The Sedlacek Technique: Finding the Calm Within You

Much of the information on stress presented here is not new. However, the approach taken by Sedlacekmedical director of the Stress Regulation Institute in New York Cityis unusual. He contends that a regimen of simple breathing exercises, progressive relaxation techniques, visualization and at-home biofeedback can teach the body to react positively to all types of stressors, to avoid various diseases and/or alleviate physical symptoms (e.g., heart palpitations, hypertension). As well as prescribing exercises that develop positive stress response, Sedlacek illustrates its uses in dramatic case studies: according to the author, a woman who had acquired the ability to warm her hands and feet at will avoided frostbite when she became stranded while on a ski trip; a man saved his wife's life because he had learned how to think clearly and calmly in an emergency. Written in a straightforward, rational manner, the book is accessible to precisely those readers who might be put off by a mystical approach to self-healing. First serial to New Age Journal. (Feb.)