Guided imagery

An alternative medicine technique in which patients use their imagination to visualize improved health, or to “attack” a disease, such as a tumor. Some studies indicate that the positive thinking can have an effect on disease outcome, so this technique is now utilized as “complimentary medicine” in some oncology centers and other medical facilities.

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guided imagery n any of various techniques (as a series of verbal suggestions) used to guide another person or oneself in imagining sensations and esp. in visualizing an image in the mind to bring about a desired physical response (as a reduction in stress, anxiety, or pain)

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a therapeutic technique in which the patient enters a relaxed state and focuses on an image related to the issue being confronted, which the therapist uses as the basis of an interactive dialogue in order to help the person resolve the issue; used for a wide variety of indications, including relaxation and stress management, behavior modification, pain management, and the treatment of life-threatening and terminal illness.