A Taste Of My Own Medicine – Unlocking Pain And Trauma In The Body
So, I have struggled with back pain for a number of years. It has been up and down over those years but particularly bad for the last few months. After a few failed attempts to resolve it, I learned to live with it, but then it started to get more debilitating.
It's been an interesting time to practice what I preach. I have had a few times when I started to feel anxious and sorry for myself. A few times when I've started to feel burdened by labels such as 'chronic pain'. But I have caught myself. I often quote the little voice in the back my head – whenever I face my own personal challenge he pipes up 'come on hypno-boy, it's time to put your money where your mouth is'. He keeps me accountable and pro-active so those thoughts have never led to downward spiral.
I saw Christie Petrucha-Rourke a couple of years ago for three sessions but saw no difference so stopped, but I went back at the end of 2020. I know the vast majority of problems in mind and body are not set in stone, and so I went into physical therapy this time with an attitude of finding a solution rather than just trying something out.
Attitude going into therapy is important and I have my blind spots like anyone else.
After three sessions of slow progress Christie really turned things around on the fourth by stepping into my territory. She mentioned the body holding on to trauma, and I scoffed at the suggestion – she knew what I did for a living – I'm not harbouring trauma! I know better than that. Notice a little ego creeping in there?
I've had some nasty snowboarding accidents over the years, and I'm a little unusual as I have broken my ribs on seven different occasions. I genuinely cannot wait to get back up the mountains though so whee is this so called trauma?
Christie showed me that although my mind might be fine with the various injuries – my body was not. Using her 'visual fields technique' she demonstrated how my muscles became weak when she stood close to me and stronger when she moved away.
Christie did some muscular reactivation then and there and my body's responses improved significantly. She then told me that it looked like my body was shutting down to protect itself if anyone or anything came in close – even my girlfriend coming in for a cuddle – and sometimes it doesn't switch back on again which means other muscles have to overcompensate which was causing my back to hurt.
It is humbling to realise that I am as vulnerable to glitches in my own subconscious as anyone else, despite the job that I do.
Since the session I've just been doing a little work on my own memories around all those different accidents to just remind my body that although these things happened, they are no longer happening. Even if I am totally unaware of the stored trauma, I can tell when something is released because I cannot help giggling. We have a little more to do, but I am confident that I am well on the road to resolution!
The Body Keeps Score. Click here to read more about this in Christie’s own words.
Christie can be found here - www.bodywaves.co.uk/muscle-activation – She is not your bog standard physical therapist – there is more to her than meets the eye, and I would highly recommend her if you are having any trouble with your body!
If you need any help with past trauma that maybe causing problems in your present day, then please do not hesitate – arrange a no obligation chat with me here: https://calendly.com/alex-hypnochat