Guided Imagery for Self Healing

by David Spero, RN

This book,Guided Imagery for Self Healing, is an updated and improved version of Dr. Rossman's "Healing Yourself." When I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1989, I was depressed, scared, and didn't know where to turn. Doctors had nothing effective, and still don't. Rossman's book, and the tapes that go with it, got me moving again. It helped me get in touch with inner strength, and find out what I needed to do to recover.

I have consulted his book and tapes for nearly ten years, and they have always helped me to reach my maximum state of wellness. I have shared these resources with friends and family, with excellent results in most cases.

Imagery is a way of getting in touch with parts of ourselves that don't talk in words, aspects of ourselves we have ignored,which may be screaming for attention through physical symptoms or painful emotions. Whatever has caused our illness, there are always spiritual and emotional aspects that contribute to our healing or getting worse. Exploring those dimensions of our lives enables us to care for ourselves effectively.

In various imagery exercises, we can "listen to our symptoms," "explore our resistance" (to change) and connect with an "inner advisor," a figure of wisdom and kindness who has been with us since we were born. The exercises are always relaxing, frequently informative, and sometimes transformational. They are easy to use and hold up well to repeated use, unlike some visualization scripts which get boring after a few uses.

Dr. Rossman's explanation of what imagery is and how it works is clearer than anything I can provide here. For anyone facing physical or emotional health problems, "Guided Imagery" is truly a vital resource for self-care and healing.

David Spero, RN, is author of The Art of Getting Well: a Five-step Plan for Maximizing Health When You Have a Chronic Illness.