Guided Imagery and Visualization

What are the benefits I can derive from Guided Imagery/Visualization?
Some of the benefits you will experience from Guided Imagery/Visualization are:

~Achieve deep comforting relaxation for your mind and body

~Stimulate healing responses in your body

~Create inner dialogue to help you better understand your health and what you can do to improve it

~Learn to relax and be comfortable in any situation whether you are ill or well

~Tap inner strength and find hope, courage, patience, perseverance, love, and other qualities that can help you cope, transcend, or recover from illness and pain

What is guided imagery?
Guided imagery is the use of our imagination for self-improvement and healing.   Communication between our mind and body is a dialogue that is continuous, not always at the level of our conscious awareness.  It occurs in images- positive, negative, healing, harmful, supportive,and even destructive.  Because our emotions are chemicals stored within us, when we recall an event we are flooded with emotion, or rather chemicals that result in our reliving the experience.  If it is negative for instance, such as an argument or hostile encounter, we may realize our body tightens, our breathing shortens, or becomes rapid and shallow, or practically ceases to occur.  We might feel anxiety, nausea, drained of energy.  If however we recall a peaceful place, pleasing personal encounter, successful accomplishment, or just a loved one, we may notice how key muscles let go, our breathing becomes deep and fulfilling, our pulse rate slows and serenity is achieved.

Why are images important to our health?
Visual images of the mind are important because they can influence the body.  Strong, believable images can also influence our behavior.

What can be helped thru guided imagery?
Good medical care for serious health problems is essential but can be combined easily and effectively with imagery.  Certain symptoms and illnesses seem to be more responsive to imagery than others, especially those that are caused by or aggravated by stress.  These would include headache, neck& back pain, intestinal disturbances, and heart palpitations, some forms of heart disease, hypertension, allergies, fatigue, anxiety, and depression.  Guided imagery can also be used to augment the effectiveness of medicine, chemotherapy, and even help one to prepare or recover from surgery.