Hundreds of Recoveries, One Common Thread
 (Webinar on Curable)

Hey all, I listed to a fascinating webinar yesterday on Curable entitled
"Hundreds of Recoveries, One Common Thread". While I believe you have to be a member to listen to this particular show, it might be available on the free version? Not sure. Hopefully this is okay to post here?

The basis of the conversation was this:

Guest Raglan Agle talks with host Christie Uipi about the many different mindbody recovery methods that are now available. The many differences between them, the common denominator (spoiler alert: It’s the importance of making sure that your brain feels SAFE as much as possible), and what someone might want to do or think about when faced with what at first feels like a very confusing and inconsistent ecosystem.

(Note, at one hilarious point in the conversation she lists off what had to have been 20 different names or more that people use for TMS, LOL)

I found this conversation very compelling; as I'm now underway on my own pain reprocessing journey and have noticed what certainly appear to be rather significant differences in approach. Both Christie and Raglan agree that it should never be an either / or situation, but that one should pick and choose which methods/skills best suit their needs. Those decisions might come right away based on gut reaction, or by trail and error, etc.

I'm doing some serious paraphrasing here, so apologies. I was certainly in full agreement with them - my own journey borrows from at least 3 major sources (Dr. Sarno / Nicole Sachs, and Alan Gordon). Nicole Sachs is a protege of Sarno, so her methods are quite similar and primarily focus on dealing with repressed emotions (and also conscious ones, current life stressors, etc). She never addresses things like Somatic Tracking in her book Mind Your Body (which was only published last year). She also doesn't really cover Outcome Independence or breaking the Fear-Pain cycle in a direct 'skill-based' way. Yet, she has helped hundreds upon hundreds of people.

On the other hand, except for a tiny paragraph or two at the end of his book "The Way Out", Alan all but ignores the emotional / feeling (repressed or otherwise) aspect of the therapy. He doesn't even mention Sarno or his work until a brief note of thanks at the end.

Now, I loved Alan's book and practice many skills that he teaches. I'm also loving Nicole's book and believe that uncomfortable/disturbing emotions DO play a role with my pain. It took me awhile to accept that, 'yes' you really can borrow and steal as needed from a variety of sources. It's okay.

Anyway, if you're able to check out that webinar it's really a great listen and long overdue I think in the community. (Does anyone know of a similar discussion?)

Tnx

 

Nice one, @Scott G! Thanks for posting this up.
I really like Raelan Agles' YouTube channel on which she has interviewed loads of people in the mind/body recovery world... mind-body aware doctors, coaches, people who have recovered etc. Something she mentioned in one of her videos re another commonality that she's found from all those interviews, is joy and she quotes Dr David Mickel's motto for recovery (who was one of her interviewees), i.e. "I no longer take any shit and I thrive on joy".

I've found this to be true with my recovery. Personally, I think one of the reasons it works is that with a lot of people it's not an 'either or or' situation... you can be dealing with rage/anger à la Sarno and dealing with fear/neuroplastic pain issues à la Gordon, both at the same time.