Today was a special day for me and I would like to share the
experience with you. I was invited to
attend a meeting of the Veteran Support Council here at Sheridan VA Regional
Medical Center. Little did I know, the
gathering was in my honor with a Certificate of Appreciation from the Council,
acknowledging my work with Veterans and the significance of Relaxation Therapy
to Veterans. I was deeply moved.
Recovering Veterans face multiple challenges, many of which
result from combat experiences and others from re-entry into civilian
life. I believe most would agree, life is
a continuing challenge and no one said it was to be easy. This is true for most of us, as it is clearly
true for recovering Veterans. Self-navigation
in a stormy sea seems an appropriate metaphor for those knowing a healthy survival
requires a steady ruddy and calmness amidst the storm.
This Blog is focused on the value of patient education
leading to self-management of personal health and happiness, and this has been
the continuing theme for this Psychologist since publication of Relaxation
Therapy (RT) in the mid 1970’s. As such, RT provides participants with a self-help
tool, reliably delivering a deep sense of relaxation and inner calm. During 20 minutes of RT, participants let go of
their tensions, into a rhythmic, relaxing process leading to activation of the
parasympathetic nervous system. In so
doing, they become rested and more capable of meeting challenges when returning
to a demanding work/life schedule. In
the words of Dr. Rick Hanson, in his book, Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm,
and Confidence, “If you routinely
practice relaxation, this will increase the activity of genes that calm down
stress reactions, making you more resilient.”
Over four decades I have observed how RESTORED PEOPLE FEEL
after an RT POWER NAP. Following RT, I often verbalize how nice it feels to be
relaxed and you can feel like this throughout your day. Development of reliable Relaxation Skills makes this possible.
You ARE what you
think.
You BECOME what you
do, and this is certainly true regarding the experience-dependent neuroplasticity of your ever-changing brain.
