Introduction
The BodyMind Programme has been developed as a result of the knowledge and experience we have gained during the last 5 years working with people with chronic illnesses.
We have found that many people with physical symptoms benefit from learning how to stop the “unconscious stress response”. Research has shown that this improves immune function, leading to a positive effect on the digestive system, the nervous system, hormones and the musculo-skeletal system.
Another group of clients benefit from learning these techniques to improve their mental health. So by changing the way their mind works, they can positively effect their anxiety levels, OCD, depression, PTSD, confidence and self-esteem, allowing them to engage in a more fulfilling life again.
By using the BodyMind techniques it is possible to address the underlying cause of many problems. It is not therapy, CBT or rocket science! We teach practical techniques and strategies that help you to change the way your mind and body function.
The techniques are easy to learn, but it does take on-going commitment to get good results and make them sustainable. They can also be effective when used by people with severe symptoms.
We regret that the NHS does not currently fund places at the Rowan Centre. However, there are now NHS consultants, GPs and occupational therapists recommending our programmes to patients. Clinicians in the NHS have observed the work we do. To find out more, you can speak to Gael Postle, Occupational Therapist at the James Paget University Hospital pain clinic on 01493 453307 or the O.T’s at the Norfolk and Suffolk ME/CFS service on 01502 527579.
You can make the first small step by starting to understand how the mind and body work together, to powerfully influence each other physiologically
Many people using the BodyMind techniques have successfully reduced or cleared symptoms relating to the following illnesses and conditions
- Multiple sclerosis ·
- M.E, chronic fatigue syndrome, PVFS, adrenal fatigue
- acute and chronic pain, fibromyalgia, back pain, arthritis, migraine, injury
- PMT, perimenopausal symptoms and menopause
- clinical depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and panic attacks, OCD and PTSD
- hay fever, asthma and allergies
- candida, interstitial cystitis, urinary infections, bladder and bowel problems
- IBS, coeliac disease, food intolerances
- blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia, type 2 diabetes, restless leg syndrome hyper and hypo thyroidism
- insomnia and sleep disorders,
- autistic spectrum disorder, dyspraxia, ADHD
- lyme’s disease, glandular fever, epstein barr
- weight and food issues, anorexia
- ME, chronic fatigue syndrome, PVFS, adrenal fatigue
- acute and chronic pain, back pain, fibromyalgia, arthritis, migraine, injury
- PMT, perimenopausal symptoms and menopause
- clinical depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and panic attacks, OCD and PTSD
- low self-esteem, confidence issues
- hay fever, asthma and allergies
- candida, interstitial cystitis, urinary infections, bladder and bowel problems
- IBS, coeliac disease, food
We advise you to consult your GP and obtain a diagnosis before applying for the training programme.
For symptoms people have improved, read more here..
The BodyMind Programme
The programme consists of preparation and coaching, assessment, a three day training course at the Rowan Centre, follow-up coaching sessions and many other forms of on-going support. You learn how to have a positive effect on your immune system, digestive system, endocrine system (hormones), neurological and musculo skeletal body systems.
You will discover how stress has a devastating effect on the mind and many body systems, but even more importantly, you will discover what “stress” really is, and how much of it is an unconscious response.
“Any treatment which reduces the stress response
will improve chronic fatigue syndrome and many other conditions”
Professor Leslie J Findley, MD, MRCS, DRCOG, DCH, FRCP speaking on Radio 4 Consultant Neurologist with Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust
The excessive production of stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) has been found to cause dysfunction to most body systems, which can lead to a confusing array of symptoms. Our techniques work so well because when you apply them effectively, you address the underlying cause of many problems, by stopping the unconscious stress response that can perpetuate chronic illness
You will learn in detail how stress hormones effect your body. You also learn how your own personal triggers create physiological responses.
We then teach you how to use techniques to stop the unconscious stress response and replace it with positive responses that allows the body and mind to function normally. The reduction in stress hormones allows the body to return to homeostatis (a state of equilibrium) and the proper regulation of serotonin and melatonin leads to improved sleep, appetite, emotions and mood.
We teach you how to use NLP language, visualisations, brain rehearsal techniques, coaching and movement to stimulate new neural pathways in your brain. By day 2 you’ll be starting to notice positive improvements and then build on this during the third day of the programme as you learn how to apply techniques to many different areas of your life and health. We then support you to make the improvements sustainable. You will have to continue to integrate the techniques into your life and be ready to make an on-going commitment to your health. In doing so you will find the techniques become easy and natural.
Here is a small sample of quotes from people who have been to the Rowan Centre.
“The improvements snowballed and continue to do so to this day” – Jenny “
The MS doesn’t control me anymore, I have taken control of the MS” – Stian
“CFS is a thing of the past” – Chloe
Read their full stories here
The Science
The amygdala are the two parts of your brain responsible for triggering the fight or flight response. This is a normal, healthy response designed for survival and when the danger is over we revert to ‘homeostasis’, i.e. normal body function. But when we experience a lot of worry, anxiety, or fear, and especially during a chronic illness, the amygdala become highly sensitised which leads to the brain and body becoming stuck in “stress response”.
The stress response is perpetuated by our thoughts, feelings and emotions, that fire up particular neural pathways in the brain. Repeated firing of the neural pathways leads to them becoming so established that the response happens automatically without us even realising.
“We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence therefore is not an action, but a habit.” Aristotle.
So in order to improve our health, we have to become aware of how we are perpetuating the stress response. We cannot rationalise ourselves out of it, we have to repeatedly reprogamme the brain and body with new life enhancing thoughts and feelings. In doing so we destabilise the stress response pattern as new positive responses become established between the brain and body.
To look at research click here.
Through repeatedly practicing life enhancing thoughts and feelings, we can literally retrain our body and brain into new patterns of health and wellbeing. The picture shows neurotransmitters (electrochemical messages) passing between one neuron and another. If this particular pathway is fired often enough, it will become an automatic response. By using the BodyMind techniques you will create new, automatic responses in the brain and body that lead to better health…the results speak for themselves.
What is stress and how does it affect us ?
Stress is the body’s reaction to a change that requires a physical, mental or emotional adjustment
External stressors may include work, sleepless nights or money problems. Illness itself is stressful, as it may limit your ability to do ‘normal’ things and it may also effect your relationships. Increased stress hormones affect the mind and body and can become a chronic problem. There is much research now that shows long term or chronic stress has a devastating effect on
our immune function
In our opinion, many powerful stressors also come from within. Low self-esteem, lack of confidence and fear of the future are all fairly common. But because they are experienced so often and feel so ‘normal’, they too create stress hormones
Part of the training programme is learning to spot the internal stressors, as they are often unconscious responses.
Whilst a diagnoses is useful in many ways, it can also add an additional stress factor to the life of the patient, as concerns for the future increase. This can create a vicious cycle that contributes to maintaining the condition or even making it worse.
In relation to pain
Pain is transmitted from the periphery to the brain via the spinal cord. Many scientists believe that pain messages are controlled by “gates” located in the spinal cord. It appears that when we experience stress, anxiety, fear, depression, memory of pain and crises, pain gate function is affected. The gates do not work properly and allow pain signals through which would otherwise be regulated.
Long-term illness can also make you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression. The more your body’s stress system is activated, the more sensitive it becomes, and the harder it is to switch it off.
Researcher, D. Bulijevac, PhD, a neurologist with the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, reports that researchers found that periods of stress doubled the risk of MS patients developing new symptoms, or a more severe form of their existing symptoms. He speculated that this is probably because chronic stress weakens the immune system. British Medical Journal, 2003.
To find out more on this subject you may wish to go online and research ‘stress response’ and how long term stress affects various body systems.
Preparation
Being adequately prepared is an important requisite for success with this programme. It is essential to decide that this particular training programme is appropriate for you and your illness.
When you are ill it can be hard to imagine how you could go on a training course, and we believe it is entirely reasonable for you to be unsure whether you will get good results. Please use the contact form
or call us if you want to discuss your suitability.
The Next Steps
- Firstly, find out as much as you can from our website and look at the recovery stories.
- Prepare some questions and phone us for an informal chat. We think it is a really good idea to explain as much as possible and address all your queries before you go any further. We may book another coaching call with you (no charge) and we can put you in touch with others who have been to the Rowan Centre
- Have a look online at talks by Dr. Joe Dispenza, Dr. David Hamilton and Dr. Bruce Lipton. They have also written books and produced CDs/DVDs
- When you feel ready to go ahead fill in the Assessment Form and send it to us
Practical details
The course fee is £850 which includes
- Preparation coaching sessions if required
- Assessment
- 3 training days (10am-3pm and time off to practice)
- Written course materials
- 3 x 30 minute follow-up coaching sessions
- Membership of the Rowan Centre online forum
Many people need on-going follow-up, so additional coaching sessions can be arranged if required.
You can also attend group ‘Top Up’ days when you need to be re-inspired. See optional extras below.
When you have decided you want to go ahead send us your completed assessment form
Concessionary place – fee £450
We offer one place each month for people on a very low income. This includes everything listed above. These are normally booked up well in advance so please ask about availability. We do this because we were in the same position ourselves when we were ill. We do not means-test, so please only ask for one of these places if you can’t raise or borrow the fee.
Additional coaching sessions can be arranged separately if required, see optional extras below.
Credit
You can spread the cost on your credit card using PayPal.
Optional extras
Follow-up coachingGardening at the Rowan centre
Diary keeping and 15 minute check in £20
30 minutes phone session £30
1 hour phone session £60
Top up refresher day £75. These provide an opportunity to revisit core elements of the training, discuss progress and do follow-up coaching and practice in a group situation.
This is a full day and includes lunch.
Accommodation at the Rowan Centre click here for more details
Retreats We also encourage participants to come back to the Rowan Centre for a break alone to recharge or with friends and family. Sometimes we can also arrange free accommodation in exchange for volunteer help.( Picture of gardening retreat )
Payment methods
Payment is required once your place on the training programme is confirmed
Direct payment Make a payment direct into our bank account – this is our preferred option
Cheque Send a cheque for the full fee + accommodation if required.
PayPal You can use this to pay online, enabling you to spread the total cost on your credit card. Paypal charge 3.4% for this option which will be added to your fee. If you choose this option we will email you a payment request when your place is confirmed
Venue
The training programmes are held at The Rowan Centre, near Southwold, in Suffolk.
We are two minutes from the A12, forty minutes from Norwich, two hours from Cambridge and two hours from the M25
You can stay at the Rowan Centre or attend on a daily basis
To find us click the link directions to the Rowan Centre
The Rowan Centre, North Hall, Beccles Rd, Wrentham, Suffolk, NR34 7NP. Tel 0845 900 5765