- Be familiar with the relaxation exercise before introducing it to the client.
- Encourage use of familiar relaxation techniques there the client knows.
- Assess the client's level of tension, level of readiness to learn to relax, pain, anxiety,fare, and perception of reality or history of depersonalization.
- Ask the client what it means for him/her to be relaxed.
- Assess the client's ability to remain comfortably in one position for 10-20 minutes. Decrease as much environmental stimuli as possible.
- Assist the client to develop aspositive expectation of what it to occur.
Describe the potential benefits of relaxation and enlist cooperation.
- Reduce the opportunity for self-blame if the session does not go as expected.
- Have the client close his or her eyes.