Posts tagged with 'relaxation'
Four aspects model & some associated evidence for relaxation, meditation & imagery
13th September 2009
Relaxation, meditation, mindfulness, hypnosis, imagery and other associated methods form a complex, loosely interlinked field. The "Four aspects of helpful inner focus" model, that I've put together to help me make more sense of this territory, looks like this: For a downloadable copy of this diagram click here. There is …
Autogenic training: fifth session
7th September 2009
Here are the handouts and other materials for the fifth Autogenic training session. Start this exercise once you have worked through the first four lessons. Take your time. If you have conscientiously worked your way through to this fifth session, you're doing really well. Congratulations. Don't feel you have to …
Autogenic training: fourth session
24th August 2009
For the fourth Autogenic Training class, I introduce a number of new practices and ideas. These include the next stage in the basic Autogenic Training sequence (pulse & general calmness), beginning to work on application during daily life (1st differential exercise), and a focus on the "Nourishing positive states" aspect …
Autogenic training: third session
17th August 2009
Here are materials for the third session of the Autogenic Training classes that I've taught for many years. Please read the introductory remarks and take time to work through the first and second Autogenic Training exercises before starting on this third Limb Warmth focus. Once working with the Warmth exercises, …
Autogenic training: second session
10th August 2009
I usually encourage people to practise the first Autogenic Limb Heaviness exercises twice daily for at least a week before getting them to consider moving on to this Neck & Shoulders exercise. There are several important points that I try to get across in this second lesson. One is that …
Autogenic training: first session
27th July 2009
Here are handouts and Autogenic relaxation exercises from the first "lesson" of an eight session Autogenic Training (AT) class. This first "class" concentrates on relaxation of the voluntary muscles of the arms & legs. It is probably sensible to stay with this focus for at least a week or two …
Autogenic training: an introduction
20th July 2009
Autogenic Training (AT) is a method of producing deeply relaxed, peaceful states of mind and body. AT can accurately be viewed as both a form of relaxation and a form of meditation - the "Four aspects of inner focus" chart illustrates mechanisms of action. Autogenics is often taught as a …
Handouts & questionnaires for pain information & assessment (1st post)
13th April 2009
For many years my work split fairly evenly between helping people with psychological difficulties and helping people with pain problems. Quite a few people were troubled with both. In the last several years I have done much less work with pain, although I still see some people for overall pain …
Recent research: lifestyle - five papers on sleep, exercise & stress management
26th February 2009
Here are five papers on lifestyle and the benefits of making healthy choices. The first by Cohen et al on sleep habits and susceptibility to the common cold, showed increased risk of developing a cold after infection for those with shorter sleep duration. Interestingly the increased risk was even greater …
New Year’s resolution – would you like to be happier?
28th December 2008
So here's a blast from the past ... that could be fun and useful for a New Year's resolution. I first came across Michael Fordyce's research year's ago (Fordyce 1977; Fordyce 1983). It was probably the first serious scientific exploration of how to help people become happier that I'd ever …