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Anti-Stress

For the past few years, Psychofos has been organizing group courses for companies and individuals in the two most recognized relaxation techniques - Autogenic Training (2.0) and Progressive Muscle Relaxation.


Self-regulation has become a very important part of our daily, busy and stressful life. It is also a very important tool for the success of any psychotherapy. Out of the range of techniques that are out there, Autogenic Training and Progressive Muscle Relaxation have withstood the test of time and these are still two of the best and most used methods to regulate your response to the demands of everyday life.


Autogenic Training (2.0)


Autogenic Training (AT) is a recognized technique in psychology for combatting stress, improving mental and physical health, as well as concentration. It was originally developed by the German psychiatrist Johannes Heinrich Schultz and is one of the most famous and oldest techniques for achieving deep relaxation. In this course we will focus on a newer version of AT 2.0: Autogenic Training without autosuggestion (AAT), which represents a continuation, synthesis, and improvement of the techniques of classical AT with the addition of techniques from ACT therapy, Mindfulness, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It is not necessary to have any previous training in AT to attend this course.


AT 2.0 represents the integration of selected mental exercises, whose aim is to help individuals get rid of excess psychological and physiological tension by making useful changes in brain waves and balancing the Autonomous Nervous System. Learning how to do these very simple exercises requires little of your time.


By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do them in just a few minutes and in almost any situation: before important events, public presentations, in stressful situations, in the office, before going to bed for better sleep, etc.


Autogenic Training is indicated for:

  • People who are stressed, work hard and are at risk of or already are in burnout;
  • People who suffer from chronic tension;
  • Anxiety and mild depression;
  • Headache, thyroid problem, or hormonal imbalance;
  • Prevention or treatment of psychosomatic illnesses;
  • High blood pressure (Autogenic training was recommended in the 2016 European Society of Cardiology Guidelines for prevention of cardiovascular disease in persons who experience psychosocial problems);
  • Stress-connected psychogenic infertility;
  • Mood regulation;
  • Professional athletes, especially where deep concentration and the ability to maintain attention for a long period of time is required (diving, tennis, etc.);
  • Students and employees who need to manage an excessive load of work during a busy/examination period;
  • Healthy people to achieve better concentration and relaxation, but also to increase creativity, imagination and increase capacity for work;
  • Deep relaxation techniques are also used before public presentations, job interviews and stressful meetings and they can also be used as a grounding/resting technique between clients for health care professionals.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation


Our environment has severely changed over the last few decades. Thanks to the changes in our daily life and the development of technology, we are exposed to stress almost every hour of the day.


The body responds to this environment by creating certain mind or body states such as anxiety, stress and fear. When the body is in one of these states, the muscles tense up. Progressive muscle relaxation aims to reverse the body back to a more neutral, relaxed state.


A person is able to use relaxation as a skill, either as a prevention or in preparation for a situation, only if a person is aware of the difference between the state of relaxation and tension.


The easiest way for someone to learn the difference is if they systematically tense and relax certain muscle groups. When you learn this difference in a group or one-on-one setting, you will be able to notice in real-life situations when you are tense, and then, by using Progressive Muscle Relaxation, bring yourself back into a more relaxed state of body and mind. The goal is to learn to use relaxation independently, as a way of self-regulation.


PMR can be helpful with:

  • Generalized anxiety;
  • Insomnia;
  • Panic disorder;
  • Social phobia;
  • Clients who have problems with tension headaches for which there is no medical cause;
  • Excessive muscle tension, which usually occurs along with negative thoughts;
  • For everyone as a tool for coping with daily stress since it is a deep relaxation technique;
  • Professional sports athletes experience a lot of physical and mental tension.