Apr 30, 2021
On this episode of the Mind Body Connection Series, I take an in depth look at the psychological defense behind the mind body experience and how it relates to my three column system. Particularly crucial to this is the seeming contradiction between pain and other symptoms as a distraction from emotional pain versus the body communicating important emotional material through the symptoms. It is the human condition to express, and experience, our emotions through our bodies just as much as through our minds. But if we don’t understand what is happening, doubt, fear, confusion, and endless questions rule the day.
One aspect I spell out is why this psychological process is so dominant and ever present in our society, including the idea that it is so little known and understood that it is allowed to run rampant. But it is also the case that the mind’s ability to control any bodily function makes it an incredibly versatile and powerful tool for psychological defense. Put that together with how convincing the physical aspect is and the doubts it can engender and you have a very potent pathway for dealing with emotional distress and fear.
The video also covers how to dismantle the defense, using any one of the three columns. We can use the emotions column to take apart any distraction element of the mind body experience, or we can use the power column to take away the need for the body to continue to communicate its message (since it has been received), or we can use the doubt column to shut off the fuel supply of a mind body symptom. With so many ways to take away the motivation and function of the defense, your pain and other symptoms won’t be here for long!