Chronic and Acute Pain:
"Conference News" talks with Trainer Donna Ray

Conference News: Your workshop will explore the idea of our theme, 'Less is More,' in addressing chronic and acute pain. What have you learned about "doing less" when working with pain?

Donna: Pain varies with each individual, it is a complicated subject. I have learned during the 25 years of my Functional Integration® practice that using very slow gentle movements provides relief for people suffering with acute and chronic pain. I always consider what kind of change the person can accept as I support the person and introduce new movement. It is important to consider what will be useful to them, and to know when to stop.

As we know, the brain/nervous system is really sophisticated. While getting to know the person, I consider the 'state' of the nervous system. I see the emotional status, the self-image, the beliefs that support the self-image. I learn what they think they can and can't do, and what they want to be able to do. I am open, flexible and comfortable being with people, even when they are suffering. My caring, attention and attitude leads my student toward possibilities of change. In this workshop, along with learning to see and understand the individual clearly, we'll be looking at some specific ways to work with muscles, skeletal movement and the central nervous system. Using a dynamic systems approach, I'll address how to manipulate and monitor muscular response, always thinking about functional action, in order to create a "state shift'; a new pattern in the brain. In this way, the individual learns to move and behave differently.
 
Conference News: What do you mean by a "state shift"?

Donna: Let me give you an example. Recently I gave a lesson to a 60 year old woman with chronic headaches. It was a simple, elegant lesson, lying on the right then left side. I moved her pelvis and gently touched each vertebra. I organized the pelvis and spine for sitting and standing. I monitored her breathing. I intended to move her from an anxious, sympathetic fight or flight state toward a parasympathetic state of calm. When she sat up, her head still hurt, but she was more at ease. I encouraged her to walk. Then while she was standing, through gentle touch, I clarified the movements of each hip joint. Then we made the movement from standing to sitting easy. While doing so, I described how basketball players prepare for jumping. I guided her movement so she could feel in herself the movements one would make while preparing to jump. She began to move more freely, imagining and exploring the movements slowly as if playing basketball. Much to her surprise the headache vanished. Her state shifted. She smiled.  Was it playing basketball? Was it the work along her spine? Was it learning to move easily from sitting to standing? Was it our relationship? We can't really say what caused the shift; we simply consider all of the elements involved that lead up to a dynamic change in the system. UCLA Psychiatrist, Dan Siegel, M.D. says that the dyadic relationship creates a "window of tolerance" a time and space for change to occur in the brain. I believe all elements are equally important.

Conference News: So her nervous system had changed in some way?

Donna: Yes, I believe so. We are always changing the nervous system while practicing Functional Integration. Tuning into parasympathetic and sympathetic responses along with functional action themes creates dramatic shifts that decrease and eliminate pain. There needs to be enough excitement in the system to get people moving, but not so much they are in a state of chronic flight or fight. Each lesson helps regulate the nervous system. When people are experiencing pain, the reaction in the nervous system varies. One person may lean toward sympathetic arousal which may result in chronic tension and  anxiety. Another may become lethargic and depressed, becoming immobilized. This reflects a parasympathetic state. We are changing the pathways in the brain, actually the neural networks themselves, and creating new map in the brain. In The Brain that Changes Itself, authored by Norman Doidge M.D.; Dr. Ramachandran, states "pain, like the body image, is created by the brain and projected onto the body." I believe Functional Integration changes this projected image and alters memory associated with pain.

Conference News: How does FI create a shift in the state of the nervous system?

Donna: The practitioner's nervous system connects with her student, through this co-regulation our students learn how to shift from one state to another. They become integrated at a higher level. This new level of integration alters pain and creates new movement and new behaviors. Like Dr. Feldenkrais said while describing Functional Integration  in the Elusive Obvious, " .... we dance together."

Conference News: Is there anything you would like to add?

Donna: It is my intention to provide practitioners with information and experiences that will make them feel smarter and more capable. Furthermore, I will discuss strategies that effectively address various types of pain and injuries. Ultimately, the sensitivity and quality of behavior of the practitioner has the greatest effect on the student. Achieving this level of self-satisfaction takes time. I hope to see you in Chicago.