Applied Relaxation
We all have situations and events in our lives which we would like to face in a calm and confident state.
However, when it's something we really care about or a situation which we have had a negative experience of in the past, tension, fear and nerves often get the better of us.
Applied Relaxation (also known as Rapid Relaxation and Cue-Controlled Relaxation) is an evidence based CBT technique which was initially developed to help treat conditions such as Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and panic disorders. However, it has now become a more widely spread tool for helping people effectively face everyday stressors and optimise performance in a number of settings.
In Applied Relaxation sessions you are taught how to shift your physiological state out of a stress response, and back into homeostasis. This is a natural function of your nervous system which helps you to stay calm, focussed and feel more confident in the face of challenges.
How does relaxation effect our behaviour?
Although we often associate relaxation with feeling more drowsy or lethargic, a physiological state of relaxation is actually an optimised state of calm and mental resourcefulness.
When you are in this natural state of homeostasis you not only feel more calm and contented, but you also have access to the most important creative centres in the brain. These are the regions of the brain which govern problem solving, reasoning, motivation and emotional regulation.
Your alternative mode of operation is what’s called a ‘survival’ response. It’s your body and mind perceiving something that could be in any way threatening, and revving you up in order to hide, protect yourself or to flee from the situation. This is a state which is often triggered by the natural fact of doing something where the outcome feels very important to you, facing a challenge or facing anything new or unknown.
Being in a survival response will feel familiar to you because it’s all the standard symptoms of stress - things like a raised heart rate, shortened breath, muscular tension, and erratic thinking.
What's involved?
In these sessions we employ relaxation skills training to teach your body and mind how to enter into a state of calm, centred homeostasis. We then use a systematic combination of physical, verbal or visual cues, along with heightened focus and repetition to create a conditioned association in the brain between this physiological state of calm and a 'trigger'. This means that, where appropriate, you can shift yourself into this state of calm on command.
This truly is a superpower. Because knowing that you can approach situations and events that would usually rattle you, in a calm, focused and mentally resourceful state can make for a very different life experience indeed.
Applied Relaxation can be used in situations where you are activated into a survival (stress) response, when a safety (relaxation) response would be more useful. Including:
Social Anxiety
Effective whatever the situation: whether it’s one-on-one interactions or group scenarios - both personal and professional.
Feeling calm when entering into social situations can completely transform your experience. Because not only does it make for increased confidence and enjoyment, it also plays a key role in having effective, meaningful and authentic interactions.
Public Speaking
Speaking in front of a group can feel like a huge ordeal for so many of us. This often places limits on things like career choice and progression, and can ruin our experience of what might otherwise be enjoyable events.
Help manage nerves for all kinds of speaking engagements: whether it’s giving a talk, pitching to a new client , a presentation at work or giving a speech at a special event such as a wedding.
Parenting
Learn to regulate your stress levels and emotional reactions when dealing with conflict or meltdowns.
As Dr Rick Hanson, Psychology Ph.D and Senior Fellow at Berkeley states: “98% of the occupations in the world are less stressful than being home alone with young children”. Learning to shift your state to effectively manage challenging moments can have a profound and positive impact on the whole family. Read more.
Conflict Resolution
Few things stir up our survival ‘fight or flight’ response like conflict. For some people this leads to avoidance of disagreements at all costs, for others more heated responses led by a natural urge to defend by attack.
Effective conflict resolution is an essential part of navigating healthy relationships of all kinds. Shifting out of survival mode means that we can address disagreements in a more calm and effective way.
People Pleasing
At the root of most people pleasing behaviours lies an unconscious fear of rejection, abandonment or conflict. These fears can trigger our nervous system into a survival response when we are faced with a need to voice our opinion, express our needs, or establish healthy boundaries.
Teaching your nervous system that it is safe to be honest and safe to be you helps build an even healthier, happier life.
Performance Optimisation
Rapid Relaxation plays a key role in performance optimisation, especially in situations where nerves interfere with performance outcomes.
Shifting into a safety state on command means accessing those regions of the brain responsible for reasoning, problem solving, attention control, impulse control and emotional regulation. So you can perform in a calm, focussed and creative state.
Anger Management
Anger is a primal evolutionary response which makes complete sense as a survival strategy. Meaning, we are designed to fight back in the face of a threat if our survival is at stake.
However, when unconscious triggers shift us into a survival state when we are not facing a real physical threat, this can become problematic. Learn how to stay in control by shifting your state into a safety response on command.
Work Stress
Stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol are sometimes part and parcel of meeting the demands of our work. However, being in a stress/survival response for long periods can also cloud our judgement and make our mind and body work much less effectively and efficiently.
Avoid burnout and optimise your body and mind for health and success by activating your safety state of homeostasis throughout your day.