Mind & Body & Therapy

Science has found evidence for what many people know intuitively; that Mind and Body are entwined. 

Candace Pert described how  cascades of neuro-peptides are triggered by emotions. Newer research shows the brain rather than being fixed in its capacity as previously thought, is actually "plastic" ie capable of being affected interactively.  The Brain That Changes Itself describes this; how we can affect the brain's performance and even for those who are committed, rebuild whole functions that have been damaged.

 

Shifts in understanding the body/mind have gone even further, to see that it is not only the mind that is more interactive than previously thought. Conditions that have manifested as physical may have emotional stories underlying them. Belief too is powerful, as investigation into the placebo and nocebo affect has demonstrated.  Dr Bruce Lipton's Biology of Belief,  Dr Sarno's life-long work with back pain and suppressed emotion and the work of Dr Brian Broom, a NZ immunologist and psychotherapist - whose work I have documented, all demonstrate how powerful the mindbody connection is and how conditions

resistant to biomedicine may be, at times, turned around. 

 

So we are moving from the mechanistic model of understanding the body/mind to one that acknowledges the strong relational and interactive aspects and possibilities as well as the body's mechanisms. We can pro-actively respond to unwanted conditions and situations, which is exciting as this offers the possibility to positively affect our bodies and our lives through non invasive means. 

 

This is not a substitute for medical attention but best engaged with in a complementary way.

 

If you have a chronic condition which resists bio medical treatment, exploring your emotional story in therapy may reveal an underlying story or trauma holding a strong emotional charge. Through discovery and expression in a safe environment, healing may be triggered.