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Summary: Relaxation techniques are often successful Learn relaxation techniques for coping with phobias from a social worker in this free overcoming phobia video.
Danielle Masuda holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from UC Santa Barbara and a Master of Social Work degree from New York University. She is a licensed social worker in the...read more
"In this clip we'll talk about some general relaxation techniques that can help when you're experiencing a phobia. One of the things you want to remember is that a phobia is linked with anxiety. So if you can reduce your anxiety and stress level, chances are you're going to be able to reduce the level of stress, and the level of severity of your phobia. So the first thing you want to try and do is relax. The first thing you want to do is think of something that is relaxing to you. Is it taking a shower, maybe it's listening to music, you know, sitting on the couch reading a favorite book, picking up the phone and talking to a favorite friend, it could be something as simple as that. Maybe it's something where you need to close your eyes and picture a favorite vacation you've had, or a vacation you'd like to take. Now again, if you have agoraphobia, that might not be the best mental image for you to think of. Think about the one thing that usually makes you take that deep breath, which brings us to our next point. One of the best ways to slow down your body and relax, the fastest way possible, is just to simply breathe. If you take a moment and take a deep breath in, and breathe out through your mouth, do that once, see your body relaxing, give yourself a moment to catch up with your thoughts, and let your body kind of sink down into a chair, wherever you are, and try it again if it doesn't work. Again, don't hyperventilate, but do it once, twice, and as you start to relax, tell yourself, you're safe, you're in a calm place, you don't need to worry, its going to pass, it's not going to last forever."
eHow Article: Relaxation Techniques for Phobias