Dr. Schubiner's book and online program

Has anyone done Dr. Schubiner's online program or read "Unlearn Your Pain"?

 

I did the Unlearn Your Pain workbook right after doing the SEP available on the TMS Wiki. I found that Dr Schubiner's book was more indepth than the SEP, but was doing essentially the same kind of psychological work based on ISTDT techniques. Yes, Dr Schubiner's program is quite good. I still listen to his guided meditation tapes that are included in the back flap of UYP and have found them effective.

 

Hey BruceMC, what you do next after finishing does 2 programs? What you do now?

 

After finishing the SEP and Unlearn Your Pain, I have continued to do Dr Schubiner's five ISTDP guided meditations on the CD included with UYP. But one thing that's really helped is to progressively challenge my TMS pain by increasing the duration and frequency of my physical workouts. It's slow work, but it seems to have paid off because now I notice that as my strength level and flexibility have increased, my pain has also gone down. It's sort of tricky because my progress is often two steps ahead and then a step or two back. But as I keep plugging away over the months and now years (about 3), it seems as though I'm going to get back to full strength and mobility in the not too distant future. You just have to approach your healing in a slow manner without having any preconceived notion about where you've got to get to and when. I often do breathing exercises at the same time I go over Dr Sarno's 12 Key Thoughts on page 82 of Healing Back Pain too. I quite often do Dr Schubiner's meditations prior to working out too.

 

You still journal?

 

I did all the journal exercises in Dr Sarno's Divided Mind, then all the journaling in the SEP and later the written exercises in Unlearn Your Pain. They all revealed basically the same early traumas, current stressors, and personality traits. So now I meditate on those same points. Some people swear by journaling, but I find that pushing my physical limits by exercising while clearing up my mind seems to work for me. But finding whatever works for you is the most important thing. Whatever means you select, you've still got to do the fundamental head work in the here and now to clear up TMS. In any case, that's my opinion. Others seem to go back again and again to find some buried trauma in their childhood that will reveal the origin of their TMS pain, all of which is well and good in that it teaches you a lot about yourself and your strengths and weaknesses. But personally I think you have to find a strategy that lets you stop repressing in the present moment, something like what Michael Brown talks about in the Presence Process. If studying your early childhood fears and traumas helps you do that, fine.

 

BrucMC, I also been expressing my emotions thru meditation too, I found it to be more appropriate for me than writing them. Do you still re-read Sarno's books everyday or still read other TMS books to this date?

 

I read so much in the field now, ST, that it's hard for me to just keep re-reading Dr Sarno. However, after reading books like Gabor Mate's When the Body Says No or Dr James Alexander's The Hidden Psychology of Pain, I find that when I go back to Dr Sarno that these authors repeat and/or emphasize ideas that have already been expressed by the good doctor. Dr Sarno really was a pioneer that left a lot of ideas in his wake for other to investigate and expand upon. I do like going over Dr Sarno's 12 Key Reminders in Healing Back Pain on a pretty regular basis while reading other background material. I think the case studies in Anderson and Sherman's Pathways to Pain Relief illustrate a lot of the ideas Dr Sarno emphasizes in his books. After all, Anderson and Sherman were Dr Sarno's principal psychotherapists, to whom he referred his more difficult patients.

 

Thank you for sharing this Bruce, it's very encouraging to me to know that I am in such good company on the non-linear progress trail. The baby steps really do add up, even if it seems like some of them are in the wrong direction at times don't they!

 

I journal everyday. I have found I have to inorder to manage my symtoms. Different situatios will occur during the day. I start getting cramping in my feet and calves. My IT band tightens up. I feel muscle tightness in my abdomen. Alarm bells are going off plus I will feel the dark cloud start to form in my head. Journaling turns it all around.

I wake up in the middle of the night with a terrible leg cramp so I turn on the light and start journaling. Usually fixes me right up.

 

Hi Stocktrader,
You wrote to Bruce above:
Hey BruceMC, what you do next after finishing does 2 programs? What you do now?
Bruce gave you a good, thought out answer. I wonder if we can get caught up in reading so much material that we go around in circles; I tend to read whatever I can. I will read Unlearn Your Pain - haven't gotten to that book yet, but sounds interesting.

Monte Hueftle's (spelling?) book and downloads are spot on - we create tension in the moment. This is an oversimplified description but he is really on target, in my opinion. I recommend him highly

 

That is exactly what happened to me at the start of my journey Lianne. I started the SEP and was up to a list that was literally 2 pages long of "recommended reading". Of course my perfectionist was in the driver's seat at the time so the definition of "recommended" went right out the window and was replaced with "required" in my mind. It took me a while to realize that all I had done was substituted one obsession (finding the physical cure) for another (finding the psychological cure). It was only after I realized that the "obsession" was actually the problem, that I started making progress in healing.

 

I read and done many programs. For me, Monte Hueftle's program is best for me. His "think clean" concept helps keep me on track. Pain - what am i feeling - what am i thinking - what is the belief that created that thought? - ooops false belief - change thought to a better feeling healthier thought. Chaching!

 

Has anyone read the works of Dr Abraham Low? I'm blown away by how similar it is to Dr Sarno's work but I believe it was written at an earlier time.

 

What of his works did you read, and did it help? Thanks.

 

I'm now reading "Manage Your Fears Manage Your Anger" and have ordered "Mental Health Through Will Training." He developed Recovery International, which offers meetings throughout the U.S. (and other countries) to help participants manage their thinking, thought by thought. I've attended a few meetings and so far find them helpful to help me spot and correct fearful or angry thinking (which leads to more symptoms if left unchecked).