Mind-Body Approach Part 1

Good Morning,

This week I have been asked a few times what I mean when I say I approach the people's healing path from a Mind-Body approach.

This is a great question!

One thing I tell people when they ask about this is that we are not just a brain or mind with thoughts. We are also not just a body walking around without a mind.

We are both Mind and Body. 

If we are conscious we can't have one without the other.

And each affects the other...

Have you ever noticed that often when you think a thought something happens in your body? Our thoughts can actually affect our bodies.

Thoughts lead to a feeling or an emotion.

Feelings and emotions present themselves as experiences and energy in our body.

Think about it...

How do you know when you are experiencing an emotion?

What happens in your body?

Sadness often presents itself with a heaviness in your chest.

Fear can present itself as an uncomfortable sensation in your solar plexus or stomach.

Stress often presents as increased tension in your pelvis, back or neck.

Love is felt as an openness and warmth in your chest and around your heart.

 And have you ever noticed that certain sensations in your body or felt emotions can affect your thoughts?

Maybe you have experienced a sensation in your body that brought you right back to a similar experience?

Or maybe you felt pain that was reminiscent to a pain that you had in the past and your mind thoughts start to go down a path of catastrophizing with something like, "Ugh! Not this again!!  How long is it going to last this time? Is this something I am going to have to deal with forever??!! This is not fair!  This stinks! I hate this!!!!"

When thoughts like these unwittingly pop up and go through your mind, I wonder, how is your body reacting?

What is happening with your autonomic nervous system?

Perhaps your nervous system is unconsciously put in a state of fight-or-flight.

When we are in a fight-or-flight state, our muscles unwittingly tense up and go into guarding or protective mode.

This increase in tension can then lead to more pain, creating a not so helpful cycle...

 We are both body and mind.

I have found addressing both the body and the mind is an important part in healing for so many.

Please know that when I am talking about the mind-body connection, I am not saying that chronic pain is all in your head. 

As a physical therapist, I can feel the physiological effects of tension, restriction, and trigger points in my patient's bodies.

I am simply allowing for the idea that addressing both the mind and the body can be they key ingredient to learning to step out of the stress, tension, pain cycle.

I will talk more about the mind-body connection in my next blog.

If you have any questions, please email me at [email protected].