© Martyn Carruthers

We help people manage their emotions, change deep limiting beliefs and solve relationship problems. Our coaching often seems to affect chronic pains, generally those called “psychosomatic“.

Pain Control

People experiencing pain or reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) may be preoccupied and unable to focus on methods of pain control. We offer a resourceful space for coaching people in pain to solve their challenges and achieve their goals. Pain coaching can provides short-term pain relief.

Long-term Pain Relief

Pain relief is important. Unrelieved pain causes undue suffering, and the effects of pain can result in diminished activity, appetite and sleep, and general weakness. Pain relief also helps manage anxiety before and after surgery, or following some crisis, catastrophe or emergency.

Painkillers are drugs used to relieve pain that act on the nervous system. They include paracetamol, (acetaminophen), anti-inflammatory drugs such as salicylates (aspirin), and opiates such as opium, morphine and heroin.

Common ways to relieve pain include medications, alcohol and nicotine. Salicylate drugs such as aspirin and acetaminophen are probably the most commonly used. Opiates such as heroin are similar to the morphine-like endorphins that human bodies naturally create to increase pleasure and minimize pain.

Resolving opiate dependencies can be liberating, but opiates can be so addictive that many people use opiate withdrawal medication to help get back to normal. (Some drug withdrawal symptoms are similar to those following the end of a partnership).

Herbal Medications

“Natural” identifies source, not superiority, although the placebo effect of “natural” medications seems to balance any lack of pharmaceutical activity.

Herbs can be beneficial … and they can be harmful. Many herbalists refer to ancient writings and to medieval texts (such as Gerard and Culpeper) for therapeutic advice, instead of researching the herbs’ botany, chemistry and pharmacology.

Herbal medications often used for pain control include black cohosh, cloves, mandragora, mint, wild ginger and willow (a natural aspirin).

Psychosomatic Pain

Psychosomatic symptoms can affect people at any age. They seem more likely appear during times of stress, such as divorce, examinations, overwork, military service and other life challenges. Temporary symptoms (e.g. headaches, nausea, sleepiness, blurred vision) may arise during intense conversations about life goals, partnership expectations and other important relationships.

I have huge compassion for people who cannot feel pain – some diseases (such as leprosy) delete the body sense of pain, and without protective reflexes (such as from a burnt hand or a speck of dust in an eye) people can suffer terrible body damage.

I don’t seek one “benefit” of psychosomatic symptoms – I seek ten!
If I only find five “benefits” – I keep digging! Martyn

Drug-free Pain Control

• Acupuncture and Acupressure: Insertion of needles into points in the skin may stimulate the release of endorphins and affect nerves in the skin and muscle.
• Aromatherapy: uses various “essential” aromatic oils, often in aerosols or with massage. Lavender oil is often used for pain control.
• Caring: for children, people, pets and plants may distract a person from their own situation
• Cold: cold water, damp cloths, ice packs etc can reduce local inflammation and pain sensitivity
• Duty: to family, team, organization, community, country etc. People who value responsibility can forget their pain so as to “do their duty”.
• Humor: Laughter has been called the best medicine. Humor can distract and laughing can relax tension and reduce pain sensations.
• Hypnosis: trance-induction followed by post-hypnotic commands
• Massage: Local pain can be decreased by skin stimulation – long, slow stokes on the back are often utilized for relaxation.
• Metaphor: offering pain control solutions within stories.
• Music: Can be used as a distraction to help relieve pain and promote relaxation
• Prayer: A sense of relationship with a higher power may help alleviate pain.
• Reflexology: A minimal form of massage that focuses on your hands and feet.
• TENS (transcutaneous electro-nerve stimulation): Applying electricity through your skin

Long-term Pain Relief . Effective Pain Control . Migraine Headaches

Please consult a physician regarding the applicability of any opinions, suggestions or recommendations about pain, medical symptoms or medical conditions.

People who have benefited from our coaching often describe both short-term and long-term pain relief. The most common feedback we hear is something like, “the pain is still there but it feels much less“.

Our work includes:

• Pain Reframing: reframe the meaning of pain
• Pain Dissociation: moving pain outside the body
• Dissociation: moving the sense of self outside the body
• Pain Substitution: transforming pain into something else
• Pain Displacement: moving pain into another part of body
• Non-judgment: focus on pain sensations to assist self-control
• Hypnotic-analgesia: suggested anesthesia – local pain control
• Pain Interruption: interrupt or disrupt automatic pain responses
• Pain Intensity: changing the intensity of pain improves self-control
• Imaginative transformation: change beliefs about the source of pain
• Time Distortion: accelerate the time in pain, or increase time between pains

Contact us to manage your emotions and solve relationship problems.