5 Comments (and 9 trackbacks)

• #1 by Kiyash Monsef on October 11th, 2010

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  Dr. McGonigal’s advice is inspiring, down-to-earth, and easy to put into action right away.
  
  I have been doing the breathing exercises and meditations with my wife, who began suffering from chronic headaches after a concussion this past summer. She wanted to avoid heavy pain medications, and this book was a lifesaver. It helped both with the physical pain and also the depression and anxiety that she felt, having little control over her symptoms. I was happy to be able to work through the book with her — it helped me better understand what she going through, and gave me concrete ways to help her: by doing breathing exercises together, and reading the meditations out loud to her.
  
  It helps that the book is grounded in scientific research (psychology and physiology) as well as Dr. McGonigal’s yoga practice, it makes for a well-grounded book that is both eye-opening and comforting.
  Rating: 5 / 5

• #2 by M. Hanson on October 11th, 2010

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  If you are interested in health, well-being or yoga this book is a must have. As a yoga instructor here are a few reasons why I loved it. 1. The practices and recommendations are accessible to everyone and benefit beginning to experienced practitioners. 2. The practices can be readily integrated into a group yoga class and into working one-on-one with people. 3. The recommendations are supported by both western medical evidence and the yogic tradition. 4. To reduce stress, lower back, neck and shoulder pain, I’ve integrated several of the recommendations into my personal practice, and have felt an immediate and positive difference.
  Rating: 5 / 5

• #3 by Cookiemonster on October 11th, 2010

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  I am a long time student of Dr. Kelly McGonigal. I found this book to be very helpful in explaining the science of pain, and how my own mental patterns in dealing with personal chronic pain were exacerbating or relieving my pain. The practical suggestions for poses to stretch and move while in pain have been useful for reducing the intensity of pain in my shoulder and neck. The gentle movements offered in this book were also helpful in recovering from a recent bout of the flu. I found the stories to be helpful in learning that I am not alone in dealing with pain and hearing strategies for how other people dealt with similar issues. Yoga is not a quick fix, but the ideas and suggestions in this book have made a real difference in handling day to day stress and pain.
  Rating: 5 / 5

• #4 by Tucker Adams on October 11th, 2010

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  This is a wonderful book that is accessible to anyone, very easy to use and very clear. I’m struck by the author’s skill in communicating complex philosophical and scientific information and translating it into simple practices that are as useful to the serious yogi as they are to someone completely unfamiliar with yoga. As a yoga teacher I’m delighted to have this as part of my toolchest as I work with those suffering from chronic pain. This is a book to return to many times for the subtle, simple and powerful practices that can allow us to live compassionately with ourselves in the midst of pain of any kind.
  Rating: 5 / 5

• #5 by Diane Byster on October 11th, 2010

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  Diane Byster, LMFT, NCC, RYT
  
  Book Review:
  
  Yoga for Pain Relief. Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D.

  Yoga for Pain Relief, a new book by Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., is truly a must read for psychotherapists and health care professionals. The book is concise, very well-organized, and written as if the author is having a personal conversation with the reader. McGonigal explains technical concepts, such as the neurobiology of stress and pain, and breaks it down into understandable terms using every day language, absent of jargon. We learn from the author, for example, that pain and stress are both survival systems, and because these systems are inter-linked, our nervous system reacts to threats including physical, emotional, interpersonal, and economic – as physical pain.

  The implications for treating our clients are very compelling. If both stress and pain are learned mind/body coordinated responses, than we can help our patients not only understand the linkage between stress and pain and how they react to perceived threats, but also offer personalized techniques that generate immediate well-being. McGonigal, includes an extensive toolkit of effective, and easy to implement breathing awareness, relaxation and movement suggestions that can be practiced with clients in the consulting room to help them feel better and empowered to manage their state of mind and body. For instance, McGonigal introduces the simple practice of `spine wave;’ in a seated position drawing the shoulders back and lifting the chest on an inhalation, followed by doming the spine, bringing the chin to the chest on an exhale. Done for 5 to 10 breath cycles this combined breathing and stretching technique releases tension in the back and belly, where stress is often stored. McGonigal integrates photos of yoga and breathing postures along with real life vignettes to coach the reader and make the practices more user-friendly.

  What makes Yoga for Pain Relief so special is not only a battery of techniques grounded in neuroscience and yoga, the book also explores our complex relationship with our bodies and how we learn to treat ourselves. McGonigal states that negative emotional states such as anger and bitterness can exacerbate pain and interferes with our capacity for self-care. When we are absorbed in these negative emotional states, the tendency is treat our body as the enemy, which results in protracting pain. As an alternative to perpetuating the pain cycle and maintaining an adverse relationship with our body, McGonigal offers practical methods to help us feel more peaceful and self-accepting. For instance, the author introduces a personal writing exercise called; `forgiving your pain.’ Understanding that chronic pain is our mind/body trying to mitigate further harm, McGonigal encourages the reader to write about “what might happen if you lost all ability to feel pain?” Or, reflect on “what is your chronic pain trying to protect you from?” Exploring these kinds of questions helps the reader externalize their pain, rather than identify and react from it.

  Not only is Yoga for Pain Relief a valuable guide for assisting our clients with difficult emotional and physical states, it’s ideal for us, too. How many of us have moments during the day when we lose our feeling of being centered? Wouldn’t it be great to have an array of practices easily available to calm our minds and help us stay focused? If you have been looking for such a resource, this book is it.

  Rating: 5 / 5

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