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Chronic pain once ruled my life. Doctors and physical therapists provided no real relief or viable solutions. The pain just got worse, and I became increasingly unable to live my life and work. What finally turned things around for me was learning about the mind-body connection and engaging in psychotherapy.
I first learned about the mind-body connection through a book called Healing Back Pain by John E. Sarno, MD. Sarno maintains that people with physical ailments such as chronic pain must first be examined by a medical doctor to rule out things like tumors, bone disease, infection… as the cause. When physiological causes have been ruled out, chronic pain and other physical ailments can be investigated with the question of – what psychological factors might be driving or exacerbating this physical symptom? Dr. Sarno did just that and as a result, many thousands of people around the world have been cured of chronic pain and other physical issues by being patients of Dr. Sarno and/or by reading his books and following his directives.
A note on physiological causes:
Many people with chronic pain have been told by medical professionals that things that show up on imaging are to blame. Sarno points out that things like degenerative disease, spinal stenosis, and facet arthropathy that show up on x-rays and scans are also seen in a majority of individuals that have no pain. He stresses that injuries heal, that the human back is inherently strong, and that virtually all structural abnormalities of the spine, including herniated discs, are harmless.
Dr. Sarno’s book and the disappearance of my own chronic pain made me hungry to learn more about the mind-body connection, and got me interested in the field of therapy. When I was introduced to IFS in graduate school, I instantly knew that it was the perfect fit for exploring whether psychological factors may be at play in physical concerns. I am now delighted to be able to help people explore their own chronic pain/other physical ailments using IFS therapy.
Whether your own journey with chronic pain/other physical ailments is a new one, or you feel like you’ve tried literally everything to no avail, I’m glad you’re here. Together we can explore whether phycological factors may be driving or influencing what’s impacting your body. If you’d like to learn more about this topic, the IFS Institute has an article on IFS and Chronic pain here.
Physical concerns that can be explored with IFS:
Chronic pain of any sort
Headaches of any sort
Gastrointestinal issues of any sort (E.g., Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), acid reflux, ulcers)
Fibromyalgia
Chronic fatigue
Any chronic illness, including auto immune disorders
Skin conditions (E.g., eczema, psoriasis)
If you don’t see the challenge you’re experiencing listed here, please feel free to reach out. We can talk about whether it’s something to explore with IFS.
Contact: carissa@vissercounseling.com
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