Frequently Asked Questions

People who suffer with anxiety, sleeplessness and stress.  It’s also great for people who are working on self-development and lack a real tool to move forward. It’s good for people who are preparing for big events – a competition, speech, interview, giving birth. 

It doesn’t have to be used for something catastrophic. It can also be used for a positive day so you can enjoy it and let go of the fear.

While it shares many similarities with and benefits of mindfulness and meditation, Sophrology’s power lies within the unique way the technique connects the body and mind together to effect balance and change.

Sophrology is not only learning to be non-judgemental and to look for positive resources – like being more confident, for example. People who practice a lot of sophrology become happier. They learn to listen to more positive sensations within themselves.

Visualisations are used to go in the past and look for positive experiences. We don’t often do that; the past is often about the things that have gone wrong and not the things that have gone well.

Mindfulness encourages you to be more present, to really be aware of everything you can see, touch, hear, smell and taste.

In Sophrology we notice body sensations, just like mindfulness, but we pay attention to 'how you feel in the body'. You learn to dive more and more into the most subtle awareness of the different systems in your body. That’s how you increase your awareness – because you get to know the sensations and emotions that are stored in your body.

The body has got everything, all our good and bad experiences – it’s all stored. So if you know how to access that, then you can also release old emotions that you don’t need anymore and program yourself differently for new situations.’

Sophrology incorporates physical movements, visualisation and is guided.

Firstly, we need to understand what the client has come to work on, maybe it’s calm, maybe it’s recuperation, confidence,  to have better sleep or to prepare for an upcoming event. 

Sophrology is tailored and practiced with a recording of the guided session, in between sessions. In ongoing sessions, we add more tools.

The method has been created to unveil the clients own potential and to show the resources needed that are often your internal resources. 

 It’s quite mathematic. If you do just one session it’s nice it’s relaxing, but the more you practice it’s like anything – the deeper you go, the more in flow you become in your life. 

It is now widely known that the difference between top players is not only the physical training but also the mental training. Sophrology exercises act on calming and focusing the mind, leading to alert, empowered, effortless action. By being fully in the present past results or fears of the future no longer exist, it is possible to be fully present in action.

Regular practice is important for sustainable results; however, doing a quick sophrology exercise before an important competition can make all the difference.

Sports people on the continent have used sophrology a lot – golfer’s Seve Ballesteros studied with Alfonso Caycedo (the founder of sophrology), PGA Champion – Sergio Garcia, tennis player’s Yannick Noah, Andre Agassi, the Swiss ski team prepare with sophrology – it has been really endorsed since the 70s. 

More recently, the French World Cup Rugby Team and the Swiss Clay Pidgeon Shooting team practiced Sophrology.

The Sophrology Method explains the differences here:

• Sophrology is not yoga.  All you need to practice is a chair and the voice of a guide.
• Its clear guided exercises allow you to start practising and feeling the effects straight away.
• It is adaptable to all styles of living, all levels of health, and all schedules — you can complete the exercises at home or on public transit (or even hidden in the loo before an important meeting!).
• It’s an easy way into meditation-type techniques. In a busy life, a lot of people find it hard to sit still and meditate.
• Sophrology’s simple step-by-step approach adapts to different needs and abilities so that everyone can access a meditative state and enjoy the benefits.
• Its practice will support you to overcome stress and help you find calm, positivity, and greater awareness in your daily life. It teaches you to live more in the present moment.
• However, it also helps you to transform your relationship with your future and your past.

While there are various treatments and medications available to those who suffer from stress, anxiety and sleepless nights, more and more people are taking a holistic approach to their health – whether it’s using an app like Headspace, reading the best self-help books or taking up yoga.

And sophrology falls into that category.

The sister to mindfulness and meditation, this practice promises to clear and de-stress the mind using a combination of powerful relaxation techniques. A bold claim, indeed.