The Second International Interdisciplinary Conference on Stress and Tension Control, sponsored by the International Stress and Tension Control Society, was held at The University of Sussex, Brighton, England during the period August 30 - September 3, 1983. The Society has evolved from the American Association for the Advancem~t of Tension-Control, which met each year for five years in Chicago commen cing in 1974, and for which proceedings such as these were published annually. Because of an international flavor which the association gradually acquired the name was changed to that of The International Stress and Tension-Control Association. That organization met in London in 1979, and then in Louisville, Kentucky in 1981 in conjunc tion with The Biofeedback Society of America. The proceedings of that first international conference in London were also published by Plenum Publishing Company. (Stress and Tension Control, McGuigan, Sime and Wallace, 1981). Because the results of that first conference were so gratifying, this second conference was scheduled, with similar consequences. These proceedings are offered for the purpose of advancing our methods of coping with stress through tension control, for excessive bodily tension can indeed result from failure to adapt to the many stresses of life that we all continually face. As we are well aware, the consequences of chronic overtension can be disastrous in many ways for the human body.

What would it be like to be stress-free? Learn how to restore balance to body, mind and emotions by applying three principles that are consistently effective in preventing stress and solving problems. You'll understand how it works in clear, simple terms and enjoy reading stories and personal experiences from 40 years of counseling and teaching.

"Tension" is an internationally recognized word. Its omnI presence in our public media--in our newspapers, on TV, in magazines, and on radio--as well as in our everyday conversations indicate that we are well aware of the problems of over-tenseness. Pulp news papers and magazines increase their sales with promises of quick relief for tension problems. Business executives complain at the end of the day of being "uptight", and often accept a hotel chain's invitation to "unwind" at their bar. Soap operas attract large audiences, in part capitalizing on tension problems--irritable ar guments between husband_ and wife seem interminable! Indeed, the entire world is aware of the need to control ten sions. Such widespread needs invite varied "solutions", with the most attractive appearing ones offering promises of quick and easy cures. The market for tension reduction has been exploited in numer ous ingenious ways for centuries but I think never more than today. People with serious tension disorders often eagerly seize promises of easy relief, regardless of cost. Those who suffer headaches, spastic colon, essential hypertension, back pains, phobias and general anxiety are especially sensitized to tension disorders and potential cures. The American Association for the Advancement of Tension Control is dedicated to the elimination of tension problems through a two pronged attack: through the immediate technological application of tension control principles that now exist, and by encouraging scientific research to further develop our methods.

These are the proceedings of the Third International Interdisciplinary Conference on Stress and Tension Control, sponsored by the International Stress and Tension-Control Society held at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland from August 30-September 3, 1988. The Society celebrated the 15th year of its existence. It was founded in 1974 as the American Association for the Advancement of Tension-Control which held annual meetings in Chicago through 1979. Recognizing the multi-national interest in stress and tension control, the association changed its name and scope accordingly. The original American Association was founded and nurtured for many years by Dr. and Mrs. Edmund Jacobson and Professor F. J. McGuigan. The proceedings of the first international conference in London were also published by Plenum Publishing Company (Stress and Tension Contral, McGuigan, Sime and Wallace, 1980), as were those of the second international conference which was held at the University of Sussex in Brighton, England (McGuigan, Sime and Wallace, 1984). These and the publication of the proceedings from 1974 reflect the interest in stress and tension control that has grown steadily throughout the past decades, as also does the publication of numerous other books related to Stress Management.

This book contains an easy to follow stress reduction exercise technique whose central aspect is the activation of a mild shaking response of the nervous system. It explores this most fundamental human experience of 'shaking' during highly excited experiences or events. This book explains how this natural shaking response is potentially capable of both relaxing physical tension patterns in the body as well as reducing psycho-emotional stress and tension. The technique explained in this book has demonstrated itself to be useful for people who are experiencing simple daily stress, long-term chronic tension, or even recovering from traumatic events. This shaking response, which has been traced back through traditional cultures to present day medical science, is the body's own natural neuro-physiological reaction to reduce stress. The combined writings of 24 authors representing 12 countries and 3 languages take the reader through the theoretical understanding of this shaking mechanism from neurological and physiological perspectives to its application with self, family, community and organizations as well as, active duty and veteran military personnel, first responders, refugee populations, and natural disaster survivors.The easy to follow pictures and explanations of these exercises guides the reader comfortably through this self-help, stress reduction process.