Sophrology: A highly effective way to help students feel calmer
What is Sophrology? And why is it reimbursed by the Swiss private health insurance companies? And how is it that teenage boys are loving it?
These are the three questions that I asked myself when I moved to the Swiss Alps twelve years ago to work as a Housemistress in a boarding house for boys aged 13-18 years. I had never heard of Sophrology before and yet the word kept popping up in conversation – especially from boys in our House - many of whom struggled with organisation, focus and motivation; yet these same boys would consistently be up early so that they could attend their weekly Sophrology session before school.
The boys told me that they loved these sessions as they always felt so much better and more positive afterwards. The sessions allowed them to experience a sense of calm, relaxation and focus that stayed with them for the rest of the day. Their behaviour and academic performance also reflected the benefits and I soon found myself recommending Sophrology to all students who were struggling with various aspects of daily life.
The positive reviews also came from friends who seemed to be - not just coping well with life, but exuding energy, radiance and calm - despite the ups and downs we often face. This included one close friend who had sadly miscarried not long before, but who said that it was during her Sophrology sessions that she found a sense of inner peace for the first time, and felt positive that she might go on to heal from the emotional pain she had endured.
It did not take me long to realise that this method was beneficial in so many ways, that I decided to train in the technique, with the intention of being able to apply it first-hand for my students – both in the boarding house and the classroom.
1. What is Sophrology?
It is a mental and physical wellbeing practice that combines techniques such as visualisation, meditation, mindfulness, breathing exercises, gentle movements and body awareness. The word “Sophrology” comes from Greek: sos, phren, logos – meaning the science of consciousness in harmony.
Sophrology is a practice that blends Eastern philosophies (Buddhist meditation, yoga and Japanese Zen) with Western science (psychology, neurology, philosophy). It encourages personal development by teaching us to how to access calm and serenity of mind and body and it encourages active, and purposeful, relaxation. It therefore helps us to better manage the stresses and challenges of daily life.
Uses and benefits include:
- Feeling less anxious and stressed
- Dealing with overthinking
- Calming the body and mind
- Improved focus and concentration
- Better quality of sleep
2. Why is it reimbursed by Swiss Private Health Insurance Companies?
The Swiss private health insurance companies believe so strongly in the benefits of the practice that they reimburse their clients for partaking in Sophrology sessions. It has even been proven that people who practise it take 30% less medicine than those who do not. It is not surprising, therefore, that Sophrology has now been practised across Continental Europe for decades in different settings including schools, hospitals and corporate environments and championed by everyone from Olympic athletes to high-achieving CEOs.
3. How is it that teenage boys also love it?
In the boarding house that I led with my husband, we had 60 international boys who lived with us throughout the school year. This gave me a great opportunity to run Sophrology sessions and to see how it benefitted the boys. I worked with a core group of ten boys who were particularly keen to participate. We had weekly sessions over the course of the term, which we then extended across the year as the results were so beneficial. The aim of the sessions was to help the boys with developing a more positive mindset, as many of them were concerned they would not do well enough in their exams or in sporting performances, and so we focused on how to improve in both these areas.
The boys were fantastic to work with and came to the sessions with open minds and a willingness to learn and to feel better. The exercises were based on ways to lift mood, to feel calm in stressful situations, to promote good learning practice, to do well at sporting events and to sleep well.
The fact that we won Sports Day at the end of the year - for the first time in ten years - and that the boys all felt immensely proud of their sporting and academic results spoke volumes. Above all, it was their enthusiastic feedback that told me this wellbeing technique was worth pursuing in schools:
“Sophrology helped me to find my strength and learn how to relax, and how I can make myself happy in the future.”
“It really helped me mentally prepare for my sporting event - which I saw myself winning - and I can see myself using it again in the future.”
“It helped me level my mind, get on with exams and see a different side of being human.”
“Sophrology has helped me not to stress as much about events taking place in my life - even though I still had to deal with them, I would do so in a less stressed and more relaxed manner.”
“It helped me to sleep better and to think more positively. Some exercises still really help me to relax.”
Sophrology enables us to quickly feel more relaxed, present, open and focused. It encourages us to take a break from the pressures of daily life and to find a way to positively manage our inner voice – the one which can so often be controlling and critical. Added benefits are that it also allows us to let go of past events and prepare for future events and enhance performance. Whether we are a teenage boy, girl or adult, the physical and mental benefits are there for us all to appreciate.
By regularly practising Sophrology, we can find a way to deal well with the demands of daily life and find purpose, balance and energy. It helps us to embrace and become the best version of ourselves – both professionally and personally.
How to practise:
A typical session includes breath-work, muscular relaxation and visualisation techniques. An example of a couple of sessions are here:
Exercise 1: Daily Mindful Moments
Bring awareness to your breath, body and mind.
Check in regularly throughout your day and scan your body for any tension. Next, imagine releasing the tension as you breathe out.
Notice your thoughts and if your mind keeps wandering, bring it back to the present moment.
Invoke all your senses to keep you rooted in the present: a sense of touch, sight, sound or smell will all help to ground you in the moment.
Exercise 2: A Calm and Safe Place:
Envision yourself in your favourite place where you feel totally calm, safe and happy . What does it look like? What colours do you notice?
Now, use all of your senses as you bring this place to mind:
- What scents can you smell?
- What sounds can you hear?
- How does the air or warm sun feel on your skin?As you breathe in, imagine that you’re breathing in waves of calm. As you breathe out, allow these feelings to move around your body.
Check back in with your body and mind: What sensations do you notice? And how do you feel now?
The Future of Sophrology
It takes just 10-15 minutes a day to practise Sophrology and the benefits are multiple; the question, therefore, is why would we not choose to embrace Sophrology in the UK? And why would we not embrace the personal and professional advantages it offers for ourselves and our students?
Each day, we can choose to give ourselves the gift of presence, calm and coping skills to face life’s daily challenges. It seems high time now that we join our European cousins by fully embracing this wellbeing method that is here to stay - in our schools and workplaces, as well as our homes.
REFERENCES:
https://www.energycentre.ch/sophro-one-2-one.html
https://www.mybaba.com/sophrology-a-gentle-method-to-overcome-stress/
https://www.healthline.com/health/sophrology#how-to
