| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| entheogens |
Posted - 05/11/2007 : 12:10:31
Although, Sarno mentions the biochemist Candace Pert in a few places, he does not seem to employ one of her most interesting "discoveries": that the mind does not just reside in the brain but in the body. Also it occurs to me that much that is emotional resides in the pre-verbal, non-cortical part of the mind (including the entire body) and therefore I wonder if, in addition to some of the quasi-freudian talk therapies he recommends, that "body work therapies" would not work well towards working through some of the repressed emotions stored througout the body.
Of course this idea has been around at least since Wilhelm Reich. I remember years ago, just getting a regular massage (just for pleasure...no intention to do psychological therapy) and when the masseuse started to massage my chest area, I had the greatest urge to cry.
Have any of you tried to approach TMS from this angle (not to the exclusion of journalling, etc, but in addition to those things)? If so, what were the results?
Speaking of Reich, here is an interesting excerpt from his biography, "Fury on Earth":
<<In Reich's view, such traits as rigid politeness, evasiveness, apprehensiveness and arrogance had originally developed in childhood as a way of warding off strong emotional stimuli from within or without, stimuli once associated with pain, frustration and guilt. In analysis they continued to function as a way of blocking strong emotional experiences, now provoked by the unsettling process of analysis itself. The defensive character traits [including physical symptoms], which in their totality Reich termed "character armor", served to protect the individual against pain, but also served to restrict severely the capacity for pleasure.>> |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| armchairlinguist |
Posted - 05/15/2007 : 19:54:55
Yes, I think this type of therapist varies widely in what they do. Both of the ones I know of (the one my mom saw and the one I saw) are Feldenkrais practitioners and trained psychotherapists. The one my mom saw is also a licensed physical therapist, but had clearly moved beyond that in her practice.
They both used subtle body movements and postures (clearly drawn from Feldenkrais techniques) to evoke feelings and find areas of "stuckness", and sometimes used physical exercises to help release feelings. This all occurred while in dialogue as in talk therapy. I didn't experience any massage techniques being used, but there was some envisioning of energy as part of the dialogue.
As with any therapist one should carefully evaluate the qualifications and fit of the therapy style if getting into this. But I think it has a lot of potential for releasing emotions by going through a movement modality.
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Wherever you go, there you are. |
| shawnsmith |
Posted - 05/15/2007 : 14:08:03
quote:
Originally posted by entheogens
Although, Sarno mentions the biochemist Candace Pert in a few places, he does not seem to employ one of her most interesting "discoveries": that the mind does not just reside in the brain but in the body.
Actually, the point fo Dr. Sarno's work, as well as the excellent authors you have mentioned, is that there is no separation between the mind and the body and that, in fact, they are one and the same. Hence "The MindBody Connection" with no hyphen.
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Sarno-ize it!
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| entheogens |
Posted - 05/15/2007 : 11:40:18
quote:
Originally posted by sonora sky
I didn't know there was such a thing, that is, bodywork psychotherapy. What exactly do these practitioners do? Is it a combination of traditional psychotherapy and touch (e.g. massage, energy work, etc.)? How are they liscenced and what kind of schooling/training do they typically have?
The idea is that psychological phemonena is reflected in the body.
Think about what happens when you suffer anxiety, are scared. You breathe shallowly and get "knots" in your stomach. So, according to a bodywork psychotherapist, doing some kind of manipulation at the physical site of bound up anxiety would help bring out the emotion.
I think there are a variety of bodywork type therapies, from ne-reichian to rolfing. I think the educational qualifications vary.
I think most neo-reichian, bioenergetic therapists have a fairly solid background in psychotherapy and employ a variety of techniques.
I would definitely check on the background of the person in question though. There are no doubt some people (especially here in California) who take a week-long seminar and thereafter feel entitled to put up a shingle. |
| sonora sky |
Posted - 05/11/2007 : 13:29:30
I didn't know there was such a thing, that is, bodywork psychotherapy. What exactly do these practitioners do? Is it a combination of traditional psychotherapy and touch (e.g. massage, energy work, etc.)? How are they liscenced and what kind of schooling/training do they typically have?
In cases of traditional massage (especially since learning of TMS), I have had some unpleasant experiences. It's sort of in the same vein as my yoga experiences since TMS. Now that I know my physical pain has psychological roots, it's like my mindbody is confused by these modalities because they target both mind and body. Even if I want to enjoy these activities purely for their benefits of relaxation, centering, etc. (i.e. not seeking physical relief for my symptoms), some part of me (subconscious mind? mind-body?) perceives it as a trick. The result is a dramatic increase in pain symptoms for a prolonged period (days, weeks) following the activity. It's really frustrating. Plus, it doesn't help that all the massage therapists I've seen are so shocked by the state of my muscles and their reluctance to "release," that I never get a relaxing massage; it always turns into an all-out, deep tissue, painful hour in hell.
For me, I think the hard part would be convincing my mind (and body?) that it was ok to heal myself through both mental/emotional and physical means.
ss |
| entheogens |
Posted - 05/11/2007 : 12:27:00
armchairlinguist, what kind of bodywork psychotherapist did your mother see? What kind did you see? |
| armchairlinguist |
Posted - 05/11/2007 : 12:21:07
My mom went to a body psychotherapist for a long time and had great success with the modality, I think more than she would have with just talk therapy. She's had a constellation of TMS symptoms for a long time, and they diminished a lot while she worked in this way, but didn't go totally away until she actually learned about TMS. I think it's probably an excellent type of work for TMSers.
I saw a body psychotherapist for a short while but failed to develop a rapport with her, unfortunately. After I learned about TMS I realized how helpful it probably would have been if I'd gone that route.
The body does seem to hold memories and attitudes in a different way from the brain. I also saw a "network chiropractor" for a while. They don't do adjustments but do energy work that allows the body to adjust itself. I found that the energy stuff often made me want to laugh or cry or dance. So I definitely think that this kind of work can help.
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Wherever you go, there you are. |
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