Autogenic Training in the Psychophysical Unity of the Individual

Autogenic Training and the Psychophysical Unity of the Individual
Dr. Alessandra Capozza, Psychologist – Dr. Silvia Corucci, Psychologist

An Experience of Autogenic Training in a Drug Rehabilitation Community

Introduction

Our psychophysical identity includes the so-called Body-Self, that is, the mental image each person forms of their own body from the earliest stages of life.
This image is not a simple and objective recording of what we are, but a complex construction shaped by emotional and relational experiences—how we are seen, accepted, loved, and acknowledged.

The body expresses itself and conveys information. In any relationship, communication and understanding depend—beyond and even before words—on bodily elements.
A rigid body, a denied body, a living body, an acted-out body: the body communicates.
Through the body, the unconscious speaks directly, and distress is often revealed through somatization.

Application of Autogenic Training in Drug Addiction Treatment

The use of Autogenic Training (A.T.) in the field of addiction is a relatively recent development.

In individuals with substance dependence, the body becomes entangled in lived experiences and behavioral actions: the body is placed at the service of need—a need that is fulfilled even when it causes the body harm.
Thus, the addict channels their energy into action, often violent, immediately directed against themselves and their own body.

In this context, the therapeutic community becomes a place where one can rediscover, among other things, the importance of one’s relationship with the self and with the body.
This renewed awareness is the first step toward reconnecting with one’s inner world.
Paying attention to and taking care of the body represents the first step toward a deeper, more authentic care for oneself.

The goal of this project was to facilitate the rediscovery of the body in a positive sense, enhancing the awareness of the Body-Self through targeted exercises on specific body regions.

Consistent and regular application of this technique leads to improvements in physiological self-regulation, enhanced peripheral circulation, better functioning of internal organs, and more restorative sleep, with a reduction in insomnia and somatization.
On a psychological level, it fosters greater self-confidence, rediscovery and development of personal potential, improved clarity of thought and decision-making, and better concentration.

These are meaningful outcomes in a path toward personal well-being.

An A.T. Project in a Therapeutic Community

As an experimental initiative, a three-month Autogenic Training course was offered to residents of a therapeutic community. The primary objectives were:

• To promote a more respectful relationship with one’s body, understanding its messages and sensing its needs

• To discharge somatized tension and anxiety

• To normalize functions such as sleep and respiration

• To establish contact with all aspects of one’s personality, expanding awareness of the psychosomatic unity and the ability to manage its manifestations

• To enhance introspective capacities

At the start of the course, participants completed a psychological assessment to identify any non-clinical levels of anxiety or stress.
They also filled out a self-assessment questionnaire specifically focused on stress.
Both the initial test and the stress questionnaire were repeated at the end of the course to identify any benefits resulting from the use of autogenic training.

Sessions were conducted by a psychologist specialized in relaxation techniques and assisted by a co-trainer psychologist.
Each session included an initial phase of explanation and practical application of the technique, followed by a group sharing phase, including graphic expression.
Participants' drawings were discussed within the group in a climate of mutual respect and acceptance.

Results

A comparison of the pre- and post-course test data revealed:

• Improved regulation of the sleep-wake cycle, especially in individuals who had experienced difficulty falling asleep or frequent nighttime awakenings

• Reduction in symptoms such as headaches and stomach pain

• A general sense of greater calm in managing daily life and increased control over emotional reactions

Participants also experienced a valuable opportunity to:

• Reflect—with the guidance of the facilitators—on how the body responds to varying levels of stress, and how individuals pay a price for imbalance not only in physical fatigue but also in emotional terms

• Identify and explore together the “good” and “harmful” strategies for interacting with one’s environment

• Directly experience the benefits of a relaxation technique in a setting (the therapeutic community) and a phase (the path toward change) that are both highly significant

In addition to exploring the psychophysical benefits that can be achieved through proper application of Autogenic Training, this project also aimed to address two specific aspects of the addict’s personality:

1. A dysfunctional relationship with the body (a body that is abused, punctured, used as a commodity, or numbed)

2. A constant pursuit of altered states of consciousness as a means to experience oneself differently

This course offered a structured space in which participants could rediscover the value of their body—as something real, listened to, and alive—and learn to generate, autonomously and without any substances, a new, positive internal dimension.
Initially approached with caution and skepticism, this inner space eventually became a valued and integrated part of the self, fostering a sense of acceptance, psychophysical well-being, and inner calm.