What is mental imagery?
Mental imagery, also known as visualization, involves creating or recreating experiences in the mind without external sensory input. It encompasses a wide range of sensory experiences, including visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, and gustatory imagery. According to Bence Nanay, mental imagery is a central aspect of human cognition. It allows individuals to simulate perceptual experiences, enabling them to plan actions, solve problems, and regulate emotions. Additionally, literature on mental health indicates that intrusive mental imagery often plays a significant role in the persistence of traumatic memories and emotional distress, particularly in conditions like PTSD, where vivid, involuntary images can trigger intense emotional responses and hinder recovery.
Positive visualization as an aid for relaxation.
Mental imagery has been shown to significantly aid in relaxation. Not only does it benefit the mind, but it also promotes physical relaxation. According to John Hopkins Medicine, benefits include:
- Manage anxiety, stress, and depression
- Reduce pain
- Lower blood pressure
- Lessen nausea
- Improve the sense of control and overall well-being
Research shows that mental imagery plays a role in distressing emotions.
Mental imagery plays a crucial role in the experience of distressing emotions. A review by Brewin, Gregory, and Burgess (2010) in the Psychological Review highlights the significant connection between intrusive imagery and emotional distress. They state:
“Involuntary images and visual memories are prominent in many types of mental health issues. Patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, and psychosis frequently report repeated visual intrusions corresponding to a small number of real or imaginary events, usually extremely vivid, detailed, and with highly distressing content.”
Their research also suggests that:
“Involuntary memory-related imagery appears to play a more significant role than has previously been thought across a wide range of psychological disorders. It represents a mechanism whereby high-impact events in a person’s history, whether real or imagined, can continue to affect thought, emotion, and behavior. This suggests that it should be given greater prominence as a target of psychological therapy than has often been the case.”
Logosynthesis resolves distressing imagery.
Logosynthesis is a coaching and psychotherapeutic model that offers a precise technique to identify and resolve distressing mental imagery. Both the mental imagery and the symptoms are energetic in nature. So Logosynthesis uses the energetic power of words to shift (eliminate) distressing mental imagery. In effect, this happens immediately with lasting results. So working with one specific issue at a time, meaningful and lasting shifts can be created using the technique. Logoysnthesis is currently being used internationally by coaches, counsellors, therapists and individuals interested in their own healing and development. For more complex and intense issues, it is highly recommended to get support from a trained professional who can support you to identify and resolve the distressing mental imagery. Logosynthesis can be used on a wide variety of presenting issues.
Understanding the link between mental imagery, emotions and Logosynthesis.
The intricate relationship between mental imagery and emotional distress is well-established, with vivid, intrusive images often exacerbating conditions such as PTSD and anxiety. Logosynthesis offers a novel approach to addressing this link by identifying and neutralizing distressing mental imagery, thus providing relief from associated emotional distress. Emerging research, including pilot studies and doctoral theses, supports the effectiveness of Logosynthesis in creating immediate and lasting improvements for distressing mental imagery. This integrative model holds promise for further research and broader application in therapeutic settings. For more information, read this literature review.
Get started using Logosynthesis.
You don’t need to wait to get started using Logosynthesis. You don’t need to understand how it works to experience relief. Here are some resources to help you get started right away.
Give it a try using this guided video.
Use this guided video so that you can experience what can shift when working with Logosynthesis. Firstly, grab a glass of water, find a quiet place and allow 30 minutes so that you are not rushed. Take it easy while remaining curious! Then simply notice what shifts.