How Guided Imagery Works

Visualization Reduces Anxiety, Speeds Healing & Eases Chronic Pain

Jan 26, 2008

Guided imagery directly affects the emotional control center of the brain. Here's how therapeutic relaxation works, and the proven health benefits of visualization.

If you’re looking for a way to ease chronic pain, speed the healing process, or reduce anxiety and stress, consider guided imagery or visualization. It’s an alternative therapy that’s noninvasive and drug-free, and you can practice it on your own.

What Is Guided Imagery?

Visualization or therapeutic relaxation is a process that affects every aspect of your body. During guided imagery, you control your breathing and relax your muscles. You focus on something specific – such as a therapist’s voice or the instructions on a DVD or audio tape. You enter into a state of deep relaxation, success, and wholeness – similar to meditation.

In guided imagery, you consciously imagine something – and that something depends on what your goal is. If your goal is healing from cancer, for instance, you’d visualize your cells and organs strong, powerful, and healthy. If it’s stress reduction before surgery, you’d imagine the surgery from beginning to end – with a capable surgeon, caring nurses, and successful procedures. You could even visualize getting a great night’s sleep before the surgery, enjoying the drive to the hospital, and relaxing in your own bed at home after the surgery.

How Guided Imagery Works

Visualization or therapeutic relaxation sends direct, positive messages to the emotional control center of the brain. Those messages then travel to your immune system and autonomic nervous system, which affects your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rates.

Guided imagery is progressive muscle relaxation. When you relax and visualize the outcome you want, you focus on positive images and emotions. You let positive hormones flood your body, and you concentrate on keeping that positive energy strong.

Your body can't differentiate between reality and thoughts. That is, if you imagine being terrified or furious, your body immediately responds by creating the appropriate hormones and responses. In guided imagery or visualization, you imagine positive events -- and your body responds in healthy ways.

Proven Health Benefits of Guided Imagery

Guided Imagery Doesn’t Stand Alone

Guided imagery is an effective supplement to conventional medicine. Therapeutic relaxation techniques don’t take the place of prescription medications or surgeries – but they can provide huge health benefits to regular medical treatments.

The copyright of the article How Guided Imagery Works in Psychology is owned by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen. Permission to republish How Guided Imagery Works in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.