Fit to be tried: Relaxation CDs
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Monday May 04 2009
MAGS Corbett is in the living room escorting my five-year-old on a bunny hunt under a vibrant rainbow. Last night she helped the whole family go to sleep. And she recently brought peace of mind to a friend stressed about taking an exam.
Corbett, or her voice anyway, is on a set of CDs that aims to help people relax and cope with worries such as looming exams and even enjoy giving birth. Stress is a factor for many of us, even toddlers, in today's world, and it's important to learn the art of winding down.
There are meditation classes, stress-reduction programmes and workshops on how to handle financial pressures. But they aren't always an option, and you have to make the time to get to them. So just listening to a CD at home or while driving can help and it's as easy as pressing play.
Even if you're a mental fidgeter, Corbett's CDs -- such as Breakthrough 4 Stress Control, Exam Buster or Magical Animal Journeys -- are soothing for mind and body.
Hearing an Irish accent is a big bonus. Most audio instructions on relaxation seem to be voiced by New Age Americans, with contrived honeyed tones urging you to embrace your inner child, or inner thigh, or some such platitude.
Corbett -- whose relaxation and self-esteem building CDs are used in many primary schools, as well as by people working with autistic children -- hoots with laughter at the notion she might be some kind of relaxation guru.
"Not at all," says the Rathgar mother-of-two, who has a diploma in corporate stress management and worked in training and development for 15 years.
"I fell into this because when I was pregnant with my first child, I found a good meditation CD to listen to," says the 40-year-old. "I'd planned a natural childbirth, but when labour started I was screaming: 'Give me the drugs NOW.'
"But it was too late for that, so I had to keep going. The only thing that calmed me was the CD."
Two children later, Corbett decided to hunt for an audio tool to help her kids -- and herself -- relax. "Not to replace the bedtime story, but to play afterwards and then be able to walk away."
She decided to make a CD herself, and teamed up with musician and composer Steve McGrath of LimeStreet Sound, to create what they describe as inspiring and relaxing journeys for adults and children.
Corbett first launched her Exam Buster CD two years ago, after selling 800 CDs "without even advertising".
"There's a lot of pressure on students, self-imposed, peer and parental expectations," says Corbett. "Exam Buster is like a mental dress rehearsal, and it really helps with confidence."
The children's CD works by taking kids on a mental journey full of fun images and bright colours, and includes a relaxation segment.
A road-test with my five-year-old means that right now as I write this he is sleeping happily on the couch. So far, this happens every time.
Adults are a tougher proposition. The trigger relaxation works well, but following the CD's series of affirmations can get a bit confusing for mental nitpickers such as me.
Instructions, delivered in Corbett's easy tones, are no match at first for the staccato mental shopping list and worries about prices that pop up to compete.
Corbett's website won a VHI award for the best stress-reducing techniques, and her CDs certainly help with mental focus and promote physical wellbeing. Not even the savage budget could put a tax on that.
