CAUTION-The Lightning Process can scar you for life

How's this for an email I got from a lovely lady I saw 2 months ago. Well done Alex. You are a champion.

"Hi Ian,

Just emailing to tell you how I’ve been going. The past month has been absolutely amazing. I won dux at my school despite all the time I had off, I came first in English, Extension English, Modern History, Society and Culture and Music. I also passed my P’s test in the hail while all the traffic lights were out and it was flooding. I was able to keep my cool with the process. I also played my first proper gig on Sunday night in Newtown which was really fun.

I have been running the beach each day and this morning (I don’t know what your opinions are on tattoos but I got this one this morning) My first and last as I am not one to get tattoo’s but I believed it was appropriate. I attached a picture. It will be a constant reminder of what I have achieved and to always stay positive :)

I believe the process saved my life and I am so grateful for everything you have done.

Thanks again and I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. "

(FROM IAN -The rubber duck is part of a story I tell in my training about the potential speed of change. Nice one Alex!)

ME/CFS and XMRV -

A new study has cast further doubt on the idea that a virus called XMRV causes chronic fatigue syndrome. READ BBC ARTICLE HERE

Although I'm sure this won't end the debate about XMRV and its links to ME/CFS, it would seem that opinion is starting to sway towards the findings that XMRV is not linked to ME/CFS.

Through my experience I would say that there isn't one single virus that causes ME/CFS. Any lingering virus has the potential to cause it. Onset may be from any number of stressors. I have seen Epstein Barr, Ross River Fever, Barmah Forest Virus, an operation, physical or emotional trauma, physical injury, vaccinations, bacterial infection, pregnancy, exposure to chemicals and even extreme jetlag.

The body seems to go into a heightened state of sympathetic nervous system arousal causing a miriad of symptoms.

The downside of this news is that it still means that we are no closer to finding a biological marker or definate test for ME/CFS. Until this happens sufferers will have to go through the long and frustrating process of getting a diagnosis.

Lightning Process Babies

As I start to get Christmas cards from people I have seen over the years and I hear what they are up to now, the one thing that always amazes me is the incredible ripple effect that occurs when someone gets success with the Lightning Process. It rarely effects just that person. Most people I see have a support group of friends and family who also benefit when some one gets their health back.

It might be a partner who can now have a 'normal' relationship or a child who gets a mother back. (Some friends and family of course don't stick around and have long gone by the time people see me).

There is one thing though that I really enjoy...getting news that one of my

Lightning Process graduates is pregnant. I know how much it means to them as my wife and I were in the same position.

I call them 'Lightning Process Babies', and I've just found out that one of this years graduates is pregnant!

For my wife it was a little different. We fell pregnant while she was still sick. She was terrified as she couldn't even look after herself. (As her carer and husband I was terrified as well). But being pregnant was the powerful motivator she needed to totally commit to doing the work required to get well.

We now have 2 gorgeous little boys who get to enjoy life with their healthy Mum.

Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Talk

Today I was asked to speak at Nambour Base Hospital's physiotherapy department about the Lightning Process and its approach to Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain.

Some chronic pain conditions are seen as a real pain to health practitioners as they seem remarkably unresponsive to treatment.

Being an outpatient programme I made an assumption that their approach would be very much based around a physical exercise programme. I wasn't sure therefore how they would respond to the Lightning Process approach of focusing on more on the neurological re-training element combined with activity.

No tomatoes were thrown and they seem to have a very up-to-date approach! It was nice to talk to a group who understood the role the brain plays in pain and that neurological retraining wasn't suggesting it was 'all in the head'.

Hi to all the staff who sat through me rabbitting on. Hopefully it wasn't too painful for you.

Stay tuned for a more in depth piece about the Lightning Process approach to chronic pain.