Self-Awareness of Arousal
         Self-Awareness of Arousal
     You must increase your awareness of your 
       psychological states before you can control 
       your thoughts and feelings.
     Once you are aware of your optimal arousal, 
       you can employ arousal regulation (reduction, 
       maintenance, induction) strategies.
     How individuals cope with anxiety is more 
       important than how much anxiety they 
       experience.
          DQ 1: Do you agree with the last statement on this slide?
                               
         Self-Awareness of Arousal
         Self-Awareness of Arousal
      “It’s not a case of getting rid of the 
        butterflies, it’s a question of getting them to 
        fly in formation”—basketball coach Jack 
        Donahue
      Compared to non-elite athletes, elite 
        athletes see their anxiety as facilitative 
        rather than debilitative.
                                 
        WHAT IS RELAXATION?
        WHAT IS RELAXATION?
     
       Relaxation is the ability to decrease 
       unwanted muscular tension, reduce 
       excessive activation of the autonomic 
       nervous system (ANS), and calm the 
       mind by eliminating unwanted 
       thoughts.
                            
       RELAXATION RESPONSE
       RELAXATION RESPONSE
     
       The process of learning how to 
       relax your muscles and reduce 
       autonomic activation symptoms 
       when needed.
                            
        BASIC RELAXATION MODEL
        BASIC RELAXATION MODEL
      Total Relaxation
          Use any technique you want.
          Take as long as you need to reach an “8” or above.
      Conditioning
          Pair relaxation “cue word” with deep levels of 
           relaxation (i.e., “8” or above).
      Rapid Relaxation
          Use cue words and deep diaphragmic breathing to 
           trigger relaxation in 3-5 seconds.