The use of relaxation exercises in the treatment of reading disability

An adult nonreader, in therapy for serious emotional problems, began to read, at first during the therapy sessions, and then on his own, following treatment that involved a mix of psychodynamic exploration and behavioral interventions. The inability to read was addressed directly, first by having him imagine reading, and then by having him attempt to read, after achieving a state of increased relaxation through the use of muscle and breathing exercises. This result suggests that relaxation exercises should be tried in cases of reading disability at least whenever they are associated with emotional problems. Furthermore, inasmuch as anxiety and stress do not always manifest themselves in ways that are obvious to an observer, the case raises the possibility that relaxation exercises might be helpful even when there are no obvious symptoms of emotional disorder.