Complete guide
The Sedona Method: The Complete Guide to Letting Go of Unwanted Feelings
The Sedona Method is a self-help releasing technique that uses a short series of simple questions, such as “Could I let this feeling go?”, to help you notice…
Sedona Method
The Sedona Method is a self-help releasing technique that uses a short series of simple questions, such as "Could I let this feeling go?", to help you notice an unwanted feeling and let it go in the moment. It grew from Lester Levenson's teachings and is taught by Hale Dwoskin's Sedona Training Associates. Independent research on it is very limited. Start with our complete guide.
1 guide
The Sedona Method is a self-help releasing technique that uses a short series of simple questions, such as "Could I let this feeling go?", to help you notice an unwanted feeling and let it go in the moment. It grew from Lester Levenson's teachings and is taught by Hale Dwoskin's Sedona Training Associates. Independent research on it is very limited.
This hub is the home on Self Help Supermarket for Sedona Method. Our complete guide explains the method, the evidence and its limits. As we check them, videos, podcasts, courses, books and practitioner directories for Sedona Method are added to this page.
This hub is for general information and self-education. It is not a replacement for medical or psychological care.
Start here
New to Sedona Method? Our complete guide covers where the method came from, how to do it step by step, the three wants, how it compares with other approaches, what the evidence says, the criticisms and what it costs.
What people use it for
What the evidence says
The evidence is thin. The research the company quotes has never been published in a peer-reviewed journal, and we found no randomised controlled trial in PubMed. Independent studies are few and small.
Parts of it overlap with well-researched ideas, such as naming and accepting emotions rather than suppressing them, which are central to mindfulness and ACT.
You will find the full evidence, with sources, in the complete guide.
Before you start: The Sedona Method is gentle and low-risk for most people, but it is not a medical or psychological treatment. It is easy to turn "could I let this go?" into "make this go away", which is a form of avoidance, and some feelings are useful signals that something needs to change. For depression, trauma or another serious condition, work with a qualified professional.
FAQs
Where should a complete beginner start?
Read our complete guide first. It explains Sedona Method step by step and says plainly what the evidence does and does not show.
Who created the Sedona Method?
The method is based on the teachings of Lester Levenson (1909–1994). The first Sedona Method class was held in 1974 in Sedona, Arizona. Hale Dwoskin, who met Levenson in 1976, co-founded Sedona Training Associates in 1996 and is its main teacher today.
Does the Sedona Method work?
Many people say it helps them feel calmer, and parts of it match well-established research on accepting rather than suppressing feelings. But the method itself has barely been studied. The studies the company cites are unpublished, and independent studies are few and small.
Is the Sedona Method scientifically proven?
No. We found no randomised controlled trials in PubMed, and the studies on the official website haven't been published in peer-reviewed journals. The method is plausible, but it isn't proven.
How long does it take to learn?
You can learn the basic questions in a few minutes. STA says results are often subtle at first and become more noticeable with practice. Most people release for a few minutes at a time, or whenever a strong feeling comes up.
How much does the Sedona Method cost?
You can try it for free using the official website, the free Letting Go film, the podcast and the monthly support calls. The book costs about $20, online courses cost $100 to $388, and a week-long retreat costs $1,397.
Can the Sedona Method be harmful?
For most people it is low-risk. But it can be used to push feelings away instead of allowing them, and strong feelings or traumatic memories can come up. If you have a mental health condition or trauma, use it only alongside professional support, and stop if it makes you feel worse.
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