Helping Stressed Clients Relax

Fast-paced developed societies seem to compel their members to push body and mind to ever more unattainable limits; the pressure comes at the expense of wellbeing. The Mind/Body Medical Institute at Harvard recently observed that 60 to 90 percent of all medical office visits in the United States are for stress-related disorders; the presenting issue of stress is likely to pop up in your rooms as well. This course is about helping clients to reverse the stress response by implementing the relaxation response. To that end, the course defines stress and debunks several myths about its management. It names the chief sources and symptoms of stress and details the benefits of engaging the relaxation response. The bulk of the course is devoted to explaining the various types of relaxation techniques that refocus attention; increase body awareness; slow the body and quiet the mind; and help integrate body, mind, and spirit. Therapists and clients alike should be able to realise many benefits from diligent application of the techniques presented. Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to: define stress and identify symptoms of it; debunk the main myths about stress; explain the differences between the fight-flight response and the relaxation response; recall the chief benefits of the relaxation response; show the client how to prepare for a relaxation session; and explain the common relaxation approaches, including progressive muscle relaxation, passive muscle relaxation, body scan meditation, rhythmic movement exercise, visualisation, guided imagery, mindfulness meditation, autogenics, relaxation breathing, loving-kindness meditation, and Psychosynthesis body-feelings-mind meditation.