Healing Imagery

1. Healing Imagery “Imagination is more important than knowledge” – Albert Einstein

2. Mind-Body Integration • Facilitates the healing process • Increased immune response between imagery and lymphocyte function. • Immune system is triggered by imagery

3. History Ancient time the removal of pathogenic image was necessary for a cure. - images led to pathology (Aristole) - images were movement of the soul Middle Ages - Vital spirits traveled between the heart and brain - Imagination became a predominate role in pathology

4. History Pre modern times - All illness were regarded as psychosomatic - Blindness was a loss of sensation of reality - Imagery was a key interventions

5. History Imagery ended in 17th century as predominate intervention due to dualism (mind and body are separate) - bleed became popular In the 18th & 19th century, imagery was defined as the content of the mind and end product of sensation. - Illness that had no explanation were imaginal

6. History 20th Century - Link between imagination and pathology - Edmund Jacobson work in relaxation - Cancer research

7. Mental Imagery Positive imagery are useful in enhancing one’s believe and mobilizing one’s own healing powers. Simonton, et al (1978) cancer patient study found relaxation and imagery showed 41% improved, 22.2% had total remission, and 19.1 tumor regression. Hull replicated Simonton study and found similar results.

8. Ievleva & Orlick Study 35 injured athletes used 3 types of imagery • Healing imagery (see and feel the body part healing) • Imagery during physiotherapy (imaged the treatment promoted recovery) • Total recovery imagery (imaged total recovery)

9. Results Injured athletes with knee and ankle injuries participated in the study. Mental imagery was a focus of the study 19% of these athletes had exceptionally fast recoveries that used any form of imagery Recovery time was significantly shorter for those athletes that used imagery than athletes that did not.

10. Healing Imagery Defined as visualizing and feeling the healing taking place to the injured area. “Imagine the clot formation around the fracture, the change of the clot into fibrous tissue lattice, calcium crystallization on the latticework, and restructuring of new bone around the fracture.”

11. Injury Use During Rehab From Injury Evans, Hare, & Mullen (2006) Journal of Imagery Research Sport & Physical Activity.

12. Purpose • Greater understanding of injured athletes across the phases of their rehab

13. Athletes experience intense feels of depression & frustration Imagery was used for healing and pain management purposes Rehearse and maintain skills enhanced self-confidence During the first week

14. Athlete wanted to see progress in their rehab Maintain their performance levels Increases their use of healing and pain imagery Used imagery to motivate them to complete rehabilation Mid-Phase

15. Primarily concerned with returning to sport Used imagery to foster their self-confidence Overcome fear on re-injury Cope with the return to sport In Final Phase

16. I’ve done so much imagery between getting injured and now…I’m still a lot closer to the real performance than I would be if I had not done nothing. I think that mayby the reason behind the successful performance in the competition last week, in that I mean even though I’d been 2 months without any training at all,you known it just kinda came naturally to me, it was amazing, technically, I hadn’t lost a thing. (Evan, Hare, & Mullen, 2006)

17. Healing Imagery First relax then image. Imagine the mending of the injury Imagine the body being repaired by the treatment Internal imagery Practice imagery daily Involves all the senses not just vision

18. How Imagery Works • Psychoneuromuscular Theory • Neuromuscular activity pattern activated during the imaginal process • Research with downhill skiers by Suinn monitored electric activity in leg muscles • Imagined the skill • Monitored the physical skill of skiing • Imagine of performance strengthens neuromuscular pattern

19. How Imagery Works • Symbolic Learning Theory • Imagery may function as a coding system. • Feltz & Landers study found participants who use imagery performed consistently better on tasks that were primarily cognitive than those that were motoric.

20. Why me? By Porter & Norris A young boy was diagnosis of a malignant inoperative brain tumor and his fight to live. Used mental imagery, biofeedback,, and art therapy to visualize the canerous tumor away by imagiing the tumor being destroyed and eaten away by friendly yet hungry white blood cells. He visualized the shrinkage of the tumor and in several months a CT scan revealed the tumor had vanished.

21. Sketch by Garrett to help him visualize the healing process

22. “It Always Something” by Gilda Radner • Gilda Radner used mental imagery with her ovanian cancer. • She created the image that her body was a big, fluffy pink towel. Washing and drying the towel was symbolic of chemotherapy. • She saw the cancer cells as pieces of lint on the towel when it was pulled from the dryer. • To rid her body of the unwanted cancer cells, she imaged that she would pull the lint off the towel and make it complete clean.

23. Development of Imagery

24. Keys to Effective Imagery Vividness & Awareness Use all the senses to make images as vivid and detailed as possible. Exercise:Imagine a positive outcome of rehab, and return to play.

25. Keys to Effective Imagery Controllability Learn to manipulate your images so they do what you want them to. Exercise:Imagine controlling the repair of one’s tissue, controlling your emotions, and performing in sport after the injury.

26. Developing an Imagery Training Program Tailor imagery programs to an athlete’s injury, needs (self-confidence), and interests. The first step in developing an imagery program is evaluating the athlete’s imagery skills. Imagery must be individualized and practiced. Hence, it should be built into the rehab or daily routine.

27. Final Note on Imagery Winners see what they want to happen, losers see what they fear— Linda Bunker