For more information on relaxation techniques, consult the following resources:
BOOKS
RITUALS OF HEALING
Using Imagery for Health and Wellness
Jeanne Achterberg, PhD, Barbara Dossey, RN, and Leslie Kolkmeier, RN
Bantam Books
New York, New York, 1994
This book includes sample scripts that illustrate how to use imagery to both elicit relaxation and help manage a number of medical conditions, including diabetes.
THE WELLNESS BOOK
The Comprehensive Guide to Maintaining Health and Treating Stress-Related Illness
Herbert Benson, MD, and Eileen M. Stuart, RN, C, MS
Fireside
New York, New York, 1993
Dr. Benson is the one who first coined the term “relaxation response.” This book is a classic guide to using relaxation techniques to improve health.
FULL CATASTROPHE LIVING
Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness
Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD
Bantam Books
New York, New York, 2013
Dr. Kabat-Zinn pioneered the use of mindfulness in a medical setting. He is founder of a highly regarded stress-reduction program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center.
WEBSITE
Benson–Henry Institute For Mind Body Medicine
www.massgeneral.org/bhi/
This nonprofit institute, located at Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, evolved from the work of Herbert Benson, MD, and his colleagues at Harvard Medical School. Today, it’s at the forefront of research on the medical use of relaxation techniques.
