NLP support group for cancer patients and carers


 Practical NLP in the Ellesmere Port 
Cancer Patients’ and Carers’ support group
 
Ann Slack and Henrie Lidiard
 
The group was set up as a response to the needs of those who have been affected by cancer (as recorded in the Living with Cancer Project focus-group interviews). It aimed to provide support for those who have been diagnosed with cancer, their friends and relations and those who have been bereaved. In addition to providing a positive and supportive environment in which to discuss their concerns, the group also offered specific ideas and techniques which could help people to cope with the difficulties they were experiencing. As facilitators, we used our skills in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and drew on ideas from a variety of different disciplines. 
 
The group was different from some other support groups in that it did not aim to provide information on cancer, treatment and its side effects. This was available to participants on an individual basis through the involvement of the Macmillan Information Service. It was also different from some other types of support group in its provision of opportunities to learn and practice new ways of dealing with some of the difficulties, which were discussed, in addition to talking with others and sharing experiences.
 
Participants
The group included people who were recently diagnosed; those currently undergoing treatment; their partners; those who had completed treatment and were still recovering from the experience of cancer; their relatives and people who had been recently bereaved. The group included a variety of age groups. On two occasions this included three generations of the same family!
 
Group Facilitators: Ann Slack and Henrie Lidiard
                                   
Macmillan Information Service: Anne Coles, Jill Littlewood and Anne Gregory.
 
Structure of the Sessions
The first session focused on getting to know each other and gathering information about what people wanted from the group. There was considerable interest in dealing with stress and difficult feelings and in having the opportunity to meet people who have had similar experiences.
 
As the group became established, a pattern emerged. This consisted of beginning by chatting, catching up with each other and getting to know new people. We then suggested some input, usually in response to concerns, which had been raised either in that session or at a previous meeting. The group was happy to try out particular ideas, at other times the suggestion led into further discussions and different suggestions. Techniques were often introduced to the group in novel or light-hearted ways, which generated interest and discussion. The input was always brief and practical in nature, providing tools, which people could use themselves.
 
When these ideas had been discussed, we took a leisurely break, which gave plenty of time for general conversation and to discuss individual concerns. We were sometimes able to help people with very specific issues, using insights and techniques from NLP to help to resolve difficulties. The nurses who provide the Macmillan Information Service joined us for the tea break. They were available to chat informally to those present and pick up on any needs that were identified. For example, when one lady had talked about a particular side effect of her medication, the Macmillan Nurse was able to contact her doctor and have the medication changed.
 
With information from the nurses we were able to link people up with those who had similar experiences and ensured that they had time and space to chat together. In running the group, we were able to monitor different conversations so that people had sufficient time to create relationships with each other.
 
The sessions usually ended by bringing the group back together to try out some form of relaxation. A variety of techniques were used, and these were very successful in helping people to relax, often to the surprise of those had felt that they were unable to relax.
 
We focused on creating rapport in a very diverse group and used specific language patterns so that the group were exposed to consistently positive and empowering language. We used our awareness of the importance of state and skills to influence state positively. The mind-body connection was a theme throughout the group. This helped people to appreciate that their thoughts and attitudes could play an important role in helping them to deal with difficulties. They were also given strategies and techniques to help them to become more positive. This is more helpful than simply advising people to ‘Be positive’. The emphasis in these groups was on solving problems and moving towards an enhanced quality of experience. Many of the processes are enjoyable and relaxing in and of themselves in addition to achieving a number of other specific benefits. They included:
Results and feedback from the participants
Throughout the sessions people mentioned ways that they had used ideas from the group, such as affirmation and Brain Gym exercises. Some reported that they were feeling more positive, in one case this was mentioned after only one session. We observed individuals becoming more relaxed in their posture and expressions. Some people were able to smile and laugh more. Several of those who attended reported improvements in their sleep. A woman who had attended only one session told Anne Coles, that she had been able to sleep every night since she had attended the group and asked Anne to pass on her thanks.
 
Anne used a new assessment tool, ‘Cancer CAN’, with one of the course participants, shortly before she started to attend. The results of this assessment give some measure of the patients concerns and difficulties. Anne repeated the same assessment after the course and this showed considerable improvement. This woman was able to return to work and intended to take up part-time study. She was also very keen to learn more about NLP. It is interesting to note that improvements were apparent not just in her thoughts and feelings but also in some of the physical symptoms, which had been causing problems e.g. dizziness, fatigue, gastric problems   and sleeplessness.
 
Even those who attended only one or two weeks reported improvements. Some people did tell us that they had used particular ideas to help them to feel more positive. Others seemed to quickly take on board that their attitudes could either help or hinder them. For some the opportunity to talk about their experiences and to support others was clearly important. The group was able to be light hearted in spite of the serious difficulties they were facing. Many of the techniques were presented using humour and fun. The benefits of humour were also discussed.
 
Learning   
It was humbling and inspiring to discover that very brief amounts of input were enough to create very significant changes in the participants’ experience.
 
Stress was a major factor for people in the group. Through providing information on the ‘Fight or Flight’ response and the symptoms of stress, we were able to help people to make sense of their experience. One member of the group responded to the session on stress by stating that now she knew that she wasn’t ‘mad’. When people understand their symptoms, they tend to feel less frightened and worried.
 
It was clear that the relatives of people with cancer are affected by stress too. They can also feel unsure about how to respond helpfully. We emphasised the importance of taking care of their own needs without feeling selfish. Some of the information on stress also helped relatives to understand the feelings and behaviour of the person who had been diagnosed with cancer.
 
Brain Gym exercises proved very useful as they can very directly undo the ‘Fight or Flight’ response, and help people to feel relaxed much more quickly that they expect. Simple techniques, which illustrate the effect of thought on the physical functioning of the body, helped to emphasise the value of dealing with emotions in a positive way. Some members of the group responded to theses exercises very enthusiastically. They felt more motivated to remain positive as they had a concrete appreciation of its value. These ideas were not presented as ways to deal with cancer specifically but as part of helping to reduce additional stress on the body.
 
Conclusion
This type of group can clearly help people who are living with the effects of cancer. Those who attended responded well, with some showing very marked improvement in their ability to cope with their experience of cancer.
For some people, the opportunity to talk was a very important part of the group, others were very keen to learn and practice new techniques. These two aspects of the group needed to be balanced, week-by-week, in response to what was happening both for individuals and within the group. There also seemed to be a cumulative effect, with people becoming more positive in their attitudes over time.
 
 
The following interviews illustrate the effect that his group had on two people who regularly attended the group.
 
A carer’s account:
”NLP has added to my communication skills. I can talk to people in bad situations now. And I'm aware of how important it is to focus on the positive. My advice if you are talking to a cancer patient is to ask, "Where do you want to be in twelve months' time?" You need a target. It's important to have a positive attitude. I am much more confident talking to professional people. I enjoyed talking about our experiences of using NLP at the training session and am happy to do more. There were health professionals there and they were interested in what we had to say and wanted to learn. I can talk to consultants now, matching, mirroring, and thinking about the aspects I want to find out about and asking questions. NLP helps me think clearly and sensibly, and be aware of the language I use.
 
For me personally, NLP has made a difference by putting me more in control of my emotions. Following my illness ten years ago, I was having mood swings and suffering depression. NLP has helped me out of that depression. Since doing the NLP I have been a lot calmer.”
 
A patient’s account:
 “What a load of . . . . !” was my first reaction. “What have I let myself in for?” But I knew I needed something and the Macmillan nurse who introduced me to the support group had been so understanding. I later learned that she was an extremely clever person, her interests and role in the health service covered many different things, and she herself had been very sceptical at first. We both soon discovered that NLP really does work.

I needed something there and then because I had reached such a low point. I had kept myself so positive through all the treatment for breast cancer, and then suddenly my confidence was swept away as my friend and neighbour, whose experiences seemed to mirror my own, became terminally ill with secondary tumours. We had been through so much together, even having our operations on the same day. It was a great shock, I was frightened and very, very upset. 
So I joined the support group, and although it seemed strangely unfamiliar at first, the atmosphere was relaxing. I especially liked the Tai Chi. I noticed how the music lightened the mood and I found I could let myself go in the group. People were talking and sharing their different experiences.
The facilitators taught us how to relax, and now I’m able to just shut off for five minutes whenever I want to, and it gives me the oomph to carry on. I have shown my sister, who is housebound, how to do it, and she finds it helpful and enjoyable too. I have recommended the support group to other patients I have met at the hospital. Being able to relax can make so much difference.

The trainers were very skilful, they dealt with issues as they arose during the session and answered questions in just the right way. They helped me to see the differences between my illness and my friend’s and to focus positively on my own recovery. I look at things in life with a different perspective now. NLP has shown me how to be more positive, instead of looking down, look forward and onward.

NLP helps you to think clearly and sensibly and I recognise the importance of the language we use. I handle difficult situations much better now, I think first. I’ve got more confidence to talk to people, like the lady down the road whose husband was very poorly, like my sister-in-law when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. People don’t know what to say in circumstances like that, they want to avoid them, and I was just the same. Now I can talk to them with confidence and I know a few words can help someone else.

My relationships with doctors have changed. I used to say, “They weren’t listening to me”. I was brought up in awe of doctors, to show respect, never to ask questions, just to do as I was told. These days I find myself unconsciously mirroring their body language, I ask questions and I don’t forget the major points. And my doctor tells me things, gives me more details, explains more. I feel consulted.
 
Having a better relationship with medical people has given me more confidence in them. I can trust them because I know I’ve had a proper examination and discussion, mind and body are working together, and the doctor, the specialist and myself are all sharing control and are all taking responsibility for my well being. I feel better about myself.”

A case for using NLP in the NHS


 The Need for NLP in the NHS
 
By Henrie Lidiard  
(First published in NLP News: March 2005)

 
My own experience 
When my mother was in hospital and during her subsequent stay in a hospice, it seemed clear to me, both from her experience of care and from my direct experience of medical staff, that there were some areas that could really be helped by some awareness of NLP techniques.   When I asked staff directly at both the hospital and the hospice about areas they felt they would like some help in, three themes came up consistently.  They were:
 
1. dealing with high stress levels
2. ways of dealing with anxiety in patients and
3. ways to deal effectively with depression in patients. 
 
The only options that the nurses I spoke to said they had, were medication (and many patients in cancer wards are already taking a lot of drugs) or a sympathetic listening ear. They found that the latter didn’t always help patients and they didn’t always feel they had the energy to give it because of the toll on their own emotions. 

More and more change
The NHS in Britain is undergoing huge changes, not solely because of re-organisation of the way the Health Service is managed but also because of changes in the society we are part of.  
 
For instance: patients are in some ways better informed than they used to be (as a result of using the internet to research their condition). They may also, for similar reasons, have higher expectations than in the past. Patients also don’t seem to have such respect and deference for Health practitioners as they once did (RCGP 2002). In addition users of the health service seem to be becoming more litigious when things go wrong and cases are given a high profile in the media.
 
There are worrying life-style trends particularly amongst young people in Britain (for example binge drinking, poor diet, lack of exercise and smoking) which mean that problems such as obesity (and the attendant effects on heart disease, cancer and diabetes) are likely to put more strain on resources. Increasingly, as part of preventative medicine, doctors and nurses may be seeking to influence peoples’ decisions about the way they take care of themselves.
 
Stress and depression seem to have risen in the general population and prescribing for depression has risen to record levels. These factors combined with the aging population trend in Britain and difficulties in recruiting and retaining highly qualified staff suggest that there is likely to be more change ahead as we find ways to cope.

Stress in the health-care professions and its effects on staff and patients:
Stress seems to be an important issue for Health professionals. It isn’t only rising in the general population but it seems that it is increasing within the profession also. Some statistics suggest that 50% of GPs and a similar proportion of NHS managers and consultants are suffering borderline or more severe anxiety and a quarter of GPs have borderline or more severe depression (RCGP 2002). (I don’t have statistics for the mental health services but anecdotally the situation sounds similar). In addition, as a coping strategy 23% of GP’s drink to relieve stress and 7% are addicted to alcohol or other chemicals. (RCGP report 22). A BMA report 1998 found that ‘many senior doctors suffer high levels of stress and this impairs their health and also compromises their ability to provide high quality care to patients’.
Burn-out of medical staff is a recognised problem and can cause the following effects:
 

In one study of 16 Bone marrow transplant units half of all Doctors and nurses were sowing marked symptoms of burn-out (Molassiotis 1995).

There are potentially high costs associated with these levels of stress. These may include not only the suffering of the individuals involved but the costs of sickness absence, premature retirement, health-care and rehabilitation, even premature death. In addition as stress impairs performance a lowered standard of patient care can mean complaints, bad publicity, litigation and compensation (BMA 1998). It seems that there is a pressing need for medical staff to have access to effective strategies for managing their own emotional states and looking after their well-being. It is possible that if they had access to these, they might also be able to pass these on to their patients.
Some areas of the health service seem to work together more effectively than others. This is critical as research also points to an unequivocal connection between the impact of dysfunctional teams and patient mortality (Aiken et al 1994, West 2002). It is still all too common for breakdowns in communication to occur between different parts of the system e.g. between consultants and referring doctors (Tattersall and Ellis 1998 and Bain and Campbell 2000)
 
The needs of professionals in the cancer field:
This is captured in an excellent review by Sargent et al (2004). In summary, it seems critical that health professionals in the field of cancer care have access to ways of managing their own emotional wellbeing. The research also highlighted a need for  communication, inter-personal and
Psycho-social support skills in providing quality, patient-focused care. It also found, that despite official policy, health professionals were not yet receiving adequate communication and interpersonal skills training.

The needs of cancer patients/carers:
Patients value many things in their care, in addition to technical competence one study (Farrell 2001) found that they value:
These qualities and behaviours would all be harder to deliver if the medical staff were stressed, anxious, depressed or burnt-out. In fact descriptions of being treated like a symptom or a disease (a thing?) were all too common in the Patients’ and Carers focus group held in Ellesmere Port as part of the Living with Cancer research project (Sargent et al 2004).
It is interesting that where patients expressed views on how their care could be improved they do seem to mirror the symptoms of professional burnout.

The "Interior" beckons:
In short there are several areas where there seems to be an increasing need for skills in the health service, they include:
All of these needs reflect the "interior subjective" or the "interior collective" aspects of the system (Wilber 1988, 2001). This intangible aspect of our interior experience is the very one science has for a long time pretended doesn’t really exist because it is hard to measure. It is also the aspect of health-care that medical practitioners currently feel ill-equipped to deal with (Department of Health 2000).

NLP can help:
NLP can be of profound and practical help in this area as it provides not only a logical and consistent understanding of the structure of subjective experience but also a systematic and effective way of working with it to make positive changes. 
 
References:

Aiken L.H. Smith, H.L., Lake E.T., 1994 Lower medicare mortality among a set of hospitals known for good nursing care. Medical Care 1994. Vol. 32: (8) p 771 – 787.
 
Bain N.S. .Campbell N. 2000. Treating patients with colo-rectal cancer in rural and urban areas: a qualitative study of the patients perspective.   Family Practice Vol. 17: (6) p475 – 479.
 
British Medical Association report 1998 by BMA Health Policy and Economic Research Unit. Work related stress among senior doctors: Review.
 
Department of Health 2000. The NHS Cancer Plan. A plan for investment. A plan for reform. Department of Health London.
 
Farrell C. 2001. There is no system to the whole procedure: Listening to patients views and experiences of NHS cancer services in NHS Cancer services. Supporting paper: 1 NHS cancer-care in England and Wales. London: Commission of Health Improvement.
 
Molassiotis A. ,Vander-Akker O.B., Boughton B.J. 1995. Psychological stress in nursing and medical staff on bone marrow transplant units. Erratum in Bone Marrow Transplant Vol. 15: (3) 328 .
 
Royal College of General Practice. 2002 Information sheet No. 22. Stress and General Practice. 
 
Sargent, P., Thurston M. ans Kirby, K. 2004   An evaluation of the Living With Cancer Project. Using NLP techniques to maximise the coping strategies of carers and patients living with cancer in Ellesmere Port. ISBN: 1-902275-34-9.
 
Tattershall M. and Ellis P. 1998 Communication is a vital part of are. Britishe Medical Journal Vol. 316: p1890 – 1893.
 
West M. 2002 A matter of life and death. Article in People Management magazine February 2002 p 30 – 36.
 
Wilber K. 1988 The marriage of sense and soul. Integrating science and religion. New leaf. Dublin.
 
Wilber K. 2001 Eye to Eye: the quest for a new paradigm. Shambala Publications Inc. Massachusetts.
 

Using BrainGym® within an NLP Training for long-term mental-health service users:


Changing state:
Using BrainGym ® and NLP with mental-health service users:

By Dr Henrie Lidiard 
Go Beyond Coaching, Training and Consulting
 
Many NLP News readers will have had some experience of Brain Gym® and still more will have heard of it. However a relatively small number of NLP practitioners have a real appreciation of this branch of kinesiology and what it can achieve. This article sets out to give a very brief overview of the subject and to give a flavour of how very effective we have found it to be as part of our NLP training in the mental health context.
 
What is Brain Gym®?
Brain Gym is a simple and highly effective set of (circa 25) physical exercises (Dennison and Dennison 1997) that can enable us to change state rapidly and to make profound and lasting changes in our internal representations, behaviours and the quality of our experience. 
 
Where did Brain Gym® come from?
Brain Gym® is a part of a discipline called Educational Kinesiology which is itself an offshoot from the vast discipline of Applied Kinesiology. To have a sense of the breadth of Brain Gym® and the many strands of research and expertise that have informed it here is a brief history of it’s development (summarised from Charles Krebs excellent account in his book ‘A revolutionary way of thinking’ Krebs 1998):
 
Applied kinesiology was founded upon the work of Dr George Goodheart and a body of other chiropractic physicians. Goodheart was a synthesising thinker who brought together several disciplines, namely:
 
1. The in depth analysis of the exact motion of muscles and the way they move joints (or ‘academic kinesiology’, Kendall and Kendall 1949).
 
2. He developed the technique of working with the origin and insertion points (i.e. both ends of the muscles) to improve muscle function and correct movement of joints. (Goodheart 1986).
 
3. Through his practice, and observations of his clients he made the connection between the functioning of certain muscle groups and the function of particular organs of the body (Krebs 1998).
 
4. He drew on the work of Chapman and his work on the lymphatic system (Krebs 1998)
 
5. He used the work of Bennet who had discovered certain reflex points which affected blood flow in the body (Bennett 1977)
 
6. He later added Chinese knowledge about energy meridians in the body and acupressure points (Goodheart 1966, Mann 1962).
These weren’t just ideas to Goodheart, his work was based on systematic observation and testing. His synthesis of all these findings later became the core of Applied kinesiology.
 
Touch For Health
A member of Goodheart’s ‘dirty dozen’ chiropractic research team was John Thie. He had a particular interest in the Chinese energy system and developed Goodheart’s work to be accessible to anybody, not just highly trained chiropractors. He did this by formulating the discipline of ‘Touch for Health’ (Thie 1979).
 
Educational Kinesiology (EK)
Dr Paul Dennison brought together the discipline of educational kinesiology following his Ph.D. in experimental psychology from USC. He became interested in Touch For Health and in addition had a strong interest in education as he was dyslexic and had for many years been helping children and adults at the Valley Remedial Group Learning Centre in California. He combined a series of cross-lateral body movements (such as ‘cross-crawl’), emotional stress release tools (which made use of two of the Bennets neuro-vascular reflex points) several simple acupressure techniques, some standard remedial education techniques and several yoga asanas (namely adaptations of the cobra, neck rolls, the forward stretch and the warrior pose). One of the brilliant things about brain gym® is this elegant simplification. A collection of movements/activities which are easy to learn and explain and which enable general use in a way that makes a big difference to a great many people.
 
When we talk about Brain Gym® we are really referring to just this series of simple energising activities (Dennison and Dennison 1994). These activities may also be used within a simple and effective 5-step ‘balance’ process that comprises Educational Kinesiology (Dennison and Dennison 1997).
 
Educational kinesiology is an outcome-oriented change process which uses before and after calibration and contrast frames (in this respect similar to NLP). Dr Paul Dennison’s work is continually developing and encompassing new applications, refinements and understandings as neuroscience progresses. His thinking and practice of this movement-based change-process have been influenced by a great many people, including: Alexander, Feldenkrais and Milton Traeger.   It is also important to note that the whole field of Educational Kinesiology is much broader and richer than the Brain Gym® exercises alone.
 
Why does Brain Gym® work?
In NLP we are generally familiar with the idea of the mind body system and the fact that the one affects and influences the other. And also in NLP we are familiar with the Mercedes model. It may be useful for NLP practitioners to have a somewhat expanded model of the body (though whilst expanded, I must stress that it is still a grossly simplified though somewhat functional model !!) . It might be useful also to have some sense of how these aspects of our physiology can affect and be affected by our mind and emotions.
 
When our brains are functioning well for many tasks, even simple ones we are using multiple areas of our brain, which are constantly interrelating through complex integrative pathways (Krebs 1998). When we find learning or carrying out particular tasks joyful and easy we have few functional blocks in our mental processing. However it is also an almost universal phenomenon that we find some things easier to learn and do than others. Many of us are also familiar with the experience of having ‘on days’ and ‘off days’ in terms of doing things that are familiar to us or in terms of learning. In NLP we are aware that our state is critical to good performance and effective learning. 
 
Blocks to learning and processing/functioning/performing can be usefully thought of in two forms:
 
1. Organic or physical blocks (caused by in-utero problems, or physical trauma from birth resulting in minute areas of brain damage, or physical trauma or areas of hypoxia in brain tissue later in life). These kinds of blocks are relatively rare. Far more common are the 2ndkind.
 
2. Functional blocks: these occur when areas of the brain cease to communicate with each other in their usual effective manner. However there is no physical cause in the brain tissue, it is simply a case that the electrical/chemical signals are not transmitted effectively. It seems that functional blocks caused by physical or emotional stress are a great component of poor performance and difficulties in learning (Krebs 1998).
 
Among other things, these functional blocks may be generated by:
 
 
Very simply put, when these blocks occur, communications in the brain can become impeded in one or more of 3 “directions”. There are specific kinesiology interventions that seem to help with particular blocks, however it is useful to note that pretty much any movement at all is helpful to a degree. Also each brain gym exercise can actually affect a number of the body’s systems simultaneously. 
 
“Left-Right Hemisphere blocks” (logic/gestalt functions)
This is sometimes called the “laterality dimension” (Dennison and Dennison 1997) and relates to our ability to communicate effectively, to access and use language, spatial skills that involve crossing the midline and our ability to access both whole picture and detail. There is a great deal written about the preferences between left and right hemisphere processing, (Hanaford 1997) e.g. left hemisphere involves logical, linear processing, facts, details and abstraction. The right hemisphere involves simultaneous processing, global chunking, spatial/visual skills, colour, form and pattern, tonality and metaphor. However many of these simple generalisations re: left/right are contradicted and expanded by research cited by Jensen (1996) and by Krebs (1998). Whilst recognising that there may be more subtle and complex interactions between left and right occurring during particular tasks, it is still useful for us to be moving towards accessing our ‘whole brain’ for learning/processing.
 
Brain Gym® involves a series of exercises that cross the body’s midline and may facilitate more effective communication between the right and left hemispheres of the brain via the corpus callosum.
 
“Blocks between the thinking and feeling brain” (i.e. upper-brain/ neo-cortex and mid-brain/limbic system)
This is sometimes called the “centering dimension” (Dennison and Dennison 1997) and may also be connected with our ability to organise ourselves, things and information. When a functional block occurs between these two aspects of the brain it can result in someone having a sense that they are ‘stuck in their head’ and cut off from their body and emotions, or alternatively stuck in their emotionality and unable to organise their thoughts. It is possible also to experience confusion between upper and lower body movements. For anyone experiencing this kind of block, There are a series of useful exercises (Dennison and Dennison 1994) that can calm and balance the emotions. 
 
“Blocks between the fore brain and the hind brain or brain stem”
This is sometimes called the focus or comprehension dimension and affects forward –backward motion of the body and our ability to move forward and take action (Dennison and Dennison 1997). In addition, and interestingly for NLP, this functional block may have a significant effect on our perception of time. In particular this block may cause people to feel that they have lost contact with the present moment, either by being too focussed on forward planning or by being stuck in the past and unable to move on (Krebs 1998). For anyone experiencing these symptoms, gentle lengthening activities (Dennison and Dennison 1994) which act on the muscles and tendons up the back of the body may alleviate the “block”.
 
In addition to these 3 “directions” of “functional blocks” there are 2 other phenomena that can occur with stress to affect our physical and energetic body.    When we understand these ways in which our physiology is responding to our mental/emotional state, we can have even more choice in ways we can intervene and change the way our system is functioning.
 
Polarity switching:
The Chinese acupuncture system maps out energy meridians on the body with specific acupressure points. These energy meridians have particular directions of flow and also relate to particular organs in the body. This system recognises 12 major energy meridians in the body plus the 2 major energy reservoirs: the “central vessel “(flowing up the centre of the body from the pubic bone to below the bottom lip) and the “governing vessel” (flowing up the back of the body from the tail bone and up and over the back of the head and down the face to the point beneath the nose and above the top lip).
 
It seems that we all have an optimal distribution of positive and negative charges over the surface of the body. These have been measured by skin conductivity and also by measuring the ionisation of the air in each nostril. (Yoga uses breathing techniques such as alternate nostril breathing to regulate and balance activity between the brain hemispheres and also the body’s energy system). When we are under stress (mental/emotional/physical) it is possible for our energy system to become disrupted,. This is sometimes described as “polarity switching”. Whilst this is a symptom of stress it is possible to work very simply with the energy system to restore balance and alleviate stress by stimulating particular acupressure points or tracing the flow of certain energy meridians.
 
The Tendon Guard reflex (TGR):
When we are stressed we can experience the “fight or flight response”. As part of this automatic survival reflex there is a tightening or shortening of the tendons down the back of the body that prepares to remove us from danger. This affects the tendons from the achilles tendon at the back of the heel - all the way to the tendons at the base of the skull and neck. These patterns of muscle tension are generally unconscious and depending on the general stress levels in someone’s life may be very strongly habituated. This TGR whilst again being a symptom of stress, can be worked with directly and easily to release stress, free up thinking, enable someone to move on. They also help people to speak more articulately, listen, access memory, enhance both their gross and fine motor skills, and to pay attention more effectively. The section of brain gym involving gentle lengthening activities (Dennison and Dennison 1994) releases the TGR. 
 
 
The importance of alleviating these functional blocks in the field of Mental-health:
If we put all these things together it is not hard to see how such effects of the Brain Gym® exercises could be of massive benefit in the mental health arena, not solely for mental health service users but for everyone living, working and relating in a stressful environment. 
 
Imagine the mental health benefits of being able to:
How we have used Brain Gym® in the Mental Health NLP Diploma training:
We regularly use Brain Gym® activities as part of all our trainings These help to ‘tune- up ‘ in order to get ready to learn and also they act as very rapid and helpful state changers. We find that when used in an outcome focused way e.g. in relation to how people want to feel about particular issues or how they would like to be applying their NLP in the world the results are stunning and highly consistent. 
 
We have found Brain Gym® particularly helpful in enabling participants to become more ‘literate’ in how to use their own mind-body system to help themselves. As part of this learning process we invite participants cleanly to create their own contrast frames. We ask them to take careful before and after observations of their mental state, emotional state, how they feel in their body, the level of internal dialogue etc. Occasionally we will do this simply for how they feel right now, and increasingly often, we invite them to think about a particular problem they’d like to handle more resourcefully or to have a specific outcome in mind. Working on particular issues in this way gives incredibly strong contrast frames on the efficacy of Brain Gym® and also acts as an effective way of fulfilling the participants convincer strategies prior to them leaving the training room. We see more and more evidence that this has enhanced the application of their learning away from the training room and also in their lives between and since the training sessions.
 
Benefits of a physical approach in a mental domain:
It may be that in the mental-health context certain habitual cognitive strategies haven’t always served the participants too well in feeling resourceful and in control. It makes sense that a different modality may prove an easier entry point for change. We have found that the speed and simplicity of using a purposeful physical approach to achieve an immediate and helpful state shift is a huge benefit. Having rapidly achieved a more resourceful state participants have found it even easier to consciously apply the more cognitive strategies of NLP. E.g. focussing on outcomes, changing submodalities, reframing inner dialogue etc.  
 
Specific Brain Gym® activities and their effects:
We used “PACE” ( the 4 step- ‘tune up’ - involving drinking water, stimulating two acupressure points [K27s] just below the collar bone, doing “cross crawl” and sitting for a few moments in a calming posture called a “hook-up” Dennison and Dennison 1997) at the very start of the training, prior to everybody introducing themselves.    Straight away participants were reporting that they felt “calmer more relaxed, quieter inside, as if what they had to do was ‘no big deal’, that they could cope, alert but calm at the same time” etc. We used PACE twice in every training session at the start and after lunch. Participants had such strongly positive and convincing experiences of PACE that many subsequently used it everyday in the morning as part of a routine to help them feel resourceful between training sessions. Many shared their experience of this simple skill with others, either friends, family members (some who had also been experiencing mental-health difficulties) or in some cases with fellow users of the mental-health service that they had contact with in a voluntary capacity. One lady reported that when she showed it to a man who hadn’t come out of his room for several years he actually moved to another room in the building and was talking about what it would be like to go outside.
 
 Here are some excerpts from participants’ home-play about their use of PACE between sessions:
 
Using Pace
“My friend and myself were asked to do a talk at the vale day care centre. We hadn’t very long to prepare for this, so on the morning of the meeting, we met up a few hours earlier to put together the speeches we had written. When my friend arrived she was very upset because she had lost all her notes on the train the day before. We were both getting very nervous and agitated as the time drew nearer, I remembered the brain gym exercises I had been taught called pace. We found a quiet spot and I showed my friend how to do them. We practised for about 15 minutes. I found it helped me greatly. My friend was amazed and relieved at how much calmer she felt. From then on everything just fell into place, and the talk went really well." Rose Walker
  
“I try to do the P.A.C.E exercises every day and find them really helpful.
My thoughts seem sharper. I feel more motivated and more positive. I feel able to cope to cope with everyday things like reply to letters, and pay bills”
Cynthia

The morning before my daughters S.A.T’s tests, age 11, I went through the brain gym exercises. Together, we did the exercises (left arm, right leg and vice versa) using hands to knees, elbows to knees and arms out in front legs behind. We did this for approximately 5 minutes.I taught her how to cross her fingers and turn her hand under her chin. I told her to sit with her hands under her chin, her ankles crossed and take deep breaths whilst she sat waiting for the test to start. She did this before each test and said she did well. We are just awaiting the results now.” Carole
 
We used ‘Positive points’ or ‘emotional stress release’ points on the forehead in conjunction with ‘hookups’ (Dennison and Dennison 1994, 1997) in order to alleviate stress. This simple routine allowed a rapid and comfortable state change from significantly unresourceful states (e.g. tearfulness, anxiety, anger) to more resourceful states of calm and relaxation. One participant used this on numerous occasions to help to manage their response to chronic pain.
 
 Here are some participant accounts of their use of Positive points and hookups:

“I have been concentrating on my hook ups, positive points, my brain gym and tuning in to my good state. With these I have found a big difference, more confidence, better posture, thinking more clearly. Concentration has been a lot better and the feeling of being really relaxed this is very important to me being totally relaxed, and this is something I can do where ever I go. You can just put your fingertips together, your tongue to the top of your mouth and breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. I am putting this into my everyday life. So if you see me on a bench somewhere fast asleep, I will have been doing my hook up!”   Maureen
 
“I have learnt more brain gym exercises and have put them to good use.
I have found that they have helped myself to feel better and cope with things a lot easier, and I have found with great delight I have been able to help others by teaching them some Brain Gym®. Just this week my daughter came to me with quite a bad problem with her partner she was very upset and stressed. I tried stress release with the positive points, which helped her get things into perspective, helped her to relax and enabled her to sort things out easier”. Rose Walker
 
“When I am feeling stressed, hurt, unwell, I massage my ears and unravel them. I turn my head to release any tension or stress. I also take the edge off stress by using stress release points, by placing and holding my hands on my forehead. This prevents the stress response and allows me to feel less stressed and more calm and relaxed.” 
Kay Kemp
 
 
We used an adapted version of a process called the ‘Dennison Laterality Re-patterning’ or DLR (Dennison and Dennison 1997) to help integrate the participants’ learning. We also used it with a specific outcome in mind about how the participants would like to apply their NLP in the world after the course. Among other things the DLR involves a combination of cross-body movements, homo-lateral body movements, eye movement patterns and a brain integration metaphor that is somewhat similar in nature to the NLP technique visual squash. 
 
We encouraged the participants to calibrate each other in addition to calibrating their own experience before and after the process. People consistently reported that their partners looked more resourceful, and more relaxed after the process than before and in addition they referred to their own internal experience of applying their NLP as being ‘no big deal’ , ‘like it is definitely going to happen’, ‘happening already’ ‘relaxed’ ‘knowing how’, and ‘confident brighter and clearer’.
 
We used a selection of gentle Lengthening activities (Dennison 1994, 1997) to release tension in neck and shoulders, back and legs.  This not only alleviated stress and tension, but aided concentration, listening skills and promoted relaxation and body awareness. Becoming aware of the contrast between the sensation of habitual muscle tension and that of specific muscle relaxation can help to give a conscious cue to begin relaxing in situations where tension has previously been an unconscious response. One participant also reported that a longstanding problem with her neck felt significantly more comfortable and free.
 
We used a series of exercises for Crossing the midline of the body   (Dennison and Dennison 1994, 1997) in order to prepare for writing and doing ‘home play’.   Many of the participants were somewhat concerned about the idea of producing written home-play because of a lack of confidence in this area (presumably derived from school experiences). It is worth mentioning that despite this initial trepidation we have been inundated with high quality written home-play, some typed, most hand-written and much of it lavishly illustrated and attractively presented.
 
Conclusion:
From our experiences we believe that the purposeful use of the physical aspect of the mind-body system is incredibly helpful in teaching and learning NLP in the mental health context. We also feel that it is an invaluable adjunct to NLP for mental-health service-users in the management and promotion of their own mental and emotional well-being.
 
References:

Bennet, J. 1977 Dynamics of correction of abnormal function. From Terrence Bennet Lectures Ed: R.J. martin CA.
 
Dennison P.E. and Dennison G.E. 1997. The Brain Gym ® Handbook. The student guide to Brain Gym ® 2nd edition. Edukinesthetics Inc. Ventura CA.
 
Dennison, P.E. and Dennison G.E. 1994 Brain Gym® Teacher’s Edition revised. Edu-Kinesthetics Inc. Ventura California.
 
Goodheart G. J. 1986 You’ll be better: The story of applied Kinesiology. AK Printing Geneva Ohio. Ch 1. p2.
 
Goodheart G.J. 1966, Chinese lessons for chiropractic. Chiro. Econ. Vol. 8 (5) march/April .
 
Hannaford C. 1995.  Smart Moves: why learning is not all in your head. Great ocean Publishers.
 
Hannaford C. 1997. The Dominance Factor: how knowing your dominant eye, ear, brain, hand and foot can improve your learning. Great Ocean Publishers.
 
Jensen, E. 1996. Brain-Based Learning. Turning Point Publishing CA.
 
Kendall H.O. and Kendall, F.P 1949. Muscle testing and function. Williams and Williams, Baltimore.
 
Krebs C. 1998 A Revolutionary Way of Thinking: from a near fatal accident to a new science of healing. Hill of Content Publishers, Melbourne. Australia.
 
Mann, F. 1977. Acupressure: The ancient Chinese art of healing and how it works scientifically.Random House Inc. NY.
 
Thie, J. 1979 (reprinted 3rd ed 1994) Touch for Health: A practical guide to natural health with acupressure, touch and massage. De Vorss Publications Marina Del Rey, CA.
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