should be noted that people who suffer from some form of mental illness, particularly people who are prone to hallucinations, should discuss the process in advance with a trained therapist. If you ever experience disturbing images or memories during a session, you may also wish to discuss the experience with a trained therapist.
Choose images that are pleasant to you. If you know in advance that an image may be disturbing, let your practitioner know. If you’re participating in a group session, feel free to sit out the exercise.About the Author: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.holistichealth-guide.com/guided-imagery.php">Guided Imagery</a> 
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