Guided Relaxation Training for Wellness & Stress Management
Beth Freschi is a relaxation and life coach based in St. Paul, MN and the owner of A Time for Expression, LLC. She holds a B.A. in psychology from St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN) and an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from University of St. Thomas (St. Paul. MN). With over 15 years of experience in the mental health field, she brings a wealth of professional knowledge to her nuanced, specialized relaxation classes and popular recordings.
It's a pleasant surprise to work with someone who is initially skeptical about relaxation training and then something clicks, and that skepticism melts into a calm, easy feeling.
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A guided imagery technique my clients and I find particularly satisfying is imagining doubts and worries floating away with the breeze. This excerpt from "Guided Imagery: The Orange Grove" is an example:
"As you enter the grove, you are filled with a feeling of contentment. You are safe and supported. A gentle, refreshing breeze passes over your body. As the next breeze comes, you gather up the doubts and worries you hold within your mind and body and release them into the wind. They float up, up and out over the orchard, never to be seen again. If there are any doubts or concerns that are lingering, gather all of them and, when the next breeze comes, allow them to leave your body and mind. You watch as they move with the breeze up and over the foothills and mountains beyond the grove.
You feel lighter and more energized. You have released everything that could hold you back from the pursuit of your dreams. As you continue to wander through this luscious, fragrant orange grove, you gain more confidence. In this moment, you become completely at ease within yourself."
To listen to samples of the recording, please visit my Relaxation Recordings page or watch my YouTube video: https://youtu.be/rcIbgg8vYuM
To learn about and/or attend my Wednesday Night Relaxation on Zoom, please visit my Invitation to Relax page
Here is a brief guided imagery called “Clearing Energy. I invite you to try it:
Settle comfortably and begin to take slow, deep breaths, relaxing the body, clearing the mind…
Bring to mind any thoughts or beliefs that weigh you down and deplete your energy. See if you remember their original purpose. Do they still have a reason for existing? If not, they are ready to be dissolved.
It's time to let go of emotional clutter—as you would give away an item you never use anymore. Imagine seeing it dissolve like fog as the sun shines through, or visualize erasing it from a chalkboard to reveal a fresh, clean slate…
Once you have cleared it away so that it no longer occupies your mind, spend time enjoying the open space you have created in your inner world. This space you now have doesn't mean the mind is empty. Rather, see the potential of it being filled with renewing energy.
Invite a new idea in the form of an intention for something to happen in the coming days, weeks, or months. Something that would bring you joy...Bring your new intention to the forefront of your mind and imagine it illuminating your life path. As it glows, feel your energy replenish…
Take slow, deep breaths and treat yourself to a good long stretch. Proceed with your day feeling lighter, at ease, and renewed.
"You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here." — Desiderata
"You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here." — Desiderata
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"Transcend" by Jaxson Pohlman http://jaxsonpohlmanphotography.artstorefronts.com/
Picturing your goal, using all your senses to imagine yourself overcoming obstacles, is one of the most vital ways of using guided imagery.
Read MoreAurora Borealis at Storfjord, Norway — Photo by Kristin Berg
I like to think of guided imagery as a guided daydream that engages all of your senses—touch, sight, smell, taste and sound—and focuses the mind on positive images, feelings and sensations.
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