My body was so stressed out most of the time that I didn’t have a clue what it felt like to be relaxed. There are literally hundreds of different ways to relax.. This is a physical relaxation exercise that I learned in Grade 3. I have found it helpful throughout the years. I found that it took me time to have a really good effect from the relaxation. The more I practiced the better it worked.

If you start having flashbacks or negative reactions from this exercise please stop and refocus. Some abuse survivors cannot do this kind of relaxation as a result of the abuse. DO NOT RE-ABUSE yourself by forcing yourself to try this. If it works great. If not try something else for now.

Feel free to adapt any part of this to meet your needs.

Lie or sit in a comfortable position. Take a deep breath and slowly exhale. Again. Now I want you to focus on your toes. Curl them Stretch them. Take a breath. Now let them relax. Allow all the tension to leave your toes. Just allow the tension to reach the joint in your foot and let it leave. Breath. Pull the tension out of your toes and let it leak out the joint

Now I want you to focus on your feet. Curl them Stretch them. Take a breath. Now let them relax. Allow all the tension to leave your feet. Just allow the tension to reach the joint in your ankle and let it leave. Breath. Pull the tension out of your feet and let it leak out the joint

Now I want you to focus on your ankle. Turn them. Take a breath. Now let them relax. Allow all the tension to leave your ankles. Just allow the tension to reach the joint in your leg and let it leave. Breath. Pull the tension out of your ankles and let it leak out the joint

Now I want you to focus on your shins. Stretch them. Take a breath. Now let them relax. Allow all the tension to leave your shins. Just allow the tension to reach the joint in your knees and let it leave. Breath. Pull the tension out of your shins and let it leak out the joint

Now I want you to focus on your thighs. Stretch them. Take a breath. Now let them relax. Allow all the tension to leave your thighs. Just allow the tension to reach the joint in your hips and let it leave. Breath. Pull the tension out of your thighs and let it leak out the joint

Now I want you to focus on your lower body/torso up to the waist. Tense the muscles there. Take a breath. Now let them relax. Allow all the tension to leave your lower body. Just allow the tension to reach the joint in your hips and let it leave. Breath. Pull the tension out of your lower body and let it leak out the joint

Now I want you to refocus on your entire lower body. From the toes all the way to your waist. If there is any tension there stretch that part and allow the tension to be released. Take a breath. Allow all the tension to leave your lower body. Just allow the tension to reach the joint in your hips and let it leave. Breath. Pull the tension out of your lower body and relax

Now I want you to focus on your fingers. Stretch them.  Curl them. Take a breath. Now let them relax. Allow all the tension to leave your fingers. Just allow the tension to reach the joint in your hands and let it leave. Breath. Pull the tension out of your fingers and let it leak out the joint at the hand.

Now I want you to focus on your hands. Stretch them. Curl them into a fist. Take a breath. Now let them relax. Allow all the tension to leave your hands. Just allow the tension to reach the wrist and let it leave. Breath. Pull the tension out of your hands and let it leak out the wrist

Now I want you to focus on your lower arms. Stretch them. Tense them. Take a breath. Now let them relax. Allow all the tension to leave your lower arms. Just allow the tension to reach the joint in your elbows and let it leave. Breath. Pull the tension out of your lower arms and let it leak out the elbows.

Now I want you to focus on your upper arms. Stretch them. Tense them. Take a breath. Now let them relax. Allow all the tension to leave your upper arms. Just allow the tension to reach the joint in your shoulders and let it leave. Breath. Pull the tension out of your upper arms and let it leak out the shoulders.

Now I want you to focus on your spine and upper body. Stretch it. Tense it. Take a breath. Now let it relax. Allow all the tension to leave your spine. Just allow the tension to in your body to reach your spine and let it leak out all the joints. Breath. Pull the tension out of your upper body and let it leak out through the spine.

Now I want you to refocus on your entire upper body. From the fingers all the way to your shoulders. If there is any tension there stretch that part and allow the tension to be released. Take a breath. Allow all the tension to leave your upper body. Just allow the tension to reach the shoulders and let it leave. Breath. Pull the tension out of your upper body and relax.

Now I want you to focus on your neck and shoulders. Shrug your shoulders. Stretch them. Turn it. Take a breath. Now let it relax. Allow all the tension to leave your neck and shoulders. Just allow the tension to in your body to reach your spine and let it leak out. Breath. Pull the tension out of your neck and shoulders and let it leak out through the spine.

Now I want you to focus on your face and scalp. Stretch it. Tense it. Make faces. Move you jaw. Take a breath. Now let it all relax. Allow all the tension to leave your face and scalp. Just allow the tension to in your body to reach some place on your head where it can escape and let it leak out. Breath. Pull the tension out of your face and scalp and let it leak out.

Now check through your body for any place where there is some area of tension. Tense that spot and relax. Allow yourself to experience how this feels to have your body relaxed. Breathe. Now close your eyes and enjoy the moment.