Therapist suggestion

[BloodMoon]

@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."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

 

[Booble]

I’m sad to admit I’m back here. I’m still struggling with whether to keep that appointment this coming Friday with Dr. Stracks. Yesterday is a good example. The first half of the day I was telling myself this is the best I have felt in months. Then later in the day my symptoms start creeping up. I have the sense that my forearms and hands are shaky and weak. But it’s false in reality. When I look at my hands, they do not shake. If I use my muscles, I have no limitations of what I can do. I can lift things, hold things, anything. I can act completely normal, but I just “feel” weak and shaky. Then, of course this is combined with sensitivity to my beating heart.

In some ways, they were there earlier in the day, but I successfully treated them like background noise and reprocessed them. But as that gets harder later, I despair. I always feel best when I am active and that tends to boost my confidence.

When I reach that despair, I start considering what to do about it, and I am still feeling scattered with all the different ways of addressing TMS.

All this to say, while I wish I could cancel the Dr. Strack‘s appointment, I feel like I just wish I had someone who could confirm my diagnosis for me and tell me exactly what to do.

I have discovered this other coach named Fred Amir. He doesn’t take ongoing clients, but will do a consultation for 25 minutes for $97. That’s much more affordable, but then I’m afraid of throwing money at a less effective therapist. He might be awesome, I just know Dr. Strack‘s work better

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!

 

[Joulegirl]

If this appointment doesn't cause a financial burden, I would keep the appointment. Sometimes we just need to talk to someone that knows about this stuff-this can feel very lonely and isolating and having some validation and maybe even a plan would really help you.

 

[Rusty Red]

Fred used to post here, I don't think he does any longer.

 

[Stracksstory]

Yes, I discovered him through an old post on here and then tracked down his website. His videos are so encouraging.

 

[Scott G]

Hey there, Stracksstory. I'm happy to weigh-in here; as I'm currently a patient of Dr. Stracks and Cormendi Health. Sorry that it's taken me awhile to respond and thanks to Rabscuttle for the heads-up!


Initial Thoughts
While there are a lot of free or inexpensive courses and tutorials out there, I had a choice to make: spend potentially hours researching and trying to figure out what road of treatment I should take / books to read / etc, or I could just ask someone who’s an expert. I was also intrigued by the idea of a more personal, tailored approach to my healing if needed.

I loved meeting with Dr. Stracks and would go the same route again if given the chance. He’s a kind, compassionate doctor who truly cares about what you’re going through - because he’s gone through it himself. His hourly rate, by the way, is in-line with many medical experts in their particular fields of expertise. He's a serious guy, but with a good sense of humor. A word of caution: he won't have any problem letting you know that you might not be a good candidate for his practice if that's how he feels at the end of your session. Far from a money-grab operation, I know for a fact that they turn away folks on a regular basis.


Why I Went With Dr. Stracks / Cormendi Health
Dr. Stracks, and especially Dr Schubiner, actively contribute to the research / neuroscience community in a variety of ways. That’s led both of them to be extremely well versed in every significant mindbody healing method out there. What I particularly like about Dr. Stracks, and this was hugely important to me, was that he emphasizes the neuroscience of pain and healing as much as the psychological side. This is particularly noticeable both in his regular Q&A zoom sessions and in the material that’s available if you get a subscription to Cormendi Academy.


What I Got From My Session
I came into that first session having already done some homework, and was utterly convinced my pain was neuroplastic in nature. I nevertheless wanted the peace of mind that comes from speaking with one of the foremost experts in this field. With a zillion choices out there for how one might go about their healing journey, I wanted someone that could help me formulate a general game plan; which he was able to do. He’s most likely not going to outline a detailed, step-by-step plan for you; at least not during that first call. Incidentally, while he does have regular patients himself, it’s more likely that he will suggest you get aligned with one of his coaches or therapists on staff. You are free to schedule follow-ups with him as you need, of course.

In my experience he also expects his patients to take a very active roll in their own healing and decision making. He acknowledges / respects that there are several ‘schools of thought’ out there now in terms of healing methodology. More on that later.

He made several recommendations for me at the end of our session:

1. Schedule at least 4 appointments or more with Erica Walker, Pain Coach @ Cormendi
Erica is excellent, and is also a licensed psychotherapist; able to bring that psychological understanding to the skills and techniques she teaches. Can you learn the techniques she teaches from other, less expensive or free courses? Yes. Do I value her expertise enough to pay for it? Yup.

2. Engage Dr. Shapiro as my regular therapist
I needed a therapist for both my generalized anxiety disorder and neuroplastic pain, and it’s great that Cormendi offers people with an expertise in both (as well as most other psychological disorders). Having people on staff that are all extremely knowledgeable about mindbody healing is a huge bonus and comfort.

3. Join the Curable App / Community
He gave me a 2 month free pass I believe? He does a lot of work with and for Curable - including leading large learning sessions). I ended up paying the full, premium rate anyway. I find Curable to be excellent. Their daily group therapy courses are fantastic for me.

4. Join Cormendi Academy
Lots of info and training material for a monthly fee. Far from pushing this, he actually barely mentioned it. He gave me access to one or two of the classes, and they were excellent. I signed up. The rest of the courses were in-depth and very well done. The series on the science of pain is outstanding. Very detailed; containing the latest neuroscience. There’s something about understanding truly what’s going on at the physiological level that is not only comforting, but can contribute to better healing for many as well.

A big bonus in signing up for Cormendi Academy is that you get to meet with Dr. Stracks at least twice a month - sometimes three - in a small group setting for an hour with other Academy members. You basically get some serious time with Dr. Stracks at what turns out to be a fraction of his billable rate. Worth it.

You do not have to be a patient at Cormendi to sign up. The material is all excellent, and an great companion to the step-by-step course found here.

Follow-Up / Regular Appointments
It’s up to you in terms of how often you’d like to meet with anyone. They might make a recommendation, but it all gets back to your comfort level. At no time have I ever felt pressure to schedule something / spend my money.

I’ve only had one appointment with Dr. Stracks - the initial consult. I haven’t seen any need to have other sessions; in large part because I get to talk with him a lot during the Academy Q&A group meetings.

Note: I believe you can also choose to meet with Michelle Archer for your first consultation; who will bill out at far less. She’s excellent, BTW.



Agnostic Approach to Healing Techniques + Pain Medications
I refer to this a bit in previous paragraphs but both Dr. Stracks and Dr. Schubiner are what I would call agnostic when it comes to which healing methodology will work best. Unlike other mindbody healing professionals, Dr. Stracks feels that there are a number of great techniques and whatever works for you is what you should do. He will advise you on techniques, practitioners, books, etc that he feels are worth your time.

He’s also agnostic about pain meds. if you need them, take them. He doesn’t automatically see them as something bad or a sign that you’re weak or not committed to healing.through mindbody techniques. This was very important for me - as I take pain meds, lol.


The Staff
The staff are all top notch and super helpful. When they say they are going to do something, it usually happens within minutes and hours, not days. That's priceless these days.


Out of Network Insurance
If you have a PPO plan, you should be able to claim the visit as part of an out of network visit. Maybe some HMOs offer that as well?

Send Your Medical Records in Advance
I would email them (or upload on the portal) any medical records you feel would be relevant - if you haven’t already done so. It wouldn't hurt to write a SMALL blurb about yourself as well.


Wrap-Up
That’s about it.. Speaking for myself, I’m a huge fan of Cormendi. Does it suck that they don’t take insurance and it can be rather costly? Yes, it sucks. Remember, however, that while $500+ is a lot of money, it’s not like you’re going to have to plunk that down every week - or every month. It won’t be long before insurance companies will be covering this stuff. The writing is clearly on the wall…

Feel free to ask any questions you’d like. I hope this helps, and I apologize for the length of the reply, lol

 

[Booble]

Hey there, Stracksstory. I'm happy to weigh-in here; as I'm currently a patient of Dr. Stracks and Cormendi Health. Sorry that it's taken me awhile to respond and thanks to Rabscuttle for the heads-up!


Initial Thoughts
While there are a lot of free or inexpensive courses and tutorials out there, I had a choice to make: spend potentially hours researching and trying to figure out what road of treatment I should take / books to read / etc, or I could just ask someone who’s an expert. I was also intrigued by the idea of a more personal, tailored approach to my healing if needed.

I loved meeting with Dr. Stracks and would go the same route again if given the chance. He’s a kind, compassionate doctor who truly cares about what you’re going through - because he’s gone through it himself. His hourly rate, by the way, is in-line with many medical experts in their particular fields of expertise. He's a serious guy, but with a good sense of humor. A word of caution: he won't have any problem letting you know that you might not be a good candidate for his practice if that's how he feels at the end of your session. Far from a money-grab operation, I know for a fact that they turn away folks on a regular basis.


Why I Went With Dr. Stracks / Cormendi Health
Dr. Stracks, and especially Dr Schubiner, actively contribute to the research / neuroscience community in a variety of ways. That’s led both of them to be extremely well versed in every significant mindbody healing method out there. What I particularly like about Dr. Stracks, and this was hugely important to me, was that he emphasizes the neuroscience of pain and healing as much as the psychological side. This is particularly noticeable both in his regular Q&A zoom sessions and in the material that’s available if you get a subscription to Cormendi Academy.


What I Got From My Session
I came into that first session having already done some homework, and was utterly convinced my pain was neuroplastic in nature. I nevertheless wanted the peace of mind that comes from speaking with one of the foremost experts in this field. With a zillion choices out there for how one might go about their healing journey, I wanted someone that could help me formulate a general game plan; which he was able to do. He’s most likely not going to outline a detailed, step-by-step plan for you; at least not during that first call. Incidentally, while he does have regular patients himself, it’s more likely that he will suggest you get aligned with one of his coaches or therapists on staff. You are free to schedule follow-ups with him as you need, of course.

In my experience he also expects his patients to take a very active roll in their own healing and decision making. He acknowledges / respects that there are several ‘schools of thought’ out there now in terms of healing methodology. More on that later.

He made several recommendations for me at the end of our session:

1. Schedule at least 4 appointments or more with Erica Walker, Pain Coach @ Cormendi
Erica is excellent, and is also a licensed psychotherapist; able to bring that psychological understanding to the skills and techniques she teaches. Can you learn the techniques she teaches from other, less expensive or free courses? Yes. Do I value her expertise enough to pay for it? Yup.

2. Engage Dr. Shapiro as my regular therapist
I needed a therapist for both my generalized anxiety disorder and neuroplastic pain, and it’s great that Cormendi offers people with an expertise in both (as well as most other psychological disorders). Having people on staff that are all extremely knowledgeable about mindbody healing is a huge bonus and comfort.

3. Join the Curable App / Community
He gave me a 2 month free pass I believe? He does a lot of work with and for Curable - including leading large learning sessions). I ended up paying the full, premium rate anyway. I find Curable to be excellent. Their daily group therapy courses are fantastic for me.

4. Join Cormendi Academy
Lots of info and training material for a monthly fee. Far from pushing this, he actually barely mentioned it. He gave me access to one or two of the classes, and they were excellent. I signed up. The rest of the courses were in-depth and very well done. The series on the science of pain is outstanding. Very detailed; containing the latest neuroscience. There’s something about understanding truly what’s going on at the physiological level that is not only comforting, but can contribute to better healing for many as well.

A big bonus in signing up for Cormendi Academy is that you get to meet with Dr. Stracks at least twice a month - sometimes three - in a small group setting for an hour with other Academy members. You basically get some serious time with Dr. Stracks at what turns out to be a fraction of his billable rate. Worth it.

You do not have to be a patient at Cormendi to sign up. The material is all excellent, and an great companion to the step-by-step course found here.

Follow-Up / Regular Appointments
It’s up to you in terms of how often you’d like to meet with anyone. They might make a recommendation, but it all gets back to your comfort level. At no time have I ever felt pressure to schedule something / spend my money.

I’ve only had one appointment with Dr. Stracks - the initial consult. I haven’t seen any need to have other sessions; in large part because I get to talk with him a lot during the Academy Q&A group meetings.

Note: I believe you can also choose to meet with Michelle Archer for your first consultation; who will bill out at far less. She’s excellent, BTW.



Agnostic Approach to Healing Techniques + Pain Medications
I refer to this a bit in previous paragraphs but both Dr. Stracks and Dr. Schubiner are what I would call agnostic when it comes to which healing methodology will work best. Unlike other mindbody healing professionals, Dr. Stracks feels that there are a number of great techniques and whatever works for you is what you should do. He will advise you on techniques, practitioners, books, etc that he feels are worth your time.

He’s also agnostic about pain meds. if you need them, take them. He doesn’t automatically see them as something bad or a sign that you’re weak or not committed to healing.through mindbody techniques. This was very important for me - as I take pain meds, lol.


The Staff
The staff are all top notch and super helpful. When they say they are going to do something, it usually happens within minutes and hours, not days. That's priceless these days.


Out of Network Insurance
If you have a PPO plan, you should be able to claim the visit as part of an out of network visit. Maybe some HMOs offer that as well?

Send Your Medical Records in Advance
I would email them (or upload on the portal) any medical records you feel would be relevant - if you haven’t already done so. It wouldn't hurt to write a SMALL blurb about yourself as well.


Wrap-Up
That’s about it.. Speaking for myself, I’m a huge fan of Cormendi. Does it suck that they don’t take insurance and it can be rather costly? Yes, it sucks. Remember, however, that while $500+ is a lot of money, it’s not like you’re going to have to plunk that down every week - or every month. It won’t be long before insurance companies will be covering this stuff. The writing is clearly on the wall…

Feel free to ask any questions you’d like. I hope this helps, and I apologize for the length of the reply, lol

That is really interesting and I'm glad it is working for you and you are pleased with the result. That's great.
For me, I'm not a big fan of this kind of all-encompassing therapy unless a person has experienced a lot of deep traumas. For standard TMS, I think it is a little bit like the same kind of crutch of physical doctors. It's telling your TMS brain that, "See, I am broken!" Giving you permission to be in pain. "See, I need a whole host of doctors and apps."

I am not an expert but I think Sarno's method is kind of the opposite of that. The Sarno approach (I think) is, "You are not broken. You are fine."
The comparison that I can think of is with drinking and the difference between AA and Rational Recovery. In AA, you are sick. You are an alcoholic. It's compared to having diabetes. You will be an alcoholic for the rest of your life. You will struggle. The success rate is actually not great in that people fall back all the time. In Rational Recovery (the original version before all the practitioners jumped in), you learn very simply that your lizard brain is persuading you to drink. But you control the hands that pick up the bottle and pour it into a glass. If you don't want to drink anymore. Then tell your lizard brain, sorry, not going to do that anymore. I know that sounds crazy but I saw it first hand with my husband. He couldn't stop drinking, his father was sober in AA. My husband heard about Rational Recovery in a fiction book he was reading. He found a PowerPoint presentation online about it, read it, and never drank again with With ease. No pain and suffering. It was the most remarkable thing I've ever witnessed.
Watching my husband have his lightbulb moment with the PowerPoint and simply stop drinking is what made me understand TMS. It's really the same thing except it's our lizard brain scared to face certain emotions and thus makes us scared to face life. It uses pain and other weird symptoms to distract us and keep us from experiencing the emotions and living our lives. But we are in charge not our lizard. All it can do is try to persuade. Give us symptoms and scare us.

Anyway, I don't want to dismiss your great experience with the therapists, groups, and apps. Whatever works, works. We are all on our own journeys.
I wish you and OP the best.

 

[Stracksstory]

Hey there, Stracksstory. I'm happy to weigh-in here; as I'm currently a patient of Dr. Stracks and Cormendi Health. Sorry that it's taken me awhile to respond and thanks to Rabscuttle for the heads-up!


Initial Thoughts
While there are a lot of free or inexpensive courses and tutorials out there, I had a choice to make: spend potentially hours researching and trying to figure out what road of treatment I should take / books to read / etc, or I could just ask someone who’s an expert. I was also intrigued by the idea of a more personal, tailored approach to my healing if needed.

I loved meeting with Dr. Stracks and would go the same route again if given the chance. He’s a kind, compassionate doctor who truly cares about what you’re going through - because he’s gone through it himself. His hourly rate, by the way, is in-line with many medical experts in their particular fields of expertise. He's a serious guy, but with a good sense of humor. A word of caution: he won't have any problem letting you know that you might not be a good candidate for his practice if that's how he feels at the end of your session. Far from a money-grab operation, I know for a fact that they turn away folks on a regular basis.


Why I Went With Dr. Stracks / Cormendi Health
Dr. Stracks, and especially Dr Schubiner, actively contribute to the research / neuroscience community in a variety of ways. That’s led both of them to be extremely well versed in every significant mindbody healing method out there. What I particularly like about Dr. Stracks, and this was hugely important to me, was that he emphasizes the neuroscience of pain and healing as much as the psychological side. This is particularly noticeable both in his regular Q&A zoom sessions and in the material that’s available if you get a subscription to Cormendi Academy.


What I Got From My Session
I came into that first session having already done some homework, and was utterly convinced my pain was neuroplastic in nature. I nevertheless wanted the peace of mind that comes from speaking with one of the foremost experts in this field. With a zillion choices out there for how one might go about their healing journey, I wanted someone that could help me formulate a general game plan; which he was able to do. He’s most likely not going to outline a detailed, step-by-step plan for you; at least not during that first call. Incidentally, while he does have regular patients himself, it’s more likely that he will suggest you get aligned with one of his coaches or therapists on staff. You are free to schedule follow-ups with him as you need, of course.

In my experience he also expects his patients to take a very active roll in their own healing and decision making. He acknowledges / respects that there are several ‘schools of thought’ out there now in terms of healing methodology. More on that later.

He made several recommendations for me at the end of our session:

1. Schedule at least 4 appointments or more with Erica Walker, Pain Coach @ Cormendi
Erica is excellent, and is also a licensed psychotherapist; able to bring that psychological understanding to the skills and techniques she teaches. Can you learn the techniques she teaches from other, less expensive or free courses? Yes. Do I value her expertise enough to pay for it? Yup.

2. Engage Dr. Shapiro as my regular therapist
I needed a therapist for both my generalized anxiety disorder and neuroplastic pain, and it’s great that Cormendi offers people with an expertise in both (as well as most other psychological disorders). Having people on staff that are all extremely knowledgeable about mindbody healing is a huge bonus and comfort.

3. Join the Curable App / Community
He gave me a 2 month free pass I believe? He does a lot of work with and for Curable - including leading large learning sessions). I ended up paying the full, premium rate anyway. I find Curable to be excellent. Their daily group therapy courses are fantastic for me.

4. Join Cormendi Academy
Lots of info and training material for a monthly fee. Far from pushing this, he actually barely mentioned it. He gave me access to one or two of the classes, and they were excellent. I signed up. The rest of the courses were in-depth and very well done. The series on the science of pain is outstanding. Very detailed; containing the latest neuroscience. There’s something about understanding truly what’s going on at the physiological level that is not only comforting, but can contribute to better healing for many as well.

A big bonus in signing up for Cormendi Academy is that you get to meet with Dr. Stracks at least twice a month - sometimes three - in a small group setting for an hour with other Academy members. You basically get some serious time with Dr. Stracks at what turns out to be a fraction of his billable rate. Worth it.

You do not have to be a patient at Cormendi to sign up. The material is all excellent, and an great companion to the step-by-step course found here.

Follow-Up / Regular Appointments
It’s up to you in terms of how often you’d like to meet with anyone. They might make a recommendation, but it all gets back to your comfort level. At no time have I ever felt pressure to schedule something / spend my money.

I’ve only had one appointment with Dr. Stracks - the initial consult. I haven’t seen any need to have other sessions; in large part because I get to talk with him a lot during the Academy Q&A group meetings.

Note: I believe you can also choose to meet with Michelle Archer for your first consultation; who will bill out at far less. She’s excellent, BTW.



Agnostic Approach to Healing Techniques + Pain Medications
I refer to this a bit in previous paragraphs but both Dr. Stracks and Dr. Schubiner are what I would call agnostic when it comes to which healing methodology will work best. Unlike other mindbody healing professionals, Dr. Stracks feels that there are a number of great techniques and whatever works for you is what you should do. He will advise you on techniques, practitioners, books, etc that he feels are worth your time.

He’s also agnostic about pain meds. if you need them, take them. He doesn’t automatically see them as something bad or a sign that you’re weak or not committed to healing.through mindbody techniques. This was very important for me - as I take pain meds, lol.


The Staff
The staff are all top notch and super helpful. When they say they are going to do something, it usually happens within minutes and hours, not days. That's priceless these days.


Out of Network Insurance
If you have a PPO plan, you should be able to claim the visit as part of an out of network visit. Maybe some HMOs offer that as well?

Send Your Medical Records in Advance
I would email them (or upload on the portal) any medical records you feel would be relevant - if you haven’t already done so. It wouldn't hurt to write a SMALL blurb about yourself as well.


Wrap-Up
That’s about it.. Speaking for myself, I’m a huge fan of Cormendi. Does it suck that they don’t take insurance and it can be rather costly? Yes, it sucks. Remember, however, that while $500+ is a lot of money, it’s not like you’re going to have to plunk that down every week - or every month. It won’t be long before insurance companies will be covering this stuff. The writing is clearly on the wall…

Feel free to ask any questions you’d like. I hope this helps, and I apologize for the length of the reply, lol

I can’t thank you enough for this post. It’s so invaluable to hear from someone who actually has been to Dr. Stracks and Cormendi. I have gone ahead and confirmed my appointment, though I rescheduled it a few weeks later, at the beginning of June.

You confirmed a lot of of what I have been thinking. As I have muddled through numerous books, blogs, podcast, videos, they have all been very helpful, but at the same time I’m craving being able to talk to someone directly who is in the field, and a notable one at that, with medical background. I have been spending more and more time working on all the various strategies out there, but I’d like some help determining which ones are worth my time.

I appreciate you also explaining how they go about helping patients and the whole process involved. Can you tell me, what did you cover in your meeting with Dr. Stracks? Was it mainly him hearing your background, answering questions, and or him talking through a suggested plan?

I really liked the idea of sending along my medical records. I think those would be very important in determining my TMS. Is that something they request, or should I just send that along to them on my own?

I am quite sure many of my symptoms are TMS, but there are a few that I am looking for confirmation that they are TMS, or whether I should look into some other structural issue.

Thanks again for your help!

 

[Booble]

I can’t thank you enough for this post. It’s so invaluable to hear from someone who actually has been to Dr. Stracks and Cormendi. I have gone ahead and confirmed my appointment, though I rescheduled it a few weeks later, at the beginning of June.

You confirmed a lot of of what I have been thinking. As I have muddled through numerous books, blogs, podcast, videos, they have all been very helpful, but at the same time I’m craving being able to talk to someone directly who is in the field, and a notable one at that, with medical background. I have been spending more and more time working on all the various strategies out there, but I’d like some help determining which ones are worth my time.

I appreciate you also explaining how they go about helping patients and the whole process involved. Can you tell me, what did you cover in your meeting with Dr. Stracks? Was it mainly him hearing your background, answering questions, and or him talking through a suggested plan?

I really liked the idea of sending along my medical records. I think those would be very important in determining my TMS. Is that something they request, or should I just send that along to them on my own?

I am quite sure many of my symptoms are TMS, but there are a few that I am looking for confirmation that they are TMS, or whether I should look into some other structural issue.

Thanks again for your help!

I would like to add one more thing, even if you have many therapists, keep in my that when you are in front of therapists and talking to therapists, it's pretty hard to get to the actual Sarno-rage. The whole thing with TMS-ers are that we are polite and people pleasers. With TMS we have to go to the place that isn't very people pleasing and that often means going there by ourselves. Hopefully they will still encourage you to do the work on your own that is necessary. I know for me there is NO WAY that I would have been able to say or do the things I said and wrote on my piece of paper and in my mind. Having a tantrum like a 2 year old isn't what good girls and boys do. And yet that made all my symptoms go away.

 

[Scott G]

I would like to add one more thing, even if you have many therapists, keep in my that when you are in front of therapists and talking to therapists, it's pretty hard to get to the actual Sarno-rage. The whole thing with TMS-ers are that we are polite and people pleasers. With TMS we have to go to the place that isn't very people pleasing and that often means going there by ourselves. Hopefully they will still encourage you to do the work on your own that is necessary. I know for me there is NO WAY that I would have been able to say or do the things I said and wrote on my piece of paper and in my mind. Having a tantrum like a 2 year old isn't what good girls and boys do. And yet that made all my symptoms go away.

It's a good point, and every therapist at Cormendi (and Alan Gordon's place) will be well aware of this. 'Regular therapists'? Eh, not so much.

 

[Scott G]

That is really interesting and I'm glad it is working for you and you are pleased with the result. That's great.
For me, I'm not a big fan of this kind of all-encompassing therapy unless a person has experienced a lot of deep traumas. For standard TMS, I think it is a little bit like the same kind of crutch of physical doctors. It's telling your TMS brain that, "See, I am broken!" Giving you permission to be in pain. "See, I need a whole host of doctors and apps."

I am not an expert but I think Sarno's method is kind of the opposite of that. The Sarno approach (I think) is, "You are not broken. You are fine."
The comparison that I can think of is with drinking and the difference between AA and Rational Recovery. In AA, you are sick. You are an alcoholic. It's compared to having diabetes. You will be an alcoholic for the rest of your life. You will struggle. The success rate is actually not great in that people fall back all the time. In Rational Recovery (the original version before all the practitioners jumped in), you learn very simply that your lizard brain is persuading you to drink. But you control the hands that pick up the bottle and pour it into a glass. If you don't want to drink anymore. Then tell your lizard brain, sorry, not going to do that anymore. I know that sounds crazy but I saw it first hand with my husband. He couldn't stop drinking, his father was sober in AA. My husband heard about Rational Recovery in a fiction book he was reading. He found a PowerPoint presentation online about it, read it, and never drank again with With ease. No pain and suffering. It was the most remarkable thing I've ever witnessed.
Watching my husband have his lightbulb moment with the PowerPoint and simply stop drinking is what made me understand TMS. It's really the same thing except it's our lizard brain scared to face certain emotions and thus makes us scared to face life. It uses pain and other weird symptoms to distract us and keep us from experiencing the emotions and living our lives. But we are in charge not our lizard. All it can do is try to persuade. Give us symptoms and scare us.

Anyway, I don't want to dismiss your great experience with the therapists, groups, and apps. Whatever works, works. We are all on our own journeys.
I wish you and OP the best.

I get your point entirely, but did have to laugh because you spend a couple of paragraphs basically saying that what I've done is overkill, and then say "Hey, glad it worked for you!" lol.

 

[Booble]

I get your point entirely, but did have to laugh because you spend a couple of paragraphs basically saying that what I've done is overkill, and then say "Hey, glad it worked for you!" lol.

Why do you see those two things as incompatible?

 

[Scott G]

Why do you see those two things as incompatible?

I don't see them as incompatible. Rather, I see them as dialectic.

I would offer the counter argument that many folks have argued that people have a tendency to vastly oversimplify both the nature of TMS, and the healing methodology. I might be one of those people, but....

This is one of the major criticisms of Dr. Sarno - put forth by noted experts such as Dr. Schubiner.

There's zero reliable data out there that tells us exactly what percentage of TMS patients are 'cured' or improved via any given method. None. Zilch. I fully acknowledge that Sarno, my hero, got a lot of things right, but also got a lot wrong as well - in large part because he could not avail himself of the latest discoveries in neuroscience.

I would simply never openly criticise anyone's healing methodology or process they choose to use.

 

[Booble]

I don't see them as incompatible. Rather, I see them as dialectic.

I would offer the counter argument that many folks have argued that people have a tendency to vastly oversimplify both the nature of TMS, and the healing methodology. I might be one of those people, but....

This is one of the major criticisms of Dr. Sarno - put forth by noted experts such as Dr. Schubiner.

There's zero reliable data out there that tells us exactly what percentage of TMS patients are 'cured' or improved via any given method. None. Zilch. I fully acknowledge that Sarno, my hero, got a lot of things right, but also got a lot wrong as well - in large part because he could not avail himself of the latest discoveries in neuroscience.

I would simply never openly criticise anyone's healing methodology or process they choose to use.

I'm sorry you felt I was criticizing you. I am genuinely happy that it is working for you. As I said whatever works, works and we are all on our own journeys. I was sharing my opinion regarding an abundance of therapy vis a vis Sarno TMS. It's OK if you disagree with me.

 

[Scott G]

Thanks, Boobie. I'm always a little sensitive, lol.

 

[Booble]

Thanks, Boobie. I'm always a little sensitive, lol.

No worries. We all are. That's why we are here.

 

[Cactusflower]

"There's zero reliable data out there that tells us exactly what percentage of TMS patients are 'cured' or improved via any given method. None. Zilch. I fully acknowledge that Sarno, my hero, got a lot of things right, but also got a lot wrong as well - in large part because he could not avail himself of the latest discoveries in neuroscience."

Boulder Back Pain Study - small group, but there's a percentage value that's pretty good using Alan Gordon and Dr. Schubiner's methods. I look at the successes of people such as them. Schubiner, Gordon, Hanscom, a few other Dr's and therapists/coaches including my own coach and a good number of people on this forum. All successes. I've asked myself why would I be any different? I am no less of a person than they are...which I think is a very important mindset. I don't have an ounce of competitiveness about being a "Success" story, but I also don't feel I should be excluded from being in the club, either

 

[Scott G]

"There's zero reliable data out there that tells us exactly what percentage of TMS patients are 'cured' or improved via any given method. None. Zilch. I fully acknowledge that Sarno, my hero, got a lot of things right, but also got a lot wrong as well - in large part because he could not avail himself of the latest discoveries in neuroscience."

Boulder Back Pain Study - small group, but there's a percentage value that's pretty good using Alan Gordon and Dr. Schubiner's methods. I look at the successes of people such as them. Schubiner, Gordon, Hanscom, a few other Dr's and therapists/coaches including my own coach and a good number of people on this forum. All successes. I've asked myself why would I be any different? I am no less of a person than they are...which I think is a very important mindset. I don't have an ounce of competitiveness about being a "Success" story, but I also don't feel I should be excluded from being in the club, either

Yeah, that's a great study...and there was even a really good follow up study 5 years later that had great results/data.... Data that's really gone a long way to getting more of the neuroscience community onboard with mindbody! In addition to actually helping the participants, that's the other major win of that study - and the other studies that are currently ongoing.

What I meant to say, because I don't think I was that clear, was that there's not been enough studies done utilizing the different methods for healing - thus we don't know which methods have been more successful than others. Even then, the data would need to be carefully analyzed to assess the demographics, background history, etc for the patients involved; which could start to reveal why some methods worked better than others. Given the fact that there's great success stories across all the popular methods and approaches, all this gets very interesting! We start to get to the heart of more precise targeting of methods; depending on the situation/needs of the patients.

 

[Scott G]

No worries. We all are. That's why we are here.

lol. Yeah, I didn't mean to come across so defensively and I apologize for that...

I'll also add as well that because I suffer from generalized anxiety disorder, that was pretty terrible back in January/Feb, I liked the idea of going to Cormendi because they had licensed therapists on staff that I could see on a regular basis (after my 3 months of intensive outpatient therapy); something I would need for my anxiety, regardless of my TMS. My anxiety was born out of a rough childhood with some traumatic experiences for sure; so that's another box to check for why I went this route, lol. This was a way to deal with both my anxiety and neuroplastic pain in a 'one stop shop' approach. I've only had to see the pain coach about 5 times in the beginning; which got me started on my way with the skills aspect of healing. I have a tendency to overdo it when it comes to research and learning - to the point of obsessiveness; which only added stress. Seeing a pain coach was a way to help me focus and streamline what I should be doing (or trying to do) in order to get better.

So, in essence, I'm agreeing with your main point: for many folks my approach would be overkill. There's simply too many success stories of people getting better without spending hundreds and even thousands of dollars. Some folks, like myself, might just need that extra boost.

 

[Booble]

lol. Yeah, I didn't mean to come across so defensively and I apologize for that...

I'll also add as well that because I suffer from generalized anxiety disorder, that was pretty terrible back in January/Feb, I liked the idea of going to Cormendi because they had licensed therapists on staff that I could see on a regular basis (after my 3 months of intensive outpatient therapy); something I would need for my anxiety, regardless of my TMS. My anxiety was born out of a rough childhood with some traumatic experiences for sure; so that's another box to check for why I went this route, lol. This was a way to deal with both my anxiety and neuroplastic pain in a 'one stop shop' approach. I've only had to see the pain coach about 5 times in the beginning; which got me started on my way with the skills aspect of healing. I have a tendency to overdo it when it comes to research and learning - to the point of obsessiveness; which only added stress. Seeing a pain coach was a way to help me focus and streamline what I should be doing (or trying to do) in order to get better.

So, in essence, I'm agreeing with your main point: for many folks my approach would be overkill. There's simply too many success stories of people getting better without spending hundreds and even thousands of dollars. Some folks, like myself, might just need that extra boost.

No worries, Scott. You don't need to justify at all though I appreciate hearing your story. I specifically differentiated at the beginning of my post between those with deep traumas versus those of us with TMS who have had relatively trauma-free lives. Those in the former can greatly benefit from therapy, those in the latter can (in my opinion) sometimes over use therapy and stay stuck in the TMS loop. I was hoping to bring that point out to save those in the low trauma group from slowing down their recovery by replacing one distraction with another.

Hears to reduced pain and anxiety for all of us.