19B. Introducing Mind-Body Approaches to Inexperienced Patients—A Diaphragmatic Breathing/Concentration Meditation Approach

Abstract

Focus Areas: Experiential Workshop, Supporting Behavioral Change, Mental HealthIntroducing mind-body approaches to the typical patient seeking a quick medical solution, usually medication, poses a major challenge to an integrative practitioner. This necessitates an approach that shifts the discussion from what the practitioner can do to fix or cure the condition to what the patient can do to help herself. It involves an explanation that changes a biomedical perspective on illness to one in which one's thoughts, feelings, and resulting physiological state make a major impact on how one feels at the moment and on one's overall health. Such an intervention needs to be brief and involve a common-sense explanation that does not involve jargon, is non-pejorative, and makes clear that no one thinks this is “all in your head.” It also is desirable to frame symptoms as intelligent adaptations to the patient's condition or life situation and provide a reasonable expectation of improvement with time. Also necessary is an experience with a mind-body technique that convinces the patient that she can feel qualitatively different.This experiential session will review the explanation the presenter has found in 35 years of clinical practice to be most readily accepted by patients suffering from chronic pain, IBS, headache, fibromyalgia, non-epileptic seizures, generalized anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The specific steps to introduce diaphragmatic breathing will be demonstrated. Participants will then be guided through an approximately 12-minute deep breathing/concentration meditation process that involves an initial focus on breathing, followed by a guided imagery component. Aspects of technique including a gradual shifting of one's tone and cadence and slowing of one's breathing, and the use of indirect verbal and nonverbal suggestion will be reviewed. Finally, how subtly to emphasize the importance of patient practice with the suggestion of increased efficacy with practice will be discussed.