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Autogenic training is a way to use calm and relaxation to enhance general health and well-being. It has links to hypnotherapy and, having recently incorporated it into my practitioner course, I thought it would be good to share a few details with you here.
What is autogenic training?
A German cardiologist named Johannes Heinrich Schultz developed Autogenic training was developed in the 1920s. He noticed that many people experienced warmth, heaviness and relaxation whilst hypnotised. He wanted to find a way for them to access this without necessarily using formal hypnosis. Autogenic training was the result. It was the precursor of biofeedback techniques. The training affects the autonomic nervous system to engage the mind/body connection and help with anxiety, stress etc. and it can also be used to help reduce chronic pain, in particular childbirth, headaches and migraines, back pain, cancer and palliative care, and cardiology [1].
Clients need to practice it regularly, preferably 8-10 minutes per day. It can take a while to master the skills.
Also sometimes referred to as autogene or autogen training, it is not suitable for people experiencing severe mental health disorders. But the likelihood is that, as a hypnotherapist, you would not be working with these groups anyway. If your client has a heart condition or other serious diagnosis, ask for medical permission before using autogenic training.
The six stages of autogenic training
There are six steps to autogenic training and clients should work through them over several weeks.[2] Each phase must be perfected before moving on to the next and, finally, they are combined. Having said that, you can use all six stages in sequence to develop an autogenic induction. This can be a good alternative to the PMR.
I can only give a basic introduction to the training here, and formal training as an autogenic therapist is available. However, the basics can help your clients without it.
It has a good evidence base behind it and you will find specific examples on Google Scholar.
The connections with hypnosis, changing modalities, and affirmations are clear, although autogenics refers to ‘statements’ instead of affirmations. However, autogenic training emphasises physical rather than mental processes. This makes it a good approach for clients who find it difficult to focus their thoughts on meditation, self-hypnosis, or mindfulness, or who dismiss them as too ‘New Age’.
You can teach the skills within or out of trance, whichever seems best for the client. I suggest getting feedback from the client on how they are experiencing the various stages. For example, say ‘Give me a nod (or tell me) when you start to feel that heaviness’.
Learn autogenic training
Clients should sit in the coachman position (slightly slumped forwards, knees apart, elbows on the thighs, hands drooping between the legs). Or they can recline or lay on their backs. Work through the stages in order, perhaps one stage per session. This gives time for the client to master each skill before the next one.
- Heaviness: starting with one limb at a time, state something like, ‘My left arm is growing heavy.’ Focus your attention and imagination on sensations of heaviness in the left arm until you experience it. Repeat this several times, perhaps over a few days, until you can experience heaviness at will. Then move to another arm, or a leg and repeat (changing the statement to suit). When you can induce heaviness in any area of the body at will, move to the whole body.
- Warmth in the body: once you can experience heaviness in the whole body, change to a sensation of warmth. As before, choose an appropriate statement. Work with one body part at a time, and then focus on warmth in your whole body at once.
- Calm heartbeat: when you can feel warm and heavy, start to slow your heart rate. You might state, ‘My chest feels relaxed and warm. My heartbeat is slow and peaceful.’ Like the other stages, you repeat this until you feel your heartbeat respond.
- Calm breathing: next, you progress to your breathing. Pay attention without trying to control it (unlike other breathing techniques we have learned). To avoid actively controlling your breath, you could say something like, ‘My body breathes for me.’
- Comfort in the abdomen: gently help your abdominal area let go of tension and pain by stating something like, ‘My abdomen is warm and soft’.
- Coolness in your forehead: soothe migraines or tension in the head and face by imagining coolness in the area. Use a statement like ‘My forehead is relaxed and cool.’
Once clients have realised that they can learn to bring about different sensations in their bodies simply by concentrating, you can also extend this to other experiences. For example, ‘my [body] is comfortable and free from pain’ can be useful for clients with IBS or other ongoing issues.
You can also extend the traditional scope of autogenic training to introduce other helpful sensations such as, ‘My stomach feels comfortable and full’ for those wishing to reduce snacking. And so on.
In fact, your (and your client's) imagination is the only limit.
[1] Nasim Kanji, Management of pain through autogenic training, Complementary Therapies in Nursing and Midwifery, Volume 6, Issue 3, 2000, Pages 143-148, ISSN 1353-6117, https://doi.org/10.1054/ctnm.2000.0473. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1353611700904736).
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Author: Debbie Waller is an experienced hypnotherapist and hypnotherapy trainer. She is the author of The Hypnotherapist's Companion, Their Worlds, Your Words, and The Metaphor Toolbox, all available from Amazon or direct from the author, and a co-writer of the Hypnotherapy Handbook.
Find out more about Debbie's services on
Yorkshire Hypnotherapy Training - multi-accredited hypnotherapy practitioner training, taster days and foundation levels.
CPD Expert - accredited CPD and other therapy training (online and workshops options), expert and qualified hypnotherapy supervision
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