Not sure where to start?
Try the Personal Concerns Inventory (PCI) to clarify what to focus on, or start with Relaxation Therapy for guided meditation.
Relaxation Therapy
Relaxation Therapy is a foundational self-care practice in the Mulry Method. Developed by clinical psychologist Dr. Reaume Carroll Mulry beginning in 1976, it uses rhythmic breathing, guided muscle relaxation, meditation, and natural sounds to help you release tension and develop the skill of relaxation.
For Dr. Mulry, relaxation was not simply resting or becoming still. It was something you could learn through practice. As you become more familiar with tension and the feeling of releasing it, relaxation can become a more natural response.
“We live in a Tension Epidemic, and it is probable this cultural malady is apparent in your personal life… Tension Management is for those individuals who care to help themselves.”
—Dr. Ray Mulry
Begin Your Relaxation Practice
Relaxation Therapy is meant to be experienced, not simply understood.
The original program guides you through a structured relaxation induction spoken by Dr. Mulry that includes breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, and meditation. Natural sounds then allow the relaxation experience to continue without verbal instruction. Different recordings provide different experiences while using the same basic approach.
Browse the complete Relaxation Therapy collection and choose the recording that works best for you. Headphones and a quiet, comfortable setting are recommended.
If you are new to Relaxation Therapy, continue below to learn what makes Dr. Mulry’s approach distinctive and how to practice it.
What Makes Relaxation Therapy Different
Dr. Mulry described relaxation as an active process of “letting go” into a flowing rhythm, which he characterized as “a parasympathetic nervous system adaptation to an external, soothing rhythm.” Rather than trying to force yourself to relax, you learn to follow the breathing, movement, words, and rhythms of the relaxation process.
Relaxation Therapy developed within a broader history of relaxation practices that included Dr. Edmund Jacobson’s Progressive Relaxation and Dr. Herbert Benson’s Relaxation Response. Dr. Mulry’s approach was distinguished by its emphasis on rhythmic flow throughout the guided induction.
Rhythm was especially important to Dr. Mulry. Before becoming a clinical psychologist, he was a modern jazz percussionist. His understanding of rhythm later became part of the way he approached relaxation.
This rhythmic flow distinguishes Relaxation Therapy from methods based primarily on passive stillness. The approximately 15-minute guided induction moves through breathing and muscle relaxation before allowing the experience to continue through guided meditation and natural sounds.
The purpose is not to perform the exercises perfectly. It is to become more familiar with tension, recognize the experience of letting go, and develop relaxation through repeated practice.
Relaxation is something you learn by doing.
How To Practice Relaxation Therapy
Before beginning Relaxation Therapy, prepare a comfortable environment where you are unlikely to be interrupted.
Choose A Quiet Space
Select a calm, quiet room. A dim or dark setting can help reduce distractions and allow you to focus on the relaxation experience.
Find A Comfortable Position
Lie on your back or sit in a supportive chair. Close your eyes and allow your body to settle. If you are lying down, avoid using a pillow under your head unless you need one for comfort. A pillow under your knees can reduce strain on your lower back and hips.
Stay Warm And Undistracted
Use a blanket or light covering if needed to stay comfortable during the session. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb and reduce other distractions such as bright lights, background noise, or uncomfortable clothing. Once you are comfortable, let the recording guide you. There is no need to force relaxation or try to follow every instruction perfectly.
🎧 Experience Stage 1 Of Relaxation Therapy
Relaxation Therapy is best understood through experience. This audio sample offers the first two minutes of Stage 1: Breathing Exercises, with Dr. Mulry guiding you through the beginning of the Relaxation Therapy induction.
Press play to experience it for yourself. For the best experience, use headphones and find a quiet, comfortable setting. Then continue below to learn about the three stages of Relaxation Therapy.
Relaxation Therapy: The Three Basic Stages
Relaxation Therapy follows three stages that progressively guide you through the relaxation induction.
1. Breathing Exercises
The first stage uses stomach breathing to help you settle into the relaxation process.
- Stay Comfortable: Avoid straining. Go at your own pace and do not worry about following the speaker perfectly.
- Let Your Mind Wander: Do not force yourself to concentrate. If your thoughts drift, let them. Effortlessness is important to relaxation.
- Breathe From Your Stomach: Inhale through your nose and allow your stomach, rather than your chest, to expand. Avoid pulling your stomach in as you inhale.
- Follow The Guided Breaths: You will typically be guided through five deep breaths. Complete all five unless you have a physical limitation, and allow your breathing to settle into its natural rhythm.
2. Muscle Relaxation
The second stage focuses on releasing physical tension through guided prompts. Follow Dr. Mulry’s guidance and allow the relaxation process to unfold. There is no need to concentrate intensely or try to make yourself relax. Even if your attention wanders, continue listening. The goal is gentle release rather than perfect concentration.
3. Meditation And Dreamlike States
The third stage allows greater mental freedom as physical relaxation deepens. Let your mind wander. Images, thoughts, memories, or feelings may arise. You do not need to direct them or make anything happen. You may experience a dreamlike state or fall asleep, particularly when you are tired. Dr. Mulry considered this a natural part of the relaxation experience. The important thing is to let the process unfold rather than trying to control it.
When To Seek Guidance
Thoughts, memories, or emotions may arise during Relaxation Therapy. If anything you experience feels overwhelming or difficult to manage, stop the session and consider speaking with a qualified mental health professional.
Relaxation Therapy is a self-care practice and is not a substitute for professional mental health care when additional support is needed.
Choose Your Relaxation Therapy Recording
The breathing and muscle relaxation stages remain consistent across the six original versions of Relaxation Therapy. The third stage varies, allowing you to experience different forms of meditation and natural sounds.
Your response to each recording may be different. Dr. Mulry encouraged people to discover which versions worked best for them through experience.
1. Imagination and Meditation
This version introduces the dreamlike process in a structured way. It encourages you to allow images, thoughts, and memories to arise without trying to direct them. If letting your mind wander feels difficult at first, give yourself time to become familiar with the process. Listen to Imagination and Meditation.
2. Gentle Rainfall
This version uses the rhythm of rainfall as part of the relaxation experience. The sound may encourage different images, memories, or associations depending on the listener. Listen to Gentle Rainfall.
3–5. Nature-Inspired Sounds
These recordings use different natural sounds following the relaxation induction. Each creates a different experience and may bring different images, feelings, or memories to mind. You may prefer some recordings to others. Let your own response guide which ones you return to. Listen to Sounds of the Sea.
6. A Quiet Place
This version uses fewer external sound cues and relies more heavily on your ability to let your mind wander. Dr. Mulry considered it more challenging and recommended becoming familiar with the other versions first. Listen to A Quiet Place.
Foundational Recordings
In addition to the Relaxation Therapy sessions, Dr. Mulry recorded two introductions explaining the ideas and principles behind the program in his own words.
Introduction Part 1
Dr. Mulry reflects on the stress and tension he observed in 1976 and explains why he believed learning to manage tension was an important part of self-care. Listen to Part 1.
Introduction Part 2
Dr. Mulry continues the discussion with an introduction to the principles and techniques used in Relaxation Therapy. Together, the two recordings provide useful context for understanding the practice before or alongside the relaxation sessions. Listen to Part 2.
Beyond The Original Recordings
Dr. Mulry continued developing Relaxation Therapy beyond the original recordings, adapting its use of rhythm and natural sounds in later versions.
Trust Your Swing
Created for golfers, Trust Your Swing uses a flowing, pendulum-like rhythm designed to reflect the movement of a smooth golf swing. The rhythmic experience can also be used for relaxation by non-golfers. Listen to Trust Your Swing.
Remastered Tapes
An Evening with Nature and Sounds of the Sea were later remastered with improved audio quality and updated sound effects while preserving the original Relaxation Therapy experience.
A Note From Dr. Mulry
I first published and copyrighted RT in 1976, and it was included in my self-published book and audiocassette program, Tension Management & Relaxation Therapy: An Approach To A Balanced Way of Living.
CV Mosby / Times Mirror, a leading medical publisher worldwide, bought the rights to RT in 1980 when we again published the same audiocassette program and included RT in our forthcoming Mosby Publications, The Back School and The Portable Back School.
I coined the term Relaxation Therapy, and it is the original RT. There are now hundreds of RT versions, but mine was the first and has been an enduring product since 1976.
People asked me why I called it Relaxation “therapy,” and I responded, “Because it is the therapy of the future,” which has since proven true.
The Mulry Method Relaxation Therapy is a precise process similar to hypnosis induction. We build upon a rhythmic structure, even when the “Sounds of the Sea” are harmonized with the preceding Relaxation Therapy induction.
I traveled thousands of miles and spent hundreds of hours finding the right sounds of the sea, and I have never told anyone where the recording took place. This is primarily because I want the sea to be your sea in your special fantasy/memory environment.
Listen to these as often as you like; they will center you, give you deep focus, and get you In The Zone.
The History Of Relaxation Therapy
Clinical psychologist Dr. Reaume Carroll Mulry developed Relaxation Therapy (RT) in the 1970s following approximately one year of pre-production work. The completed program was copyrighted as a published sound recording on June 24, 1976, under registration number 34521.
On December 18, 1980, Dr. Mulry assigned and transferred the copyright to The C.V. Mosby Company of St. Louis, Missouri. Relaxation Therapy was incorporated into his forthcoming C.V. Mosby publications, Tension Management & Relaxation: An Approach To A Balanced Way of Living and The Back School: A Team Approach To A Balanced Way of Living.
At the time, Dr. Mulry was in private practice as a clinical psychologist and a member of the Associated Medical Staff of Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California.
Relaxation Therapy also received recognition beyond Dr. Mulry’s clinical work. His relaxation tapes were featured in Los Angeles magazine and later acknowledged in a personal letter of appreciation from George H.W. Bush, 41st President of the United States.
Relaxation Therapy In Print And Audio Publications
Relaxation Therapy became a fundamental component of Dr. Mulry’s later books, audio programs, backcare programs, and performance training. His published works incorporating these principles include:
- Tension Management & Relaxation: An Approach to a Balanced Way of Living, published by C.V. Mosby-Times Mirror (1981)
- The Back School: A Team Approach to Low Back Pain, co-authored by A. White, R.C. Mulry, and W. Mattmiller and published by C.V. Mosby-Times Mirror (1981)
- The Portable Back School: Home-study Approach to Proper Back Care, authored by R.C. Mulry and A. White (1981)
- Freedom From Back Pain, authored by R.C. Mulry and published by Nightingale-Conant Corporation (1984)
- First Aid for Back Pain, authored by R.C. Mulry and published by PureSafety as an online occupational health and safety training program (2009)
Relaxation Therapy also provided the foundation for the audio program Trust Your Swing: The Power of the Pendulum and Rhythmic Flow (2004), authored by R.C. Mulry and K. Mohr and published by American Network Services, Inc.
Later in Dr. Mulry’s career, Relaxation Therapy became a fundamental component of his In The Zone sports psychology training. The program emphasized four key principles: Relaxation, Balance, Flexibility, and Focus.
These same principles became central to Dr. Mulry’s broader approach to mind-body integration and performance. Rather than being treated as an isolated technique, relaxation became a skill that supported the ability to become Relaxed, Balanced, Flexible, and Focused.
Relaxation Therapy And The Mulry Method
Relaxation Therapy became an important foundation of the Mulry Method and Dr. Mulry’s approach to mind-body integration.
Through repeated practice, you learn to recognize tension and experience what it feels like to release it. This process supports Self-Learning by helping you become more aware of how your body responds and what you can do to influence that response.
This approach also carried into Dr. Mulry’s later work in mind-body integration and performance. In In The Zone Skills Training, these ideas are developed through the four core competencies: Relaxed Moves, Power Moves, Elastic Moves, and Focused Moves.
In this way, Relaxation Therapy is more than an isolated relaxation exercise. It is a practical starting point for learning greater self-command through experience.
Start Practicing Relaxation Therapy
Relaxation is a skill developed through practice. You do not need to master the process or achieve a particular state. Begin with the recording that interests you and learn from your own experience.
Browse the complete Relaxation Therapy collection and begin practicing at your own pace.
We become what we do.
5-Step Method: Internal Locus of Control
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