Therapist suggestion

@Stracksstory
If it's important to you - or you think it could prove to be important to you - that you are assessed/'diagnosed' by a mind-body practitioner who is also a medically trained doctor because otherwise you may continue to doubt that your symptoms are mind-body/TMS and keep wondering if they are actually structural, then Fred Amir wouldn't be the best option for you because (I don't believe) he's a medically trained doctor. (As I mentioned before, maybe seeing a mind-body medically trained doctor might be important to you for your peace of mind because at least they would likely be able to pick up on any possible red flags that may indicate that something structural may be going on and need further investigation before assuming your symptoms are mind-body/TMS.)

@Duggit wrote this (in italics below) in another forum post about Dr. Howard Schubiner's view regarding what is needed for recovery from mind-body/TMS:

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"The most brilliant overarching observation about recovery from TMS that I have seen comes from Dr. Howard Schubiner. He spent some time with Sarno to learn from him and, in my opinion, is the leading mindbody physician currently practicing in the United States. His perspective differs in some respects from Sarno’s because it incorporates contemporary neuroscience research that was unavailable when Sarno developed his approach. But Schubiner wrote in one of his books that he is proud to be counted among the whole generation of researchers and clinicians that Sarno influenced.

Schubiner’s observation:

He said a person must have...

(1) a clinician he or she trusts
(2) an explanation of what is wrong with him or her
(3) a technique to fix it
(4) hope and optimism about recovering.

It is the trusted clinician, of course, who gives the afflicted person an explanation of what is wrong that he or she trusts is correct, a technique to fix it that he or she trusts will work, and the hope and optimism. If one factors out the trusted clinician because a person with TMS is trying to recover on a self-help basis, then the elements the person needs are...

(2) an explanation of what is wrong (found in, say, a Sarno book or another book or online or wherever) that he or she trusts is correct
(3) a technique to fix it (found in a book or wherever) that he or she trusts will work
(4) hope and optimism that he or she will be able to implement the technique and will thereby recover."

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Therefore, if Dr. Schubiner is right in his observations, if you're floundering with (2), (3) and (4) or, for that matter, with any one of (2), (3) or (4), then it would seem to figure that, for you, you're in need of (1).

So, in the light of this, you could go ahead and keep the Stracks appointment, but with a very specific ask.

Given that you don’t know him yet, the first appointment can be a diagnostic & direction‑setting session, not a long‑term commitment.

You could explicitly ask him (assuming that he's a practitioner who lets his clients get a word in edgeways and is open to allowing them to kind of direct proceedings at least a bit):

• “Based on my symptoms (shaky‑weak forearms/hands, no objective weakness, plus heart‑sensitivity and fluctuating distress), does this sound like a TMS/neuroplastic pattern to you?”
  
  
• “If it does, what would a simple protocol look like for me for the next 4–6 weeks?”

I've heard (but don't know for sure as I have never consulted him myself) that Dr. Stracks is known for one‑hour initial consults that focus on history, current symptoms, and whether mind-body/TMS fits; then he explains why it does or doesn’t and suggests next steps. And that’s seemingly exactly what you’re wanting: confirmation plus a concrete plan. If Stracks can give you a roadmap (even 3–4 bullet points, that he could print out for you or you could note down at your session with him) it could serve to anchor you when/if you wobble later.

I wish you well with your decision.

 

Hi there, I want to reiterate that it's 100% normal for your symptoms to heighten as the appointment gets closer. That's your TMS brain which has been trying to shield you from emotions saying, "noooooo, we ain't going to go there!!!"

I don't understand what diagnosis you are looking for. TMS? TMS isn't a diagnosis thing. It's not a disease. It's simply LIFE.

Previously I had suggested you can do the work on your own without Dr. Strack but now that we see your TMS lizard brain is getting frightened of the success of digging in to your emotions then I'd say you don't really want to give in to the lizard.

Good luck. Enjoy the journey!