Psychoneuroimmunology and spiritual healing . . . I think they share common ground.
For psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) researchers, it’s important to work with the whole person – mind, body, and spirit – and not just a single biological system.
Here’s some research that shows the connection between PNI and spiritual health.
Ruth Tanyi, DrPH and her research team in California investigated the effect of what they referred to as a PNI-based lifestyle intervention on depression. The intervention included spiritual guided imagery, muscle relaxation, and humorous videos.
After conducting pre-intervention tests using the Beck Depression Inventory, researchers randomized the participants into two groups.
Both groups received cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy, but the treatment group also listened to a 12-minute muscle relaxation and spiritual guided imagery CD and watched 10 minutes of funny movie clips every day.
After three weeks, researchers re-measured depression levels and found that depression significantly decreased for the treatment group but not the control group.
Now, the treatment group watched the funny videos and listened to the spiritual CDs, which I feel complicates the results. We can’t really say for sure which intervention made the difference.
That said, these findings suggest possible evidence for mind-body-spirit healing.
You can find the entire study in the International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine.
How do you help your patients or clients heal themselves in body, mind, and spirit? Please leave a comment below.
What do you mean by ” spirit”? What is the definition that you use? Could we be mistaken that the ” spiritual” feeling be simply deep seated core ” emotionality ” and we’ve been mistaken in the naming and perception of this??
Referenced article was worth a read. Although it was a shame that so many tasks were given to the treatment group, it could be argued that it’s not possible to cleve them apart. For example, the progressive relaxation excersise, which is conservative and well accepted could have been the determining factor. Also, we don’t have insight into the pharma of each participant. Nevertheless, I don’t need to be convinced that this approach will make a huge difference, even if it a placebo, it’s all in the mind anyway so what difference does it make! Personally, these techniques work for me and I am a resolute fan of body/mind/spirit techniques.
Cheers.
Some may enjoy this style or feel they benefit from a charismatic, tough-love guru-tyrant- but I think it points to a larger therapy issue: Buyer Beware!!
Spiritual or Freudian or New Age or any other mode of therapy is mostly about finding a therapist who meets you: who you are/ where you are in your humanness and offers knowledgeable. practical. to facilitate your journey into healing.
I find it very frustrating that the free sessions are much too early in the day pacific time for me to listen
It seems geared for the East coast convenience
It’s a pleasure to find such raitanolity in an answer. Welcome to the debate.
Funny. Expectations and judgments cause all of these issues for us.
Emotions can be let go, we all have the same amount. Judging if I am sad, happy, mad, joyful gets me where? Solves what issues and problems?
Chasing pleasure is a fools journey. Why not accept life as it is and Let go and live. Sadness is a judgment to stay in that mood.
Sadness is Impermanent and transient. All emotions are along with thughts. Approval or disapproval, good and bad label things not needing labels.
just be without expectations and live full out, risk and reach out of your comfort zone. Happiness lies out there.
Try directing your focus to this mo,ent without thoughts or judgment and see how it changes.
Go under the ego and find you. Then you can support othes yea
Jong better.
Really, you have to define ‘spiritual’ if this article is to mean anything at all.
What’s the difference between ‘spiritual’ imagery and ‘imaginative’ imagery for example?
Ive often wondered exactly that. I think its the wronf term myself because it could mean ANYTHING. I prefer to use the term deep seated emotionality the core of our ” beingness”. Spirituality to me is a far reaching imaginitive unevidenced” label”
Re: the research comment.
There are two treatment groups and one control group. The brief description does not discriminate between the two treatment group results with or without humor. Wish this had been presented more clearly.
I too have some reservations about tomorrow’s discussion. Hope Caroline comes across as more compassionate than in some of her tapes.
I had a full library of Bob Newhart on VHS for “emergencies” (depression). I am glad to hear you can find some clips on UTube.
I read this too quickly. There does not appear to be a control group, and yes, the spiritual CD and humor are confounded. Too bad. This would have been a good opportunity to separate out their effects. The full article may explain this more clearly.
It took me a bit to connect with Dr. Myss’ voice and style when I first heard her. I had already read and learned so much from her books that I was a bit surprised at my reaction. Had same experience with Marianne Williamson. Took both of these experiences, with encouragement of my mentors, as opportunities to understand ‘me’ better and deeper….what was the info trying to get through for my own healing? why the resistance?…as both of these women are worthy teachers. My dx..complex pts and I am hearing impaired. Glad I hung in there and looking forward with great heart to hear and see Dr. Myss tomorrow!
It’s been established for decades that laugh out loud humour, taken in frequent doses can expedite the lifting of depression. So cartoons, funny films and even stand-up comedians can all help as can the more recently developed laughter therapy or even Provocative Therapy itself. Given this, it’s not possible from the case study give here, to make claims for a spiritual guided imagery cd aing the improvement.
I am looking for a psychiatrist (and a therapist) in the San Francisco Bay area for a patient with severe bipolar depression. The usual psychoactive meds-tried over the past 5 years- have failed to help this young man maintain a functional lifestyle. He, like many we see, is very inteligent and was once creative and active and motivated. Although his depression has been punctuated by a few manic psychotic episodes, his usual “best” is just almost “okay” …. I am asking this question here because you are the folks who are thinking outside of the usual mental health care box and that is what this person desperately needs. Any resources/referrals/suggestions would be gratefully welcomed.
Hi Tamerlane,
“The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide”, by Dr. David J. Miklowitz has helped me identify TRIGGERS of oncoming episodes. (i.e.: telling one’s life story to a teller, wanting to play in a rock band/be a famous artist without the discipline of being able to practise often, thinking “if you can imagine making a lot of money very quickly, how much harder could it be to actually do it?”, etc. It also gives strategies from temporarily retreating to a quiet, dark room with little stimulation how to plan ahead (handing over car keys, etc.)
However, I agree that your patient needs a good therapist to help him go workbooks or try complimentary therapies. Chinese medicine has treatments for “thinking too much”, “the monkey mind”, etc.
Sorry, meant to put a comma after “stimulation”.
Go to truehope.com for natural, nutritional formula for various mental illnesses.
Dennis ….you got it. The fastest way out of sadness/anger is to enjoy/InJoy the sadness/anger. It is not “your” sadness…it is just sadness happening.
If you have a flat tire …you might as well enjoy it; it doesn’t cost anything more. If you don’t enjoy it
you still have a flat tire…& you are miserable.
Choose Joy; choose Happiness; choose Love.
Don, Good to see you are still with us. This is Tim From St, Pete (Santa Fe and elsewhere). I was teaching a class at Slippery Rock University and your name came up, Someone wanted to learn more about the Be Happy Game. Couldn’t find Christian. But I found you. Need it more now than ever. Tim
IMHO, Happiness Now! ….and constant craving for it is overrated. Enjoy your sadness as much as your joy. Your anger is trying to get your attention about something important. Caroline Myss does have a rough edge at times and I have turned her off too, at times. Sometimes she seems to place herself in an elevated state above us all. there are so many wonder healers, therapists, of all stripes……..and yes a few that likely speak to a smaller group.
Dennis , yes! The Book of Awakening, Mark Nepo, spoke to sadness and joy yesterday.
I am in a sad time of vigil right now but also finding joy in special moments with my loved one. Previously I felt it was wrong, somehow, to have happy moments during sad times. Don, your post reminds me (pain body) that the sadness is a feeling, it is not me. Blessings, kind people. I needed to find this thread this morning.
Dear Karen,
You are not alone in your reaction to Caroline’s style. I respect the groundbreaking work she’s done and her accomplishments as a medical intuitive, BUT I find a harsh edge to her presentations these days. I put one of her audiobook tapes in the player during a multistate drive recently and listened to her declare repeatedly that she was not judgmental, then proceed to make a number of very judgmental comments. I finally had to turn off the player and switch to other content. Your instincts to shield yourself are, I believe, a sign of having a better-all-the-time sense of how not to keep repeating the wounding that underlies the depression.
I think the challenge here is in the distinction ‘Spirit’, if we look at the dictionary definitions, the existence of ‘Spirit’ is a belief, and therefore subjective and impossible to quantify or measure.
being the devil’s advocate…
“the non-physical part of a person which is the seat of emotions and character; the soul.”
> is there a non-physical part?
“such a part regarded as a person’s true self and as capable of surviving physical death or separation.” > does anything survive physical death?
“the real meaning or the intention behind something as opposed to its strict verbal interpretation”
> what is ‘real meaning’, can this meaning be anything but subjective?
In my view the two interventions are Not distinct, the psychoneuroimmunological impact of the interventions is phenomenological – it is not the Type of stimulus, but that individual’s experience, in the moment, that mediates the impact of the intervention (and this will be modified by context, i.e. that individual’s past experiences and the meaning that the individual has given to them).
I suffer from depression and have not been able to read so I watched vidoe clips of Caroline Myss on Utube and found her style of teaching very challenging and more suited towards mature well balanced spirited people. I ended up feeling inadequate and more depressed as her style has changed over to years and I couldn’t relate to her teachings from the place I am in right now.
Karen, I have been in that place. For awhile I just suffered, berating myself for not being more “mature” and “evolved” like you say, driven to get better and find relief, knowing something was wrong with me, repeatedly exposing myself to these “helps” that felt like horrible attacks, really trying yet despairing each time…fortunately my healing path is taking me to the next, kinder, more effective stage, where more healing is possible, WITH my joining in more on my side, rather than against myself.
If you had the care of a hurt child, I’d bet you’d do your best to choose what seemed to be kind, safe,apt, compassionate learning influences for her. We express a lot, we are all “imperfect”, choose as wisely as possible at the time. Your caring intentions count and THAT CHILD CAN FEEL THEM! Good luck with choosing well for that place and need and time–and recognizing and re-choosing as you notice.
Karen and sb,Psychotherapist… I so agree with you!
After appreciating some of the books by Caroline Myss , I listened to many interviews with her,
as well as her Hay House radio show over the past 2 years and have been disappointed, even shocked. by her frequent tendency to drift into judgmental rants and talk down to people from an egotistical, confrontational, even sarcastic stance, while setting herself up as a one above all those self-serving victims down there wallowing in their victimhood and who dare to raise their fears/depression. Other times , she speaks from a deeper, caring place.
Some may enjoy this style or feel they benefit from a charismatic, tough-love guru-tyrant- but I think it points to a larger therapy issue: Buyer Beware!!
Spiritual or Freudian or New Age or any other mode of therapy is mostly about finding a therapist who meets you: who you are/ where you are in your humanness and offers knowledgeable. practical. compassionate strategies to facilitate your journey into healing.
Karen,
I have tried listening to Caroline Myss’s tapes and tried reading her books thru the years and cannot connect to her style. She might be a good person with good ideas but I don’t think she communicates these ideas as clearly and easily as other people can communicate. I have never been able to finish anybook or tape I get from her. If I am in the car, I have turned off her cd and tuned into my favorite rock station and start singing or rocking to the music. I get much more out of that than listening to Caroline. Fortunately I do not have any health issues. But I sure know when something is boring me to tears or irritating me and know when it is time to do something else! Just because people deem something”spiritual” does not make it so! I am 56 and do a lot of dancing in my living room by myself and that makes me feel more “spiritual” than listening to somebody drone on about chakras (and I believe in chakras and the whole energy system thing).
Do what works for you. Some people want to sit and meditate on a Sunday morning. I would rather do something physical outside or have my children over for breakfast and laugh and talk and share food!
First up I dont know about Caroline Myss, therefore I cant comment on her.
I do want to congratulate you on your attitude. It seems to me that spirituality, once embraced, is not supposed to bring us more pressures. My expectation of myself may overshadow the benefits of living a spiritual life. Often we expect and wonder why we have not gained “more” from all our practicing spirituality in whatever form. What you are saying is “I am not good enough, I have to work harder”. Which puts pressure on you, which eventually brings you back to the place in your childhood where you suffered, we are in effect just replicating the feeling of inadequacy.
Dear Karen,
I’ve suffered from Major Depression too – where you can’t read, just seems like words on a page, – and can’t smile/laugh either! It can be pretty scary, can’t it? Fortunately a few months’ course of SSRI’s really helped me to the point that I could do therapy. (A good acupuncturist helped me too, with sleep, in the 2-3 weeks till they kicked in.)
THEN, I started with children’s picture books, light-hearted books on tape, volunteering as an assistant with people (like kids) who brought me out of myself for awhile, socializing a bit, etc. It is sure a relief as YOUR usual interests, concentration and ability to laugh/feel other emotions finally return. This hope of getting better is part of your spirituality.
If you have a spiritual community, mental illness is widely misunderstood. They want to be supportive but share the details of your experiences with a qualified therapist with whom you have a good rapport and who also shares your beliefs or is at least tolerant of them.
I agree that sometimes one has to be pretty high functioning before one can listen to certain therapies/ideas.
Sending love and prayers your way,
Leslie
Dear Karen, almost everyday we receive requests for help from people who suffer from depression and anxiety. Deep Field Relaxation™, (www.DeepFieldRelaxation.com) – a gentle approach which your country man, Clif Sanderson, developed after 30 years of learning wisdom traditions around the world, proved many times that this suffering could be relieved and Joy does return. “…I don’t know how to express my feelings, but I think your book took me right out of a severe depression I have been suffering for a long time. I’ve read many books about quantum physics and diverse healing techniques, but no reading, however, has touched me quite as much as this one. It’s a real gift!”, C.H.(Switzerland).
This is a comment we hear frequently when people read Clif’s latest book “Knowing Nothing, Living Happy” or use our “Mind Music” CD.
Dr. Larry Dossey after reading this book, commented: “…It will not only make your day, it will also help make your life.”
Sending kind thoughts,
Galina Sanderson