The healing arts and sciences in medicine and alternative practice are filled with numerous diagnoses, treatments and theories.  When subjected to closer inspection it becomes shockingly clear that the diagnoses, treatments and perceived results of these practices are often based on the doctor’s and therapist’s individual and collective beliefs, and not on reproducible truth and evidence.  Powerful unconscious mind-body effects are often at work, such as placebo biology, somatic dissociation, somatization process, and post-traumatic stress.  These prolific brain-body interactions that occur under these conditions are seldom conscious to the patient, doctor or therapist, resulting in a continuous cycle of misdiagnosis, misinformation and empowerment of things outside of themselves.

“The problem is we don’t know what we’re doing in medicine and healthcare today.  Only 15% of our current healthcare practice is based on hard scientific evidence.” 1

– Dr David Eddy, MD, PhD (father of evidence based research)

Dr Paul Canali, DC has compared and isolated the essential evidence-based aspects from traditional, psychological and alternative therapies that create reproducible systemic (or whole body) healing responses.  These healing responses are uniquely and positively life-changing experiences, involving a shift in autonomic nervous system regulation and function.  These responses also expand brain-body consciousness by creating heightened somatic awareness resulting in mindful proactive biological self regulation.  Dr Canali believes that acknowledging and implementing this information will break the barrier between the conscious and unconscious mind-body, resulting in cures for numerous illnesses and conditions previously resistant to treatment.  This knowledge will unify the fields of medicine, psychology and alternative practice to create a new and profound synthesis in the healing arts and sciences.  He has supported his work with numerous research articles, both medical and alternative, and thousands of case histories.

Key Elements of Unified Therapy™:

Placebo Biology:

Recent studies suggest that the placebo response is much more widespread than had previously been known both in alternative and traditional treatments, from acupuncture to surgery, from herbs to medicine.  In positive placebo responders, a certain area of the brain called the prefrontal cortex2 is activated and has the power to create healing responses anywhere in the body by altering human biology.  Understanding that the cause of the positive healing response is not coming from the medical or alternative therapy, but instead is the result of an innate biological process which can be brought to conscious interaction and control, will be a milestone in human health and development.  It has become increasingly clear that if we can teach humans to proactively interface with placebo biology, they can break the cycle of empowering therapies, both medical and alternative, and work on something far more permanent – raising their levels of consciousness and empowering themselves.

“The placebo response is exceptionally large statistically, it accounted for more than 80% of the symptom alleviation observed in antidepressant treated patients.

“There is little evidence to support the prescription of antidepressant medication to any but the most severely depressed patients, unless alternative treatments with fewer side effects have failed.”

– Irving Kirsch, PhD 3

Somatic Dissociation:

Understanding the biological and psychological workings of somatic dissociation is an important aspect of UT™.  Somatic Dissociation is the loss of perception of somatic, or body-based, sensory information.  Disconnection from information of the inner workings of our own biology and the ability to proactively and mindfully interface with this information results in a distorted sense of self and reality, promoting disease and suffering of all kinds.

“Evolution of the concept of dissociation led to the description of a constellation of varied clinical manifestations attributed to it, including altered perceptions of physical sensation, time, memory, and the perceptions of self and reality.” 4

– Robert Scaer, MD

Somatic dissociation is often a by-product of a traumatic or overwhelming stressful experience that has not been biologically dissipated and integrated.  A lesser known form of Somatic Dissociation, which may be in epidemic proportions, is not necessarily associated with trauma but is a result of years of early developmental conditioning and prolonged elevated stress levels.  Somatic Dissociation can express itself in varying degrees of severity, from full-blown pathological symptoms to occasional anxiety.  In other words, we were seldom taught how to somatically connect, especially without fear of what we were sensing in our own bodies.  As a result, our brains created dissociated survival strategies as we became overwhelmed by what we were sensing and feeling, and often had to numb ourselves on the inside – disconnect – in order to survive.  The resulting condition is over-stimulated fear and stress centers in the brain including the Amygdala and HPA axes, and underdeveloped parts that strengthen proactive fearless somatic awareness, including the Medial Pre Frontal Cortex.5

“Temporarily disengaging the middle aspect of the Prefrontal Cortex [PFC] dissolves the nine functions of the PFC which include: Body Regulation, Attunement, Emotional Balance, Response Flexibility, Empathy, Self-Knowing Awareness, Fear Extinction, Intuition, and Morality.” 6

– Daniel Siegel, MD

“Neurons fire when we have an experience. With neural firing the potential is created to alter synapses by growing new ones, strengthening existing ones, or even stimulating the growth of new neurons that create new synaptic linkages.  Synaptogenesis and neurogenesis are the ways in which the brain grows new connections.  This growth harnesses both genes and experience to produce changes in the connectivity of neurons: Neuroplasticity is the term used when connections change in response to experience.” 7

– Daniel Siegel, MD

Conscious, or mindful, interaction is essential in early detection of disease as well as in developing a positive internal locus of control when challenging symptoms or situations arise. Even more important, an evolving nervous system is capable of creating neuroplasticity and expanded levels of wellness, adapting to life’s challenges without creating somatic dissociation, disease and suffering.

Somatization’s unconscious process in the mind/body:

Somatization is the ability humans have to unconsciously convert psychological states, suppressed emotions, and traumatic experience into physical symptoms and disease.  This is possibly the least understood and most unrecognized condition of human biology and in all of health care today.

“Somatization disorder is a chronic severe disorder characterized by many recurring physical symptoms, particularly some combination of pain and digestive, sexual, and neurological symptoms.” 8

– Merck Manual Home Edition

This often deeply unconscious process of somatization and conversion of psychological and emotional conflict into physical symptoms and illness is responsible for an incredible amount of misdiagnosis and human suffering.  Simply becoming aware that the somatization reaction is not necessarily a disorder, but instead a normal unconscious biological process, often carries important therapeutic benefits in and of itself.

“Once the patients … become aware of the brain strategy to divert attention away from emotions and onto the body, their physical symptoms usually disappear.” 9

– John E. Sarno, MD

“Physical symptoms are a “defense mechanism” of the brain.  The brain is diverting attention to the body, in order to avoid the awareness of, or confrontation with, certain unconscious or repressed frightening or threatening feelings, especially anger or rage.” 10

– John E. Sarno, MD

Sarno and others have repeatedly demonstrated that a shift in consciousness of the somatization process alone can often have profound effects on our physical health.  Yet a far more advanced process exists that allows one to go to the very core of human illness and suffering. This process requires fearless, mindful, conscious interaction with the energetic processes of the body’s inner workings.  This can be extremely challenging and therefore must be activated and supported with the help of a skilled therapist.

“Awareness as opposed to avoidance of one’s internal states allows feeling to be known and to be used as a guide for action.  Such mindfulness is necessary if one is to respond adaptively according to the current requirements for managing one’s life.  By being aware of one’s sensations one introduces new options to solve problems.  This allows people to not react reflexively, but to find better ways to adapt.” 11

– Bessel van der Kolk, MD

Trauma and Its Purpose:

An important principle of UT™ is illustrated in the healing of humankind’s deepest of all wounds: trauma.  That is, the psycho-biological effects that persist after the original traumatic event has passed.  Dr Paul Canali believes that there is no greater hindrance to human survival, health and development than that of unresolved trauma in the individual, which inevitably leads to continual and unconscious perpetuation of suffering from generation to generation.

Trauma comes not only in the form of major accidents, war or other catastrophic events, but also from emotional abuse, neglect, lack of touch, and many other more subtle forms. Trauma disturbs biology.  Disturbed biology expresses itself in myriad diverse forms of disease and suffering of both mind and body.  Dr Canali has been involved in trauma and stress research for over 20 years.  During that time, he has observed and practiced the most reproducible and effective forms of trauma therapy.  He has also discovered that a thorough understanding of trauma biology and its autonomic responses carries with it a new knowledge and treatment of the origins of a vast amount of human disease and suffering.  Further, that the treatment of trauma can serve as a model for potential overall human transformation and evolution.

“Trauma has the potential to be one of the most significant forces for psychological, social, and spiritual awakening and evolution. How we handle trauma (as individuals, communities, and societies) greatly influences the quality of our lives. It ultimately affects how or even whether we will survive as a species.”12

– Peter Levine, PhD

Activation of the same autonomic process involved in healing trauma has given Dr Canali new and improved treatment options and cures for a vast number of other diseases and diagnoses that have not been associated with traumatic exposure.  His recent discovery of an autonomic righting or balancing reflex, when combined with the information that has come out of the most effective somatic awareness and trauma therapies, has created a new unique synthesis.  This new synthesis catalyzes current trauma healing therapies to produce fast and efficient treatment for healing post traumatic stress biology as well as many other conditions.  Dr Canali has begun a new project called Heal Trauma Save the World based upon this model of healing trauma.

“Trauma is a fact of life.  It does not, however, have to be life sentence.  Not only can trauma be healed, but with appropriate guidance and support, it can be transformative.” 13

– Peter Levine, PhD

The Autonomic Nervous System:

A most important recent discovery supported by UT™ is that a vast amount of seemingly different diseases and diagnoses, both physical and psychological, have a common connection and resulting related imbalance in a central system.  That central controlling system is in the nervous system, in particular the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) and its related structures in the brain.

“A balance between the two branches of your ANS is essential for good health, in fact, most illnesses and injuries cause or result from an imbalance between these two branches. An imbalance in your ANS can tell your doctor many things about how healthy you are, as well as what can be done to keep you as healthy as possible.”14

– Ansar Group

The condition of an imbalanced ANS is referred to as dysautonomia or autonomic dystonia, and is the common connector to an incredible number of diseases.15  In fact, recent statistics suggest that as much as 85% of all disease and illness is related to stress mal-adaptation.16  Stress, especially chronic stress, can cause autonomic imbalance which creates illness of all kinds.  The Autonomic Nervous System has the ability to affect every cell in the body in a positive or a negative way.  An imbalanced ANS has the potential to create disease, whereas a balanced ANS has the capacity to heal and prevent disease.  This means that if you could consistently, reproducibly affect positive autonomic balance you would be able to change the course of health and disease as never before.

“The normal functioning of the autonomic nervous system day and night, from heartbeat to heartbeat, plays a largely unconscious but vital role in our livelihood.  It is not surprising, therefore, that autonomic abnormalities, though they are usually more difficult to recognize than a severe pain, or sensory loss or paralysis of a limb, may be even more important in impairing equality, and even jeopardizing the continuum of life.”17

– National Dysautonomia Research Foundation

The Somatic Autonomic Balancing Reflex™ (SABR™):

Though this reflex is new to medical and alternative practice, many health care providers are already aware of certain healing aspects of this autonomic response.  The activation of this powerful, self-correcting healing reflex includes Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) balancing.  (See EHI handout on the ANS).  When the SABR™ is initiated, it eventually leads to the activation of what Dr Canali calls a command or Master System.  When the Master System is activated during a UT™ session, the results are measurable and shown to be wide-reaching, with major changes to all body systems, cells and functions.

The Master System:

This Master System is an emerging evolutionary system, responsible for activating systemic or whole body healing reflex, but also creating advanced mind-body interfaces that can radically shift the course of most diseases and suffering including trauma, somatic dissociation, and other psychological and emotional states.  Repeated ANS stimulation by an experienced therapist heightens innate energetic processes in patients and makes it possible for a patient to interface between fearful emotions and body sensations.  Continual pendulation between sympathetic and parasympathetic can generate new and expanded feedback between brain and body, eventually leading to mindful ANS balance and feedback.  Expanded states of consciousness previously reserved to those skilled in years of mindfulness therapy and meditation become easily accessible with repeated application.

Most importantly, the patient learns not to be primarily concerned with symptom suppression, catharsis and fleeting state experiences, but instead in consciously collaborating with their overall brain-body development to integrate their experiences, and evolve their systems to a much more advanced level of consciousness.  This enables them to develop the ability to implement an approach to coping with suffering which elevates their overall physical, emotional and mental health to higher levels than they have ever experienced.

We are a society in which fear predominates all other emotions.  There is no greater fear than that of oneself.  The fear of things outside of us is no match for the fear of our own bodies, our emotions, our physiology, especially body symptoms, and diseases over which we feel we have no control.  We offer a way to change that relationship to ourselves.  We offer a real and reproducible way to end a vast amount of disease and suffering.

We support the shifting of responsibility of health to the patient by empowering them with reproducible tools for this noblest of human endeavors.  This enables a shift from helplessness and feeling the victim to becoming a conscious collaborator in advancing their own health and evolving biology.  Taking control of our lives and health includes advancing brain-body feedback, and fearlessly interacting with our own physiology, along with the depersonalization of human suffering.  It also requires making truly informed decisions.  We live in the information age, and we must be willing to investigate and let go of decades of unsubstantiated information, replacing it with reproducible, evidence-based therapy and a trust of innate somatic experience if we are to end the perpetual and unconscious cycle of human suffering.

The realization that a vast amount of human disease, suffering, its expression and outcomes could be changed by altering key aspects of human biology and consciousness seems incredible, yet it is consistently proving to be reproducible.  Such a discovery, if supported by larger research studies, will be known as a major breakthrough in the healing arts and sciences.

Founded by Dr Paul Canali
Evolutionary Healing Institute

References

  1. “Medical Guesswork: From heart surgery to prostate care, the health industry knows little about which common treatments really work.” 29 May 2006: Business Week. John Carey, 2006 the McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.
  2. American Journal Psychiatry. 2002 Jan; 159(1):122-9.
  3. Irving Kirsch, Phd, FDA trials PLos Medicine. medicine.plosjournals.org
  4. “The Neuropathy of Dissociation & Chronic Stress Disease.” Robert Scaer, MD. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, (2001), 26(1), 73-91, based on a Keynote Address presented at the 31st annual meeting of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, March 29-April 2, 2000, Denver, CO. http://www.trauma-pages.com/a/scaer-2001.php
  5. For further info on the affects of fear Amygdala and Pre Fronal Cortex, see Dr. Joseph LeDoux, cns.nyu.edu/home/ledoux
  6. Daniel J. Siegel. “Toward an Interpersonal Neurobiology of Psychotherapy.” 2005. Evolution of Psychotherapy Slide Presentation. http://www.drdansiegel.com
  7. Daniel J. Siegel, The Mindful Brain: Reflections and Attunement in the Cultivation of Well-Being (New York: Norton, 2007) 30.
  8. “Merck Manual Home Edition”, The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library, 2004-2007, Merck Research Laboratories, Whitehouse Station, NJ 2007 http://www.merck.com/mmhe/index.html
  9. John E. Sarno, MD, The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body Healing the Brain (New York: Warner Books, Inc., 1999)
  10. John E. Sarno, MD, The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body Healing the Brain (New York: Warner Books, Inc., 1999)
  11. Bessel A. van der Kolk, MD, Beyond the Talking Cure: Somatic Experience, Subcortical Imprints, and the Treatment of Trauma, 2002 http://www.eoamp.org
  12. Peter Levine, PhD. Waking the Tiger North Atlantic Books 1997
  13. Peter Levine, PhD. Waking the Tiger North Atlantic Books 1997
  14. The Ansar Group [Online] Available: http://www.ans-hrv.com
  15. Goldstein MD PhD, D. Robertson MD, M .Esler, MD, Strauss, MD, G. Eisenhofer PhD, Dysautonomias: Clinical Disorders of the Autonomic Nervous System, 2002 American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine.
  16. Robert M. Sapolsky, Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: An Updates Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Diseases, and Coping (New York: W.H. Freeman & Company, 1998.
  17. National Dysautonomia Research Foundation, NDRF, 1999. http://www.ndrf.org

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