Dr. Jeanette talks Relaxation Therapy
My teacher during my post doc at The Behavior Therapy Therapy Institute in 1975 was Dr. Joe Wolpe, father of Behavior Therapy. When he said to his group of students at our weekly seminar, “Relaxation is the optimal state of the organism,” I was a bit shocked.
Relaxing was the way to go? Really? If so, that sounded like fun to me. Wow, humans need to relax in order to be at our best? Fantstic, this is good news. The more I considered what he was saying and the evidence he had to back up his statement, the more I understand anxiety.
I began to see the bigger picture of how anxiety had created huge problems for me and others. Growing up on a farm, I had often noticed how free and happy animals were compared to me and my family members. Watching the squirrels play as a child, I was unhappy that I was not as free to be and play as they were. I wanted a life as uncomplicated and relaxed as a squirrel.
So, my friends, learning how to relax is essential if you want to reduce your anxiety and depression. Learning how to relax is mandatory if you want to enjoy a free and happy moment from time to time. You will enjoy more vibrant moments and peak experiences if you relax and allow yourself to be who you are.
Relaxation is the pathway to your True Nature.
Begin Using Relaxation Therapy Now
You need to learn how to relax your whole body from head to toe. You can do systematic relaxation. There are tons of ways to relax your body. The most important thing you can do it get in a comfortable position and consciously and deliberately relax your muscles.
When you are in bed at night is a great place to practice. In the morning before you get up is another time to relax before you jump up into an anxious body. You can relax in nature, on the beach, in the mountains, by a tree. Let go and relax into gravity. Let gravity pull you down into reality.
Use imagery to help you relax at anytime. Use your visualization to see yourself relaxed and comfortable. Use your intention to set in motion a new, relaxed you. Say goodbye to the anxious you. Draw a picture of the anxious body you have now. See it in your mind’s eye. Then draw a picture of the relaxed body you will have in a month or two after using Relaxation Therapy. See your relaxed Future Self.
Relaxation Therapy helps you become less anxious and worried. People who are relaxed are not mentally ill. The more relaxed you are, the more effective you will be. Notice how effective great athletes are when they are relaxed. Sports performances can prove to you that relaxation is the way to go. Learn from how the batters at the box breathe. Watch them breathe and do as they do.
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Breathing is Life
Once you get in a comfortable position, let go of your muscles so they can sink into gravity. Notice what muscles resist gravity and feel tight. As you sink into gravity, begin to use your breath. Inhale slowly, exhale slowly. There are many ways to breathe. Just take full breaths to begin with and don’t worry about it. Think of breathing like a baby.
The degree to which you are breathing is the degree to which you are alive. So breathe in slowly and exhale slowly. Each time you exhale, let go and try to relax even more than before. Inhale slowly and fully. Exhale slowly and completely. Notice how your breathing affects your relaxation. Notice any movements of energy in your body.
Even after learning how to relax my body and using Relaxation Therapy in the office for several years, I still was not a conscious breather. My relaxation and breathing were much improved and yet I did not know if I was breathing or not at any moment in time. Once you master a reliable relaxation response you can work on becoming a conscious breather as you move through your day.
First, you need to learn how to use Relaxation Therapy so you have the skill to relax when you want to and need to. You need a relaxation response that you can use to desensitization your anxieties. Relaxation Therapy by itself is limited. You want to use your relaxation response to consciously reduce your anxieties.
Systematic Desensitization uses a reliable relaxation response to decondition your anxiety. Unlearning anxious responses can be accomplished in real life as you live your life. You can also use your imagination, which in some studies is even more effective than real practice, to unlearn your anxious reactions.
When you are successful unlearning a certain anxiety, the nervous energy in your body and nervous system begins to disappear. You feel the tensions go away and the anxiety disappear. You become relaxed and comfortable. You know you are safe and all is well.
You will be pleasantly surprised to find that you are no longer anxious in a situation that used to make you anxious. It is a wonderful feeling to be spontaneous and comfortable in new situations as you slowly and consciously reduce your anxiety. Your comfort in the world continues to expand as you use Relaxation Therapy and breathing to expand your world.
You will enjoy using Relaxation Therapy your whole life as you face more fears and get rid of more anxieties. See yourself being able to kick back and relax as needed to keep you and your loved ones safe and sane.
