www.physio.co.nzcopyright © Active Physio 2005. Written by Gillian Webb. Dip Phys Dip MT ADP (OMT).

Your local Active Physio:

Imagery related relaxation methods

reason

logic

vertical thinking

language

reading

writing

mathematics

analysis

ego

relating to me

conscious mind

imagery

creativity

lateral thinking

recognition

rhythm

emotions

dreams

symbols

synthesis

id

relating to the conscious mind

LEFT -------- RIGHT

Which style do you feel works best?

This is the use of the thoughtprocesses that invokes theuse of the senses. It isconsidered to use the rightbrain and the diagram belowshows the relationshipsbetween the two hemispheresof the brain and how emotionand imagery are related. EMG studies have shownpositive imagery lowersmuscles tension and negativeimagery heightens muscle tone.Exploring Single Senses:Some people use:• Sight: shapes / circles /

triangles / an oak tree / a sailing boat / a button /a strand of hair

• Sound: wind blowing(through trees/throughsails/through washing onthe line)/different peoplecalling your name/horseshooves on different surfaces(on cobblestones, tarmac,mud)/scales on apiano/water flowing/ waterlapping/water falling

• Smell: newly bakedbread/petrolfumes/vanilla/newly mowngrass/chlorine

• Taste: sprouts / figs /bananas / mayonnaise/grapefruit / toothpaste

• Touch: shaking hands/standing barefoot in loosedry sand/running yourfingers over satin / velvet /brushing past soft fur /holding a smooth pebble

• Temperature: drinking a hotliquid/sunlight on yourarms/moving into a coolroom/holding an icecube/stepping into a warm bath

• Kinaesthetic (bodymovement):swimming/running ongrass/sawingwood/throwing aball/climbing a sanddune/stirring syrup

As people develop their skill inusing imagery they canprogress to:

• Imagery from all sensemodalities: e.g. eating apiece of fruit (taste, smell,feel, sight, sound)

• Symbolic Imagery: The fount/The Bell

• The use of Metaphors: e.g.A rag-doll / a jelly

• Colour: a favourite colourenveloping them /breathing in a favouritecolour and breathing out a colour that representstheir stress and pain Physical

RelaxationMethods

PatientInformation

These methods combine physical psychological methods to achieve a decrease in the body’s “fight-flight” response to the challenges that face you

Relaxation methods

About the condition of being relaxed

ITEM

Breathing

Quiet

Body/Head

Eyes

Mouth

Throat

Shoulders

Hands

Feet

RELAXED STATE

Regular and fewer in thenumber recorded in thebaseline (usually 10 to 12breathes per minute)

No audible sound such assighs/words/movement

The body is symmetrical andfully resting on supportingstructure. Head is motionlessand symmetrical

Lids lightly closed with eyesstill

Lips parted at centre ofmouth with teeth slightlyseparated

No activity

Dropped and level with each other resting against the support

Both resting at sides or onarm rest or on lap; palmsdown, fingers lightly curled

Comfortably rolled out so thatthe toes point away from each other

UNRELAXED STATE

Irregular and greater innumber

Talking/whispering/sighing/coughing/snorting or otheraudible sounds

Holding parts of the bodytensely or twisted. Headturning or other movements:head unsupported or titledand not symmetrical

Eyes open; or closed dartingabout under tense flutteringtense lids

Lips firmly closed with teethheld together; or mouth wideopen

Swallowing. Twitching orpreparing to speak

Both hunched or one higherthan the other; not restingagainst the support

Clasped, clenched orgripping support

Pointing vertically, crossed orexcessively rolled out

Self reportingYou can use the self-assessment scale to gauge the level ofrelaxation achieved in the course of your practice:

1 Feeling extremely tense and upset throughout my body

2 Feeling generally tense throughout my body

3 Feeling some tension in some parts of my body

4 Feeling relaxed as in my normal resting state

5 Feeling more relaxed than normal

6 Feeling completely relaxed throughout my entire body

7 Feeling more deeply and completely relaxed than I ever have

Physical relaxation methodThis method is based on the principle of reciprocal inhibition i.e. when one muscle group acts the opposing group relaxes.

There are 13 items of the method:

1 Pull your shoulders towards your feet

2 Slide your elbows away from your body

3 Stretch your fingers and thumbs

4 Turn your hips outwards

5 Move your knees until they are comfortable

6 Push your feet away from your face

7 Breathing

8 Push your body into the support

9 Push your head into the support

10 Drag your jaw downwards

11 Press your tongue downwards in your mouth

12 Close your eyes

13 Think of a smoothing action which begins above your eyebrows,

rises into your hairline, continues over the top of your head and

down into the back of your neck

These methods combine physical psychological methods to achieve a decrease in the body’s “fight-flight” response to the challenges that face you

Relaxation methods

About the condition of being relaxed

ITEM

Breathing

Quiet

Body/Head

Eyes

Mouth

Throat

Shoulders

Hands

Feet

RELAXED STATE

Regular and fewer in thenumber recorded in thebaseline (usually 10 to 12breathes per minute)

No audible sound such assighs/words/movement

The body is symmetrical andfully resting on supportingstructure. Head is motionlessand symmetrical

Lids lightly closed with eyesstill

Lips parted at centre ofmouth with teeth slightlyseparated

No activity

Dropped and level with each other resting against the support

Both resting at sides or onarm rest or on lap; palmsdown, fingers lightly curled

Comfortably rolled out so thatthe toes point away from each other

UNRELAXED STATE

Irregular and greater innumber

Talking/whispering/sighing/coughing/snorting or otheraudible sounds

Holding parts of the bodytensely or twisted. Headturning or other movements:head unsupported or titledand not symmetrical

Eyes open; or closed dartingabout under tense flutteringtense lids

Lips firmly closed with teethheld together; or mouth wideopen

Swallowing. Twitching orpreparing to speak

Both hunched or one higherthan the other; not restingagainst the support

Clasped, clenched orgripping support

Pointing vertically, crossed orexcessively rolled out

Self reportingYou can use the self-assessment scale to gauge the level ofrelaxation achieved in the course of your practice:

1 Feeling extremely tense and upset throughout my body

2 Feeling generally tense throughout my body

3 Feeling some tension in some parts of my body

4 Feeling relaxed as in my normal resting state

5 Feeling more relaxed than normal

6 Feeling completely relaxed throughout my entire body

7 Feeling more deeply and completely relaxed than I ever have

Physical relaxation methodThis method is based on the principle of reciprocal inhibition i.e. when one muscle group acts the opposing group relaxes.

There are 13 items of the method:

1 Pull your shoulders towards your feet

2 Slide your elbows away from your body

3 Stretch your fingers and thumbs

4 Turn your hips outwards

5 Move your knees until they are comfortable

6 Push your feet away from your face

7 Breathing

8 Push your body into the support

9 Push your head into the support

10 Drag your jaw downwards

11 Press your tongue downwards in your mouth

12 Close your eyes

13 Think of a smoothing action which begins above your eyebrows,

rises into your hairline, continues over the top of your head and

down into the back of your neck

www.physio.co.nzcopyright © Active Physio 2005. Written by Gillian Webb. Dip Phys Dip MT ADP (OMT).

Your local Active Physio:

Imagery related relaxation methods

reason

logic

vertical thinking

language

reading

writing

mathematics

analysis

ego

relating to me

conscious mind

imagery

creativity

lateral thinking

recognition

rhythm

emotions

dreams

symbols

synthesis

id

relating to the conscious mind

LEFT -------- RIGHT

Which style do you feel works best?

This is the use of the thoughtprocesses that invokes theuse of the senses. It isconsidered to use the rightbrain and the diagram belowshows the relationshipsbetween the two hemispheresof the brain and how emotionand imagery are related. EMG studies have shownpositive imagery lowersmuscles tension and negativeimagery heightens muscle tone.Exploring Single Senses:Some people use:• Sight: shapes / circles /

triangles / an oak tree / a sailing boat / a button /a strand of hair

• Sound: wind blowing(through trees/throughsails/through washing onthe line)/different peoplecalling your name/horseshooves on different surfaces(on cobblestones, tarmac,mud)/scales on apiano/water flowing/ waterlapping/water falling

• Smell: newly bakedbread/petrolfumes/vanilla/newly mowngrass/chlorine

• Taste: sprouts / figs /bananas / mayonnaise/grapefruit / toothpaste

• Touch: shaking hands/standing barefoot in loosedry sand/running yourfingers over satin / velvet /brushing past soft fur /holding a smooth pebble

• Temperature: drinking a hotliquid/sunlight on yourarms/moving into a coolroom/holding an icecube/stepping into a warm bath

• Kinaesthetic (bodymovement):swimming/running ongrass/sawingwood/throwing aball/climbing a sanddune/stirring syrup

As people develop their skill inusing imagery they canprogress to:

• Imagery from all sensemodalities: e.g. eating apiece of fruit (taste, smell,feel, sight, sound)

• Symbolic Imagery: The fount/The Bell

• The use of Metaphors: e.g.A rag-doll / a jelly

• Colour: a favourite colourenveloping them /breathing in a favouritecolour and breathing out a colour that representstheir stress and pain Physical

RelaxationMethods

PatientInformation