Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/867515
A B M P m e m b e r s e a r n F R E E C E a t w w w. a b m p . c o m / c e b y r e a d i n g M a s s a g e & B o d y w o r k m a g a z i n e 85 her situation after her fall, she faithfully undertook a specialized regimen to restore and maintain her mobility—and it's working. Had she been resigned to a nursing home, who knows what condition she might be in—physically and emotionally—today. I've worked with people and gotten them out of the wheelchair, and I've worked with people whom I couldn't prevent from getting into the wheelchair. But in all cases, these clients felt they became stronger as a result of the effort. Bodywork, in combination with massage and a deep understanding of the client, can make all the difference in the world. lasting improvement In addition to the physical causes of paralysis (injuries, accidents, and genetics), I believe some incidences of paralysis may have spiritual and mental triggers as well. Vered's conditions growing up and Kathy's fear of judgment are perfect examples. These cases serve as a great inspiration for myself, our practitioners, and our clients. Even when the results are not so immediately clear, there is always benefit. Do not give up—all is possible with patience. The person in the wheelchair needs and deserves your touch. didn't see her again for a few years because Kathy got along very well in her wheelchair, but one day she fell and couldn't get up. She called for emergency help, and the idea of putting her in a nursing home was posed. Obviously, she didn't want that, and she sought me out again to help. I met with her for several sessions in a row and mobilized her. She again became stable in her wheelchair. That all happened in 2011. Kathy is still in her home, but it's a work in progress. As part of her therapy, we get her into a cold pool and have her climb the stairs on her own. The cold pool makes a huge difference for her, and climbing stairs makes her stronger. In cases of MS, cold helps to shrink scar tissue in areas where the myelin sheath is damaged, enhancing the chances for movement. In the winter, we get her to the floor and have her roll from side to side. I also always do a massage designed for multiple sclerosis, during which I shake each muscle with my fingertips to create a new message to the brain that more mobility is available. Kathy is still in a compromised position, but having avoided a nursing home seven years ago, she remains committed to maintaining her mobility, limited as it is. From Kathy's story, we can clearly see that her fear of being judged changed her behavior, which in turn resulted in rapid degeneration. When she realized how the mind affects our condition In understanding the connection between our feelings, behaviors, and physical conditions, let's look at my client Kathy to further illustrate the point. Kathy came to me in the late '70s with multiple sclerosis (MS). She was still pretty mobile, but she was quite prone to bladder infections because of weakness in that area. As we worked together, her situation became stable, and she began to recover from numbness and limited mobility. She understood my exercises very well and eventually took my training courses to understand them even better. Her situation remained good until the early '90s. While her gait had improved considerably over the years, somebody chose to complain about Kathy and called her a drunk because of her limited gait. A police officer arrived on the scene, evaluated the situation, and to confirm the complaint was wrong, gave Kathy a breathalyzer test before going on his way. To many of us, that episode may not have been a huge deal, but Kathy was traumatized. She is a shy person and felt so embarrassed that she stopped going out in public after the incident. As a result, she became weaker, and eventually developed osteoporosis. She suffered broken bones and further deterioration. After some work together, I was able to get her to walk again. After going through some sorrow in her life, including a broken relationship, she finally went to a wheelchair. We had been able to avoid it for 30 years. I Meir Schneider, PhD, LMT, is founder of the School for Self-Healing in San Francisco. He healed himself of congenital blindness and developed an original holistic approach to health through a unique combination of therapeutic massage, movement, and natural vision-improvement exercises for prevention and rehabilitation of degenerative conditions. A globally respected therapist, educator, and bestselling author, Schneider's upcoming book, Awakening the Power of Self-Healing, will be published by Self-Healing Press. To learn more, call 415-665-9574, email info@self-healing.org, or visit www.self-healing.org.