We're In The Middle of a Health Care Revolution!
• Yoga is now approved for back pain. An archives of Internal Medicine study showed that weekly yoga is effective in the management of back pain. Being a regular Yoga participant and reaping the benefits from it, I was not surprised.
• Acupuncture has been shown to help chronic stress. The journal for The Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine shares promising findings where acupuncture is effective in preventing one of the sympathetic pathways stimulated during chronic stress, and thus may be a useful adjunct therapy in stress-related disorders. I have certainly heard this before and look forward to someone proving this helps humans, as well as the rats used in this study!
• Doctor referrals for CAM for their patients have significantly increased according to the Archives of Internal Medicine. Very encouraging.
• Meditation’s impact on our emotional health is better understood. The January 2011 journal Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging included a study showing that Mindfulness Meditation made changes in the gray matter of the brain in areas that help with learning, memory processes and the regulation of emotions. Okay, I’ve really got to start meditating more.
• Mushrooms have amazing benefit to the body! According to Paul Stamets, mycologist (a biologist who studies fungi), certain mushrooms provide anti-inflammatory help, restrict the growth of pathogenic bacteria and help conventional anti-cancer drugs work more effectively. Read Huff Post Wellness Editor Dr. Patricia Fitzgerald’s intriguing interview with Stamets on Can Mushrooms Help the Immune System Fight Cancer? And then don’t fail to watch Stamets’ TedMed Talk referenced at the end of the article. You may be forever changed by this.
There’s lots more information. Please read the article for yourself, pass the word and let’s toast to a healthier, happier, more mindful 2012!
How To Move Beyond Your Cancer Anxiety
I once heard a doctor describe healing as “focused attention and intention.” I interpret this to mean there are things you can do to help with your own healing. I firmly believe that guided imagery can play a very important role with that healing.
Can we heal ourselves? Some believe it is entirely possible. While I’ll personally choose to believe that anything is possible, my professional position is simple: Guided imagery is a well-established and researched complementary therapy that frequently works well with the treatment recommended by your medical team.
In the last ten years research on guided imagery has shown amazing results in how it works physiologically to boost natural killer (NK) cells and T cells in the body to positively affect our endocrine, immune and autonomic nervous systems.
But the question is about dealing with anxiety. For starters, using guided imagery can help you feel a greater sense of control over your emotions and what is happening to your body. Listening to a guided imagery recording, with relaxation as a goal, has helped many patients to reduce anxiety, depression, physical pain and speed up the healing process. By practicing guided imagery you can also lower your blood pressure, pulse, heart rate and respiration. Guided imagery empowers all of us with improved coping skills.
When working directly with clients, I often use guided imagery scripts authored by Belleruth Naparstek from her book Staying Well With Guided Imagery. If you’re willing to tackle your anxiety on your own, Naparstek offers recordings for purchase online at Health Journeys. I recommend these scripts:
• Chemo Optimization Pack
• Healthy Immune System
• Fatigue-Oncology Treatment Related
I also highly recommend the work of Marty Rossman, MD, one of the pioneers of the Interactive Guided Imagery℠ movement. His book, Healing Cancer From Within, contains several useful cancer-related guided imagery scripts and he, too, offers recordings for purchase online that I recommend:
• Transforming Your Fear of Cancer
• Optimizing Cancer Treatments
• Healing Cancer From Within
Let me be clear. Just listening to a recording of a script once and expecting results is unrealistic. To help produce meaningful and lasting change it is important to listen to a script one or two times each day for at least two or three weeks.
One more thing. Listening to guided imagery scripts in your home can be an isolating experience over time. As part of your healing plan it is important to include social support and meaningful pursuits. Ask a friend to take you out for a coffee, lunch, or a walk in the park. Do the things that bring you joy that you are physically up to doing. It is important to take responsibility for your wellness. You will be rewarded with feeling increased confidence as well as a sense of accomplishment. It’s all good!
Please let me hear from you if you have used any of the materials I’ve suggested or have others that you would recommend.
P.S. Building humor into your life daily is also important and fun! Whether it’s watching a favorite old sitcom, reading jokes, or renting a DVD of a favorite comedian. Laughter is healing as well.
Belleruth Naparstek Highlights Science Behind Guided Imagery
For those who don’t know Belleruth, she is one of THE authorities on guided imagery. She provided my first real introduction to the practice at a day long seminar I attended in the early nineties. I was immediately enthusiastic about using guided imagery as a form of relaxation for the cancer patients I counseled. Guided imagery seemed to lessen their anxiety tenfold and gave them an increased sense of control where they previously felt they had none.
In her article, Naparstek shares recent research showing positive changes in immune activity on the cellular level; increased Natural Killer cell activity; and improved anti-cancer host defenses during and after chemo and radiation. And that’s just for starters!
Lastly, Belleruth provides a heads up on where future research should focus to determine which kinds of imagery interventions will most effectively help to fight cancer.
I encourage you to read and then share this pertinent article with fellow practitioners, physicians and clients. Increasing one’s hope by listening to a guided imagery script, once or twice a day, can have powerful benefits. That’s especially true now that we can show physiological improvement.
Woman Makes Friends With Her Pain Through Imagery
David Bresler, Ph.D., L.Ac teaches that IGI helps us to effectively enhance our own self-management and self-care resulting in greater patient autonomy1.
Did you catch that? It means we don’t have to be quite so dependent on pharmaceuticals. Yes, there is a place for medicine, but there are even more places for complimentary and alternative treatment when drugs may not be the answer. According to Bresler, IGI is a highly interactive, non-judgmental, content free style of imagery which can help a person in pain draw upon their own inner resources to explore the meaning of their symptoms. This is assisted by the IGI guide having trust in the client’s abilities to identify healing resources and finding solutions to their problem2.
Foresight
It all begins with discussion about what the client wants to achieve in the session, whether they are familiar with guided imagery and how they like to go into relaxation. This is not to be confused with hypnosis. It is similar in that the client, when in a relaxed state is in a “light trance”. I love Bresler’s definition of trance: a state of focused attention.
Ann shares that she would like to figure out what her excruciating back pain is all about and is interested in having a dialog with the pain. She chooses to relax by being guided through a visualization exercise.
Insight
We begin by encouraging her to focus on her breathing and imagine a ball of golden healing light surrounding her body, breathing it in to help increase a sense of relaxation and then ask her to picture herself somewhere beautiful out in nature. With her eyes closed Ann indicates to me when she feels she is at this place. She describes seeing herself sitting on a rock by a North Carolina stream with the sun shining through the trees, there is a dampness to the air which she can smell, the air feels warm and comfortable. She has now engaged her five senses into an imagery which helps the brain respond emotionally and physically as if she were really there.I then ask Ann to picture an image representing her pain. After a moment or two she reports seeing a gnome-like figure and describes it as looking like a gremlin who has a scrunched up face, big nose and wearing a red hat. It is important that she describe the first thing she sees. I instructed Ann to ask the gnome what his name was to which he replied with “Petey Pain.”
Ann questioned why Petey would show up to this beautiful, peaceful place just to cause pain. Petey’s response to her was that “everyone experiences pain in their lives and life would be boring if there were no pain. The key is for people to create balance in their lives.” He continued on to say that “pain helps you to grow, it builds character, making you stronger, teaching you lessons, you learn from it. You sometimes cannot appreciate not being in pain unless you have experienced some pain. Since your physical pain was self-induced you should learn to be more aware of your body and not take such drastic measures to try and get in shape.“
Ann shared she had started another jogging routine, after a long absence, without starting back slowly. She said she started where she left off with the same mileage she used to run, hence the lower back pain. Petey went on to instruct Ann to change her workout routine to take into account her body’s response as well as her increasing age. He also urged her to be patient.
Hindsight
Once the session came to an end, it was time to discuss what this meant to Ann, what stood out for her and what she could take away from the discussion with her pain. Ann said she discovered that pain is not this terrible, frightening thing. That it can be a lesson for us and that the body is trying to tell us something. She noted that she is not 20 years old any longer and that she would normally fight against that “I have to accept I can’t do some things that I used to.” “I am getting older. I can do things to keep in shape but I don’t have to go overboard any more.” She said that, initially, she wanted to tell Petey to ____-off, but that now she realized he had a job to do. She definitely got the message from him to change her workout habit and to be patient! Ann said she tended to get hyper and feel that she had to be productive constantly but instead now she realizes she can just chill, just slow down and enjoy every moment. She said she got a good piece of advice from Petey to do something positive for herself like get a massage.Ideally, holding two to three IGI sessions around a particular issue such as this can help the client incorporate recommended changes. Since Ann was going out of town, we reviewed through email any further thoughts about the session and I wanted to see if she had followed any of Petey’s recommendations. Ann said she has been walking for 20 minutes several times a week now. She reported that her back is somewhat better, not all better by any means; and she may still need to see a physician about it. She also shared that Petey helped her with acceptance and rather than get upset about being in pain, she is now working on doing something about it.
As we consider the messages Ann received from Petey to: change her exercise routine; live more in the moment; don’t try to be busy 24/7; have patience and do something good for yourself, one could surmise that Petey could even be Ann’s inner advisor. This is a term used in IGI for a wise, helpful being that resides in all of us who we just need to call upon for advice or guidance when desired. We’ll get more into learning about the inner advisor in some future blog posts. For now, I want to stress the importance of quieting the mind to allow us to access that part of ourselves that truly does look out for our best interests.
The advice Petey gave may seem trivial to some and that is understandable to a degree. However when people are in pain, emotional distress, or stress in general, they often aren’t thinking as clearly and may overlook what might seem obvious to someone else. It is then we can all benefit from assistance in finding these solutions within ourselves. As you may well know, our solutions can be much more compelling when they are our own ideas.
Stay tuned as my next post will continue to share insights from real client sessions.
Webinar: Funding For Psychosocial Oncology Programs
If you are a Physician, Psychologist, Nurse, Mental Health Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage & Family Therapist or Patient Advocate who is interested in treating the psychosocial effects of cancer you need to be aware of The American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS). Their mission is to advance the science and practice of psychosocial care for those with cancer and their families. They are offering a webinar on Thursday, November 3, 2011 for a broad audience of psychosocial oncology professionals who may be interested in starting a program providing psychosocial support for cancer patients and caregivers. The webinar features three experts from across the country who were successful in acquiring funding and support for their institutions. The discussion will include the primary funding models that worked for them: institutional resources, fee-for-service and philanthropic endeavors.
COST:
Members-$30.00
Nonmembers-$45.00
CEUs are not available at this time.
APOS is also presenting their ninth annual conference February 23-25, 2011 in Miami, Florida. The theme of this conference is Reducing Health Disparities in Quality Cancer Care: Psychosocial Research, Practice and Outreach.
I attended last year’s conference in New Orleans and was quite pleased with APOS as an organization and with the program offered. I found this event to be extremely well-organized and the APOS members most welcoming since it was my first attendance. The breakout sessions and symposiums provided thought provoking topics on Palliative Care, Survivorship Issues, Resilience in Cancer Patients, Integrative Oncology Practice Guidelines, Distress Screening and Meet the Expert Luncheons to name just a few. Some of the experts speaking were Jimmie Holland, MD; Harold Freeman, MD; Paul Jacobsen; PhD and Julia Rowland, PhD. Attending a conference of this caliber also offers a great opportunity to network with these and other professionals in the field.
Let's Discuss Pain For a Moment
How is pain frequently dealt with in our society in the U.S.? If I were to ask 10 people that question I suspect more than half would respond with “take pain medication to numb the pain.” I would like you to consider that we do not necessarily need to resort to taking pain medications since they tend to cover up the symptoms of what may be causing the pain. With this post I’ll introduce you to two guided imagery pain management techniques, the latter one being an Interactive Guided Imagery℠.
The first method, called Glove Anesthesia, works well to address acute pain, perhaps as the result of an injury. The first step in dealing with any pain however is to rule out the need for medical attention. So please see a physician first if there is that need. Once determined you are not in medical need, you can try this form of mind-body medicine. What do I mean by mind-body? We can use the power of our thoughts and emotions to influence physical health.
So, we begin with you, the client, being guided through a relaxation exercise where you are asked to picture yourself some place beautiful in nature while focusing on slow, relaxed breathing. Once in a relaxed state, you are asked to imagine a bucket filled with an anesthetic liquid that is able to numb your pain, to then place your hand into the liquid and begin to experience its numbing effects. You would then be asked to place your numb hand onto whatever part of the body is experiencing pain so the numbness can move to that area. This can be a very effective method for reducing pain, or even having it disappear altogether.
Another effective technique is to have a dialogue with your pain to find out what the pain may be trying to communicate to you. Before you get all “woo woo” on me, hear this out.
The session begins with a relaxation exercise similar to any guided imagery exercise. Once you are relaxed, your imagery guide instructs you to allow an image to form in your mind that represents your pain. An image may come to mind of a person or being, an animal, or an inanimate object. It does not matter. It is whatever comes to your mind first. You are then asked to describe it in detail, what you notice about it, what are you experiencing. You will also be asked to have a conversation with the image. You’ll ask your pain questions like why is it here, what it wants and what it needs from you? Ultimately what you want is for your pain to tell you what it needs you to do in order for it to diminish or leave altogether.
This method works by tapping into the unconscious mind allowing you to more easily discover a solution and receive answers about your pain, and what may help to manage it in a more effective way. The beauty of this technique is that you, as the client, find the solution to the problem within yourself. Remember, we usually have our own solutions to our problems or concerns and sometimes just need assistance to tap into that part of the brain, the unconscious mind, to more easily access our answers. This exercise needs to be done with a well-trained guide. As I explained in an earlier post, you can visit The Academy For Guided Imagery (AGI) to find a certified practitioner in or near your area. If you live in an area where there are no trained practitioners a helpful resource is Health Journeys, where you can order specific guided imagery CDs/MP3s on pain, insomnia, smoking cessation, etc.
When something works to help reduce the use of, oftentimes, addicting pain medications it’s a “no brainer.” In a future post, I’ll share some real client sessions where Interactive Guided Imagery was integral in reducing pain, stress and anxiety. Keep in touch.
Regular or Premium? Comparing Guided Imagery with Interactive Guided Imagery℠
The “regular kind” just doesn’t do the technique justice, but neither do the antonyms for interactive: detached, dissociated, distinct, separate or unshared.
While Interactive Guided Imagery℠ (IGI℠) invariably requires a “party of two,” the “regular kind” does not have to be experienced alone. I’ve personally led groups of both cancer and cardiac patients through GI sessions.
My mission is to advocate greater knowledge and use of guided imagery–both the “regular kind” and the “interactive kind.” If you have ideas for a better name for the “regular kind,” please leave a comment because my husband is sure to ask this question again.
So what is the difference? Do a typical Google search and you’ll find a lot of different ways people have answered this question.
Guided Imagery is considered a complementary therapy, meaning it works well together with conventional medical treatments. Both GI and IGI rely on similar techniques to assist a client to achieve a state of relaxation but, as the name implies, there is interaction between the practitioner and client throughout an Interactive Guided Imagery session.
GI is considered a mind-body technique utilizing imagination and visualization to achieve a desired goal, like improved test-taking performance, improved sleep, increased self-esteem, or quieting the mind and body to decrease stress. You don’t need a therapist to practice GI, as evidenced by the multitude of recognized scripts available from reputable therapists.
There is a guarantee, however, that a GI recording won’t adjust to your individual circumstances and needs. That’s not being critical of guided imagery recordings. I have given more than a few as gifts to friends and family and will continue to do so. I see them as a positive adjunct to IGI.
Guided imagery recordings are increasingly effective the more they are listened to. It is often recommended to listen to a specific recording once or twice a day for a couple of weeks. When you think about it, that’s a tremendous commitment I don’t believe we can rely on every client to maintain, which probably accounts for a number of “it didn’t work for me” comments we hear.
There’s no escaping the commitment that Interactive Guided Imagery requires. You’re “all in,” or you’re not.
IGI is a fluid process where the client, in reality, guides the guide. Let’s say you are the client. First, the IGI practitioner collaborates with you to discuss a goal you wish to achieve, or perhaps a problem you want to resolve. The practitioner guides you through the relaxation portion of the exercise, being sure to incorporate the use of the five senses: sight, sound, taste, smell and touch. Practitioners typically work to help your brain and body believe you are truly somewhere beautiful in nature.
Once in a relaxed state, you are asked to allow an image to come to mind that represents the problem. You would be amazed at the many different examples of images that clients come up with! A practitioner will then ask questions about the image:
• What does the image looks like? Describe it in detail.
• Why is the image here?
• Does it have a name?
• How do you feel about the image?
• What does the image want?
• What will it take to make the image go away?
So how does the client guide the guide? This happens, in essence, by the answers you supply in response to the questions you are asked about the image. Your answers come from within you and your unconscious mind. The process of relaxation and imagery taps into the right side of the brain where the unconscious mind resides. A fundamental belief of guided imagery is that we all have answers to our problems, issues and concerns. We just may need assistance to access that part of the brain.
In my view, to truly benefit from all that guided imagery has to offer, you will be better served being directed by an experienced practitioner than you will be hoping for the best from a recording, no matter how good it is. CDs and MP3s don’t ask you questions.They give you answers, whether or not that was your question in the first place.
Until there are more IGI practitioners, CDs will remain our best bet to advance the benefits of GI. A wonderful site to purchase one is Bellaruth Naparstek’s Health Journeys. You need to pick the CD that most closely matches your goal. IGI practitioners can be found through the Academy For Guided Imagery at Find An Imagery Practitioner. While you’re there, learn about their certification program to become an IGI practitioner.
There are other good training programs out there. Beyond Ordinary Nursing offers a 108 hour Certificate Program in Imagery for health care professionals and they also have a directory of practitioners. If you know of another certification program, please let me know.
Both types of guided imagery have unique qualities that offer emotional and physical benefits. One of my primary goals for The Guided Imagery Advocate is to share what research I find about the benefits of these techniques. If you are participating in research of this kind, I encourage you to contact me.
Whether you choose Interactive Guided Imagery or the “regular kind” (yes, my husband still wants to know), you stand to benefit.
Navigating Cancer Care Symposium
First of all, this isn't about Guided Imagery, but I'm posting this conference because I'm in town to attend it and reunite with old friends and former co-workers. That, and I will be campaigning to make Guided Imagery an agenda item for their next conference! The Pinellas County Oncology Nursing Society (PCON) is a great group and their annual Navigating Cancer Care Symposium, co-presented with Suncoast Hospice (the nation's largest Hospice organization and, coincidentally, a former employer of mine) is a great value for nurses, marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors, social workers and nursing home administrators looking to pick up 6 contact hours of CEUs.
The conference is this Saturday, September 17th, from 8:00 until 3:30 at The Gathering Place, on the beautiful campus of The Suncoast Hospice, 5771 Roosevelt Blvd, Clearwater, FL. PCONS Members: $30.00, Non-Member: $40.00, Students: $25.00. The cost Includes lunch and breaks.
Contact PCONS at pinellascountyons@gmail.com.
I've included the symposium's schedule below. Hope to see you there!
8:00 - 8:25 Coffee/ Registration/ Vendor Exhibits8:25 Welcome - Rita King, RN, MSN, OCN
8:30 - 9:30 Alternative Sympton Management: Getting to the Point with Acupuncture
Kirksak Jay Poonkasem MD, Suncoast Hospice
9:30 - 10:30 Update on Surgical Treatment for Gynecology Cancers
Tyler Kirby MD, FACOG, West Coast Gynecologic Oncology
10:30 - 10:45 Break and Vendor Exhibits
10:45 - 11:45 New Techniques for Tissue Diagnosis of Lung Cancer
Shea Eckerdt MD, Pulmonary/Critical Care, Bay Area Chest Physicians
11:45 - 12:45 Managing Anemia in Chronic Renal Insufficiency of the Oncology Patient
Kit Meador RN, BSN, OCN, Florida Cancer Specialists
12:45 - 1:30 Lunch and Vendor Exhibits
1:30 - 2:30 Breast Cancer Navigator Role
Mary Reilly, RN, OCN, CBHN, Morton Plant Mease HealthCare
2:30 - 3:30 Stress Survival Care
Dr. Robert L. Arnold, Ed.D, M.A., Suncoast Hospice
3:30 Questions/Evaluations/Grand Prize Drawing
Annual Women and Pain Conference
Welcome
My name is Elena Parsons. I am a Florida Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Certified Interactive Guided Imagery℠ practitioner. I utilize guided imagery techniques to help clients cope with their medical condition and manage pain. The majority of my clients are cancer patients, but guided imagery can be extremely helpful in many different scenarios, from cardiac patients to smokers wanting to quit.
The goal of this blog is simple: To share my thoughts, ideas and observations about guided imagery; to feature patients, practitioners and physicians who are successfully utilizing guided imagery; and to draw your attention to new research, information and events you may find useful.
Though I received my certification from the Academy for Guided Imagery (AGI) and was trained by Dr. David Bresler, one of the founders of the Interactive Guided Imagery℠ movement, I am, by no means, the most experienced or knowledgeable practitioner. Please think of me as your humble host, only wanting to advocate greater understanding and usage of guided imagery by bringing together patients, practitioners and physicians to share their own experiences.
This is my first blog, so things may start off a little rocky at first. I would appreciate your patience. More importantly, I would be grateful for your participation. I want to feature your work, your successes and failures (we can, after all, learn from both), any opportunities you're willing to share (seminars and workshops, publications and new articles, even job openings), and any observations you're willing to make.
Above all, because there are always differing opinions, I'll remind that I am here to help people, and expect others participating here to have the same motivation. Let's please keep our dialog civil and professional.
Thank you for joining me on this exciting journey into the amazing world of guided imagery.
Elena Parsons, LMHC
Bio Link
Elena Parsons is a Florida Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Certified Interactive Guided Imagery℠ practitioner. She is the Managing Director of Parsons-Wilson Guided Imagery Consulting, LLC and an online cancer support counselor for Cancer Counseling Now. Email elena.parsons@guidedimagery.org
