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!