The Encyclopedia of Mental Techniques: The Best Methods from A to Z

Claudia Bender | Michael Draksal

The Encyclopedia of Mental Techniques

The Best Methods from A to Z

www.mental-techniques.com

Inhalt

The Authors

1. Introduction

2.What is mental training?

3. Part A The Treasury of Methods

3.1 Relaxation and Regeneration techniques

Autogenic Training (AT)

Breathing Relaxation

Deep Imagination

Deep Relaxation

Essential Oils

Feng-Shui Garden

Floating

Massage

Meditation

Mental Hygiene Training

Musical Relaxation

Napping

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Qigong

Sleep Hygiene

Tai Chi

Thermal Bath

Yoga

3.2 Activation, Motivation, Willpower

Activating Breathwork

Activation through Scents

Activation Image

Contract with Oneself

Coordination Exercises

Experimenter Effect

Fast-Step Exercises

Five-Minute Deal

Goal Setting

Habituation

Ice-Cold Water

Infectious Activation

Motivational Interviewing (MI) after Miller & Rollnick

Musical Activation

Pain

Pep Talk

Pretending

Primal Scream

Stairs

Surprise

3.3 Concentration Training

Balance Training

Centering

Concentrated Gaze

Concentrated Lifestyle

Concentrating on an Object

Coordination Training

Flow

Joggling

Mantra Meditation

Modus Operandi

Reaction Training

Scheduled Breaks

Targeted Attention

Thought Stopping

Walking Meditation

3.4 Body-centric Practices

Aeroboxing

Babinski-Weil Test

Barefoot Park

Bean Bags

Beauty of the Sprint

Belly Breathing

Belly Whirl

Bonding

Break Out of the Circle

Feldenkrais

Focusing

Guessing Your Pulse

Motor Memory

Slow Motion

Targeted Movement Meditation according to C. Bender

Timbersports

Training with Weights

Unterberger’s Test

3.5 Optimization of Technique

Bullet Time

Decoupling

Ideomotor Training

Internal Observative Training (Kunze, 1971)

Lucid Dreaming

Mental Chronometry

Model Training

Observative Training

Photo

Psychomuscular Training (Frester, 1993)

Remote Control

Subvocal Training

Training Blind

Verbalizing

Video-Game Training

Writing the Script

Zeigarnik Effect

3.6 Pedagogical Methods

Buddy System

Children’s City

Experience Park

Handout

Human Knot

Jigsaw Puzzle

Junior Enterprise

Marte Meo

Project Poster

Role Playing

Rope Park

Scenario Technique

School Theater

Secret Santa

Simulation Game

Teaching Trail

Team Teaching

Warm Back

3.7 Projective and Associative Mental Techniques

Animal Family

Art Therapy

C. Bender’s I-Ball Model

Corman’s Patte-Noire Test

Dance Therapy

Dream Interpretation

Freewriting

Graphology

Implicit Association Test (IAT)

Lead-Drop Oracle

Lüscher Color Test

Picture Frustration Test (PFT)

Rorschach Test

Scenotest

Sentence Completion Test (SCT)

Speech Bubble Test

Systemic Constellations

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Tree Test

Wartegg Test

3.8 Self-confidence and Mental Strength

Action Plan

Cognitive Restructuring

Core Training

Forecast Training

Inner Child

Motto

Nickname

Nominative Determinism

Personal Motivational Video (PMV)

Plan B

Reparenting

Ritual

Role Model

Self Argument

Self-Praise

Solution Room

Success Analysis

Success Logging

Visualizing Success

3.9 Stress management

Affirmations

Anti-Stress Video

Cognitive Therapy

Emotion Control

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)

Exposure Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Hypnosis

John and Helen Watkins’ Ego-State Therapy

Josef Wolpe’s Systematic Desensitization (SD)

Meichenbaum’s Stress-Inoculation Training

Novaco’s Anger Management

Open Hands

Personal Effectiveness Training

Praying

Refuge

Relaxing Image

Richard Lazarus’s Coping Strategies

Stimulus Control

Stress Avoidance

Stress Barometer

Therapeutic Horseback Riding

Walking Meditation

3.10 Communication Techniques

Active Listening

…, Because …

Circular Questioning

Columbo Technique

Door in the Face (Cialdini et al.)

Foot in the Door

Harvard Method

Ice Breaker

Inner Team

Mediation

Mirroring

Rhythmic Speaking

Sandwich

Schlaffhorst-Andersen Breathing Method

Small Request – Big Request

Smooth-Motion Speech Training

Socratic Dialog

Tongue Twisters

Yes/No

3.11 Learning Techniques and Memory Improvement

Acronyms

Crib Sheet

Curiosity

Dual Tasking

Headstand

I Pack in My Little Suitcase …

Index Card System

Learning in Motion

Major System

Memory Palace

Memory XL

Method of Loci

Mind Map

Multiple Encoding

Rhyming

SQ3R

Study Contract

Study Environment

Study Journal

TQ3L Method

Wall Poster

3.12 Creative Techniques

Automatic Writing

Brainstorming

Brainwriting Pool

Buffalo Method TODO

Collective Notebook

Color Therapy

Delphi Method

Disney Creativity Strategy

Flip-Flop

Microflow

Morphological Box

Osborn Checklist

Problem Box

Six Thinking Hats

Synectic Conference

TILMAG Method

Trigger Word Analysis

What If

6-3-5 Method

3.13 Team Building

Balloon Race

Carried on Hands

Disaster Game

Drill Sergeant

Singing

Squabblers

Team Ad

Team Boss

Team Checkup

Team Dynamic Circle

Team Goal Setting

Team Ritual

The Stick Game

Walking in Step

You Are Valuable to the Team

3.14 Device-based Practices

Augmented Reality

Balance Beam

Balancing Egg

Biofeedback

Biofeedback Stressball

Color Glasses

Cranial Electro-Stimulation

EEG Neurofeedback

Flicker Frequency Test

Mind Machine

PLATO Glasses

T Wall

Vienna Test System

Wii Fit

Wobble Board

3.15 Trivial Mental Techniques

4. Part B What is the Right Mental Technique?

Aggressiveness

Anger

Blushing

Burn-out

Depression

Fear

Feverishness

Indecision

Mood swings

Nervousness

Nightmares

Pain

Perfectionism

Stage fright

Stress

Test anxiety

Charisma

Concentration

Courage

Endurance

Improved performance

Intercultural Communication

Intuition

Life satisfaction

Memorization

Mental strength

Motivation

Relaxation

Reaching Goals

Success

Team spirit

Willpower

5. Part C Mental Training Programs

5.1 Exam Prep

5.2 Competition Prep

5.3 Dietary Adjustment

5.4 Business and Management Leadership

5.5 Love and Relationships

5.6 Child and Adolescent Development

5.7 Therapy

Bibliography

Index

0–9

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

Y

Z

1

Conception

Draksal Fachverlag

Postfach 10 04 51

D-04004 Leipzig

Germany

www.draksal-verlag.de

Cover: Katja Krüger

Layout: Tom Naumann, Lucille Bornemann, Katja Krüger

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The material in this book has been put together with care. However, the information is presented with no warranty. The author and the publisher are not liable for personal, financial, or health damages resulting from advice given in this book.

Trademarked terms used herein shall not be assumed to be freely available for use. When used in consulting, conferences and seminars, this book must be referred to.

© 2012 Draksal Fachverlag, Leipzig – Printed in Germany

The Authors

The Authors

Claudia Bender is a trained psychologist and sports psychologist and an integrative therapist with her own practice in Hesse (www.claudia-bender.de). She runs workshops in vocational-training and continuing-education settings and gives conferences and seminars around Germany.

Michael Draksal is a trained sports scientist and sports psychologist who runs a practice in Leipzig. He is the author of over 30 books on mental training and is the head of the Center for Mental Performance Diagnostics, ZEMEL (www.zemel.de).

1. Introduction

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1. Introduction

For a psychologist or an educator, effective intervention often comes down to knowing the right method to employ in any particular situation. Many of these methods are first picked up in school or during training. This base of knowledge is then usually expanded through exchanges with colleagues, through excursions into the literature, or even in daily work with clients, with whom the standard methods can be adapted to the specifics of their situation. In any case, the number of exercises quickly becomes so large that a systematic approach is called for.

As professional trainers each with many years of experience, we were able to compile the best mental techniques and to present them in what we hope will prove to be an engaging and useful manner. We hope the reader will feel inspired to dive in and try things out!

This encyclopedia was created with special groups of readers in mind

• Students, schoolchildren and test takers will find techniques to improve their learning skills and boost their self-confidence before tests 

• Athletes will discover ways to strengthen themselves mentally before competitions 

• Doctors, physical trainers and caregivers may learn new techniques for fighting burn-out and promoting relaxation and they can find pointers towards more holistic approaches

• Teachers, trainers, group facilitators and coaches will find ideas for building motivating lesson plans that emphasize personal development 

• Managers, entrepreneurs and leaders will acquire a toolkit for managing stress, building teams and boosting their powers of concentration and recuperation 

• Pilots, soldiers and first responders can find practical exercises for managing stress, increasing their mental acuity and training their technique 

In addition, they can benefit anyone seeking keys to leading a more fulfilled life.

Structure of the Encyclopedia

Part A: The heart of the matter. This is the reasoned list of methods, ordered into the following categories:

• Relaxation and Regeneration techniques

• Activation, Motivation, Willpower

• Concentration Training

• Body-centric Practices

• Optimization of Technique

• Pedagogical Methods

• Projective and Associative Mental Techniques

• Self-confidence and Mental Strength

• Stress management

• Communication Techniques

• Learning Techniques and Memory Improvement

• Creative Techniques

• Team Building

• Device-based Practices

• Trivial Mental Techniques

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Each method is given a short description with instructions, duration, application guidelines, side-effects and contraindications, difficulty level (from 1 = very easy to 5 = very difficult), our personal comments, further reading and web links. 

Part B: In the second part of the encyclopedia we look at use cases and typical applications. We recommend exercises for dealing with various common issues. We share our favorite combinations from among the many possibilities.

In part C, we show how several mental techniques can be combined into courses of training for six typical areas: exam prep, competition prep, dietary adjustment, business and management leadership, love and relationships, child and adolescent development. 

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In cases where a simple mental training program is not enough, professional therapy could be a logical next step. We describe the most common types of therapy and provide selection criteria in a section intended as a practical guide to therapeutic options. 

The book ends with a comprehensive index of all keywords allowing the reader to quickly cross-reference methods and applications.

Difficulty of Mental Techniques

Interested laypersons can try out the easier mental techniques on their own (levels 1 and 2). Level 3 techniques require some formal background in psychology.

Use of the clinical methods (difficulty levels 4 and 5) is often governed by local laws and regulations! These therapeutic techniques should only be employed as part of a comprehensive course of treatment under the guidance of a trained therapist. 

Without further ado: after six years of research and writing, we present the most comprehensive collection of modern mental techniques ever assembled in one volume. Our warm thanks go out to all who made this work possible and in particular to Christine Stocké and Juliane A. Schneider.

We wish you, dear reader, many new and interesting insights into the world of practical psychology!

August 2009

Do you have a favorite method? Is a particular mental technique missing from this encyclopedia? Write to us! We welcome your feedback!

feedback@mental-techniques.com

www.mental-techniques.com

2.What is mental training?

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2.What is mental training?

In the narrowest sense, mental training is defined as the rehearsing of movements or reactions in one’s mind.

Athletes employ this kind of mental training in develop an ingrained mastery of the technical aspects of their discipline. Surgeons practice the path of their scalpel in their mind. Pilots and first responders run many mental simulations to internalize emergency procedures. Even corporate executives and politicians often lock down the key passages of important speeches ahead of time by going over them in their head. They all know that having their knowledge structured in a way that is both clear and stable will see them through when the pressure is on. There are psychologists whose practice centers entirely on developing such concrete action plans. And indeed, simply knowing what one has to do next goes a long way towards allaying fear, nervousness, stress and mental blocks. 

However, there are exceptions! In sport, it’s the athlete who trains hard but still strikes out when the pressure is on: he knows exactly what he needs to do (the mental structure for the sequences of movements is very stable, as can be proven by appropriate methods such as the SPLIT procedure), yet on the day of the competition he is overcome by crippling nervousness which can escalate all the way to full-blown panic attack. In cases like these, mental training in the narrow sense is not enough and a more holistic approach is needed. 

Mental training in the broader sense describes the optimization of the whole person’s information-processing apparatus: perception, cognition, emotion, behavior, memory. Here the focus is on the conscious apprehension of environmental stimuli and of one’s own thoughts. Many problems, inhibitions and other unpleasant states resolve themselves when the cause becomes known, or at least that is when they start being treatable: awareness is half the battle.

Furthermore, there are plenty of unconscious, intuitive, esoteric, and trivial mental techniques which will appeal very differently to each individual, but which nonetheless may enrich our lives in wonderful ways: juggling, contact with animals, bathing in hot springs, walking barefoot in the sand, slow eating, etc. 

The goals of mental training are improved performance, better information processing, better quality of life, optimized behavior and psychological balance. 

The limits of what simple mental training can do are reached when the individual fails to show sufficient progress at the end of a carefully tailored training program. Take test anxiety: often it is just a question of bad study habits, with that sinking feeling during the test that one is not prepared. The result is fear. Before the next test, the student might try out special mental techniques: study routines, memory enhancement training, stress management. If the fear not only recurs during the test, but even grows stronger until it becomes a full-blown block, then simple mental training is no longer enough and a deeper investigation into the origins of this fear has to be conducted. In about 89% of all cases, simple mental training is enough to achieve the desired effects (see Willis 2002). In other words: a therapeutic approach must be taken in about 11% of all cases. 

Many people find it difficult to accept therapeutic treatment. However, if the same therapeutic course is presented as mental training, then the acceptance of treatment rises, because unlike psychotherapy, this prospect is not linked with the idea of mental illness. 

In practice, we are seeing that therapeutic methods are increasingly being integrated into simple mental training programs, while at the same time the methods from mental training are finding their way into therapeutic settings. The result is a cross-pollination of knowledge that is beneficial to both sides in the end.

3. Part A The Treasury of Methods

3. Part A

The Treasury of Methods

3.1 Relaxation and Regeneration techniques

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Mechanism of Action

Paradoxical as it sounds, certain exercises can help an individual achieve relaxation and regeneration. For example, they moderate stress reactions through the reduction of adrenalin levels and promote well-being. Regular sessions of relaxation techniques can result in improved concentration, proprioception and body control. The proper application of a relaxation technique produces a relaxation response: an individual’s heart rate comes down to near her pulse at rest, she breathes more calmly, her blood pressure drops, her level of nervous excitement decreases significantly and she can even enter a sleep-like state. While relaxation techniques are likely to have noticeable effects within a few seconds or minutes, regeneration techniques, such as insomnia management, often need to be practiced regularly for a few weeks before the desired results appear (ability to handle a higher workload, for example). 

Target Groups and Applications

• Professionals who need to optimize their daily work routine: making better use of rest periods, being able to shut off after a stressful day (buzzword work-life balance) 

• Exam takers: being able to sleep better before tests, managing test anxiety 

• Athletes: controlling tension (see side-effects), promoting regeneration 

• Mothers/Parents of nursing infants 

• Treatment of sleep disorders, headaches/migraines, pain 

Relaxation exercises can be introduced in a playful setting to children as young as 6 (e.g., the snail/turtle game where you have to move in slow motion). 

Side Effects

The lower muscle tone concomitant with a relaxed state is not always desirable, as for example in the case of athletes who need their explosive strength to peak just before competition (e.g., sprinters, shot putters, jumpers). What’s more, relaxation techniques lower the body’s temperature (put on a jacket before you start!). 

Contraindications

Heart patients become more intensely aware of their heart when they are in a state of relaxation, which can lead to anxiety about their condition. They should seek advice from their doctor before trying these methods. Beware: there are people with heart problems who are not aware of them yet. If you have notice your heart acting funny in any way while doing these exercises, stop right away and see a doctor. 

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Difficulty Level

(1 = very easy to 5 = very difficult)

Most relaxation techniques are fairly easy and they carry a difficulty level between 1 and 3. The hardest part of relaxation training is the persistence required, not the techniques themselves.

Comments

Relaxation training is, as the name implies, a form of training and so one must always give oneself enough time for the relaxation response to appear. Depending on the difficulty level of the chosen exercise, you might need a few weeks of training before you are capable of achieving relaxation at the flick of a switch. Relaxation training only makes sense if participants are able to open themselves to it. Therefore, it should always take place in a setting that feels comfortable for everyone. 

For competitive athletes: after a phase of practicing the techniques in a quiet setting, the training should shift to less settled environments (ideally replicating the bustle of competitive events), since complete quiet is rarely an option in the breaks between heats or between attempts. When you find peace in a calm place, that is not true peace – when you find peace amid tumult, that is true peace. (Buddhist saying) 

Autogenic Training (AT)

Also Known As

–

Difficulty

Level 4

Duration

once a day, 5–10 minutes

Description

Relaxation is triggered through concentration on one’s own body and through the use of autosuggestive commands.

Instructions

→ sit or lie down in a relaxed position, close your eyes, breathe calmly

→ develop the sensation that your left arm is getting warmer (My left arm is warm.)

→ let yourself feel the sensation in your left arm for about 1 minute (it should indeed feel warmer)

→ move on to your right arm, your legs, your breathing (My breathing is calm.), your forehead (My forehead is pleasantly cool.), your body (My body is healthy and filled with energy.)

→ return to the present by reversing

→ tense your arms for a moment, breathe deeply and open your eyes.

Comments

Autogenic training is probably the best-known relaxation technique. The original form developed by Schultz is rarely practiced nowadays. On the other hand, a variety of adapted versions are in widespread use. The technique is very good; nevertheless, time and professional guidance are required to learn it well.

References

Lindemann, H. (2004). Autogenes Training. Der bewährte Weg zur Entspannung. München

Goldmann Schultz, J. H. (2003). Das Autogene Training. Stuttgart: Thieme.

Weblink

9 

Breathing Relaxation

Also Known As

Relaxed breathing, breathing fear away 

Difficulty

Level 2

Duration

1-5 minutes

Description

Taking control of one’s activation level through breathing. After a few slow breaths, one’s breathing, pulse and activation level quiet down and relaxation sets in. 

Instructions

→ slowly breathe in through your nose while counting to 4 in your mind

→ hold your breath while counting to 4 in your mind

→ slowly breathe out while counting to 8 in your mind

→ hold your breath while counting to 4 in your mind

... and start again from the top

Comments

Guideline: only 4 breaths per minute

A quick and uncomplicated method for relaxing.

Most effective when used in combination with music, short naps, pleasant scents, or infrared light. 

References

Lodes, H. (2000). Atme richtig. München: Goldmann.

Weblink

Deep Imagination

Also Known As

Image trance, inner visualization, daydreaming 

Difficulty

Level 3

Duration

10–30 minutes

Description

It is a particularly human gift to be able to transpose oneself in one’s mind to a place of one’s choosing and to imagine pleasant scenes of one’s own devising. Deep imagination offers the possibility through thought journeys and imaginary stories to gain a fresh perspective on problems and to change the way one experiences events and how one responds to them. It can help in numerous contexts including diet management (including addiction problems), stress management, post-traumatic recovery, self-esteem rebuilding and sleep disorder remediation. 

Instructions

→ sit or lie down, breathing calmly

→ the therapist reads or extemporizes a story

→ the client follows the story and tries to experience the succession of images with all her senses

→ at the end: return to normal state (tense your arms – breathe deeply – open your eyes) → come back to the present (to the here and now)

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Comments

Perhaps you have heard of Frederick the Mouse? In case you haven’t: Frederick is a mouse who does not collect wheat and straw as the other mice do, but rays of sunshine and colors. During the cold wintertime, Frederick tells the other mice about the rays of sunshine and makes them feel much happier. This sense of wonder and imagination is widely encouraged in kindergartens and grade schools and highlights the beneficial effects of positive mental imagery for everyone. 

References

Lazarus, A. A. (2006). Innenbilder. Imagination in der Therapie und als Selbsthilfe (4. Aufl.). Stuttgart: Klett-Cotta.

Weblink

Deep Relaxation

Also Known As

Shavasana (from yoga) 

Difficulty

Level 3

Duration

about 15 minutes

Description

The subject uses mental visualization to help bring about and reinforce a pleasant emotional state. This leads to a relaxation response. This exercise can be done with music. 

Instructions

→ lie down and get comfortable, breathing calmly and mindfully

→ mentally focus on your breathing

→ think of a relaxing landscape (beach, green pasture), imagine yourself sinking deeper and deeper into the ground and every time you exhale try to enjoy the sensation more intensely 

Comments

Very good sleeping aid. Also well suited as preparation for → Napping during the day (about 25 minutes). 

References

Bruk, K. J. (2002). Die meditative Tiefenentspannung. Schäffern: Arcturus-Verlag.

Weblink

Essential Oils

Also Known As

–

Difficulty

Level 4 (requires knowledge of effects and side-effects, in particular possible allergic reactions)

Duration

10–30 minutes

Description

Essential oils enter the blood stream via the skin or via the mucous membranes of the respiratory apparatus and from there go on to affect the entire organism.

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Instructions

→ lavender, lemon balm, anise, valerian, rosemary and tea-tree oils can be used to help achieve relaxation 

→ combine essential oils with a relaxation bath: 5 to 15 drops in a 68-100°F bath will amplify the relaxing effects. Note: Essential oils and water don’t mix without an emulsifier. The essential oil will form a film on the surface of the water if dispersion isn’t helped along with a dose of bubble bath, a squirt of a carrier oil such as aloe vera, or a handful of bath salts. 

Comments

In aromatherapy, specific essential oils are used to treat certain conditions. In Germany, only doctors and naturopathic practitioners are allowed to offer aromatherapy treatments. 

The layperson can explore aroma wellness practices, i.e. the diluted use of essential oils as bath additives, in scented candles, or as massage oils. The dosage of essential oils must be done very carefully during pregnancy. 

References

Zeh, K. (2006). Handbuch Ätherische Öle. Mittelberg: Joy.

Zimmermann, E. (2006). Aromatherapie für