By Dana Steiner, MA, LCPC, BCPC, Body-Mind Psychotherapy Topic Expert Contributor

Click here to contact Dana and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile

In my practice I am often visited by clients who have both physical and emotional concerns. Often they have been to numerous medical specialists in hopes of alleviating a “pain” that continues to go undiagnosed and or untreated. They are frustrated, I am excited. Why?? This is my key to where therapy needs to begin. Sometimes we are plagued by a nagging ache, stomach problems, headaches, etc. The bottom line is the physical pain has been either unexplained by medical doctors or minimized as in our heads. The latter is probably the most accurate (though there are cases where medical treatment or second opinions are required). Through the examination of these symptoms in regards to when they started, what was going on, how they have responded to any treatment, and what makes them better or worse, I can learn a tremendous amount in regards to the client’s emotional pain.

Although eastern medicine has always incorporated both the mind and the body when treating patients, western medicine has a far way to go. Granted, many physicians in our country are more open to the idea of the connection between body and mind however this often goes unrecognized. The result is a patient who is frustrated with symptoms that continue to negatively impact their lives.

When I begin working with such clients, I first make it a point to address them as my client. Saying they are a patient not only sets up a hierarchy that is not helpful to counseling, but assumes they are sick and I will treat them. This is not how therapy works. In my view, clients are in need of tools and I am here to provide the appropriate tools and support their use in alleviating the client’s “pain” both physical and emotional. The physical pain is real however once medical issues are ruled out, the psychic pain is generally the root cause.

A common complaint that illustrates this issue is a feeling of exhaustion. Again, these clients have seen physicians (often several) and have been unable to get a diagnosis or relief. Once a sense of trust is established, I am able through active interviewing, to get a sense of the possible reasons for the pain. If my client is confident and trusting of my abilities (which is essential to any successful therapy), we begin to peel away at the source of the pain. It is not unusual for emotional pain to increase while physical pain decreases. Our bodies are magnificent at alerting us when something is wrong. The biggest hurdle is being open to listening and responding to our own cues. Too often, we ignore the symptoms or look for the quick fix in a pill.

By increasing my client’s awareness of bodily signals (including the pain), we can literally chart the scenarios that seemingly increase or decrease the physical pain. This is the start of opening the emotional pain, hence the increase of emotional awareness and discomfort. Unfortunately this is also the time when most people will leave therapy. It literally becomes painful however that is a sign that we have begun to identify significant emotional experiences that are invading the person’s ability to lead a fulfilling life. Those clients who continue are positively compensated by a sense of empowerment with new-found knowledge and often decreased physical pain. We examine how the pain impacts their life and clients are often surprised at the positive reinforcement they are getting from the pain. An example is when there are marital problems that have not been addressed but are increasingly distressing. One of the spouses may find their exhaustion is much worse when they are at home. The result is they retreat to rest but are in actuality retreating from the marital discord. It is much easier to take a nap than to begin a difficult discussion with one’s spouse!

This is just one example of how body and mind work together and how psychotherapy can alleviate both areas of pain. A tremendous amount of research is taking place in researching this connection and how both medical and mental health professionals can utilize this profound connection to help those with whom we work. This idea that mind and body are interconnected can be a difficult concept to accept. It means we have greater control over our health than we realize. What we do with this information is up to us.

©Copyright 2009 by Dana Steiner, MA, LCPC, BCPC. All Rights Reserved. Permission to publish granted to GoodTherapy.org. The following article was solely written and edited by the author named above. The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by GoodTherapy.org. Questions or concerns about the following article can be directed to the author or posted as a comment to this blog entry. Click here to contact Dana and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile

A GoodTherapy.org News Update

Chronic physical pain with no known source is a problem that affects millions of Americans, wreaking havoc on professional and personal lives and in many cases, paving the way to depression. It seems unfortunate that those who suffer from chronic pain must do so without understanding why they hurt, nor how they can help alleviate the symptoms. This is especially true in the case of children afflicted with chronic pain. Whether it’s a specific body part or generalized aching, some children experience daily difficulties with activities as simple as walking or laying down. There are scores of pain medications on the modern market, but many of these are not suitable for youths, and carry the possibility for long-term drug dependency.

Bringing hope to the situation, a team of researchers from the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm has recently published an evaluation of cognitive behavioral therapy as a treatment for children experiencing chronic pain. Specifically, the researchers employed ACT, or acceptance and commitment therapy, in which the young patients were given tools to come to terms with their pain and move past it in order to achieve a set of goals. The study was composed of two groups of sixteen youths ranging between 10 and 18 years of age. The study group was given ten weeks of the specialized ACT therapy, while the control group received a similar regimen of “typical” talk therapy along with prescription medication. Remarkably, those patients who participated in the specialized therapy reported lowered intensity of pain and a higher daily functionality than those given the traditional treatment. The results suggest that relief for chronic pain sufferers both young and old may be possible without addictive or debilitating medications; a triumph for the principles of acceptance and commitment therapy.

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Austin Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Summary

Whether it’s a bad back, achy knees, or a site of previous physical trauma, chronic pain is a problem endured by scores of people, many of whom find themselves debilitated or unable to enjoy a previous lifestyle as a result. While prescription painkillers and other medications are often given to those who suffer from chronic pain, serious addictions as well as significant expense lead some to feel trapped between being in pain and being chained to a drug. But as Robert Kerns of Yale University has recently revealed, chronic pain sufferers can take advantage of a different kind of treatment with none of the side-effects of painkillers and with benefits that can last a lifetime. Psychotherapy can be an excellent way to help people overcome their personal battles with chronic pain. Read the rest of this entry

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Lafayette Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Jolyn Wells-Moran, PhD, MSW

Pain is a trickster. It can occur when the brain has been hyper-sensitized by a long-term injury, even one that has healed. Pain can also be a result of adjusting the body against the original pain. Further, it may be a warning sign that certain lifestyle tendencies or habits need to change. Robert Kerns, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Psychology at Yale University looked at 22 studies on the effects of psychotherapy on low back pain, a condition of the majority of adults at some times in their lives. He concluded that cognitive-behavioral therapy, meditation, guided imagery, hypnosis, biofeedback and other forms of therapy can rid many people of pain or help them manage it.

David Bresler, president of the Academy for Guided Imagery and founder of the UCLA Pain Control Unit, agrees. He says an advantage of these therapies for pain is that they are not addictive as are many pain medications. The effects usually last beyond therapy too and some of the therapies are quite short-term. Stress, poor exercise habits, certain thoughts about the pain, sleep issues and sometimes, accompanying depression, can all cause or worsen low back pain.

Ongoing pain appears to disrupt brain activity in the frontal cortex and there is some speculation among research scientists that it may cause permanent damage there. Some of the therapies may actually increase the brain’s endorphin activity, thereby relieving pain. Read the rest of this entry

written by Janice Feuerhelm, LPC

Click here to contact Janice and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile

Chronic pain affects millions of people worldwide. Chronic pain is different than acute pain. Chronic pain is pain that continues long after the original cause. Chronic pain also has a psychological component that affects every area of one’s life. The challenge of living with chronic pain can create depression, difficulty with family/friend relationships, loss of job, financial losses and a loss of self-worth.

During my counseling experiences with individuals living with chronic pain, I have discovered that there are key healthy attitudes that help someone learn how to cope and live with chronic pain. I teach persons’ with chronic pain how to adopt these attitudes and have had the pleasure of witnessing many reclaim their life again, in spite of chronic pain.

The following are three attitudes that CAN make a difference when living with chronic pain: Read the rest of this entry

Written by Marcia Singer, MSW, CHt

What do you do to relieve persistent physical discomfort, pain or illness? Do you reach for pills? Supplements? A trip to the chiropractor or massage therapist? Do a cleansing detox? Perhaps you meditate, do some yoga or take a walk? Maybe you’ve had the difficult choice of whether to undergo surgery -or even chemotherapy.

All of these kinds of methods may be a valid part of a total healing regimen at some time in a life. But if you have the inclination to look within, deep inside is a Knowingness about the “heart” of the condition. This core contains the “information” you need to help you achieve the changes that wellness requires. Tuning in is making the BodyMind connection. Read the rest of this entry