Summary: Guided imagery is a way to take you to a place where you can understand your feelings and beliefs more completely. The technique can be used to handle many stresses, from day-to-day issues that may send you reeling, all the way to unresolved threats, such as persistent threatening illness. Specifically, many individuals diminish their psychological stresses and physical symptoms as they come to grips with a diagnosis such as cancer. Guided imagery begins by finding time for yourself to focus on breathing in and out, functions that allows your mind to track only your breathing, This simple move allows you to not focus on the stressful events. The next steps are to remember an environment that is completely relaxing and positive. Spend time enjoying that good feeling. Imagery is a natural process available to all that can be done by anyone, but it helps initially to have someone help you until you are comfortable on your own. The goal is to help you develop emotional resiliency and/or less symptoms from an illness like a cancer or its therapies.
