As a physiotherapist with over 15 years experience, I have undertaken additional training with SIRPA (Stress-Illness-Recovery-Practitioner-Association) to expand my knowledge on the multifaceted and often complex nature of pain. This approach moves away from purely a biomedical approach to a psycho-social-emotional-body approach.  The latest research has shown that the chronic symptoms are in fact often just the danger alarm. Traditional biomedical models tend to focus treatment at the site of symptoms, which is like the fire brigade aiming their hoses at the fire alarm, when in fact the root cause, or the source of the ‘fire’, is actually in the brain and autonomic nervous system. This is why this revolutionary approach can offer the possibility of recovery rather than just management of symptoms. 

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The mind-body approach follows on the work of Dr John Sarno, a Rehabilitation Professor in New York who found that in the absence of serious medical conditions, persistent symptoms (including pain, anxiety, fatigue, migraines, tinnitus and IBS) do not indicate damage in the body, but instead are produced by the mind as a physical distraction to keep out of conscious awareness the relatively more painful repressed emotions from unresolved stress and trauma. These symptom pathways become predicted and habitual, and worsen over time as they are perpetuated by ongoing fear, frustration and hypervigilance.

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The mind-body approach provides a way out of this fear-symptom cycle, by restoring a sense of safety and confidence back to the nervous system. This is achieved by using strategies to reduce fear, regulate the nervous system, safely process emotions and steps to return to an active enjoyable life.

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If you are interested to know more, you can see many resources and success stories for inspiration listed on the SIRPA website: www.sirpa.org  and the www.ppdassociation.org