“Imagery can’t
make you
perform beyond
your capabilities,
but it can help
you reach your
potential,” -Tom
Seabourne, Ph.D.
Visualization:
Stress
Management
Technique
Yaniris Cintron, Michael
Brown, Jessica Marich,
William Eldridge, Giovanni
Vinci, Michael Bortnowski,
Timothy Meehl
What is it?
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Visualization is mind rehearsal. You create
images in your mind of what you want to
have, where you want to be, and what
you want to do.
You repeat these images over and over
again. This technique is five minutes long
daily.
The key to remember when visualizing is to
always visualize that you already have the
thing you want.
How effective is it?
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A study conducted by, Alan Richardson, an Australian
Psychologist took basketball players and divided them into
three groups. The first group would practice their freethrows. The second group would only visualize themselves
making free-throws. The third group would neither practice
or visualize making free-throws.
Results showed that the players who practices and
visualized performed about the same, whereas players that
did neither performed below average.
Effective with stress

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In another study conducted 37 patients with
psoriasis, a skin condition which can be caused by
stress, about to undergo ultraviolet phototherapy.
The patients were randomly assigned to one of two
conditions: a mindfulness meditation-based stress
reduction intervention guided by audiotaped
instructions during light treatments, or a control
condition consisting of the light treatments alone
with no taped instructions.
Results from the research proved that the therapy
helped heal the psoriasis quicker than light therapy
only.
What does it help?
gives us the energy to create.
 something we learn how to do at a very
young age.
 used in our adult lives to block out or flush
out conflicting thoughts.
 allows us to feel our way through situations
and to harbor negative feelings.
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How do people use it?
Lowers blood pressure
 Decrease stress hormones
 Increase overall energy
 Feel relaxed and refreshed
 Helps you achieve personal and
professional goals
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Interesting Facts
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Many elite athletes use visualization techniques or guided imagery as part of
training and competition. –
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Ancient Greeks integrated visualization and guided imagery in their everyday
lives as part of their mental well-being and life experience. The body and mind
was considered one entity.
Used as a form of alternative medicine for Cancer treatment and therapy.
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The athlete creates scenarios and can include any of the senses and visualize
them repetitively almost like practice for the mind.
Visual- Imagining yourself scoring a goal or reaching a new max on your bench
pre
Kinesthetic- Imagining how you physically feel conjuring up enough physical force
and movement to accomplish a task.
Auditory- Imagining yourself hearing the elated crowd applauding your
accomplishment
Simonton’s Method, or “Pac Man Method” – a Radiation oncologist
Music can be a valuable tool in enhancing the visualization experience

Helen Bonny, a music therapist, refers to music as a tool to expand your
consciousness and imagination.
Steps of how its done
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Pre-contemplation planning: of the things you want. Write them down
and weigh the negatives if you were to obtain the desire.
Believe: believe that what you want is attainable.
Emotions: as you convince yourself that this is going to happen, let the
appropriate emotion come. If there isn’t an emotion adjust something
in the planning stage.
Relax: You could use a relaxation technique, or a hypnosis script, or a
binaural beat recording.
Visualize: Imagine the thing that you desire in this order: being the
person you need to be to obtain the desire, then doing the things that
need to be done, and then visualize having the desire. Enjoy the
positive feelings.
Let go: just let go of the whole thing and turn you attention to your
daily activities.
Take some kind of action: Do something concrete related to your
desire. Do an Internet search on the country you want to visit. If you
have any negative thoughts throw them out of your head.
Step 1

Get Comfortable
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Find a comfortable position which isn’t
“too comfortable”
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Laying down or sitting up right
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi7BM8XPTfA
Step 2 – Getting Situated
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Back Straight
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Relax your limbs
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Relax your muscles
Step 3 – Diaphragmatic
Breathing
Close your eyes
 Clear your mind
 Slowly breathe in your nose and out of
your mouth
 Inflate your abdomen than your chest
 Repeat up to 10 times or until you are
completely relaxed
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Step 4 – Contract and Relax
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Start with lower limbs
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Work your way up to your face
Step 5 – Time to Visualize
Picture your self in a comfortable place
 (Tropical Island, Bed, Home, etc)
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Imagine yourself stress free
 Getting ready to take on your day
 Make a detailed list of your day
 Picture yourself accomplishing these tasks
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Step 5 (continued)
When your done imaging your day
 Its time to gently wake up
 Slowly open your eyes
 Take a deep breathe and take on your
day
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