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FAQ
Table of Contents
- What is Guided Imagery?
- How is this process different from hypnosis?
- What is IntraPersonal Imagery?
- How can imagery help me with a physical problem?
- Can Guided Imagery be combined with regular western medicine for healing?
- How can imagery help me with a relationship, be it a spouse, a friend, a family member?
- Can imagery help with a phobia, such as a fear of flying, etc.?
- Can imagery help me to lose weight?
- How does imagery work to address habit control?
- Can imagery help with a drug or alcohol addiction?
- Can imagery help in reducing some of the stress in my life?
- How can I learn this process myself to help family and friends?
What is Guided Imagery?
Simply put, Guided Imagery is a form of meditation. After a client is talked into a light, relaxed state, he is directed by a therapist to "see" a specific situation or circumstance in his mind, and then to allow the imagination to unfold a story. It's much like having a dream in an awake state. This story that is experienced is literally tapping into the subconscious, where much truth can be learned. Whether addressing issues of health, tapping into buried emotions of a past trauma or learning new insights into self, this process allows the body to heal, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
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How is this process different from hypnosis?
Basically, the two processes are very similar. Guided Imagery, however, is a much lighter trance and allows you much more freedom to have an experience unique to you. Whereas hypnosis deals primarily with behavior modification with specific instructions and commands, imagery is more free flowing, affording new information and insight from the client, not the therapist.
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What is IntraPersonal Imagery?
The Leviton's, after a combined 50 years of experience, have developed a specific approach to Guided Imagery called IntraPersonal Imagery. Taking basic Guided Imagery one step further, this process allows deeper insight into the experience with tools to interpret your experience, to learn the lessons the subconscious is trying to offer you.
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How can imagery help me with a physical problem?
Since Guided Imagery is a process of getting in touch with our subconscious, you are literally tapping into the incredible ability of the body to heal itself. Through imagery, you can give the body permission to heal. Through an imagery, whether you are talking to a headache or preparing for a surgery, you can allow the body and the mind to speak to each other. This is where true healing begins.
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Can Guided Imagery be combined with regular western medicine for healing?
Absolutely. Using imagery to talk to the body, you can tap into the subconscious with powerful suggestions to accept any medication or surgical procedure with less stress and far less side effects. Many studies at universities and medical centers have proven that using Guided Imagery before and during recovery from surgery finds patients using half the pain medication, leaving the hospital much sooner.
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How can imagery help me with a relationship, be it a spouse, a friend, a family member?
Since imagery is a process of literally talking with our subconscious, using this process to find the reasons for conflict can be profound. Remember, in any relationship, we have the power only to change ourselves. The conflict between us is always the conflict within me.
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Can imagery help with a phobia, such as a fear of flying, etc.?
A phobia, we believe is the subconscious reacting in an exaggerated way to a past trauma, or buried emotions from the past. Through imagery, going back to the original experience, you can heal the trauma, literally separate the emotions wrapped around the actual event, affording you the opportunity to relinquish the phobia.
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Can imagery help me to lose weight?
There is an incredible body/mind connection. The body faithfully obeys our thoughts and affirmations. The old adage, "as we think, so we shall be," is definitely true. Imagery can be a powerful tool in talking to the body, allowing it to shed those extra pounds and also, to find out the reasons why our subconscious has programmed the need to have this extra weight. Begin with thinking and using the word "release", rather than "lose", for whatever we lose, we ALWAYS desperately try to find.
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How does imagery work to address habit control?
Using hypnosis, affirmations can be given to the subconscious to stop a particular habit or addiction, replacing the need with something else, hopefully a good habit. Taking this one step further, imagery can supply the same affirmations AND delve into the subconscious to find out why we have this need or desire, and heal it on a deeper, permanent level.
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Can imagery help with a drug or alcohol addiction?
Guided imagery offers a way to have instant access to our addiction, as well as the many traumas and issues that brought the addiction into our lives in the first place. Once we honor and talk to the addiction in a reasonable way, the addiction itself can give us good advice and direction on how to change our life. The objective is not to destroy the addiction, but to allow it to change. Giving this part of us permission to continue its original objective of protecting and comforting us, will provide new tools to cope with all life’s difficulties and struggles. Giving the addictive part the knowledge that there is nothing we can’t handle, transforms our addiction into inner power and strength.
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Can imagery help in reducing some of the stress in my life?
Since imagery is the process of relaxing the mind and body to have a dream in an awake state, the state of just being there helps you relax and eliminate stress. It is scientifically proven that in this state of meditation, the blood pressure is lowered, the heart rate lowers similarly, and the immune system is increased. Further, in the imagery, an alpha trigger can be introduced, such as bringing your thumb and two fingers together, which can be used while in the awake state to literally bring the body back to this place of peace and relaxation.
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How can I learn this process myself to help family and friends?
The Leviton's have developed a form of imagery called IntraPersonal Imagerytm, and offer a program to learn this process yourself. Through their certification program, you can be a part of this cutting edge technique for healing body, mind and spirit.
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