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Alan has completed the new Pain Recovery Program. To read or share it, use this updated link: https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/painrecovery/
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Welcome to the new TMS Wiki server! Things aren't finished yet: email is not set up, so notification and password-reset emails don't go out, and new registrations are paused until email is installed. Details and updates are in this thread (click here). Locked out? Email tmswikisignups@gmail.com from the address where you receive TMS Wiki notifications.
New Program Day 21: Paving Your Own Path
- Thread starter Alan Gordon LCSW
- Start date
plum
Beloved Grand Eagle
Yes. It's superb. I highly recommend it. Here's a link to a post I made referencing it in the past:
http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/journaling.14971/#post-79354 (Day 5 - Journaling)
plum
Beloved Grand Eagle
Sweetness,
I think Somatic Tracking is a major candidate for further exploration. Over time you'll see this being explored and expanded as people contribute to the wiki page/document @Forest links to above.
Regarding recovering from abuse you may like to explore the writings and videos of Dr. Peter Levine. He does specifically address sexual abuse and there is a book and accompanying CD but I have not read or heard it so cannot personally recommend it. Maybe someone here has more insight into that?
There are lots of interviews on YouTube that may help you develop night vision and lots of posts about him on this forum.
I have found yin yoga to be exceptionally powerful for forging a healthy, grounded relationship with my body. My experience of yin yoga tallies totally with somatic tracking. Lastly @shmps mentions TRE (Trauma Release Exercises) earlier in this thread. If you follow my reply you'll find a YouTube video that explains trauma release. TRE is considered to be the missing link in Peter Levine's work.
Go gently and be a cuddly bear of brave heart.
Blessings,
Plum x
Eugene
Well known member
I did a lot of reading on TRE and even attended a full-day course on the topic.
There is definitely something to it, and the I certainly had the full impact of the tremoring. I think I (as I often do) approached it a little to zealously. I was doing it pretty much every day for a few weeks, whereas the teacher had recommended to only do it two or three times a week. I should have followed her advice, but when you're keen to fix something it is easy to be far to keen.
If trauma is an issue for you Lauren I would highly recommend looking into it as it does make a lot of sense.
If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask and I will be happy to help if I can.
plum
Beloved Grand Eagle
You are adorable.
Tis best to allow the body time to assimilate between sessions. Recovery needs an organic blend of discipline and rest.
nele
Peer Supporter
You expressed my thougths so well! I want underline all your words.Just saying thank you doesnt seem to be enough to convey my gratitude, But, from the bottom of my heart Thank you to Dr.Schubiner for telling me about this 21 Day Program, Thank you to Alan for writing and organizing this Program, Thank you to Paul for his artistic drawings as they say pictures are worth worth a thousand words, Thank you to Forest for assisting in this program and sending out all of the mail notifications, and Thank you to Alan, Christie, and Forest for tirelessly reading and attending to all of our questions and concerns, and Thank you to all the participants for all of your support, comfort, compassion, encouragement, and advice!! It is wonderful to be with people who share similar struggles and to be guided by those who have overcome these same struggles is very empowering! Yes, I could definitely feel the empathy and compassion that Alan, Christie, Forest and Dr. Schubiner have for people they have never met. As I can only imagine how many hours it takes to create such a program as this and then to read and respond to so many posts with such compassion, insight and dedication. Yes, I will be definitely rereading these 21 lessons and practicing them all. God Bless You all and May you all be free from suffering, may you all be happy and healthy!!!! THANK YOU!!!
I am grateful from the bottom of my heart to all of you!!!
Enjoyed the program very much! It is a lot of information so it's good to know I don't have to do ALL of it to improve. For me the biggest road block is that I don't have a lot of pain; hardly any actually, but rather a bunch of other symptoms that haven't been medically explained. I am a TMS personality for sure, but when all of the posts talk about pain, pain, pain, it's a little hard for me to include myself, so at the end of the day I still have that uncertainty and that causes anxiety. Why don't I have pain like everyone else? Maybe I have MS, and blah, blah, blah. That would be my one suggestion for the future is to be sure to include a few more examples of non-pain TMS issues so people like me don't just automatically exclude themselves.
plum
Beloved Grand Eagle
I just love your username. I like your suggestions too. Other people have mentioned similar issues so they will definitely be included. I remember very well how in my early days of learning about TMS, I desperately needed reassurance that what I had could be TMS. Surety leverages healing.
Plumcrazy
Peer Supporter
I so appreciate the collective work that went into the development of this program. I don't live anywhere near a TMS therapist, so this has been a treasure.
Two huge take-always for me are:
1) Tell the pain that it is OK and that I am safe.
2) Smile everyday. Smile big, no matter how I am feeling.
Today, I am feeling surprisingly strong and contented, no matter what.
Two huge take-always for me are:
1) Tell the pain that it is OK and that I am safe.
2) Smile everyday. Smile big, no matter how I am feeling.
Today, I am feeling surprisingly strong and contented, no matter what.
Alan,
a huge THANK YOU for this amazing programme, and for the way your excellent presentation and structure of it all, has helped me (and many others) so very much ! You have given us all fantastic new ideas and tools, to use in our journey to becoming pain free, and TMS free.
love and blessings
Shira
a huge THANK YOU for this amazing programme, and for the way your excellent presentation and structure of it all, has helped me (and many others) so very much ! You have given us all fantastic new ideas and tools, to use in our journey to becoming pain free, and TMS free.
love and blessings
Shira
I had an epiphany today. I decided that I am going to start treating myself like a dog because I actually treat myself worse than a dog. Let me explain.
Let's pretend your dog is wounded but let's say you know that the wound will heal and isn't harmful. The dog doesn't know this, though, and is very distressed and afraid. You would speak very softly and quietly to the dog telling it that everything is going to be okay and that the dog is safe (cognitive soothing). You might check the animal all over for other wounds not to heal them but just to check in a very loving, soft way (somatic tracking). You would move slowly and speak softly. You wouldn't rush. You would take your time. You would breath with the dog in a quiet manner. You would pay total attention to the dog and not be distracted by anything (active meditation). You would offer the dog some food from your hand and let it lick water from your fingers. You wouldn't force it to eat what it didn't want and you would let the dog take a lot of time. You would praise it for any little bit it could get down and not worry about what it was eating. Then, when things were more settled, you might smile at the dog (Julia Robert's smile) and remind it about how fun it is to chase squirrels (embrace joy). If the dog snarls at you (more pain), you wouldn't get angry but you would understand that it needs more time, more soothing, more gentle attention.
Hope this might be helpful. I also think if I can keep working with these tools, as a reward I will buy myself a little stuffed Winnie the Pooh. Take care.
Let's pretend your dog is wounded but let's say you know that the wound will heal and isn't harmful. The dog doesn't know this, though, and is very distressed and afraid. You would speak very softly and quietly to the dog telling it that everything is going to be okay and that the dog is safe (cognitive soothing). You might check the animal all over for other wounds not to heal them but just to check in a very loving, soft way (somatic tracking). You would move slowly and speak softly. You wouldn't rush. You would take your time. You would breath with the dog in a quiet manner. You would pay total attention to the dog and not be distracted by anything (active meditation). You would offer the dog some food from your hand and let it lick water from your fingers. You wouldn't force it to eat what it didn't want and you would let the dog take a lot of time. You would praise it for any little bit it could get down and not worry about what it was eating. Then, when things were more settled, you might smile at the dog (Julia Robert's smile) and remind it about how fun it is to chase squirrels (embrace joy). If the dog snarls at you (more pain), you wouldn't get angry but you would understand that it needs more time, more soothing, more gentle attention.
Hope this might be helpful. I also think if I can keep working with these tools, as a reward I will buy myself a little stuffed Winnie the Pooh. Take care.
Treehugger
New Member
Alan, thank you so very much for all the time and energy you put into this program. I have shared it with friends and family and have heard very positive comments about it. Looking forward to the synopsis!Day 21: Moving Forward
*TMS Program Update
Hi everyone,
Thank you all so much for the valuable feedback in the comments section. Over the next week, I’m going to be shuffling the order around of some of the posts to make the steps a little more cohesive. I’ll probably be taking out a few things that may have been confusing, and I’ll be adding some things to fill in the gaps. A week from today, we’ll put the updated version of the program back up. It’ll be under the announcements section on the home page of the wiki.
Special thanks to Forest for overseeing this whole process, and Paul Uipi for his brilliant artwork.
Now back to the program…
Next Steps
Two psychologists out of Columbia University conducted a unique experiment on the topic of choice. They set up a display table at a grocery store with 6 different types of jam. Over a hundred people stopped by for a sample. 31% of them decided to buy a jar.
The next day, the same display table was set up, but this time with 24 types of jam. Even more people stopped by for a sample than the day before…but guess how many of them ended up making a purchase? 4%
More isn’t always better. Sometimes when we’re offered too many choices it can increase our anxiety.
Over the past three weeks, we’ve covered a lot of different topics: pain, fear, safety, empowerment, cognitive soothing, somatic tracking, systematic desensitization, conditioned responses, overcoming repression, and embracing joy.
As comprehensive as the program is, it may leave you with the following question:
“Where do I start?”
Now that you’re familiar with the layout of the program, it can be helpful to skim through it a second time.
As you review the different topics, see what speaks to you: Do you prefer communicating messages of safety, or taking a strong stance of empowerment? Are you more interested in leaning in to emotions, or tackling conditioned responses?
You don’t need to do everything. This is an overview of different paths to recovery, and you can choose the parts that resonate with you.
Above all, have patience. It can take time to develop neural pathways, but trust in your capacity for change. Like Winnie the Pooh said, “Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”
Best,
Alan
Treehugger
New Member
Thank you so much for all your help with this program, Forest. As always, you come through with what is needed.Heya, folks,
As usual, I'm in a rush,but for those who aren't on the notification list, but read the threads....
I thought I'd share today's notification email:
Hi everyone,
What a thrilling program! It has been tremendously gratifying to see the outpouring of excitement in the comments on the site.
As you may remember, today is the last scheduled day of the program. Far more important, though is that it is also the beginning of how you learn to apply the program in your own life.
Let's maintain the tremendous momentum that we have built up. Let's work together and learn from each other as we apply what we have learned to our own lives.
First, let's all work on the exercise from this last post over the next few days (i.e. going through the other day's threads). We can ask questions of each other in the threads when we are unsure of something. Let's keep the discussions going!
Second, for those who have signed up for the forum, let's use the thread for the last day to keep in touch. You can use the "Watch this thread" link in the upper left to be notified the first time someone posts a thread since your last login.
Finally, I think that self-awareness is the foundation any plan of self-care. Sometime next week, I'll send out an email with a link to a thread with a self-assessment exercise I'll make that will help us figure out where we are in the process.
If you need help joining the forum or want to be removed from this list, just reply to this email and let me know.
With that out of the way....
On the last day of the program, Alan discusses how to use this program in the most efficient way, and how to avoid getting overwhelmed by too much information.
Click here to read Day 22, Moving Forward
Best,
Forest
I hope you will join me and the rest of the group as we learn together how to apply everything we've learned!
Ellen
Beloved Grand Eagle
I love this!
Lauren T
Peer Supporter
I agree and love the thought that I can be happy. I love being happy and sadness worry and trying to be perfect have robbed me! I get to choose!
Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)
Beloved Grand Eagle
Forest, I look forward to your self-assessment exercise. Your posts on Alan Gordon have added some excellent concepts to his outstanding program. And I do hope TMSers will exchange views on each of Gordon's daily posts. I think we all learn a lot from each other's journey in TMS. I healed from back pain by discovering and accepting the emotional causes of it, but there are times when some pain returns and I have to remind myself why it's there, that's it's caused by my emotions. I do a self-assessment on myself, put it all in a positive perspective, and it helps to relieve the pain, but I will benefit from your thoughts and technique.
Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)
Beloved Grand Eagle
James54 and Lunarlass66 posted about self-soothing. Here are some techniques to self-soothe through each of the senses:
- Sight: Go to a pretty spot in nature or a local park (or even just in your memory or imagination). Look at photos of beautiful art or go to a museum to see it. Buy or pick some flowers and put them where you will see and smell them. Watch a YouTube video of lovely nature scenery. Color in a coloring book (a mandala coloring book is a good option for adults).
- Sound: Listen to calming music. YouTube has wonderful free videos of relaxing music. Listen to ocean or other nature sounds (also on YouTube). Sing or hum a soothing song. Listen to a cat purr. Go outside and notice the birds chirping. Beat rhythmically on a drum.
- Smell: Light a scented candle. Sniff some essential oil or perfume. Try a calming scent like lavender, orange, or bergamot. Cook a fragrant meal or bake something yummy.
- Touch: Take a warm bath or shower. Wear soft, comfortable clothes. Pet your dog or cat. Snuggle up in a soft blanket. Use a heated waist or shoulder wrap. Go outside and feel the warm breeze on your skin.
- Taste: Sip herbal tea, such as chamomile. Drink hot milk or cocoa. Suck on a lollipop or mint. Savor a piece of chocolate. Enjoy a delicious meal.
- Kinesthetic: Rock in a rocking chair. Go for a gentle stroll. Dance or sway to calming music. Do some stretches. Toss or bounce a ball.
Now that we have Alan's 21 part masterpiece, how would you advise a new TMS patient (a friend of mine) to start the healing process? Up until now I've had people begin with reading Dr. Sarno's Mind-Body Prescription followed by Dr. Schubiner's Unlearn Your Pain workbook.
Question: Where do you see "Alan's 21" fitting into a new patient's learning curve? Only if the one- two punch of Sarno/Schubiner above does not work? Or substitute Alan's 21 for Schubiner? Other?
I realize each person has his or her own path. My goal is to implant key concepts in new patient with a minimum of confusing complexity. I wonder if a new patient could start with Alan's 21?
Question: Where is "Alan's 21" program located in final form on tms wiki? I can't find it. I find his recovery program from 2013.
Question: Where do you see "Alan's 21" fitting into a new patient's learning curve? Only if the one- two punch of Sarno/Schubiner above does not work? Or substitute Alan's 21 for Schubiner? Other?
I realize each person has his or her own path. My goal is to implant key concepts in new patient with a minimum of confusing complexity. I wonder if a new patient could start with Alan's 21?
Question: Where is "Alan's 21" program located in final form on tms wiki? I can't find it. I find his recovery program from 2013.
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