A form of mind-body therapy, it has been advocated for a number of chronic conditions, including stress, anxiety, high blood pressure, and headaches, and for people undergoing conventional cancer therapy or surgery. Although another mind-body technique, biofeedback, has been tested extensively and has been found effective for a variety of ailments, including certain types of chronic pain, guided imagery has no such track record. Currently there is no evidence that it can relieve any type of disease, though it does seem capable of promoting relaxation. You will be asked to wear comfortable clothing, and will either sit comfortably in a chair or lie on a table or a floor mat. The practitioner will not touch you, and no instruments will monitor you.
Some practitioners use music as a background to aid relaxation.
Sessions usually begin with general relaxation exercises, then move on to a specific visualization, described by the practitioner. You'll be asked to build a detailed image in your mind, using all five senses, and then repeat the exercise with a different image. If you have a specific medical complaint, the practitioner may ask you to picture your body free of the problem. If it's a localized disorder, you'll probably be encouraged to picture the affected organs working properly, visualizing, for instance, your heart beating regularly, your lungs breathing freely, a tumor shrinking, or your legs moving strongly. For more generalized problems, you may need to picture your entire body as healthy, strong, and calm.