General aspects of Edmund Jacobson’s method

Abstract

After a brief overview of the generalities of progressive relaxation, indicating the orthodox practical procedure, this paper extends to an analysis of the relaxation response from an applied perspective. The most substantive consideration emerging from the specialised literature is the use of the relaxation response as a vehicle for introducing various therapeutic strategies, particularly those addressing patients with a high level of arousal. Edmund Jacobson was able to conduct an effective, though limited, psychophysiological analysis of this type of response, which has been recently refined (Kutz et al., 1985), as well as plan the practical procedure to be followed, which continues today with few modifications. Recent reviews show that one of the most frequent applications has been for chronic pain and conditioned aversion to antineoplastic chemotherapy, for which the procedure is described.