New TMS Online Program

[Forest]

Hi everyone,

I thought you might like to know about a new online mind-body program that is looking for participants for its first program, focusing on Back Pain. The founder recovered from TMS using Dr. Sarno's books and has created his own program.

I know that there are many programs out there, but this one stands out somewhat. The founder, Jon, is a seasoned businessman and has assembled an impressive team, including an MD, a psychologist and a third individual who appears to be a coach and personal trainer. Jon is also a practitioner of transcendental meditation (TM), a form of meditation that involves a mantra. I like that idea because I believe that calming one's nervous system is very important in mindbody healing, and meditation can have many benefits that help you get your mind in the right place to heal.

The founder provided me with the following information to describe the program:

MindOver is a new company whose mission is to deliver evidence based, expert crafted, effective experiences that empower participants to take back control of their health - without drugs, devices, or surgery. Our first offering is MindOver Back Pain, and the program is being created by a cross functional team spanning the fields of medicine, psychology, meditation and physical therapy. Dr. David Clarke, Co-Founder of the Psychophysiologic Disorders Association is one of the key experts involved. The Company’s thesis is that an elevated and persistent “stress response” if left unchecked can lead to pain in many different parts of the body, and the program’s objective is to raise the participant’s awareness around the difficult emotions that trigger the stress response, and arm him/her with powerful approaches to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. The program is 30 days long, and each day features a video interview with experts, a journaling assignment, and introduction to a range of techniques (from exercises targeted at uncovering hidden and historical sources of stress, to forms of mindfulness practice and somatic experiences designed to get us “back into our bodies”). MindOver is currently enrolling BETA participants who want to join us for the maiden voyage of the program and help to shape it with their feedback. The BETA is priced at $49 which is a fraction of the full launch price.

Please visit http://www.mindoverbackpain.com/beta-30-day-program/ to learn more and enroll.​

If you give it a try, let us know!

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Herbie, thanks for this. It sounds good, but even $49 is a chunk of money for a lot of people.

 

[tarala]

It is Walt, but then again when I add up all I've ever spent on chiropractors, physical therapists, pain pills, acupuncture, stress reducing holidays, back supports, well you get the picture!

 

[Steve Ozanich]

I don't know whether this program is good or bad. It might be the bestest program ever to exist for human kind. I hope it is.

But be aware that this person doesn't know that TMSers are not Type A people.

Dr. Sarno created TMS, and he clearly stated that many of them "think they are Type A" but that they're more gentle, kind and polite. The big distinction is the fact that Type A have greater cardio-heart problems and that TMSers/Type T's rarely have them, except on occasion. That's a huge distinction regarding TMS, even though pain and heart attacks are both still mindbody affects, barring congenital stuff.

In the end it could simply be a matter of semantics, which killed the cat. Or did it? Maybe the cat just had a heart attack.

 

[tarala]

I think you are completely right Steve. For me being a "goodist," going around trying to take care of others (who for the most part probably don't want me to anyway) instead of myself is a huge factor in my TMS. I really don't fit the Type A description at all, and if I were a new TMS person coming to that program, that could be quite confusing or misleading. I wonder if there is a Type C person who is like a cat? They don't seem to get TMS.

 

[jslavet]

Hello all ... I appreciate your comments regarding the MindOver program (of which I am one of the creators) and the reference we make to "Type-A" personalities being prone to stress related illness. As someone who has suffered from stress related pain for many years, I appreciate the subtleties of the personality prone to pain -- In my case, I have aspects of classic Type-A, as well as a strong orientation to "pleasing" others and other characteristics that might not be perceived as part of a Type-A profile. The reason we (including Dr. David Clarke, Co-Founders of the PPDA) chose to appeal through our program to Type-A personalities (characterized by control orientation, perfectionism, self-criticism, etc.) is that the type is well-known to the general public and possesses many characteristics relevant to those prone to stress illness. I'm a fan of Dr. David Schechter's work, and like how he refers to "Type-P" for "pain". Out of respect to David, we didn't want to copy his term. Hope this helps to illuminate our thinking, and we appreciate the discourse with this expert group.

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

I think Ricky Nelson still has it right with song
"Garden Party" about pleasing yourself.
It's still good goodist advice.

 

[North Star]

This looks like a great program; I would jump on it but I have told myself: No more! I can get so distracted chasing new programs, methods, reading books, etc… If I was just starting my healing journey though, it would be a no-brainer for me.

But I will certainly tell others about it. Another resource to raise TMS to perhaps a slightly different audience…well, it's all good!

SteveO, I love that little distinction you pointed out. I've (along with others) have classified myself as a type A with the "my bark's worse than my bite" caveat. But I have grown to realize that I am not type A. Just a high drive to please others. (And one with strong organizational skills.)