In this issue
Features
Medically unexplained symptoms
How could our healthcare system change听to treat more patients with psychosomatic听symptoms?
Miracles of mindbody medicine
Exploring the mindbody connection and听how psychological treatments can help听those who suffer from chronic pain
The art of moving
The philosophy behind parkour which听has helped young offenders in St Petersburg听adapt to mainstream life
Facing the future
Reflecting upon the visionary thinking听and dynamic concepts discussed at March鈥檚听Big Idea conference
DIY therapy
Should counsellors empower their clients听to become their own therapists?
Mindfulness in context
How meditative practice can inform听therapeutic practice leading to greater听awareness between therapist and client
Regulars
In practice
Kevin Chandler: Whither pride
In the client's chair
Emma Munro: In the flow
In training
Martin Halifax: The wrong hoops
Questionnaire
Colin Feltham
The art of coaching
Linda Aspey
Day in the life
Christine Murray
Articles from this issue are not yet available online. Members and subscribers can download the pdf from the听Therapy Today听archive.
Editorial
Up to one third of people consulting a GP听will have medically unexplained symptoms听(MUS) 鈥� from breathing attacks to chronic听back pain 鈥� as part of their problem.听The financial burden of MUS is phenomenal听鈥� around 16 per cent of the total cost of听healthcare services in the developed听world 鈥� and much of this is being wasted听on unnecessary and inappropriate tests and听treatments. Psychiatrist Tim Webb gives his听perspective on why our healthcare services听have failed to deal effectively with MUS for听so long and why that may be about to change.
Given that the NHS is being asked to听shave 15 per cent off its operating costs听by this time next year, our healthcare听services may be forced to give serious听consideration to rethinking how to tackle听MUS. Any transformation in approach听would involve major changes in how clinical听staff are trained and deployed to create听a system that positively identifies and treats听the psychological causes of these problems.听For therapists working in healthcare,听Webb suggests, this would offer 鈥榰nlimited听possibilities鈥�. But while doctors would need听to be trained in how to recognise when听a patient鈥檚 鈥榩hysical鈥� illness has its basis in听anxiety or depression, so therapists would听need a working knowledge of the signs and听symptoms of underlying physical disease.
When patients are given a diagnosis of听tension myoneural syndrome (TMS), they听are not told that their pain is all in the mind;听they are told that it is real but is caused听by a physical response to a psychological听process rather than by structural damage.听Alan Gordon argues that when our coping听mechanisms are overwhelmed and the听emotions too painful to experience, the听body attempts to protect the psyche by听experiencing the pain physically. In treating听TMS, one of the primary goals is to help听clients reframe the meaning of their pain听and to use it as a guide to introspection.听When Dr John Sarno introduced the concept听of TMS in the late 1970s, the mind and body听were widely viewed as separate entities.听Now at last mainstream medicine is听embracing the mindbody connection.
Sarah Browne
Editor