Week 0 Question: Pain Recovery Program

[scboymom]

I’m just clarifying so I’m sure - the suggested Week 0 reading by Alan Gordon is the link provided, not the Day 1-31 program, correct? This would be the reading that has “Intro/Part 1/Part 2/Conclusion” rather than the 31 days. I’m wanting to do the 6 weeks, and just want to clarify that the 31 day program is separate and not done as part of the 6 weeks. I promise I’m not trying to be obtuse, I’m trying to understand as well as not give myself unnecessary extra work. Thanks for the help and clarification! Excited, hopeful, and grateful to begin this journey!

 

[Cactusflower]

Week 0 is part of the SEP: Structured Educational Program which is 42 days was written many years ago by some TMS warriors and TMS pros who were active on the Wiki at it’s inception, it is https://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/Week_0 (Week 0)

Alan Gordon’s 21 day Pain Recovery Program, a precursor to his book The Way Out is here: https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/painrecovery/ (Pain Recovery Program)

They are two separate programs available for free here. There is no 6 week program available on this website. If you want Alan Gordon’s 8 week program, it is a resource he offers on his own website for a fee: https://www.painreprocessingtherapy.com/healing-workshop (Healing Workshop - Pain Reprocessing Therapy Institute)

 

[scboymom]

Week 0 is part of the SEP: Structured Educational Program which is 42 days was written many years ago by some TMS warriors and TMS pros who were active on the Wiki at it’s inception, it is https://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/Week_0 (Week 0)

Alan Gordon’s 21 day Pain Recovery Program, a precursor to his book The Way Out is here: https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/painrecovery/ (Pain Recovery Program)

They are two separate programs available for free here. There is no 6 week program available on this website. If you want Alan Gordon’s 8 week program, it is a resource he offers on his own website for a fee: https://www.painreprocessingtherapy.com/healing-workshop (Healing Workshop - Pain Reprocessing Therapy Institute)

I may have misspoken about the length of the Structured Education Program, but your response was helpful for me. Thank you! There is a link to Alan Gordon’s TMS Recovery Program on the “Week 0” page. It links to this: https://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/TMS_Recovery_Program (TMS Recovery Program)

With the recommendation to read it during “Week 0”. He also has his 21-day program at this link:
https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/painrecovery/ (Pain Recovery Program)

I just wanted to be sure the first link, which is given on the “Week 0” is sufficient reading on its own without his 21-day program.

I apologize if I was unclear in my original post. Thank you for your help! I may end up doing Alan Gordon’s 21-Day program at some point. Just didn’t know if the programs were totally separate and it sounds like they are.

 

[scboymom]

Also, I probably shouldn’t be posting on forums while my husband is rearranging living room furniture and I’m recovering from surgery. Probably why I got myself confused

 

[Cactusflower]

My suggestion, is if you have not yet read a book by Dr. Sarno, do that first. It will really explain TMS and help you understand both programs better.
If you are having symptoms of fear and anxiety, I suggest the 45 day SEP program over the Alan Gordon program.
The SEP is based more on the theories of Dr. Sarno, and his ideas that TMS builds, psychologically over time even if we did not have prior physical symptoms. It helps you to explore a variety of skills and choose which serve you best.
It’s not an easy path but gets to the heart of things!

 

[scboymom]

My suggestion, is if you have not yet read a book by Dr. Sarno, do that first. It will really explain TMS and help you understand both programs better.
If you are having symptoms of fear and anxiety, I suggest the 45 day SEP program over the Alan Gordon program.
The SEP is based more on the theories of Dr. Sarno, and his ideas that TMS builds, psychologically over time even if we did not have prior physical symptoms. It helps you to explore a variety of skills and choose which serve you best.
It’s not an easy path but gets to the heart of things!

I read Mindbody Prescription and Healing Back Pain by John Sarno. I’m trying out the SEP to do some active work, along with continuing to read and learn. I’m ready to do something to help me heal. I have already found a good bit of relief just by reading those two books, but I’m ready to put in action what I’ve learned. I do have symptoms of fear and anxiety (thanks to cPTSD from things I went through growing up), so I’m glad I picked the SEP to try first. I’m looking forward to “building a toolbox” of what will help me have a healthy approach to my feelings, letting go of fear, and also any physical or mental improvements that may result. Thank you for your helpful response!

 

[Cactusflower]

I read Mindbody Prescription and Healing Back Pain by John Sarno. I’m trying out the SEP to do some active work, along with continuing to read and learn. I’m ready to do something to help me heal. I have already found a good bit of relief just by reading those two books, but I’m ready to put in action what I’ve learned. I do have symptoms of fear and anxiety (thanks to cPTSD from things I went through growing up), so I’m glad I picked the SEP to try first. I’m looking forward to “building a toolbox” of what will help me have a healthy approach to my feelings, letting go of fear, and also any physical or mental improvements that may result. Thank you for your helpful response!

You are doing well! Let us know how it goes for you!

 

[JanAtheCPA]

There is no 6 week program available on this website.

Actually, @scboymom, you are not wrong that at 42 days, the SEP can certainly be considered a six week program. Since 42 lessons divided by 7 days per week equals 6

Not that anyone has ever done the SEP in precisely six weeks, mind you! I'm not even sure why it's labeled Week Zero, now that you've brought this to our attention. I've recently been working on long-overdue SEP updates, and I'm going to look at this more closely!

 

[JanAtheCPA]

Okay, I have answers! (I feel like I have to re-remind myself of the subtle differences in our resources every few years - because we are all confused!)

I think that the SEP has a "Week Zero" in order to suggest that it's a good idea to spend time with the beginner resources before starting the specifics of the program.

One of these starting resources is Alan Gordon’s old original two-part "TMS Recovery Program." This is from when he very much followed Sarno and still used the term TMS. This short program is NOT the same as his later 21-day program, which is called the Pain Recovery Program and is much more comprehensive, although it concentrates more on neuroplasticity and less on emotional repression. I never did that one, I'm a SEP fan myself.

If you follow that link on the Week Zero page you'll clearly be at the old "TMS" program, which is mostly reading and doesn’t take too long. Two main parts plus an intro and a conclusion. As Week 0 says, it provides an "overview of the psychological component of TMS, and offers tools to help you identify some of the areas that you might begin to address..."

 

[scboymom]

Okay, I have answers! (I feel like I have to re-remind myself of the subtle differences in our resources every few years - because we are all confused!)

I think that the SEP has a "Week Zero" in order to suggest that it's a good idea to spend time with the beginner resources before starting the specifics of the program.

One of these starting resources is Alan Gordon’s old original two-part "TMS Recovery Program." This is from when he very much followed Sarno and still used the term TMS. This short program is NOT the same as his later 21-day program, which is called the Pain Recovery Program and is much more comprehensive, although it concentrates more on neuroplasticity and less on emotional repression. I never did that one, I'm a SEP fan myself.

If you follow that link on the Week Zero page you'll clearly be at the old "TMS" program, which is mostly reading and doesn’t take too long. Two main parts plus an intro and a conclusion. As Week 0 says, it provides an "overview of the psychological component of TMS, and offers tools to help you identify some of the areas that you might begin to address..."

This makes so much sense to me. I’m not sure why I got myself confused about it, but I did. Thank you for the clarifications you’ve given me. Excited to get started!