What is guided imagery? 

Medical diagnoses, surgery, and treatments can often be scary and overwhelming.  Guided imagery is a practice that can allow you to tap into your inner strength.  You can take an active role in your healing instead of being passive when unpleasant things are happening to you.  You can also use guided imagery to better understand a situation or prepare for it in advance. 

In guided imagery, you use your “mind’s eye” to picture the disease or other challenge you are facing.  It encourages you to relax and solve a problem in your mind.  When your eyes are closed and you are picturing something in your mind, the brain “sees” the images as real.  In this way, you can encourage your body to make actual physical changes just by imagining them. 

What is guided imagery used for?

The beauty of guided imagery practice is that it can be used when you are facing any number of challenging life situations.  The list below is from Martin Rossman MD in the book Integrative Medicine.¹  Guided imagery can be used…

• To help reduce stress and anxiety
• To prepare for surgery
• To help reduce side effects of medications or procedures
• To help you and your clinicians understand why symptoms are happening
• To help you cope with difficult illnesses
• To improve your body's own healing
• To help manage fear and pain
• To help you prepare for life changes (habits, sickness, and even death).

How does guided imagery work?

Guided imagery can be practiced three ways:

• Alone
• By listening to recordings
• In a session with an experienced guide.