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Complete guide

Sophrology

Sophrology combines breathing exercises, muscle relaxation and guided imagery. A voice talks you through the practice, leaving room for your own pace and experience. Soa brings these practices together in themed programmes with sessions lasting 3 to 15 minutes.

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Listen to a guided intro

The three pillars

These three practices commonly feature in sophrology. Their order and emphasis vary between sessions.

  1. 01

    Controlled breathing

    You follow a suggested rhythm without forcing a deep breath. Box breathing, for example, alternates an inhale, a pause, an exhale and another pause. Counts are guides; you can skip holds and return to your natural breath.

  2. 02

    Muscle relaxation

    The guidance invites you to notice different parts of your body and explore releasing tension. Some exercises include gentle movements. You can adapt or skip a movement that does not suit you.

  3. 03

    Positive visualisation

    You are invited to imagine a scene, recall a memory or picture a situation. A vivid image or a particular feeling is not required. Keeping your eyes open and noticing your surroundings is also an option.

What sets it apart

A method you make your own, with programmes that finish

Soa offers themed programmes of guided sessions lasting 3 to 15 minutes. AI selects from prepared sessions using your mood, goals and feedback. It does not generate the exercises or session voices.

The programme gives you a structure for exploring breathing, body awareness and imagery. You can notice what suits you, what feels neutral and what you would rather skip. Feeling calm is not a test you have to pass.

Explore Soa’s programme themes

These themes describe the situations our programmes are designed around. They do not mean that each programme has been tested in a clinical trial.

The programmes offer wellbeing practices. They do not replace medical care or psychotherapy.

How it differs from meditation

Meditation includes many approaches: silent, guided and movement-based practices. Sophrology commonly emphasises breathing, relaxation and imagery. The approaches overlap, and neither is presented here as faster or more effective than the other.

Meditation

  • Attend to present experience, depending on the practice
  • Practise in silence, with guidance or through movement
  • Explore different formats and intentions
  • Follow an individual session or a programme

Sophrology

  • Explore a theme or intention
  • Combine breathing, muscle relaxation and imagery
  • Follow spoken guidance
  • In Soa, choose a themed programme

What a session feels like

Soa sessions last 3 to 15 minutes. A voice may invite you to follow a breathing rhythm, notice sensations or imagine a scene. In-person and group sessions vary in format and length.

Choose a comfortable position somewhere you can give the session your attention. You might feel relaxed, distracted or much the same afterwards. Experiences vary, and there is no promised timeline for results.

Where sophrology comes from

Alfonso Caycedo developed sophrology from 1960. The method brings together guided breathing, relaxation and visualisation exercises.

Its history gives context to the practice and its vocabulary. Evidence about effectiveness comes from research into specific methods, participants and measured outcomes.

Common questions

Every sophrology word, explained →

Articles to go further

Want to try sophrology?

Start with the introduction programme. Soa uses your responses to select prepared breathing and relaxation sessions for your programme.

Start for freeFree for 14 days. No credit card.

Sophrology is a complementary wellbeing practice. It doesn’t replace medical treatment or psychotherapy.