The Art & Science of Relaxation Therapy: Reduce Anxiety, Depression, Pain, Sleep Disorders, Trauma and Inflammation
We live in a world that makes it hard to truly unwind. Demands of daily life are intense and never-ending in these fast-pace, uncertain times. Research shows that stress, anxiety and depression reduce our natural ability to relax. Ironically, focusing on relaxation as yet another high-pressure goal (I must relax, I must relax, I must relax) can increase our distress levels. In a world that awards busyness and constant action, relaxation is rarely valued, taught or encouraged. Saying ‘just relax’ usually increases a person’s anxiety. Telling a client to ‘take a deep breath in’ is counterproductive as often they don’t know how to breathe deeply and correctly.
However, Relaxation Therapy is evidence-based, non-invasive, non-pharmacological, easy and portable. It reduces distress, offers a self-help coping strategy and improves mental and physical health.
The more we relax, the better we can cope with times of distress. Relaxation is therapeutic, when it is enjoyed, performed correctly and practiced regularly. The benefits of relaxation are evidence-based and slowly becoming integrated into our healthcare system.
Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) studies interactions between nervous, endocrine and immune systems and identifies links between the mind and body. PNI demonstrates how Relaxation Therapy can decrease pain perception, increase lymphocyte function, reduce anxiety and depression, result in shorter post-surgical hospital stays, alleviate PTSD symptoms and much more! This online training briefly describes why mind and body are best treated together.
Join Dr Judy Lovas as she teaches evidence-based Relaxation Therapy and translates complex science. Judy makes it easy for you to understand evidence of neural, endocrine and immune responses to relaxation:
- Learn how to effectively implement diaphragmatic breathing and visualisation.
- Explain to your clients how coping strategies for chronic conditions such as anxiety, depression, pain, sleep disorders and trauma really work.
- Equip yourself with practical knowledge and research in relaxation techniques that you can practice and use after completing this course.
- Learn fundamentals of relaxation as coping skills that your clients can use daily.
- Learn how to short circuits our (dis)stress pathways to reduce production of stress hormones, encourage the release of calming neurotransmitters, enhance immune responses and oxygenate cells for better cellular functioning.
This unique and dynamic online training enables you to practice and teach simple Relaxation Techniques recognised by the Australian Department of Health as Focussed Psychological Strategies (FPS). Relaxation techniques are approved psychoeducational approaches in aged care and other settings.
Participants will learn:
- Psychological and physiological pathways of Stress
- Psychological and physiological pathways of Relaxation
- How to practice Deep Diaphragmatic Breathing (DDB)
- How to practice Guided Imagery (GI)
- How to apply DDB and GI clinically to reduce chronic conditions
- Leading Psychoneuroimmunology research and evidence that support benefits of relaxation therapy
CPD Information For Mental Health Professionals
Enjoy complete flexibility with 100% self-paced learning you can access anytime, anywhere, and on any device. Pay once for lifetime access.
Course Duration: 6 learning hours
Certificate and CPD hours: On completion you’ll receive a Certificate of Completion to support your CPD records.
Assessment: Complete a short quiz at the end (80% pass mark), which you can resit as many times as needed.
Lifetime Access: Your access to the course does not expire, so you can revisit key concepts anytime you want a refresher for practice.
CPD Eligibility: This program may be suitable for CPD for professionals such as:
- Psychologists
- Counsellors and Psychotherapists
- Social Workers
- Community Workers
- Mental Health Nurses
- General Practitioners (GPs)
- Occupational Therapists
CPD requirements vary between professional bodies, so please check with your association or credentialing body to confirm you can claim CPD hours/OPD points for this program and what evidence they require.
Course Content
Meet Your Instructor
Dr Judy Lovas is Australia’s expert in Relaxation Therapy and an international speaker, dedicated to teaching evidence-based relaxation skills for chronic conditions. Judy is determined to increase relaxation therapies in 21st century health care.
With up-to-date knowledge, passion and humour, Judy teaches medical and health professionals leading research in relaxation therapy to enhance mental health and physical wellbeing. Her presentations include how to practice simple relaxation skills and the clinical application of relaxation therapy to enhance your clients’ health.
Judy’s work is based on Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), the science of mind body connections. She presents the latest, cutting-edge studies that support diaphragmatic breathing, guided imagery, progress muscle relaxation and massage therapy for chronic conditions such as anxiety, depression, pain, sleep disorders, trauma and inflammation.
As Director of Art & Science of Relaxation, Judy presents for prestigious institutions including the University of Sydney, Australian Psychology Society and the Australian Association of Social Work. She is an international presenter and worked with the University of Thessaly in Greece, the Sports Group GmbH in Germany and the Hebrew University in Israel. Her work is recognised in Lifestyle and Integrative Medicine organisations.
Her Ph.D. from the University of Sydney Faculty of Medicine, focused on psychological and immunological outcomes of massage therapy for spinal cord injury patients, and demonstrates her commitment to understanding the complex mind-body connections that drive healing.
Judy’s expertise in PNI-based Relaxation Therapy for chronic conditions offers measurable changes in immune function, inflammatory markers, and neurological processes to support better health. She specialises in helping practitioners understand exactly how relaxation therapies affect cellular and molecular health, why certain techniques work better than others, and how to prescribe specific relaxation interventions for different conditions and populations.
What sets Dr Lovas apart is how she translates complex science into simple concepts. Judy combines scientific rigor with practical accessibility. She doesn't just teach relaxation techniques - she shows practitioners the underlying psychoneuroimmunology mechanisms that explain why these interventions work, enabling them to make evidence-based treatment decisions. Her 18 publications and extensive teaching experience demonstrate her exceptional ability to make complex immunological and neurological concepts immediately relevant to clinical practice.
For your practice, expect to gain specific, evidence-based relaxation protocols for different conditions and frameworks for integrating PNI principles into existing treatment approaches. Judy’s approach particularly benefits healthcare professionals working with chronic conditions, those seeking non-pharmaceutical interventions, or practitioners wanting to understand the science behind mind-body healing.
Quick Win: Judy's ‘Slow Breathing’ technique helps clients quickly activate the parasympathetic nervous system while reducing inflammatory markers - often leading to measurable stress reduction while building long-term resilience through regular practice.
Qualifications
- Ph.D., Medicine, University of Sydney (dissertation: "The effects of massage therapy on secondary conditions of people with spinal cord injury: psychological and immunological outcomes")
- Master of Science Research Degree Faculty of Science Univ of Technology, Sydney, 1998
- BA, Psychology, University of New South Wales (UNSW), 1982
- Diploma, Adult Education, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), 1991
- Over 25 years experience in psychology and psychoneuroimmunology
Authored Publications
- Author and co-author of 17 publications on psychoneuroimmunology, research-based benefits of relaxation therapy, and chronic pain management
- YouTube educational content creator
- Featured on The GP Show podcast
- Regular media contributor on relaxation therapy and PNI topics
Leadership & Teaching
- Director, Art & Science of Relaxation, Sydney, 2014–present
- Lecturer, Psychology, Australian College of Physical Education, Sydney, 2019–present
- Lecturer, Cellular Health, Psychoneuroimmunology, Evidence-based Relaxation Therapy, Nature Care College, Sydney, 2016–present
- Clinical Relaxation Therapist, Cingulum Health, Sydney, 2022–present (specialising in relaxation therapy for neurological rehabilitation patients)
- Relaxation Therapy Classes Instructor, Osana Medical Centres, Cremorne & Narrabeen, Sydney, 2019–2020
Academic Experience
- Lecturer/Tutor, Psychology, Australian Catholic University, Strathfield, Sydney, 2008–2014 (Education Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Motivation and Emotion, Critical Thinking)
- Lecturer, Psychoneuroimmunology, School of Medical Science, University of Sydney
- Lecturer, Psychoneuroimmunology, Australian College of Applied Psychology
- Psychology Teacher, Methodist's Ladies College
- Lecturer, TAFE NSW, Meadowbank College of TAFE, 1989–1998 (developed Diploma in Health Science - Massage Therapy)
Clinical & Research Focus
- Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) research and application
- Evidence-based relaxation therapy protocols
- Chronic pain management through mind-body interventions
- Anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders treatment
- Trauma therapy using relaxation techniques
- Inflammation reduction and cellular health optimisation
- Mind-body connections in healing and recovery
Community & Volunteer Work
- Volunteer Coordinator, North Sydney Persistent Pain Mental Health Network, current
- Dedicated advocate for integrating relaxation therapies into healthcare systems
- Community educator on stress management and holistic health approaches
Ready to understand the science behind why relaxation therapy creates real physiological changes? Discover how evidence-based psychoneuroimmunology can help you apply specific relaxation interventions for measurable improvements in chronic conditions.
Feedback & Reviews
This course includes:
- Lessons 1
- Topics 7
- Duration 6 hours
- Quizzes 1
- Language English