Guided imagery: Harnessing the power of imagination to combat workplace stress for health care professionals

Abstract

In these unprecedented times, health care professionals have experienced new levels of stress, creating a greater risk for burnout, poor physical and mental health, and unhealthy coping behaviors. Guided Imagery offers an effective, low cost method to quickly counteract the stress response and turn on the relaxation response, even with a brief practice. Guided Imagery uses descriptive language to evoke a pleasant, relaxing multi-sensory experience to improve mood, cognition, and physical comfort. Guided imagery recordings from respected health institutions abound, often free of charge, and when health care professionals have access to these resources and the support of their health care settings to engage in these abbreviated practices, they can feel restored and revitalized after just a few minutes of Guided Imagery.