Saturday, September 14, 2024

Thank You...

Thank you for looking in on my Self-Hypnosis Seminar.  I am pleased to tell you that this seminar has been attended by Doctors of Chiropractic, Doctors of Medicine, Psychologists 
and Psychotherapists, Social Workers, Nurses and Nurse Practitioners, and of course, 
many Hypnotherapists.  Contact me if your group is interested in this seminar.
drchiacchi@gmail.com 
Expressive Headache Postures
Oncologic Pain, Stress and Anxiety
Self-Destructive Drives/Auto-Suggestion
All Hypnosis is... Self-Hypnosis

Hypnosis as we understand it today... is a... 'state-of-mind' ...a narrowing of all peripheral observations of proxemic, haptic and vocalic stimuli that allows for an internalized or focalized perception of an issue... or condition... of importance to the subject.  It was... and is today... an attentional and investigative method of structural, behavioral and kinesthetic value in the analysis of postural expressions exhibited in one's gait, stance and gesture... that can influence one's mind/body pain, stress and anxiety... leading many professions in today's scientific community to adopt hypnosis... and its many forms... to their particular fields of interest.

During the last century hypnosis was the method of choice when it came to conditions often called psychosomatic in nature (e.g., hysterical or conversion disorders like chronic tension/psychodynamic headaches... in relation to the eventual development of Freud's applied psychoanalytic concepts and theories)  ...which today... we as hypnotherapists... would refer to as a mind/body 'disturbance.' Such disturbances are often recognized as a postural form of aberrant body position that is so vague and ill defined that a proper diagnostic value could not be readily placed upon it.  It is... and was... a 'mind/body' situation that more often than not produced an anatomical or physiological aberration in neuromusculoskeletal function.  It is the reason that I became interested in hypnosis some years ago... as the meaning of such 'expressive postures' and disorders fit nicely into Palmer's chiropractic philosophy of 'innate' and 'auto-suggestive' disorders related to functional disturbances which often manifested themselves in such 'mind/body' and 'self-limiting' neuromusculoskeletal issues of weightbearing and gravitational disequilibrium... which over time would diminish with little or no need for active interventions.


Continuing on with this mind/body concept of self-hypnosis and auto-suggestion we have Freud who transitioned into what he called 'free-association' which many believe... as do I... is simply another of the many forms of 'self-hypnosis.'  So it was the eventual use of self-hypnosis for such disorders that brought varied and individualized hypnotic techniques to the forefront of the neurobiological question of mind affecting body and body affecting the mind... as in Palmer's concept of auto-suggestion. Though in truth... the mind/body connection and its understanding would take almost another century before being established through advanced neuroscience... neuroimaging... and the more precisely defined neurophysiological as well as neuroanatomical relationship between the mind and body... while not forgetting the ever present metaphysical and metapsychological aspects of human nature.


Neurolinguistic programming as compared to hypnosis is a relative newcomer to the mind/body scene... and is a byproduct of eclectic hypnotic concepts... utilizing verbal and conversational 'reframing' of words and/or phrases that can have a positive or negative effect upon the subject. This means... and we all know this... that how something is said or verbalized can have a desired... or undesired effect upon the receiver of that communication. So it is not always what is said... as opposed to how its is said.  This applies to questions and answers as well.. as how a question is asked... might foretell the answer.

In utilizing applied psychoanalytic concepts and theories in my chiropractic practice I found that the unconscious as well as conscious mind played equally important parts in the bodily aspects of the metaphysical and metapsychological analysis and interpretation of posture and position... as well as an appreciation of 'mind/body pain, stress and anxiety. Understanding this could make the difference in a successful or unsuccessful outcome at the termination of treatment... as repetitive... auto-suggestive destructive drives... will often play a pivotal role in a patient/client's  acceptance of treatment goals (most especially in tension/psychodynamic headache cases).

Self-Hypnosis...  Neuroscience and Neuroimaging... 


Imaging in Hypnosis... fMRI and rCBF studies... Ideomotor signs...


In continuing this discussion of hypnosis it is most important... relative to the day and age we live in... to validate what we now know is true of its function... and the accuracy through which we can demonstrate... the neurophysiological presence of the hypnotic... 'state-of-mind.' It has always been thought that hypnosis might influence the neurophysiology of selected brain regions... but before fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) and rCBF (regional cerebral blood flow) studies... we could only surmise what the effect of hypnosis was upon a particular brain area.  Now we can... with great certainty... follow vascular and neurological activity to specific brain areas... and translate that information into what we now know the function of that area is... and how it affects pain...cognition... and behavior.  It is this level of present day brain science that validates hypnosis as a real and effective method of behavior modification.


Through the years those practicing hypnosis often relied upon and utilized 'ideomotor' signs... much like 'expressive postures' and other 'positional cues' to determine 'where' a client is as to the hypnotic 'state-of-mind.' These keys often defined a well trodden and reproducible pattern of structural, behavioral and kinesthetic activities which are specific for each individual.  In fact most ideomotor observations will eventually lend themselves to a well choreographed pattern of postural and positional behaviors that can make structural and kinesthetic outcomes in hypnotic sessions most predictable... and it is these predicable 'signs' that will often... on a non-verbal level... give the provider the necessary insight into an issue that might not be readily offered verbally by the subject. 


Though most clients are not conscious of their non-verbal postural and positional cues... a diligent study of each client over time will reveal to the provider the meaning and intention of every posture, gait, stance and gesture that is positionally displayed before... during... and after the hypnotic session.  So 'charting' a client's various presentations during a session may indeed seem like a daunting task in addition to all you must do during a hypnotic session... it is... and will be... a most important secondary... but necessary... observational and unconscious activity on your part... as you will observe and retain much more of the session than you think... and unconsciously you will eventually recognize and identify the positional patterns of your client... as well as their proxemic, haptic and vocalic habits... as you refine your growing observational techniques and methods.


If it so happens that a client will stay under hypnotic care for a long enough time... he or she may be educated in the tell-tale expressive postures that demonstrate inner feelings and intentions that are unconsciously hidden from consciousness.  Learning such postural expressions in your clients can help alleviate feelings that accompany such structural, behavioral and kinesthetic activities... allowing for better communication between the provider and the subject... as well as the subject's real world... outside of the treatment session.


Self-Hypnosis... As I see it...


In the beginning... my hypnotic experience was in the field of chiropractic for the alleviation of mind/body pain, stress and anxiety over a period of 30 years before retiring from my 'everyday' chiropractic practice. Over time I began to see the benefits of hypnosis for the mind/body pain, stress and anxiety patients sometimes felt in anticipation of the chiropractic session... and soon I developed a second practice within my chiropractic practice for those wanting to explore unconscious mind/body feelings about themselves... and in doing this I began to see the true mind/body effects of hypnosis... as the conscious 'physical' complaints of many clients seemed to be resolved or minimized through the unconscious relief of 'psychic' discomforts associated with one's often less than satisfactory human relationships at home... work... and socially.


And so I view hypnosis as a vehicle for the investigation of both mind and body... as well as a way to change behavior.  We talk about the mind and how it cannot be measured for its content and capabilities... but rarely do we investigate the power of the mind upon the body and the body upon the mind.  That is... we do not take the time... to develop new patterns of thinking which would benefit us more than the old and useless patterns of years gone by.  We do not encourage new thinking... which might develop neuroplastic adaptations in our brain that might bring us new and better results in our lives both cognitively and behaviorally.  In fact it is rare for anyone to delve seriously into oneself to see and feel just who they are... where they have been... and where they are going.


Hypnosis affords one that opportunity. It talks to the unconscious mind... that 'state-of-mind' that holds the key to moving in a forward... or in a different direction... or remaining in the past with old fears and anxieties.  These fears and anxieties hold new and conscious actions at bay.  They inhibit new thought... and slow down the process of renewal and change. They are the... auto-suggestive destructive drives... that can permeate
 one's thoughts and motives on an everyday basis. Properly applied hypnosis can lift unconscious barriers in such cases by moving directly upon this kine of unconscious thinking... making fears and anxieties conscious to the individual so he or she can deal directly with the negatives of unconscious life events and traumas by making them irrelevant in today's present world. 

I see hypnosis as an investigative method of ferreting out... the worn out... old and useless... thinking that holds one back... which is often 'locked-up' in defensive and retentive expressive postures.  I see hypnosis as a mind/body process that lays the foundation for new neuronal tracks that can lead to better health and wellbeing by eliminating the old and ragged pathways of irrational fear. Hypnosis is the liberation of one's innate human potential... as well as the conscious and unconscious aspects of life and living... because we all have the ability to grow... regardless of age or circumstance... as long as we believe we can... but only if we decide to overcome the old and destructive patterns of incorrect thinking that have led us to where we are today.

Variations in Hypnosis... My use of Hypnosis...

Neurolinguistic Programming... is simply the use of language patterns, vocalics, and sentence construction... designed to appeal to the listener... in an effort to reduce defensive or resistant unconscious acceptance of the speaker's message.  This is a method often utilized along with various hypnotic techniques.  It is by itself... a way of communicating thoughts and information 'past' intellectual and conscious 'censors' so as to enhance understanding while modifying one's 'state-of-mind' by reframing or reimagining a situation in a new light... using language and patterns of speech that are non-threating in tones and vocalic levels that allow for the listener's ability to assimilate and understand the meaning of what is said... and why it is said.    


Applied Psychoanalytic Concepts and Theories... should be considered when working with a patient outwardly exhibiting... auto-suggestive destructive drives... as well as chronic and unwanted... repetitive behaviors. Auto-suggestive self-destructive drives are very often associated with the 'anchoring' of a specific and repetitive symptom collage (e.g., tension/psychodynamic headaches) of mind/body pains, stresses and anxieties that are common to daily life and living... environments... and people in general... and are often expressed in a postural and positional manner.  To this end... unconscious defensive signs can be observed when looking for non-verbal indicators of one's 'state-of-mind.'  

About Dr. Chiacchi... Not Only Chiropractic...


I have retired from active practice... but during my thirty years in clinical chiropractic practice in the Boston area... I investigated, and took up, the practice of hypnotherapy in 1992... mainly to focus on mind/body pain, stress and anxiety.... unconscious and repetitive auto-suggestive destructive drives... and expressive postural and positional tension/psychodynamic headaches. These areas of interest are a direct result of my time as president of the American Chiropractic Association's Councils on Mental and Behavioral Health during the years of 1989-1993. It was during this time that I also developed an interest in neurolinguistic programming and applied psychoanalytic concepts and theories... as both complimented my practice of chiropractic.

For some 50 years now... I have held dual state chiropractic licensure in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire.  From the University of the State of New York I received my undergraduate degree (BS) with a major in neuroscience... and a minor in psychology... and from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Iowa, my doctorate (DC). Additionally from Palmer College of Chiropractic I hold a certificate of superior clinical proficiency earned while serving as a clinical intern in the department of radiology... along with an additional certificate of proficiency in radiological theory, practice, imagery analysis, and interpretation. From New York Chiropractic College on Long Island... where I served on the post-graduate faculty in 1989... and research department in 1990... I received continuing education certificates in adjunctive physiological therapeutics and clinical nutrition.  I also hold diplomate status, and board certification, from the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners... and was cited by the National Institute of Chiropractic Research in their chronology... for my contribution to... mental health and chiropractic.  

                                                                                          ---
As well... I am a certified hypnotherapist through the National Guild of Hypnosis... and have taught self-hypnosis to patients at my chiropractic office for better than twenty-five years... for the reduction of chronic mind/body pain, stress and anxiety. I was also a member of the convention faculty of the Guild where I lecture on hypnotic postures and variations of chronic pain issues.  I also completed a one year, continuing education certificate program, sponsored by the Academy of Clinical and Applied Psychoanalysis in Livingston, New Jersey on applied psychoanalytic concepts and theories... studying the maturation process and early developmental failures, analytical listening and communication... impulse and obsessive disorders... and transference and countertransference ...and often utilized these applied psychoanalytic concepts and theories in my hypnotic care of mind/body pain, stress and anxiety associated with cancer and chemotherapy/immunological distress... as well as in the recognition of repetitive and unconscious... auto-suggestive destructive drives.  I have also studied psychoanalytic clinical psychopathology as part of my continuing education. 
  
So in a very real sense... I became 'a psychoanalytically oriented chiropractor.'  I am also a certified Neurolinguistic Programmer... teaching patients how to reframe or rethink their self-talk relative to chronic mind/body pain, stress and anxiety.  I hold memberships with the American Chiropractic Association, the National Guild of Hypnosis, the International Neuropsychoanalysis Society and the National Federation of Neurolinguistic Programmers. Since retiring from my public, everyday practice, I continue to investigate the metaphysical, metapsychological conceptual and theoretical neurosciences commonly associated with... chiropractic, hypnosis, neurolinguistics and applied psychoanalytic concepts and theories... while still developing my observational... Expressive Postures Concept™.

Mark S. Chiacchi, DC
Telephone: 781.941.0848
E-Mail: drchiacchi@gmail.com
Additional Chiropractic Blog:   expressivepostures.blogspot.com

Friday, September 13, 2024

Oncologic Pain... Stress... and Anxiety

After 30 years as a practicing doctor of chiropractic (DC) in the Metro-Boston area I was forced... due to health factors... to retire from everyday practice. After recovering from open heart surgery some years ago... I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in October of 2018. Over the next year I underwent a chemotherapy/immunotherapy regimen which at times rendered me tired, exhausted, pained and fatigued.  I was riddled with nighttime bouts of insomnia... neuromusculoskeletal spasms and cramps... as well as active neuropathies of the extremities.  I was at that time... too discomforted to apply myself to anything on a regular and predictable schedule... as I could not sleep... nor could I function between day and night with any level of certainty.  I was... 'shut-down.'  This explains my migration from my active and physically demanding chiropractic practice... to the 'less' physically demanding... if one could call it that... mind/body aspects of psychoanalytic theory, hypnotherapy, neurolinguistic programming and the ongoing development of my Expressive Postures and Hypnosis Seminar Series™.

As a certified hypnotherapist (CH) and neurolinguistic programmer (NLP) I began to look at my situation from another point of view... and so I decided to reimagine, reinterpret and reframe my cancer  experience through a simple hypnotic 'self-imagery' and neurolinguistic 'self-talk' ...and while doing this... I found that my pain, stress and anxiety gradually lessened. Soon I was able to sleep more reliably... and function with a level of certainty that allowed me to reenter my world with a more predictable level of clarity and confidence.  This is what I want to share with you... the essence of my cancer hypnosis and neurolinguistic programming experience relative to my pain and illness... because as time goes by... many of you will begin to realize that the growing side-effects of your chemotherapy/immunotherapy... will often rival the mind/body pain of your cancer distress. 

Self-hypnosis is for all practical purposes... like daydreaming.  You imagine... through 'self-imagery' a scene or situation you visualize yourself taking control of... on the screen within your mind.  You reduce mind/body pain, stress and anxiety slowly and definitively.  You take control of the 'movie' in your mind and let your inner 'script' work for you.  Neurolinguistic programming allows you to learn a new and innovative 'self-talk.'  You let go of the negative 'noise' in your head.  You focus on words and phrases that enable you to get what you need when you need it.  You speak confidently... both verbally and non-verbally... in such a manner that you 'interfere' with the road-blocks in your mind that once prevented you from changing your outlook... as you now are... with a new view of yourself.  In this sense... you are indeed taking control of your cancer pain, stress and anxiety as well as your unpredictable side-effects.

My cancer based hypnosis and neurolinguistic programming exercises are not therapeutic in any sense of the word. Your medical provider is your cancer guide. Nothing... definitively speaking... will stop chemotherapy/immunotherapy side-effects... nor will any self-help exercise replace any side-effect care your doctor may offer you.  Self-hypnosis and neurolinguistics may assist you in reaching a new level of self-control with imaginative self-imagery and a new and innovative self-talk... that will help you to experience a sense of being in control of your side-effects and cancer pain.  I still... and will forever... depend upon my chemotherapy/immunotherapy regimen for my continued wellbeing... and so I continue to learn... accept... and experience... my cancer pain and its side-effects... by living with them everyday... just like you... but we do not have to let them dominate our thoughts and our lives. 

A brief guide to Self-Hypnosis and imaginative Self-Imagery...

As I stated earlier... self-hypnosis is like daydreaming... you are aware of your activity... but you are not in any way utilizing your conscious or 'critical' mind in a 'judgement' fashion.  That is... you allow yourself to become 'weightless' in both mind and body... you defy 'gravitational' pain, stress and anxiety as you sit or recline in comfortable surroundings... progressively relaxing your neuromusculoskeletal system... freeing it from the unconscious postural expressions self-defense... looking only to concentrate on the 'movie in your mind' as you create 'self-imagery' conducive to your objective.  Your objective may be to sleep... reduce pain... or minimize the side-effects of chemotherapy/immunotherapy... but in the end your mind allows your body to receive... and accept... instructions which will help you to correct negative thinking with positive self-imagery... as you make the mind/body loop from top to bottom... and bottom to top... taking back your body from the disease and treatment negatives you may have become accustomed to... while releasing your mind and body from its pain, stress and anxiety. As you read this you might ask yourself... can a simple and uncomplicated idea like 'self-hypnosis' really work in this way?  The answer is... yes it can... and if you continually review this paragraph with uncritical thoughts... you will see that you already know how to do this... and have done it before... many times in your life before your disease.  Use your imagination as you have used it all of your life... rest your critical mind and let your body renew its strength and vigor at its own pace.

A brief guide to Neurolinguistics and innovative 'Self-Talk.'

Neurolinguistic programming is not unlike self-hypnosis... but instead of focusing on the visual or imagery cues within your mind... you focus on your unconscious and conscious words... sentences... and phrases you habitually speak to yourself and others... within and without your mind... which can negatively affect your body through the creation of the stressful expressive postures of self-defense. Words have meaning intellectually as well as physiologically.  They affect our state-of-mind.  Take for instance the term 'partly cloudy' as opposed to 'partly sunny.'  Both are one and the same... but one seems more positive than the other.  You must take the time to listen to yourself during the course of your day and hear the often freely based negative intonations of your 'self-talk' in relation to your disease and/or chemotherapy/immunotherapy side-effects.  You will be amazed at what you think are harmless thoughts or words... but your mind remembers them... and transmutes those words into feelings which your body will process as either negative or positive influences on your disease and its treatment.  To cleanse your mind of idle negativity and promote a positive 'self-talk' experience... you must willfully accept responsibility for your thoughts of mind...  and their transmutation into bodily feelings.  This is a twenty-four hour a day process. From waking to sleeping.  You must develop a positive approach to the negative patterns of your disease and its side-effects.  Once again... you already know how to do this... and have done it before. Take control of your thoughts and create better feelings... both inside and out.

To summarize...

The idea that one can alter his or her reactions to the traumas, toxins and thoughts associated with cancer and chemotherapy/immunotherapy might seem somewhat  foreign to many of you upon first reflection... but the evidence is most abundantly clear that mind/body... or body/mind approaches to cancer pain, stress and anxiety can be influenced by behavioral and attitudinal alterations by the use of self-hypnosis and neurolinguistics. Learning the simple... effective concepts of imaginative self-imagery and innovative self-talk can... in many cases... bring a measure of relief and relaxation to those dealing with such a disease process and its chemical components.  With that in mind... I encourage those reading this to explore... beyond this brief introduction... the infinite possibilities of both mind and body in the struggle against the negative thoughts and feelings often association with 'bad-days' while pushing forward and creating 'good-days' out of bad. 

Developing a positive and promising 'outlook' on life... as it is... can help you to take back a good measure of your own... 'self-determination.'

Self-Destructive Drives/Auto-Suggestion

A brief guide to applied psychoanalytic theories and concepts.  Auto-suggestion should be seen as self-hypnosis, or an unconscious method of 'self-talk' very often... negative.

Self-destructive drives and auto-suggestion (as self-hypnosis) are of course direct references to psychodynamic and/or psychoanalytic theories and concepts that attempt to explain the activities of the unconscious and its effects upon both mind and body... most especially when an individual is subject to lifetime stresses that may include variations of chronic pain and/or anxiety.  The fact that these influences are 'unconscious' shows they are not readily understood or acknowledged by the client/patient... and very often go consciously 'unnoticed' ... or as a 'mystery' for over an entire lifetime. 

One might well ask why a Doctor of Chiropractic would show so much interest in the activities of the unconscious mind.  So here it is. My interest in such unconscious drives relates to chiropractic's concept of 'auto-suggestion,' as Dr. Daniel David Palmer, the founder of chiropractic and Palmer College of Chiropractic, believed that hyper-energetic negative 'self-talk' (auto-suggestions and/or thoughts) could unconsciously influence the wellbeing of the individual if not naturally dissipated through the work a healthy and vigilant central nervous system (most especially through cranial and brainstem pathways). Dr. Willard Carver, also a pioneering chiropractor and founder of Carver College of Chiropractic, wrote extensively on the subject of 'suggestion' throughout his life, and practiced it in his private practice believing that client/patients sometimes needed 'corrective' conversation via 'suggestion' during their chiropractic visits.   Also... chiropractic and psychoanalysis shared one vital theory in common... that the central nervous system via cranial and brainstem pathways... is an unconscious and 'free-energy' system which is self-regulated... and without undue internal and/or external influences... would maintain itself in 'balance' over the course on one's life by self-regulation of its innate energy systems. To support this... I refer to one of Dr. Sigmund Freud's earliest psychoanalytic graphics (draft G, project for a scientific psychology) demonstrating how nervous energy travels from the brain to the spinal cord... and back... through specifically, and chiropractically modified cranial and brainstem pathways... which is a near perfect reflection of my modified Palmer chiropractic method. Chiropractic and Psychoanalysis are byproducts of a time where the wellbeing of one's innate intelligence and/or 'bodily' ego (the self-governing forces of both mind and body) were considered vital to a lifelong resistance to the internal and external mind/body... 'energetic' agents of 'dis-ease.' 

While studying applied psychoanalytic theory in my one year graduate/certificate course in modern psychoanalytic concepts... I came to understand the role of 'drives' and 'instincts' and how they play into the everyday aspects of life and living... unbeknownst to the individual... as well as how they can influence one's mind/body behavior which may allow for... chronic pain, stress and anxiety... and general bouts of vague, ill-defined and restless 'states-of-mind.'  In my chiropractic practice I often observed these issues through my patient's expressive postures and positions... and during the subsequent analysis and interpretations of those postural positions. Today I lecture and teach on how to recognize those repetitive and habitual structural, behavioral and kinesthetic... expressive postures.

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In the case of what we might call 'self-destructive drives,' one could categorize such drives... as those thoughts and feelings that may... over the long haul... promote circumstances in thought that will give way to states-of-mind that might not have developed... but for those thoughts and feelings.

In many cases symptoms such as postural and positional (ideomotor) tension/psychodynamic headaches, various neuromusculoskeletal complaints, as well as some brain and nervous system disorders can be affected by thoughts and feelings that are created by habitual reactive responses to internal and external stresses which may lead to bouts of non-specific anxiety and other painful symptoms associated with an over-stimulated  nervous system.

In the case of chemotherapy/immunotherapy pain, stress and anxiety... self-destructive drives are often borne of the new and distressing situation in which the patient finds him or herself... and with each advancement of unexplained pain, stress and anxiety... a patient might feel somewhat helpless and confused at the array of seemingly contradictory symptoms that take on various forms and degrees as a condition tries expands its grasp upon the patient.

Self-destructive drives... are negative and emotional evaluations of one's situation.  They are influencers relative to a patient's care and wellbeing.  Those who adopt these drives as inevitable... further these drives and strengthen them in both meaning and activity... and will suffer further... and unnecessarily with their disease.  One must decide to 'reframe' this negativity though well thought out self-hypnosis or guided imagery methods that will stir one's imagination and create a visualization of success in dealing with both one's cancer and chemotherapy/immunotherapy regime. 

Seeking out a hypnotherapist who can assemble a program to address a patient's particular issues is one way to confront these drives.  Understanding the need of the patient and the ability of the doctor/therapist to address those needs is the key to success... but getting started is the essential first step. 

One last point... auto suggestive self-destructive drives can be products of a lifetime of negative self-talk that has taken hold of the patient... making success and happiness difficult to obtain.  Such drives begin around the age of 5 and continue to grow as the patient entertains these thoughts and feelings as the truth about him or herself.  One again 'reframing' a patient's self-image both mentally and physically can make inroads into the patient's state-of-mind... allowing for a better outcome for any and all of his or her life issues... not only in their cancer and chemotherapy/immunotherapy discomforts. 

Free-Association and Self-Hypnosis

Finally... I explore the open concepts of free-association and self-hypnosis... of which many of Freud's biographers imply... are almost one and the same.  This of course is a result of Freud's decision to discontinue the use of hypnosis and move on to what he would eventually call 'free-association,' wherein the patient/client is encouraged to say wherever comes to mind regardless of its supposed relevance to the subject's 'condition.' Freud made no excuse for the fact that he was an 'impatient' hypnotist... and therefore could not adequately reach the desired 'depth' needed to bring about the hypnotic 'state-of-mind' as we know it today. However I have found... through my own experience of better than thirty years of hypnotic success... that experienced patient/clients... upon lying or reclining in a comfortable room or in a defensible and familiar setting... will usually put themselves into a hypnoidal or hypnotic 'state-of-mind' without a formal induction... and will respond to this therapeutic environment unconsciously... while often bringing themselves into a more 'self-regulated' and 'open' form of mindfulness... which we call 'hypnosis' ...rather than a long, tedious and artificial induction process that may not always bring us the results we desire. 
 
Expressive Headache Postures
expressivepostures.blogspot.com  

The 'Expressive Posture' is a posture assuming the position of a mind/body defense against a real or perceived threat.  Now most often when I speak of an expressive posture I am referring to a chiropractic set of circumstances that alter one's gait, stance and/or gestures.  However in my hypnotic practice I see postural expressions as part of what most hypnotherapists call 'ideomotor' responses to the events of the session as it unfolds in real time... and the memories of such movements as relates to the patient's past traumas and coping mechanisms.

Many of these postures can be observed in the waiting area when a patient feels that he or she is not observed... as well as the patient's approach to the treatment area... and the patient's self-placement upon the couch, table, bench or recliner. Posture is like a fingerprint... it is a consistent reminder of who we are and how others recognize us... even from a great distance.  In the treatment room... posture up close and personal... is as telling as any words that are spoken in the hypnotic session.

Why look at posture during the session?  Simply because patients will... move... reposition... and exhibit non-nonsensical restless motions when they are struggling to address unconscious issues rising up... that they may 'feel' they are not ready to discuss.  In cancer and chemotherapy/immunotherapy situations... the fear of one's mortality is always a large factor in each session... depending upon the month or week the patient may have had prior to their visit with you... and of course with cancer...  the reasons are multifactorial.

One can always depend upon the postures and positions that you as a doctor/therapist have come to recognize in each of your patients.  In fact these motions contain more truth that the words that are spoken... as a patient's expressive postures do not omit or minimize the meanings as to why they are at your office.  In the hypnotic session the use of neurolinguistic programming can be an excellent partner with the interpretation of a patient's posture and positioning.  Using the patient's chosen vocabulary in conversation can strike a balance between his or her acceptance of your input and their 'hearing' you with the clarity you are striving for.  In a neurolinguistic sense... the doctor or therapist must consider the tone and volume of any treatment based discussion as well as the rhythm of his or her speech... as well as the desired effect that certain words will have upon a posture or position during or after they are spoken.

Looking and appreciating the postural and positional expressions of your client/patient will give you the insight your need to communicate your message... and your patient's acceptance of it. Observing patient's postures and positions may show you the precise time at which a patient is ready to 'hear' you uncritically and with more 'concentration' than other periods of that same session.  Postural expressions are habitual and routine for all patients.  Each of us have choreographed structural, behavioral and kinesthetic defensive motions.  Charting these motions and referring to them on a session by session basis will teach you the how and when of intervening and interpreting what that posture means and why that patient is expressing it. 

But what is clear... is that hypnotic cancer postures do occur... and that they are real.  Some of these postures may hearken back to the past... where other traumas... both real and imagined... were the beginning of a new set of coping postures that express a repetitive and long term effect upon the patient. In such cases a provider might wish to bring to the attention of the patient the formation of these 'new' postures and why they may cropping up again in their ongoing sessions. 

Headache and Ideomotor factors... 

And so... expressive hypnotic postures are often unconscious and ideomotor in nature... and may be precursors to a postural and positional tension/psychodynamic headache... though here we are talking about cancer distresses. We all know how stressful a such diagnosis can be... as well as how difficult and tedious some cancer treatments may be. All of this 'newness' can create a mind/body set of circumstances that can at times overwhelm a patient... making day to day decisions into a complicated painful, stressful and anxiety ridden process. As most of this is unconscious... self-hypnotic, habitual, and/or repetitive postures may be 'created' to cope with these situations causing structural, behavioral and kinesthetic pain, stress and anxiety over a period of time.

Individuals who could always maintain a good equilibrium relative to the trials of life and living may seem to fall into a 'gray' area when receiving chemotherapy/immunotherapy or radiation treatments. Though no fault of their own they may lose sight of their immediate agendas and goals for the day.  Such distress can lead to what are frequently called 'tension/psychodynamic headaches' ...headaches that seem to rise up from the base of the skull and up through the cranium... that are often expressed as neuromuscular and postural in nature... and are soon relieved after the crisis is over.  Keep this in mind when discussing mind/body issues with cancer patients... but also keep in mind that postures expressed in cancer patients can often be associated with ideomotor or unconscious drives that seek to become conscious... and on their way to consciousness... they may be again...  expressed posturally and positionally as a tension/psychodynamic headache. 

One last comment on tension/psychodynamic headaches.  Allan Hobson, late of Harvard University, defines the term psychodynamic as... 'a psychological process that has no known neurological basis,' (e.g., as in metapsychological and/or metaphysical forces) which brings us back to the concept of auto-suggestion and its sometimes unconscious destructive drives that are quite possibly resulting from quantum, cranial/brainstem 'subluxation' misalignments or micro-pressures... that might compromise nervous system 'energetics' causing or creating an increase in unconscious psychodynamic 'excitement' that may initiate a simple tension headache... or other central nervous system 'imbalances' which would require a specific chiropractic modification of the area involved.  

Thursday, September 12, 2024

Recognizing Expressive Postures in Self-Hypnosis

It is necessary to note here that the focus of my self-hypnosis method is on...
structure, behavior and kinetics during the observations of the initial phase of  
 the hypnotic session along with its 'cues' in client/patient receptivity which are
often validated in their unconscious proxemic, haptic and vocal expressions.

During Observation
● Initial stance and transformation in gait approaching a couch or bench ●
● How a client/patient habitually places himself/herself upon the  furniture  ●
● The initial seated or recumbent postures of additional postural settling in ●
● The initial sessions beginnings and/or 'positional' resettlement ●

During Visualization Sessions 
● Initial defensive unconscious session positional and postural expressions ●
● Appearance of repetitive gestures expressing new and/or stressful changes ●
● Additional need to 'resettle' attitudinal head-tilts and new 'breath patterns' ●
● Conscious awareness of both active/inactive observations of kinetics ●

During Guided-Imagery Sessions
● Structural release of tense, tight or rigid postural expressions ●
● Behavioral adaptations in mid-session in head-tilt and breath releases ●
● Note the use of extremities in unconscious structure, behavior and kinetics ●
● Resettlement of positional and postural attitudes at the close of the session ●

Post-Session Exit
● Rising from the chair, recliner or bench in both attitude and definiteness  ●
● Immediate stance/gestures in upright position in relation to the provider ● 
● Observation of immediate proxemic, haptic and vocalics in exit speech ●
● Gait and cadence in leaving the treatment room (casual or speedy) ●  

For more information... contact Dr. Chiacchi at... drchiacchi@gmail.com

781.941.0848
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