AUTOGENIC TRAINING By: Carvelle Jean-Philippe,
WHAT IS AUTOGENIC TRAINING?
Autogenic Therapy (AT) is a powerful mind and body technique involving simple relaxation and body awareness exercises. These reduce the intensity of the body's stress response, and replace it with a calmer physiological state in which self-healing naturally begins to occur.
The basic AT exercises focus on various physical manifestations of relaxation in the body: heaviness in the musculo-skeletal system and warmth in the circulatory system (*). These are followed by awareness of the heartbeat, breathing, the abdomen and a cool forehead.
HOW DOES AT WORK?
AT involves learning a set of easy mental exercises using designated phrases that are repeated as silent thoughts while sitting or lying in a specific, supported and neutral posture. It allows the mind and body to switch off the 'fight/flight/freeze' stress response, and instead promotes rest, recuperation and recovery. Autogenic means self-generating, - you are, in effect, treating yourself. With the support and guidance of a therapist, you gradually learn to trust your own process of self-healing.
In our society we tend to favour our left brain hemisphere which is a place of logical thinking and working with information, while the right brain hemisphere, which is a place of emotions, pictures and imaginations, is often neglected. When you practice AT, the two hemispheres work together, moving towards balance.
HOW WILL AT BENEFIT ME?
Helps you switch from stress to relaxation Increases confidence and self-esteem Significantly improves sleep quality Increases concentration and focus Reduces or eliminates anxiety Provides a tool for self-empowerment and feeling more in
control Gives you health and emotional balance Promotes personal growth
WHY CHOOSE AT?
It's autogenic: a self- generated process so you won't be dependent on a voice, environment, or time.
It's fast: the exercises take only 10 minutes It's cost effective: no special equipment or clothes are
required It can be practiced almost anywhere, according to the
time you have available.
THE TRAINING IS AN INEXPENSIVE AND EFFECTIVEMETHOD TO KEEP YOURSELF
BOTH PHYSICALLY ANDEMOTIONALLY HEALTHY FOR
THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
CONDITIONS AT CAN TREAT.
Panic attacks/ Anxiety Phobias Migraine/ headaches Insomnia High blood pressure Asthma
Irritable bowel / colitis Pain/ Muscular pain Fatigue/ low energy Stress Unresolved grief Sleep disturbances
The major influence AT can have on any of the above symptoms is reduction of attendant anxiety. The increased confidence that clients develop from knowing they can help themselves can have a significant impact on their state of health.
SCHULTZ AND LUTHE’S ESSENTIAL FACTORS Johannes Shultz &
Wolfgang Luthe developed Autogenic Training
Gave several factors essential to successful autogenic training
1. High Motivation and cooperation
2. A reasonable degree of self-direction and self-control
3. Maintenance of particular body posture conducive to success
4. Reduction of external stimuli to a minimum and mental focusing on the process to the exclusion of the external environment
5. Concentrated attention on the bodily sensations
BODY POSITIONS
3 Basic body positions for Autogenic Training Reclining Lie on your back, feet slightly apart, toes pointing away
from the body Can use blankets or cushions for comfort but must not
misalign the body Arms lie alongside body without touching, slight bend
at the elbows and palms facing upward
BODY POSITIONS
Seated Position One Best to use a straight-
backed chair to provide support for head and align it with torso
Your butt should be against the back of the chair
Arms, hands, and fingers can relax on the arms of the chair or supported on your lab
BODY POSITIONS
Seated Position Two Uses a stool or a low-backed
chair with little support to back
Sit at forward part of the chair with arms supported on your thighs
Hands and fingers dangle loosely
Head hangs loosely, with chin near the chest
Feet shoulder width apart, slightly forward of your knees
SIX INITIAL STAGES
1. Focus on sensations of heaviness throughout the arms and legs
2. Focus on sensations of warmth throughout the arms and legs
3. Focus of sensations of warmth and heaviness in the area of the heart
4. Focus on slow, calm breathing
5. Focus on sensations of warmth in the abdomen
6. Focus on sensations of coolness in the forehead
Theses stages require practice,
and will become more effective
over time
SAMPLE INSTRUCTIONS
Repeat each statement three times
Stage 1 Heaviness My right arm is heavy.. My left arm is heavy.. Both of my arms are very
heavy.. My right leg is heavy.. My left leg is heavy.. Both of my legs are very
heavy.. My arms and legs are very
heavy
Stage 2 Warmth My right arm is warm.. My left arm is warm.. Both of my arms are very
warm.. My right leg is warm.. My left leg is warm.. Both of my legs are very
warm.. My arms and legs are very
warm
Stage 3 Heart My heartbeat is calm and
regular
SAMPLE INSTRUCTIONS CONT.
Stage 4 Respiration My breathing is calm and relaxed.. It breathes me
Stage 5 Abdomen My abdomen is warm
Stage 6 Forehead My fore head is cool
With experience, it will only take a few minutes to feel heaviness and warmth in your limbs, relaxed and calm heart rate, warmth in your abdomen, and coolness in your forehead
IMAGERY
Part of autogenic training employs images of relaxing scenes to translate body relaxation into mind relaxation
Find an image you find relaxing by answering six simple questions
1. What is the temperature at the scene?
2. Who is there?
3. What colors are present in your scene?
4. What sounds are present in your scene?
5. What movement is occuring?
6. How are you feeling?
AUTOGENIC MEDITATION
This use of imagery is also known as autogenic meditation
You should use a very vivid scene
Use as many senses as you can to make the image as real as possible
Smell the smells, hear the sounds, see the colors, feel the sensations
Use of imagery has been able to help people both physiologically and psychologically
Children with chronic headaches were taught imagery, 88 percent reported decrease in frequency, about 20 percent became headache free
Has been used to help those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
YOUR TURN!
Take a few slow deep breathes Remember the six tips, focusing on here and now Lets try out autogenic training for ourselves!
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