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Bottom Line. You
want your therapy to work.
When pain interrupts the life you planned, you need help. But where
do you turn?
Wouldn’t you like to know ahead of time if the treatment you’re
considering was going to work? That’s what most people I talk with
worry about. Over and over they tell me, “I wouldn’t mind investing
the time or the money if I knew it was really going to work. But how
do I know?”
I won’t try to minimize the challenges these people face. With so
many options available, it really is hard to know what to do. Think
of all the choices we can make: pills, shots, surgery, physical
therapy, chiropractic, massage therapy, acupuncture, TENS units,
warm-water therapy, magnets, yoga, exercise, inversion devices,
nutritional supplements, and the list goes on.
So what do you do? You ask your doctor, ask your friends, ask your
mom, read the stuff that comes in the mail, open the Yellow Pages, and
search the Internet. Everybody’s got an opinion. Jane went here and
it worked. Frank went there and it didn’t. Wouldn’t it be great if
you could just take somebody’s (anybody’s) advice and be done with it?
But it’s more complicated than that. There are all sorts of factors
to consider. Jane may have had great results going to yoga class, but
you aren’t Jane. You don’t have the same symptoms, the same
precipitating factors, or the same personality. You aren’t Frank
either. Maybe he didn’t hit it off with the therapist. Perhaps Frank
was preoccupied with a problem at work and couldn’t give the session
his full attention. Even the best of therapists occasionally has an
“off” day.
Now here’s the kicker. Your choice of treatment strategy may not even
be the biggest factor for a successful outcome.
One source looking at the therapeutic
process itself attributes outcome to:
-
Client factors (what the
client brings to the therapy setting) – 40%.
-
Relationship factors
(between the client and the therapist) – 30%.
-
Hope and expectancy of
the client – 15%.
-
Therapeutic model or
technique – 15%.
(Hubble,
Duncan, and Miller (1999). The Heart & Soul of Change: What Works
in Therapy. Washington, DC: American Psychological
Association. Though the authors are psychotherapists, the text
refers to “any behavioral change enterprise.”)
Practically speaking, some people will get better no matter which
therapy they choose. Others are going to be “swimming upstream” under
even the best of circumstances.
Fortunately, there’s some very good news to be found in all this.
You, the participant, have a lot
of influence over the outcome of your healing process.
That’s what this short report is all about. By investing just 10 or
15 minutes more of your time you will learn:
·
5 personality factors that create successful therapeutic outcomes
·
11 lifestyle factors you can impact to make your healing process more
effective
·
3 therapeutic goals that structural bodywork serves well
·
Resources for learning more about Wellness Images’ program strategy
·
How to assess your potential for success with our program
If you’re a good candidate for our program, we hope you’ll give us the
opportunity to help you. But even if you’re not, we hope that you’ll
have learned enough to make any healing endeavor you may undertake
more successful.
Says who?
Before we
get to the details, I’d like to address your concern about my
qualifications to present this information. My background includes a
combination of education and experience that places me in a unique
position to address the very factors we’re dealing with here.
·
First,
I'm a Developmental Psychologist. Developmental psychologists study
how people get to be the way they are. Though some specialize in
issues of a particular age group (children or seniors, for example),
the field of Developmental Psychology covers the entire lifespan. We
consider physical, mental, and emotional factors. I earned a Master’s
degree in this field from Wayne State University in Detroit.
·
Second,
I'm a Neuromuscular Therapist. Neuromuscular therapy addresses soft
tissue pain and related problems. We normalize body posture using
manual therapy techniques. I’ve practiced neuromuscular therapy
privately in Detroit, MI and Minot, ND. I’ve spent ten years on the
teaching staff for St. John Seminars, a leading provider of
neuromuscular therapy training. In 1999-2000, I participated in a
clinical research study (sponsored by Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit) on
the effectiveness of neuromuscular therapy for headaches.
·
Third, I
have an extensive knowledge base in the field of Energy Medicine.
Energy Medicine considers the relationship between how a person
handles their life-force energy and their health. Life-force energy
is the stuff that makes people say things like “I feel drained” or “I
feel like I could do anything today!” I earned a doctorate degree
(PhD) in this field under a program developed by Dr. Norman Shealy.
Dr. Shealy was the mentor of Caroline Myss, arguably the most
well-known personality in this field at the moment.
Section One — 5 Personality
Factors that Support Positive Change
When
we’re faced with a health challenge, most of us want to get results as
quickly as possible. More than that, we want results that will last.
With
effectiveness in mind, the first important thing to consider is how
you got into the situation you’re currently trying to change. You got
this way somehow. Everything you’ve thought, said, and done so far in
your life has brought you to exactly the moment you’re experiencing
right now.
Much of
your experience has been influenced by habits. Habits you may not be
consciously aware of. If you’re dealing with ineffective habits you
do recognize, chances are you don’t have very good tools for changing
them (or you would have done it already). Most of our therapeutic
goals involve restructuring patterns that have developed over 20, 30,
even 50 or 60 years. Creating lasting change means learning new
habits. Along the way, you’ll develop a new, healthier sense of
“normal.”
Let’s
look at five major success factors that make the changes you desire
easier to come by. As you read this section, consider your own
personality. If you’re strong in these characteristics, experience
shows that your program will progress better. Even if you’re not
strong in them by nature, awareness of their value in the situation
coupled with your willingness will go a long way.
Success factor
#1: Receptivity.
In order for any therapy to work, you must be receptive to being
helped. Unless you’re willing to be healthy, your body simply won’t
respond. Most people who would take the time to read a summary like
this will have at least a passive willingness to get well. But that’s
not enough.
Ask
yourself how much you want to be well. Be honest. If you really want
to get well — even if it might mean finding a different line of work,
giving up your disability benefits, or letting your spouse be right
(just this once), then you’re on the right track.
On the
other hand, if you’re reading this because your wife, friend, or
health practitioner thinks our program sounds great, but it doesn’t
feel right to you, then things may not go very well.
Likewise,
if you want to improve just enough to mow the lawn or play with the
kids, but not quite enough to go back to work or give up your lawsuit
against the guy that rear-ended you, then you’d be well advised to
revisit your priorities before seeking treatment.
Consistently, people who do the best have not only willingness, but a
compelling reason to be well. You don’t have to
have that compelling reason today, though. Receptivity is enough.
With that, we can help you find a reason.
Success factor
#2: Personal responsibility.
As I said earlier, you did get this way somehow. That “somehow” has
to do with old habits and old choices. You’ll need to be willing to
make different choices if you want to get better. Sometimes, those
choices will be made based upon what you know is going to create
health—even
when you really don’t feel like it.
You’ll be
assuming responsibility for your own health. It is your
responsibility, right? Who has to live with the consequences if your
health fails? You, right? Not the guy in the suit at the insurance
company. Not your doctor. You.
You may
need to make some lifestyle choices that you haven’t been used to in
the past. A prospective client once said to me, “If I’m going to be
able to afford therapy at your clinic, I’ll have to quit smoking.”
That’s an example of the sort of thing we’re talking about.
It helps
to think of taking care of your body the same way you think about
taking care of anything else you own. Your car needs oil changes and
new tires; your house needs paint and a new roof; even your clothes
need updating occasionally. When you accept responsibility for your
health, your program will work better.
Success factor #3:
Curiosity.
It’s helpful to stay curious as we get to work. You are the expert at
your own life. The rest of us are consultants that you bring in to
help you solve a problem. So you get to ask some pretty cool
questions of yourself. You get to dig for the real answers:
-
What
would it feel like if I did this for a change instead of
that?
-
What
would happen if I didn’t clench my teeth when I hear the
boss’ office door creak open?
-
I
wonder why my back hurts the most when I’m driving to work.
-
I
wonder what I might do differently so the same thing doesn’t happen
tomorrow.
Curiosity
may have “killed the cat,” but it’s very helpful in a healing process.
Success factor
#4: Flexibility.
A healing process can really be fun. You get the opportunity to
consider all kinds of different ways to look at parts of your life.
Reinvent yourself in a new image. With a great reason, no less! Who
can argue that good health deserves your attention?
You might
end up changing food habits, movement habits, how you hold the phone,
how you get up out of a chair, or how you think about your
mother-in-law. You might get to develop a new job, get more sleep, or
take an afternoon for yourself once a week. Maybe even make some new
friends.
Look at
it this way. Everything in your life that you’ve done so far has
brought you to exactly the point where you are today. If there are
things about today that you don’t like (and I suspect there are, or
you wouldn’t be reading this), then you need to be prepared to create
a different future.
If change
means getting rid of pain and illness, then change can be very, very
good.
Success factor
#5: Persistence.
Jan (not her real name) was in her late 30’s when she first arrived at
my office. A wife, mother, and registered nurse, she had a life-long
headache problem. Though I didn’t know it at the time, she also had
what I consider the most consistent predictor of success under any
therapeutic model—a
compelling reason to be well.
We set
out to get rid of her headaches. As a nurse, she had exhausted all
the conventional approaches for dealing with her problem. Yet
something had her keep looking. When Jan arrived, she had a constant
daily headache which spiked into a migraine several times a week.
Physically, she was in rough shape.
After her
first four appointments, Jan saw no real improvement. But at the
fifth session, her migraine spikes stopped. Jan was thrilled! It
took four more sessions before we resolved her daily headache. But we
did resolve them at session #9. I say “resolved” because in the two
years that I knew Jan afterward she never had a relapse. Yes, she’d
have an occasional mild headache, but it responded to aspirin or
Tylenol. “Just like anybody else,” she said.
I thought
our results were nothing short of miraculous. To me, resolving a
long-standing problem like Jan’s within a couple of months seemed
faster than I could have imagined. But what if Jan had given up after
four sessions of “no apparent results?” She’d probably still have the
headaches today.
Some
problems resolve quickly. But other times, it can take a couple of
months just to get a person settled down enough to begin really
working. Therapy is by definition a process. The body has its own
schedule and generally doesn’t respond before it’s ready. Persistence
pays.
Section Two — Lifestyle factors
that affect therapeutic results**
I practice a holistic philosophy. An imbalance in any part of your
life could be intimately related to an imbalance in any other part of
your life. The way you do anything is very often the way you do
everything. These factors can directly impact the effectiveness of
your therapy program:
1.
Life satisfaction.
Are you
absolutely delighted with your life? Do you contribute to your
community, wake up excited about the day’s activities, and look
forward to a great tomorrow? Do you have a compelling reason to
be well? If not, would you consider taking on the project of
adding meaning to your life? A life of drudgery and resignation is
the surest way I know of to sabotage any attempt to create health.
2.
Smoking.
Are you a
smoker? Smoking reduces circulation. Soft tissue therapies rely on
circulation for their effectiveness. If you are a smoker, count on a
longer therapy process than a non-smoker with the same history. (You
could quit and speed thing up.)
3.
Over-stressed nervous system.
Do you
consume lots of caffeine, sugar, or other nervous system stimulants?
Are you a “Type A” in a high-stress job? Soft tissue therapy involves
calming the nervous system. Many other therapy options share this
same goal. If your lifestyle stresses the nervous system, your
process will be slower. (Ironic, isn’t it? Less caffeine means
faster results. You could always cut back.)
4.
Food choices and exercise.
Is your
weight proportional to your height? Do you exercise regularly (at
least 3 times a week), including aerobic fitness, strength training,
and flexibility in your program? Does your eating plan feature whole,
unprocessed foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean
protein while minimizing processed foods, sugars, fried foods, and
animal products? Do you drink plenty of fresh, pure water? Would you
consider taking on the project of upgrading your food and exercise
plan?
5.
Allergies and sensitivities.
Have you ruled out allergies and environmental toxins? Common
sensitivities that are often overlooked include wheat, sugar, dairy,
corn, electromagnetic pollution, diesel fuel, pesticides, food
additives, molds, Candida overgrowth, dental filling materials, old
root canals, perfumes, and dyes. If your situation warrants it and
you haven’t ruled these out, would you be willing to?
6.
Movement problems / ergonomics.
Are you dealing with any uncorrected physical distortions such as
unequal leg length, collapsed arches, or poor bite? Do you wear
bifocals or trifocals? How are the ergonomics of your work station?
Do you hold the phone on your shoulder with your ear? Carry a fat
wallet in your back pocket? Are you a musician, dental professional,
or a hairdresser? Do you run a cash register, scanner, or assembly
line position? Do you engage in sports that stress your body? Are
you willing to explore solutions to replace or compensate for the
movement challenges we’ve just described?
7.
Unresolved trauma.
Have you had any serious injuries, accidents, or surgeries in the
past? Was your own birth process complicated? (If you don’t remember
this yourself, ask someone if possible.) Recalling the circumstances
involved can sometimes help us re-create the process through which
your distortion pattern was created. This can be very helpful in
resolving it. Another consideration is the possibility that old
injuries or surgeries may have healed in a way that limits the amount
of structural change possible.
8.
Outcome-oriented process.
In a
goal-oriented process, your program is focused on creating results.
People outside a therapeutic process might enjoy similar activities
for the pleasure of the experience. For example, a person might join
an exercise class to get in shape or because they enjoy the
exhilaration of movement. A person might get a massage because they
enjoy the relaxing sensations or see a body therapist for pain
relief. Ultimately, health and enjoyment can co-exist. Yet in a
therapeutic process, sometimes short-term discomfort is the precursor
to long-term pleasure. When this happens, it’s helpful to keep your
greater goals in mind.
9.
Personal relationships.
Is
there anyone you need to forgive? Do you hold lingering resentments
toward anyone (even if you don’t see them very often)? Is there
anyone you avoid? Do you have supportive friends that you talk with
regularly? Would you consider taking on the project of clearing up
your personal relationships?
10.
Your word.
How good is your word? Can your friends and family count on you? Can
you count on yourself? Do you withhold promises or agreements for
fear you won’t feel like keeping them in the moment? You can’t cheat
the system. Your word must be given in order to be good. Would you
consider taking on the project of making your word good?
11.
Personal space.
How orderly is your immediate environment? Are your family and pets
clean and well-fed? If your surroundings are unkempt, your life and
health cannot possibly work well. From a holistic view, you are only
as “together” as your most ignored pieces and parts. If you’ve let
things slide, would you consider taking on the project of cleaning
them up?
**
Often,
when we begin talking about these lifestyle factors, people say “I’ll
think about that once I’m feeling better.” Bad news. It doesn’t
work that way. These changes help you get better.
Don’t let the list overwhelm you. You’ll take one step at a time. We
can help you prioritize and find support for the projects you choose.
It’s part of what we do.
Section Three — Structural
Bodywork Program Goals
People undertake a structural bodywork program with certain goals in
mind. Here are some examples:
-
Relieve pain.
Common concerns include:
·
Back pain
·
Neck pain
·
Headaches including migraines
·
Shoulder or hip pain including sciatica
·
Symptoms attributed to Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome
·
Symptoms attributed to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
·
Symptoms attributed to Fibromyalgia Syndrome
-
Restore proper posture.
In restoring posture, participants hope to:
·
Reduce mechanical wear and tear on the joints, leading to greater
longevity of the body’s muscular and skeletal systems. This means the
ability to move with comfort and perform activities you desire.
·
Improve appearance, confidence, and attitude.
-
Other objectives.
Additional benefits may include:
·
More energy
·
Better sleep
·
Improved digestion
·
Better balance and equilibrium, including improvement in symptoms from
Parkinson’s disease and MS (though the disease process remains
unchanged)
·
Reduction in dizziness, ringing in the ears, and ear infections
·
More (if you’re unsure about the suitability of your goal to our
program, just ask)
Do your goals include at least one of the three categories listed
above? If so, you could benefit from our program. We’ve had great
results with all these types of problems with past clients.
Section Four — Program strategy
Structural bodywork works by restoring proper body alignment. Our
technique involves careful analysis of the participant’s body posture,
followed by selective loosening of tissue that’s too tight. We use
primarily hands-on manual therapy (massage therapy techniques) to
loosen the tissue.
Proper
body alignment means:
-
Unnecessary joint pressure is relieved
-
Muscle
tension and pain is reduced
-
Nerve
compression or entrapment is reduced
-
Trigger
points (a common cause of referred sensation) are relieved
-
Your
body moves easily and comfortably with a minimum of effort
-
Functional longevity of the joints increases (joints don’t wear out
as fast)
Our free
special report on
How Structural Bodywork Works
gives more information about our therapy model. Get your copy right
now! Just fill in the form and then check your email for the
link. Then click and read.
Please
read this report.
It will
help you understand our strategy so you can compare it with other
models you have researched or tried. If you choose to participate
in our program, this information will also form the foundation of a
healing partnership between you and your therapist.
Any
strategic approach has limitations. A structural bodywork program is
limited by existing conditions that prevent improvement in posture.
Though we may help people with these conditions, their presence will
prevent our techniques from working as well as they otherwise could.
Examples include spinal fusion, Harrington Rods, surgical fusion of
the pelvic girdle, excessive scar tissue or other post-surgical
damage, “bone on bone” joints, severe osteoporosis, muscle atrophy,
and certain advanced disease processes.
In
addition to strategies for the bodywork itself, as a participant in
our program you may be encouraged to explore selected outside reading,
undertake an introspective process, or consult with another health
care professional to address related factors that could affect your
progress.
Section Five – Self-test
Ok, you've got the inside
scoop.
Now find out if you're
ready to put it into action.
Take our quiz!
If you’re a good candidate for our program,
we hope you’ll give us the opportunity to help you.
We’d be happy to talk with you further.
Please
contact us with any questions or to request a
program application.
Best wishes on your healing journey-
Elizabeth
Eckert |
