Emotional Stress Release (ESR) Technique: A Simple Tool for Stress Relief

⁠Emotional Stress Release, or ESR, is a gentle yet powerful technique that helps you release stress and feel calmer. It is one of my favourite kinesiology tools for emotional healing.

You can use ESR to release overwhelming emotions such as:

• Sadness

• Anxiety

• Anger

• Stress

• Fear

• Grief

• Shame

• Guilt

The ESR technique works by helping you release stressful emotions stored in your body, increasing blood flow to the brain, calming the nervous and limbic systems, and activating the parasympathetic system to support emotional healing.

Stress and past memories often reside in the back of the brain. When stressed, blood rushes to this area. Placing a hand on the forehead helps calm the mind and encourages blood flow to the frontal cortex, where new ideas and positive choices can be created.

How to Perform the ESR Technique

1. Take deep breaths and identify the emotion you are feeling. Rate your stress level from 1 (least) to 10 (most).

2. Place one hand on your forehead and the other on the area where the emotion is felt (throat, chest, gut, etc.).

3. Close your eyes for 2–3 minutes and focus on the emotion or the life events causing stress.

4. Continue deep breathing while connecting to a positive affirmation or visualising a positive outcome. Examples include:

   “I believe in myself”

   “I choose to release…”

   “I am healing”

   “I am forgiving…”

After finishing, open your eyes and notice how the emotional charge around the stressful situation has reduced. ESR can help you feel calmer, gain clarity, and discover creative solutions or new goals.

Try the ESR technique today to experience its calming and healing effects. This simple stress relief exercise is a powerful way to support emotional wellness and mental balance.