| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Belle |
Posted - 10/30/2008 : 12:50:04
I’ve been struggling with TMS for 3 months now, doing the reading, the journaling and the thinking. I went to see a physiotherapist who does TMS work in England and she confirmed that TMS is what I have. I really knew this anyway because I did a successful ‘book cure’ early last year. Now I’m really scunnered with it and feel I would try anything as long as it’s consistent with TMS work. Dr Sarno advises psychotherapy for people who have a recurrence and seems to think it is generally a good thing to go for. Someone suggested that a psychodynamic psychotherapist willing to read ‘Divided Mind’ should be able to help me. I asked around and was recommended a ‘psychoanalytic psychotherapy service’ based in Edinburgh that has a referral system. I wrote to them explaining that I was suffering from psychosomatic pain and needed help, mentioned Dr Sarno and the ‘Divided Mind’. After waiting over a week, I got a letter back saying ‘the particular methods you discuss are not familiar to us and I am afraid that I do not know of any practitioners within the service or outside who I can recommend with regard to this type of work.’ And then they say that if I want to use their service I can request an application pack and they will get back in touch on receipt of the completed application. Am I wrong to feel that this is about as unhelpful as anyone could be? Should I apply nevertheless? Does anyone on the forum know of any psychotherapist in Scotland who might be more willing to help me? |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Hilary |
Posted - 11/03/2008 : 15:01:29
I've been in therapy on and off for years, and yes - it helps. It helps you to become aware of things you weren't aware of, to feel the feelings you didn't know you had, and as a result to change things. It can be very hard work and solves your problems only by helping you ultimately to know yourself better.
Hilary |
| Belle |
Posted - 11/03/2008 : 14:22:46
It seems to be a bit of a jungle out there. There are plenty of 'transactional analysts', all kinds of counsellors and now I have found a 'somatic psychotherapist'. I thought I would keep looking for a 'psychodynamic psychotherapist' because I think the somatic one might want to put their hands on me. I've had more than enough of that. Very grateful for all the encouragement. I hope you all get to vote tomorrow. |
| winnieboo |
Posted - 11/03/2008 : 07:17:57
quote:
Hilary
Would you say that the psychotherapy has helped significantly?
Yes, yes and yes. As others have said, the psychotherapist should understand psychosomatic pain. Before my TMS diagnosis, I worked with a cognitive behaviorial therapist and it didn't help; in fact, my physical complaints mushroomed with her. I've been with a psychodynamic psychiatrist since January and the progress has been gradual, but steady and strong. |
| Belle |
Posted - 11/03/2008 : 00:41:38
Hilary
Would you say that the psychotherapy has helped significantly?
HilaryN
I have opened my email address |
| JohnD |
Posted - 11/02/2008 : 20:07:43
Moose,
I wouldn't say this is completely wrong, thats a strong generalization to make when there is still so much progress to be made. |
| moose1 |
Posted - 11/02/2008 : 19:23:13
quote:
Originally posted by hambone
The psychology profession is at least as ignorant about mindbody medicine as the medical profession. It's a wild goose chase to find help. TMS pain is epidemic and what is the medical or psychology profession doing about it? Extremely little, if anything. People in extreme pain and no place to get help. What a shame.
STEVEN T HAMBLIN
this is completely wrong. there are plenty of therapists who understand psychogenic pain and the connection between the mind and body and how emotions impact the body. |
| Hilary |
Posted - 11/02/2008 : 14:09:29
I really disagree that it's a wild goose chase to find a good therapist who "gets" TMS. You can and will find someone if you keep looking My current psychotherapist hadn't read Sarno but responded enthusiastically when I mentioned it. And even before she read it she was enormously helpful in helping me to become more aware of buried emotions. It was really a case of her joining a couple of dots. If you can't find someone who already knows about TMS (and, really, the chances of that are pretty minimal), then just look for someone who understands the power of unconscious emotions and sees some kind of connection between the mind and body. All you really need is someone who's intellectual curious enough to want to explore a new approach and is able, at some level, to connect the dots. |
| HilaryN |
Posted - 11/02/2008 : 11:32:02
quote:
(AnneG) Reading your post made me realise that nothing
much has changed in the UK since I found myself in a very similar
situation to yours back in 2002.
Well it has changed a little bit for the better because we now have 2 TMS practitioners here in England - which is much closer to Scotland than the U.S.! 
When I recovered from my RSI in 2005 and posted on the RSI forum, my post dropped like a stone, whereas now there seem to be quite a few people who have recovered using Sarno, and they keep the subject a bit more buoyant on the forum.
Last year at the RSI Awareness Day, there were 5 of us on the TMS stand telling people the story of our recovery!
In terms of psychotherapy, yes, we're still scratching around, but as each of us finds something suitable and/or educates a psychotherapist to read Sarno then we can pass on the details to others and hopefully build up a network.
Belle, I'm sure you'll find someone suitable eventually, with a bit of patience and persistence.
btw I was wondering if you would be willing to put your contact details on your profile? That way if any forum members want to contact you off-forum they can do so (but your email address isn't displayed, so others will only know what your email address is if you reply to their email).
To do this, click on "Profile" at the top of the page, log in, then change "Allow Forum Members to Send you E-Mail?:" to "Yes". (Top left, below your email address.)
Spam mail shouldn't be a problem - I've only had 2 or 3 from the forum in the 3 years I've been a member.
Hilary N |
| Belle |
Posted - 11/02/2008 : 07:43:33
Pault - I'm glad you picked up on the age thing. I think turning 60 was a very big trigger for me. I had been completely well and painfree for over a year. Then a couple of months after my birthday this feeling that the future was empty came over me and the pain started up. Of course it takes a while to make sense of it but I think that I hung a lot of expectations on being a senior citizen - somewhere inside me I was expecting to be transformed into a contented grandmother with an active and fulfilling life. Instead of which it's much as before and no grandchildren! It sounds daft when you put it into words but then I think that that inner child or whatever we want to call it is a bit simple minded.
On teh remote consultation idea, I use skype sometimes to speak to my husband when he's away on business. It's not great for face to face contact because when you look at the screen you're looking away from the camera which in my case sits on top of the screen. I don't have health insurance. Do you know which if any of the Doctors in the States would do that kind of thing? |
| pault |
Posted - 11/02/2008 : 06:04:26
Hi , have you concidered therapy with a therapist in the states on line with a p/c camera live? I have a niece who talks to family in Italy that way with one of the popular servers, and it works well. Maybe you can e-mail some of them and see if one will do so. Do you have Goverment health ins, or private? (in Scottland). I noticed you are 60 yrs. old. Keep in mind that being a mature adult enrages the unconcious mind,knowing that our life span is not infinite! Leg pain is a great distraction.I am 62 and have had to beat back leg pain several times (with success). Good Luck to you. Paul. |
| Belle |
Posted - 11/02/2008 : 05:02:22
Panda. That was kind of you. I know that place. I shall try some of the numbers. |
| pandamonium |
Posted - 11/02/2008 : 02:52:29
Belle, I was thinking about you and did some searching, found this centre in Edinburgh http://www.salisburycentre.org/therapists.php
Not sure if you know about them but it may be worth a phone call, it looks like they have a fair few people on that list who might be able to help, or know someone who's in line with TMS principles.
Let us know how you get on,
Panda |
| hambone |
Posted - 11/01/2008 : 16:12:46
The psychology profession is at least as ignorant about mindbody medicine as the medical profession. It's a wild goose chase to find help. TMS pain is epidemic and what is the medical or psychology profession doing about it? Extremely little, if anything. People in extreme pain and no place to get help. What a shame.
STEVEN T HAMBLIN |
| Belle |
Posted - 11/01/2008 : 09:49:03
Anne
Thank you for responding. I was reading some of your posts earlier today. I am still trying to find a psychotherapist but I think it will take a while. The Scottish Institute of Human Relations (what a title!) isn't at all quick at responding but I'm hoping that somewhere behind the organisational barriers there are some friendly helpful therapists. When you saw your psychologist - how many sessions did it take? Not that I'd want to generalise to my own case. My experience is different from yours in that this episode is much worse, i.e. more prolonged, than my previous ones even though I already knew about TMS when it started. Having said that, I am not greatly disabled by it physically so I know that compared with most people on this forum I am getting off lightly. But I lack patience. |
| n/a |
Posted - 11/01/2008 : 07:44:04
Hi Belle
Reading your post made me realise that nothing much has changed in the UK since I found myself in a very similar situation to yours back in 2002. The good news - I did recover, with a few relapses, never so severe or frightening as the back pain misery I suffered before finding out about TMS though.
The bad news is - the therapy I did find helpful cost a lot of money. My recovery was slow and I became frustrated because reading Dr Sarno's books just was not enough for me. My GP could only offer CBT on the NHS - which I did accept, but hated, to be honest. I then began contacting psychotherapists in the Aberdeen area and found one who was interested in exploring a mindbody explanation for my horrible lower back pain. She helped me on the road to recovery, definitely. She is not trained in TMS (she is a qualified psychologist), but somehow, and I'm not sure how she did it, she helped me get rid of the fear of the pain which allowed a real recovery. Unfortunately, I would not have been able to see her via the NHS - she is hospital based, but I attended her private clinic. She cost £75 an hour back in 2002 - I dread to think what she charges now.
Good luck - you'll get better - you've made the connection between your pain and your mind and that's the biggest step. It took me a lot of work - reading, thinking, trying different things. I became pretty self-obsessed for a while, I must admit. I read somewhere, and I can't remember where, this quote, "Once recovery from TMS has begun, it is unstoppable." That was my experience.
Very best wishes
Anne
|
| Carly |
Posted - 10/31/2008 : 09:18:44
Hi Belle
drmarkatkinson.com offers a tms solutions programme and says about 30% of his patients need psychotheraphy. Although not in Scotland may be worth asking if they could offer any advice.
Good luck
Carly |
| HilaryN |
Posted - 10/31/2008 : 07:27:43
Thanks for the explanation of "scunnered"!
RageSootheRatio mentioned something called "Redirecting Self Therapy" on another thread, which I found very interesting when I looked it up. It's about getting rid of repressed anger (by yourself - no therapist needed) - John Lee's book "Facing the Fire" also talks about this.
btw you're unlikely to find anyone already familiar with Sarno, but you could sound them out and ask if they would be prepared to read his book (lend them your copy, maybe).
Hilary N |
| Belle |
Posted - 10/31/2008 : 02:04:49
Thanks for the suggestions. I did ask Georgie but she couldn't help on this. Yellow pages not at all helpful. I phoned a local psychotherapist and he wasn't interested. I think scottydog is right about Scotland. There is a Journey therapist in Edinburgh I contacted but I'm very wary of anything that is promoted in the way that that particular method is. I think it's a cultural and generational thing. I'm going to keep on after a psychodnamic person for a bit longer.
I just started reading Molecules of Emotion. I also just came across Dr Schechter's podcasts (through this forum) and found them very good to listen to.
'Scunnered' means completely fed up. |
| Scottydog |
Posted - 10/30/2008 : 17:41:19
Hi Belle,
I live in Scotland and, unfortunately, don't know of any TMS therapists. When I had depression and asked my GP for counselling she said,vaguely, 'well, there is a lady over at XX who some people speak highly of but there is along waiting list' ! I think psychotherapy is a taboo word in Scotland. I am reading 'Woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown' by Lorna Martin which is a funny look at these issues in Glasgow.
I did some Mickel Therapy which is certainly mind body based. They have had great success with people suffering from ME and fibromyalgia. I saw Lynda in Glasgow, it is one hundred pounds a session. Read up on it on the net and youtube, give them a call to see if sounds like it might help. My visits were spread out as I am overseas again so didn't finish the course, but will take it up again when back home, so can't say it 'cured' me but there is time yet.
My email address is on my profile if you want to make contact.
Anne |
| HilaryN |
Posted - 10/30/2008 : 16:54:03
Hi Belle,
I'd second pandamonium's advice - ask Georgie.
Although I recovered from my RSI, I also decided I wanted to go for psychotherapy, and really had problems knowing where to go for psychodynamic therapy. I googled it without success.
In the end I decided to go for "Body psychotherapy", because I'd read about it in Candace Pert's book, "Molecules of Emotion". I don't know if that's available in Scotland?
Funnily enough, now I've found a therapist, the other week I saw a leaflet in my local shop for a psychodynamic therapist! (Nowhere near Scotland, though, I'm afraid!)
Another thing you could try is "The Journey" (book by Brandon Bays, and there are practitioners around the UK). I did that when I was struggling to get better, and it helped me.
There are also a couple of forum members who are from Scotland - you could try asking them.
btw what does "scunnered" mean?
Hilary N |
