Sophrology is a structured method of personal development designed to reduce stress and promote mental and physical well-being.
The word Sophrology comes from ancient Greek:
SOS = serenity, harmony
PHREN = spirit, consciousness
LOGOS = science, study
Sophrology can be described as the study of harmony within the consciousness. Difficult life situations like traumas, bad health, professional frustrations – to mention but a few – can bring us into a state of unrest and disharmony. Sophrology’s goal is to bring us back closer to a state of healthy balance in both the body and the mind. It is a surprisingly pragmatic tool that can help us face a vast scope of different difficulties that we can encounter and it functions often by simply helping us to get past our habitual judgments, negative thought patterns and our false or limiting beliefs. One of the natural and welcome consequences of training oneself in the techniques of sophrology is offering onself the chance to either discover or confirm one’s deepest existential values. What matters most to me in life? What am I doing with my life? Where am I going with this lifestyle? Such questions and many more may come to the surface and through a relaxed and positive approach, the answers start to come…
Benefits
Sophrology is made up of a training programme of practices aimed at improving physical and psychological health and well-being known as Sophrology Training. The mental and physical exercises are based on the concept of dynamic relaxation (relaxation in movement) used in everyday life situations. Their benefits:
Lower stress levels
Improve sleep
Manage emotions
Improve concentration
Increase energy levels
Overcome phobias
Manage pain
Improve relationship with oneself and others
Improve self-esteem and self confidence
Harmony between one’s mind, body and soul
Principles and techniques
Three fundamental principles
To bring the person into present time, HERE and NOW
To reinforce positive action, in order to develop the positive elements of the present, the future and the past rather than focusing on the negative
To develop an objective reality, to learn how to see the things more as they are rather than how we think they are.
Techniques and methods
Specific techniques and exercises (sophronisations): practiced especially in individual sessions, they are numerous and selected according to level, needs and relevance (concentration on an internal stimulus, positive projection into the future or the past, etc.) with immediate or short-term objectives.
Dynamic Relaxation: A term used to describe the exercises designed to promote relaxation and focus in everyday life.
Sophrology assists each person to rediscover their self-confidence and hidden potential. Group classes bring improvements in one’s communication skills and inter-personal relations. Students have stronger resistance to stressful situations, whether mental or physical. Since they have many more choices of how to act and react, it is easier to break out of old habitual patterns into more successful ways of operating.
“After a summer of a mysterious illness, I was finally diagnosed, in October 2018, with reactive lupus, mononucleosis and most likely fybromyalgia. Pain, fatigue, fear and an inability to perform daily work kept me from being me. Sometime later, Bruno Artero invited a group from my pilates class to experience a session describing the practice of Sophrology. I attended and signed up for 10 one on one sessions, knowing that the specific goal of managing chronic pain was critical for me.
As we discussed the issues further and began our physical relaxation and mindfulness sessions, I realized that I also had to create a goal around managing a challenging work situation that my illness was not affording me the strength to conquer.
Bruno was incredibly perceptive, focusing each week on building a new layer of understanding to support my goal. As an architect, my visualization skills are acute and Bruno was able to tap into those attributes to take my mind to places that gave me comfort and hope….
Today, I am pain free. I am assertive, or at least more so than ever. I wish for the holistic practice of Sophrology to be part of my life permanently. Bruno has seen much and done so many things in his life that afford him the talent to listen well, coach thoughtfully, lead wellness practice with wisdom and help one to target deeper issues that lead to life changes. He has been truly an incredible guide.”
