Monthly Archives: July 2010
-
Posted: July 30, 2010Categories: Inspiring StoryRead more »
Janet and Tim, who run a Dialysis Center in eastern Texas, write to tell us that our guided imagery for Dialysis, Relaxation & Wellness and General Wellness have been extremely useful to their patient population. We thank them for this feedback.
-
Posted: July 30, 2010Read more »
Question:
I purchased your Healthy Pregnancy and Successful Childbirth MP3 set at the beginning of my pregnancy. I am now 21 weeks in and still do it whenever I find the time. The pregnancy set is very relaxing. Thank you. My question however is when do I begin to listen to the birthing set? Is this something I should begin in late pregnancy? Do I just listen to it when I go into labor? What are your suggestions? Thank you!Jena ~First time mother expecting a little turkey on Thanksgiving Day!
-
Posted: July 30, 2010Read more »
Researchers from the San Diego V.A. system examined the efficacy of Imagery Rehearsal Therapy or IRT (a kind of nightmare reprocessing therapy that trains people to use a variety of “lucid dreaming” to change or control the content of the nightmare) on reducing nightmares in veterans seeking outpatient treatment for chronic, trauma-related nightmares.
Of those offered IRT, veterans who completed a full course of treatment for PTSD in the past year were more likely to initiate treatment. However, completion of IRT was not related to previous treatment, demographic variables, or nightmare severity as reported at the first treatment session.Treatment completers reported significant reductions in nightmare frequency and intensity, severity of insomnia, and subjective daytime PTSD symptoms. Insomnia and PTSD symptoms, on average, were below clinical cutoffs following treatment, and 23% of patients showed a complete treatment response (defined as one or no nightmares per week).
-
Posted: July 30, 2010Categories: Update from Health JourneysRead more »
Hello again.We’ve had some terrific but insufficient debate over the morality of using guided imagery for active troops. (Better killing through mind-body methods?) Some of you were horrified at my update on this last week. I welcome all comments, because this is something many have been pondering for a long time, myself included, and it deserves more than our first knee-jerk responses. Here is what I wrote in response to the dismay some of you expressed.
My main goal for making these audio programs has always been the same, since 1989, when Steve Kohn (composer/musician) and I created some guided imagery to accompany chemotherapy: to alleviate a little suffering. Not terribly ambitious and definitely achievable, this simple intention. I'm still there.
Another effect is that sometimes - maybe often, even - the imagery helps make people more competent, more confident, more capable at whatever it is they do.
-
Posted: July 25, 2010Read more »
We just found this feedback to the IBS/IBD imagery on our website and it’s very encouraging. We decided to post it to inspire others to try imagery for their irascible guts. Lisa writes:
After having had great results with your Successful Surgery CD, I ordered this one as well. I've been listening every morning for several weeks and am already experiencing a calmer, happier, much less reactive gut. I highly recommend it for those with Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis. Thank you for introducing me to the soothing, supportive experience of guided imagery. -
Posted: July 25, 2010Read more »
Question:
Any research on efficacy of guided imagery for managing Crohns Diseease? My 20 year old daughter is recently diagnosed and I want to find resources for her.
Thank you.
PaulAnswer:
Dear Paul,
There’s nothing definitive - I can only find small pilot studies - but I can certainly point to some promising results from them. One study out of the University of Manchester yielded excellent results with 15 patients suffering from severe inflammatory bowel disease, who were on corticosteroids but were not responding to their medication. These patients were given “gut-focused hypnotherapy” (guided imagery) and were followed for an average of 5.4 years. -
Posted: July 25, 2010Read more »
Researchers from University Medical Center in Groningen, The Netherlands, examined the longterm effectiveness of three treatments for panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia: cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), pharmacotherapy using a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), or the combination of both (CBT + SSRI). As a secondary objective, the relationship between treatment outcome and 7 predictor variables was investigated.
One hundred fifty patients were assigned to a treatment arm lasting one year. Pharmacotherapists were free to choose between 5 SSRIs currently marketed in The Netherlands. Outcome was assessed after 9 months of treatment (posttest 1), after discontinuation of treatment (posttest 2), and at 6 and 12 months after treatment discontinuation (follow-up 1 and follow-up 2). -
Posted: July 25, 2010Categories: Update from Health JourneysRead more »
Hello again.
Last week I was in San Antonio, helping out with some resilience training with the Army PRT’s (professional resilience trainers) who are assigned to various Army hospitals, tasked with keeping health care staff from burning out from the stress of dealing with severe injuries and profound emotional distress. Hats off to them, the providers they serve and of course, most of all, to the patients.
I was there to demonstrate the how’s and why’s of guided imagery, and hopefully I made a decent case for its use. It was a very impressive and mixed group - some had backgrounds in health or mental health; others were more from the warrior mold - former special ops, rangers, snipers, bomb dismantlers - and some were from both worlds. They came from as far away as Korea and Germany; and from Fort Hood, Ft. Stewart, Ft. Bliss, Ft. Sam Houston, Ft. Bragg… I can’t remember all of them. -
Posted: July 16, 2010Read more »
I was told about the successful surgery CD by an acquaintance and decided to try it before my surgery. When I was in my 20's I learned self-hypnosis to alleviate my fear and it was invaluable during the labor of my first child. I wish I would have continued practicing it but once used, I put it aside.
Now 30 years later I was facing a hysterectomy with 3 large fibroids, the largest one over 20 centimeters. My imagination was flooded with worse-case scenarios! This CD not only helped to dissipate my fear but also contributed and continues to contribute greatly to my recovery. -
Posted: July 16, 2010Read more »
Researchers from The University of Tokyo in Japan conducted a meta-analysis of the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on the mental and physical health status of patients with various types of cancer.
Ten studies (randomized-controlled trials and observational studies) were determined to be eligible for meta-analysis. Study results were categorized into mental and physical variables and Cohen's effect size d was computed for each category.
