Psychotherapy and visualization

Psychotherapy and visualization

Abstract:

In this article I would like to describe the technique of visualization in the process of psychotherapy as applied to clients in a counseling environment. There are two purposes for visualization: the first is a technique of relaxation in a therapy session, a guided imagination and the ability to project thoughts and feelings onto the scene. The second for home use, where images through art or illustration can help project and relax the client (patient) in a controlled environment. In the first part I will demonstrate the verbal imagery in therapy and in the second the ability to use the technique for self-growth and cognitive insight.

Introduction:

Visualization has been discussed and used arbitrarily for many years, primarily in art therapy as a form of self-expression. This type of use is particularly helpful in children to avoid verbalizing feelings and thoughts, also in adults who have difficulty communicating emotions verbally and require the support of art or imagery to make it possible. In psychotherapy and primarily with adults, my (1st 2017 SFM) form of visualization is both expressive and informative for the therapist and patient in the form of a projection. Projection means transferring your feelings onto an object - in this case, a verbalized visual image or a chosen painting. In psychotherapy, projection is often viewed as the transference of feelings, emotions, or identification with the therapist or object of interest. This was primarily used in thematic assessment tests (2nd 1930 Murray) or Rorschach Ink Blots (3rd 1921 Rorschach). Both require analysis by an experienced psychotherapist based on historical data from the patient. Psychiatric use was primarily a failure due to the medicalized nature of interpretation, leading to false results and patient confusion.

The first time visualization is used, the client participates in a normal therapy session. As a rule, the therapist has already established the patient's biographical history and begins to know his life position in relation to others and himself. At this time there is also a certain understanding of the cultural background and social attitudes. To set the scene, the therapist asks the client to relax, close their eyes, and listen carefully to the description of a place, scene, and story. The patient is told that at some point he will be asked to take over the story himself and to verbalize what he sees and feels. What follows is the script commonly used to start the process. Remembering the visualization is in the client's mind as verbalized by the therapist.

Script example: technique one;

Therapist:I'm going to take you through a quick journey and try to imagine in your head the scene I'm describing.

You are walking down a street that seems familiar

The house on either side of the street is normal and with small gardens to the front

As you walk you feel a cool breeze across your face - it is a very sunny day - warm and fresh

You feel relaxed and content - no particular worries or thoughts

As you continue down the street you notice a gap between the houses and a small railing in front of you

As you get closer, you notice that the railing has a small gate that leads to a park

They decide to enter the park and go through the gate

The park is small and rises to a small hill and disappears out of sight

The park is mostly grass and is lined with trees on each side

As you enter, you will see a winding path occasionally lined with wooden benches

In the distance you see a man walking his dog and a small child following him with a red balloon

You can't hear them because they are some distance away

They decide to sit on one of the benches

You look up and feel the warm sun on your face and the coolness of the light breeze

Birds fly by with light tweets

You take off your shoes and let your bare feet gently touch the grass - it's still damp from the morning

due and feels pleasant and relaxing

After a while you decide to move on, the man and the boy are long gone

When you reach the climb you can see the other side of the park

You notice a gate and railing leading to a small lake with a beach area

It's deserted and peaceful - you decide to go and explore

Through the gate you find soft sand leading to the lake shore, take off your shoes and enjoy the feeling of the sand warm to the touch - you can hear birds above you

You lie down on the sand, the sun is hotter now and you feel relaxed and warm

In the distance you see a figure coming towards you... the person looks familiar

Therapist: Take over now and tell me what's happening?

Client:Aha…

Analysis:

At this point the client can verbalize their own imagined ending to the visualized story. Some patients with good imagination can talk for some time about who they met, what was said, others can only identify the character or express a fear reaction to the new character in the story. All can be very insightful if they allow the client to open a door of the unconscious to express their projected fears and desires including wish fulfillment. The therapist should tell the story in a quiet voice and with a steady delivery, without emphasizing any particular point. The different proposals allow the customer to immerse themselves in the story while imagining themselves there. The different modalities are expressed in touch, feeling, sound and sight, allowing the client to realize a cognitive event in their mind. The touch of the grass, the smell, the sound of birds, the feel of the sun and the cool breeze stimulate the visualization of the story. Customers are then asked specifically what they experienced, and many report hearing the birds, feeling the wet grass, for example the soft sand. The power of the mind to invent and elaborate is a truly amazing experience for many clients in psychotherapy.

Once the client has experienced this in therapy, the second option of using visualization in a home setting is explored. Here, therapists suggest certain types of classical paintings that can serve as a doorway into their own visualization experience. The client, having seen how it works in practice with the therapist, feels more empowered to try the technique for themselves.

Painting: Technique two:

In order for clients to self-visualize at home (or in the office), they need a stimulus in the absence of the therapist's verbal visualization. This is best achieved through classic country scenes that are familiar to most people. Artists such as Constable (UK) or Shishkin (Russian) often painted woods, landscape distances and excrements of country houses in the background. These types of scenes can allow the customer to take a walk in the countryside and imagine a story. The technique to be explained to the customer is as follows;

Therapist:Find a comfortable spot, like a sofa, where the painting is directly in front of you at a comfortable distance. Start at the nearest point in the image, e.g. B. bottom right or left, depending on the scene. Relax and make yourself comfortable. You should be alone, without distractions such as noise or phone interruptions or other disturbances. Allow yourself to travel within the scene, follow the path, river bank and tree line excretions, do not rush, notice real distances and your ability to move smoothly and slowly through the scene. For example, imagine the characters you might meet, the feel of the ground, the wind, the sun, the trees and the terrain. It's okay to fall into light meditation or even sleep. After about 30 minutes it is okay to stop and check

The client should have a notebook in which to record sensations, thoughts and feelings, as well as every action that occurred. This can be brought to therapy sessions for joint analysis with the support and insight of the therapist. Paintings are very easily available on the internet, but a full size painting or print is more desirable as it adds depth and is better for projecting yourself into the imaginary place. Clients often report an improvement in mood with a relaxed feeling of well-being after being in the visualization for around 30 minutes each time. Patients with anxiety find this technique extremely calming, while depressed patients can seek inspiration and meaning in life. Both techniques can invite insight and realization from a cognitive perspective.

Summery:

In this article, we discussed and examined two visualization techniques and their therapeutic benefits for meditation, stress relief, insight therapy, verbalization through art, and storytelling. The first technique explored in therapy and the second allowing the client to experience the cognitive benefits for themselves in their own time as homework or simply as a new way of relaxing from a high pressure lifestyle. Each technique coupled with its therapist can have a deep insight into the patient's (client) mind and allow for more insightful psychotherapeutic sessions. Along with dream analysis, visualization can be a cornerstone of successful insightful therapy.

Reference:

1. Myler SF (2017) All techniques and scripts mentioned above are the writing of the author (unpublished).

2. Henry A. Murray (1930) Thematic assessment tests

3. Hermann Rorschach (1921) Rorschach Inkblot Test

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