Relaxation Training

Goal

To be able to feel relaxed after completing a relaxation exercise

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing can be a highly effective relaxation strategy. In order to do it properly, it is important to breathe from your diaphragm (abdomen) rather than from your chest muscles. It takes practice to learn how to breathe properly. The following video introduces diaphragmatic breathing and begins a three part training on how to do it properly.

Video 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-_NNCrrdus

Deep Muscle Relaxation (adapted from Martin & Pear, 2002, pp. 382-383)

Deep muscle relaxation is an additional form of relaxation and consists of relaxing all of your muscles completely and to recognize when they are relaxed. This is done by alternately tensing and relaxing your muscles while attending closely to the internal activities and sensations you are feeling at the time.

In order to learn how to do deep muscle relaxation effectively, it is helpful to have someone with a soothing voice read a muscle relaxation script to you. Record them reading the script so you will always have it. Alternatively, use a pre-recorded script that can be found online, such as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFwCKKa--18.

Script: Listen closely to these instructions. They will help you to increase your ability to relax. Each time I pause, continue doing what you were doing before the pause. Now, close your eyes and take 3 deep breaths (pause for 10 seconds). Make a tight fist with your left hand. Squeeze it tightly. Note how it feels (pause for 5 seconds). Now relax (pause for 5 seconds). Once again, squeeze your left hand tightly and study the tension that you feel (pause for 5 seconds). And once again, just relax and think of the tension disappearing from our fingers (pause for 10 seconds). Make a tight fist with your right hand. Squeeze it as tightly as you can and note the tension in your fingers and your hand, and your forearm (pause for 5 seconds). Now relax (pause for 5 seconds). Once again, squeeze your right fist tightly (pause for 5 seconds). And again, just relax (pause for 10 seconds).

Make a tight fist with your left hand and bend your arm to make your left biceps hard. Hold it tense (pause for 5 seconds). Now relax totally. Feel the warmth escape down your biceps through your forearm, and out of your fingers (pause for 10 seconds). Now make a tight fist with the other hand and raise your hand to make your right biceps hard. Hold it tightly, and feel 16 the tension (pause for 5 seconds). Now relax. Concentrate on the feelings flowing through your arm (pause for 10 seconds). Now, squeeze both fists at once and bend both arms to make them totally tense throughout. Hold it, and think about the tension you feel (pause for 5 seconds). Now relax, and feel the total warmth and relaxation flowing through your muscles. All the tension is flowing out of your fingertips (pause for 10 seconds).

Now, wrinkle your forehead and squint your eyes very tight and hard. Squeeze them tight and hard. Feel the tension across your forehead and through your eyes. Now relax. Note the sensations running through your eyes. Just relax (pause for 10 seconds). Okay, squeeze your jaws tight together and raise your chin to make your neck muscles hard. Hold it, bite down hard, tense your neck, and squeeze your lips really tight (pause for 5 seconds). Now relax (pause for 10 seconds). Now, all together, wrinkle up your forehead and squeeze your eyes tight, bite down hard with your jaws, raise your chin and tighten up your neck, and make your lips tight. Hold them all and feel the tension throughout your forehead, and eyes, and jaw, and neck, and lips. Hold it. Now relax. Just totally relax and enjoy the tingling sensations (pause for 15 seconds).

Now, squeeze both your shoulders forward as hard as you can until you feel your muscles pulling tightly right across your back, especially in the area between your shoulder blades. Squeeze them. Hold them tight. Now relax (pause for 10 seconds). Now squeeze your shoulders forward again and, at the same time, suck your stomach in as far as you can and tense your stomach muscles. Feel the tension throughout your stomach. Hold it (pause for 5 seconds). Now relax (pause for 10 seconds). Once more, squeeze your shoulder blades forward again, suck in your stomach as far as you can, tense your stomach muscles, and feel the tension throughout your upper body. Now relax (pause for 10 seconds).

Now, we are going to review all of the muscle systems that we have covered so far. First, take three deep breaths (pause for 10 seconds). Ready? Tighten up both fists and bend both of your arms to squeeze your biceps tight. Wrinkle your forehead and squeeze your eyes tight. Bite down hard with your jaws, raise your chin, and hold your lips tight. Squeeze your shoulders forward and suck in your stomach and push your stomach muscles against it. Hold them all. Feel the tremendous tension throughout. Now relax. Take a deep breath. Just feel the tension disappearing. Think about the total relaxation throughout all of your muscles-in your arms, in your head, in your shoulders, in your stomach. Just relax (pause for 10 seconds).

Now, let’s go to your legs. Bring your left heel in tight toward your chair, push it down hard, and raise your toes so that your calf and your thigh are extremely tense. Squeeze your toes up and push your heel down hard (pause for 5 seconds). Now relax (pause for 10 seconds). One more time, bring your left heel in tight toward your chair, push it down hard, and raise your toes so that your calf and your thigh are extremely tense. Push down on the heel and raise your toes. Now relax (pause for 10 seconds). Now, bring your right heel in tight toward your chair and push it down and raise your toes so that your calf and your thigh are extremely tense. Push your heel down, squeeze your toes up, and squeeze your leg in tight (pause for 5 seconds). Now relax (pause for 10 seconds).

Now, let’s do both legs together. Squeeze your heels in tight toward your chair, push down on your heels, and raise your toes as high and as tight as you can. Hold it (pause for 5 seconds). Now relax (pause for 10 seconds). Now, take 3 deep breaths (pause for 5 seconds). Now, tense all the muscles as they are named, exactly as you have practiced: left fist and biceps, right fist and biceps, forehead, eyes, jaw, neck, lips, shoulders, stomach, left leg, right leg. Hold it (pause for 5 seconds). Now relax (pause for 10 seconds). Breathe in deeply 3 times and then repeat the total tensing and then the total relaxing, and while you are breathing in deeply and then tensing and then relaxing, notice how relaxed all of your muscles feel. Now tense (pause for 5 seconds) and relax (pause for 5 seconds). Now, breathe normally and enjoy the completely tension-free state of your body and muscles (pause for 5 seconds). Now turn the recording off.

Deep Muscle Relaxation Exercise

Practice deep muscle relaxation by either playing the recording of the muscle relaxation script or watching the video. Make sure you are in a quiet, dimly lit setting with as few of distractions as possible.

Imagery (Greenberger & Padesky, pp. 185-186)

Imagery involves visualizing scenes that are tranquil and relaxing to you. Scenes may be actual places you know that feel safe and relaxing, or they may be scenes you create to be tranquil, safe, and relaxing. The specific scene is less important than how the image makes you feel. The more senses you can incorporate into your image, the more relaxing imagery is likely to be. If you can imagine the smells, sounds, and tactile sensations as well as the visual aspects of the scene, you will improve your ability to relax.

Imagery Exercise

Instructions: Watch this guided imagery video and reflect on the experience by thinking about your answers to the following questions:

• How did you feel before, during, and after the exercise?
• What thoughts did you have during the exercise?
• Did your feelings of anxiety decrease after completing the exercise?

Distraction (Greenberger & Padesky, p. 186)

When anxious, we tend to focus on physical sensations or thoughts connected to our anxiety. Distraction works because our attention is focused away from the thoughts or physical sensations that contribute to our anxiety. To the degree that you can become absorbed in other activities or thoughts you will shut off the cognitive fuel for your anxiety, thereby decreasing or eliminating your anxiety symptoms. Practice distraction for at least 4 minutes before expecting a decrease in anxiety.

Next Step

To determine which relaxation methods work best for you, rate your level of anxiety or tension on a 0-100 scale before and after completing them. Practice the one or two methods that work best for you regularly to make them fully effective.