Guided imagery as an educational intervention in modern classrooms

¶ … Imagery in Today's Classroom

Guided imagery

"Guided imagery" describes a process where a trained practitioner leads subjects alone or in a group toward focused imagination that enhances concentration, wellness, pain tolerance and conflict resolution. These skills have been shown to potentially enhance academic performance across a variety of educational disciplines. The difference between guided imagery and individual imagination derives from formal methods and objectives adapted from psychotherapy, where a moderator prompts attention focus toward performance-enhancing objectives. These skills can then be implemented by individual students for attention centering on later tasks.

Background

Galyean argued as far back as 1981 that humans have used focused imagery to enhance learning since recorded history in perhaps all cultures (58). She describes earlier work that allegedly discovered learning benefits from repeated prompted imagining nearly 20 years earlier, suggesting the practice is founded in Jungian psychoanalysis (Galyean, 1981, p. 58). The specific techniques used to prompt imagination were systematized by psychotherapists over the later twentieth century and ultimately adapted to counseling and holistic medical practice (Galyean, 1981, p. 59). School psychologists and educators began implementing these techniques in the classroom. Utay and Miller support and expand Galyean's account, citing a modern definition by the Academy of Guided Imagery that is based on traditional visualization practices which they find widespread by 2006 (40), although a robust literature had still yet to emerge (41).

Key Supporters/Advocates

Utay and Miller (2006) assert guided imagery "has many champions in diverse areas" (41). Galyean was already mentioned above as a leading author since introduction of guided imagery into pedagogy. A vast private, for-profit medical and counseling sector has arisen since then as indicated by a search for "Guided Imagery" on the Internet; and a non-profit Academy of Guided Imagery provides certification courses administered by a long list of MDs and Ph.D.s (Academy of Guided Imagery; 2011) for therapeutic applications.

Definition of Key Concepts/Terms

Galyean points out that imagination requires ability to reflect and introspect, or focus attention on one's inner sensory world (1981, p. 59). Woody (2006) describes "meaningful learning" as "necessarily indicated by a change in behavior" (n. pag.). By 1983, Galyean describes the classroom treatment as a progression from basic centering exercises through prompted imagery practice to attention focusing for shorter periods throughout the day (p. 54). Those basic components remain the general approach in modern classrooms with some variation to instructors' purposes and curricula.

Purposes

Therapists employ guided imagery in a wide array of healing professions, as the briefest Internet search quickly demonstrates. These range from sports medicine to interpersonal conflict resolution to individual psychoanalysis. Consumers use these services to address pain or improve mental health and general wellness, as demonstrated by the variety of providers, trainers and products on the market. This implies even more informal personal practice if individuals can learn the process from the literature or purchased products. Educators use these techniques in group classroom settings to teach attention focusing toward academic achievement, self-esteem and other contributing performance enhancements.

Major Characteristics

Guided imagery involves a narrator, usually the educator or therapist, prompting the subject(s) into mentalistic visualization toward spontaneous but directed imagination in multiple sensory modes. This technique has been widely employed in psychotherapy since Jung and Freud (Utay and Miller, 2006, p. 40). The sustained demand for widespread medical practice demonstrates the popularity of this interactive method, techniques of which are now spilling over into classrooms with distinct benefits to students, parents and others.

Disadvantages to students, parents and others

Not all students' performance improves with guided imagery but no medical or psychological harm seems widely reported. Wheatley, Maddox and Anthony (1989) report employing prompt words with 'pejorative' connotations may abruptly interrupt facilitated imagination (38) with unwanted, but presumably mild consequences, considering the sustained consumer and practitioner interest. If students did not benefit from treatment, the lost time potentially spent using more productive modes could be considered a disadvantage. Guided imagery may not quantify as well as more traditional methods, although the qualitative results may generate academic improvement researchers cannot directly correlate with guided imagery treatment. A larger sample would let researchers predict overall success with higher probability, if not exactly which individuals would benefit. This difficulty attributing academic performance may present a barrier to parents and administrators if results are difficult to measure, and therefore justify to educational budgeters in the statehouse.

Summary and Conclusion

Guided Imagery is a widely-employed therapeutic method derived from transpersonal psychoanalysis that is expanding into some classrooms at most levels of education. The wide demand for consumer goods, medical services and certification in this practice without dangerous side effects implies its popularity and safety if practiced correctly. The difference between personal imagination and Guided Imagery is the participatory experience where someone else directs spontaneous imagination toward a goal to improve performance. Such learning can later be implemented by the individual in different scenarios. This is important for this author for potentially enhancing future academic performance on the way to and after deployment in my own educational service upon certification. The evidence suggests concentration-focusing practice may be especially useful for students where attention-deficit spectrum disorders are indicated.