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	DISABILITY RESOURCES ONLINE
	Monitoring, Reviewing and Reporting on Resources For Independent Living
	Updated 2/2009
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Emotional Renewal Guided Imagery For Caregivers: Looking After Yourself While Helping A Loved One
by Lynn Joseph, Ph. D. (read by the author with harpist Lisa Lynne)

Produced by Discovery Dynamics, Inc. Audio CD. Total running time: 73:28 minutes. $17.98. Ordering information: www.DrLynnJoseph.com

 

Here at disabilityresources.org, we find our users fall primarily into two categories: people with disabilities and the individuals who care for them in professional or personal capacities. If you fall into the category of family member/caregiver, you will definitely want to continue reading this review of psychologist Lynn Joseph's invaluable emotional renewal guided imagery CD. Think you don't have the time? Think again, because practicing the quick and easy exercises Joseph recommends could be the best thing you do for yourself and your loved one.

 

As Joseph points out in the introductory track, providing care, even willingly and lovingly, to a chronically ill or disabled family member at home or in conjunction with another living arrangement, exacts a heavy toll. Although a high proportion of caregivers are clinically depressed, many others are stressed and often overwhelmed by the amount and type of care a loved one needs and how that care cuts into the caregivers' daily routine.

 

Recognizing that that daily routine often doesn't leave a caregiver much personal time so necessary for maintaining emotional, physical, and spiritual health, Lynn Joseph offers six short yet highly effective guided imagery exercises, to renew and revitalize: Boosting Self-Love And Self-Esteem, Planning A Smooth Day, Healing Stressful Feelings, Connecting With Your Future Self, Day's End With Your Higher Self, and Reducing Stress and Sleeping Soundly.

 

While all of these exercises are practical and fit into time-limited "down time", some lend themselves to multi-tasking and can be listened to when doing another task such as cooking. All of the guided imagery exercises are ones that should appeal to a wide audience, both those individuals who have performed some meditation or relaxation in the past and those new to the idea of guided imagery. In addition, they fit relatively easily into a harried caregiver's routine, and, upon use, they should help make him or her less harried and more able to cope in caring for loved ones and themselves.

As a long-time guided imagery practitioner on a personal and a professional level, I find Joseph's exercises and CD among the best. Her topic addresses a much-needed intervention for a group of people too often ignored. In short, this CD should be in the hands of anyone who provides care to a family member. Highly recommended!

 

-Reviewed by Sally Rosenthal

 

 

About the reviewer: A former college librarian and occupational therapist, Sally Rosenthal is a frequent contributor to magazines, anthologies, and websites on the topics of disability, companion animals, and working dogs. She lives with her guide dog, her husband and his service dog, and a family cat who often feels outnumbered by dogs.