1. Dr. Mallika E. Meinhold,
Health Psychologist/Psychotherapist

2. Content
 Introduction
 Children and anxiety
 Guided Imagery
 How it works
 Suitability
 What happens in the brain?
 Guided learning
 Simple Imageries for children
 Demonstration/Practical exercise/’Peaceful Place’

3. The only person who is educated is the one who has
learned how to learn and change.
Carl Rogers
 Guided Imagery is linked to Carl Roger’s (1902-1987)
client- or person centred therapy which focuses on the
potential to grow and change .
 Humanistic Psychology has an optimistic view of the
person.

4. Health Psychology
Prevention
Treatment
Guided Imagery is a technique used by many natural or
alternative medical practitioners as well as some physicians
and psychologists.

5. Relax at School
 At Rudolph Steiner oriented schools and some
Austrian primary schools relaxation exercises are part
of the normal school schedule.
 Nowadays children are more passive and use less
imagination due to TV and ICT; but also in daily
school life the left brain is more active.

6.  Children with learning difficulties are often under
enormous stress and developing anxiety symptoms.
 If a child has anxiety symptoms it is less concentrated.

7. Anxiety Symptoms
 Chest tightness
 Headache
 Difficulties in speaking
 Hyperactivity
 Fear of loosing control
 Fear to make mistakes
 Difficulties in concentration
 Short-term learning impairment, have a hard time learning
new information
 Short-term memory impairment, can't remember what I
did a few days, hours, or moments ago

8. Guided Imagery
 Martin L. Rossman, MD physician and acupuncturist along with
David Bresler, co-founded the Academy for Guided Imagery.
 Belleruth Naparsteck is a pioneer in this field.
 Guided Imagery is a simple but very powerful method for
children, adolescents and adults suffering from anxiety, stress
and depression.
 It focuses and directs the imagination and
it involves far more than just the visual sense. All
senses are involved during guided imagery.
 It mobilizes pre-conscious and unconscious processes to assist
with conscious goals => altered state of consciousness.

9. The Human Mind

10. Altered State Theory
 In the altered state, we are capable of more rapid and
intense healing, growth, learning and change.
 Altered state is a relaxed focused state, a calm and
energized alertness.
 The altered state experience allows us to reach peak
performance levels in many areas (education, sports,
health, psychotherapy).
 Dreams/Imaginations are bridging the unconscious
and conscious level.

11. Guided Imagery
 Guided Imagery is a useful technique for everybody
who wants to overcame stress, anxiety, depression,
addiction, hyperactivity and learning difficulties.
Main aims:
 Relaxation
 Improve Learning
 Personality Development
 Mental and Physical Health

12. Guided Imagery
Physiologically Psychologically
Psychosomatic Medicine/Body-Mind connection

13. How it works
 Simple imagery suggestions are given to a client by a
trained practitioner.
 Group sessions are possible.
 Breathing in and out and connect the inhale with a
positive image (e.g. energy) and the exhale with a
negative image for the anxiety.
 The image suggestions given to a client are related to
the main course of the patient's problem by providing
a direction toward the solution.

14. How it works
 Placebo effect.
 Body and mind responding as the image is real.
 We are watching a movie and we are tearful and even
crying. Rationally we are aware that this is only a
movie but the physiological response (tears/laughing)
and emotional response (sad/happy) is as this is real.

15. All Senses involved
 V isual => see, observe, colours and shapes
 A uditory => listen, speech, sounds, music
 K inaesthetic=> feel, touch, movement, warmth
 O lfactory => smell, fragrance, aroma
 G ustatory => taste

16. Different aspects
 Guided Imagery is not a cultural bound technique. It can
easily be used by children from different ethnic/cultural
background.
 Low cost
 No side effects
 Children are natural in doing phantasy journeys as they do
not strictly distinguish between reality and phantasy world.

17. Different Imageries
 Before some special imageries are utilized (e.g.
imagine you are a butterfly and you are
flying…..imagine you are swimming in the sea….)
it is good to know the psychological background of the
child (phobia, traumatic experience).

18. How to utilize
 Guided imagery techniques are easy to utilize in a class
room setting and at home.
 Easy to learn for teachers, parents/guardians

19. Research Findings
 Over the past 25 years, the effectiveness of Guided
Imagery has been increasingly established by research
findings that demonstrate its positive impact on
health, learning and performance.
 It was verified that 10 minutes of GI can reduce blood
pressure, lower cholesterol, reduces anxiety and
depression symptoms and increases serotonin levels.

20. Research Findings: Brain
 Researchers from the University of Oregon studied past
data from a 2010 study of 45 undergraduate students, and a
past study on 68 students at the Dalian University of
Technology in China, who practiced integrative body-mind
training.
 Using diffusion tensor imaging, a kind of MRI imaging
technique, the researchers were able to look at the brain
structure changes that occurred in connection with GI
practice.
 The researchers found that after two weeks of practicing
GI, the study participants had an increase in the number
of signaling connections in the brain, called axonal
density.

21. Research Findings: Brain
 After a month of practicing body mind exercises- the
researchers found that there were as well an increase
in protective tissue (called myelin) around the axons
in a part of the brain called the anterior cingulate
region.
 The study participants experienced less anxiety
symptoms after practising regular.

23. Research Findings: Brain
 A 2012 study showed that people who are practicing GI
exhibit higher levels of gyrification — the “folding” of
the cerebral cortex as a result of growth, which in turn
may allow the brain to process information faster and
has a positive impact on making decisions, forming
memories and improving attention.

25. Research Findings: Brain
 Body mind exercises has been linked to larger
hippocampal and frontal volumes of grey matter,
resulting in more positive emotions, the retention of
emotional stability, and more mindful behaviour.
 GI has been linked to dramatic changes in electrical
brain activity, namely increased Theta and Alpha
EEG activity, which is associated with wakeful and
relaxed attention.

27. Integration/Interpretation
 Talk about the images: ’What have you seen’
 Draw a picture of the place
 Focus on details of the picture
 Talk about a personal meaning, colour of the fear
 Observe tone of voice, body language of the child

28. Simple Imagery for Young Children
Hold an
orange in
your hand,
look at the
colour, try to
feel the
texture, open
the orange
and smell the
fragrance and
then take a
piece of the
orange into
your mouth.
• How does the fear look
like?
• What kind of
symbol/image comes in
your mind?
• Where do you feel the
anxiety in your body?
• Try to release the fear
with your exhale.
• Think about a powerful
image/symbol when you
breath in.

29. Peaceful Place Imagery/
Demonstration
Please close your eyes if you want to (you
can pay better attention to your self) and
open your inner eyes. You may want to
remove your glasses if you are wearing some.
Try to sit straight with the hands rest on your
chest or abdomen so that you can feel the
movement of your breathing.
Shift your weight so that it is comfortable for
you.
Please concentrate on my voice.

30. Holistic learning/Imagery learning
 Carl Rogers was interested in meaningful holistic learning rather
than pure intellectual learning.
 Combine images with words, numbers or formulas.
 Write the word confidence on your famous staffed animal.
 Write the word fire on a big red balloon.
confidencefire