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Posted by: Michelle ® 05/31/2013, 12:33:12 |
If you have a interest in Neuroplastic training and Blepharospasm, Dr. Farias has a 2 part video ' Open Your Eyes', on YouTube and on his website.
www.focaldystonia.net/ |
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Posted by: lisao ® 05/31/2013, 13:25:11 |
I just want to tell anyone who watches the video that the footage of our sessions with Dr Farias is slightly misleading - it makes it look like we spent most of our time talking and getting acupressure. We did some of both, but the sessions were much more active and varied. In my case: Dr Farias asked about my bleph history; told me about his approach; observed me closely and told me things I was doing with my eyes and face that I needed to be aware of and stop doing; worked with me to figure out my trigger situations more precisely; gave me exercises to help initiate neuroplastic change (did them with me, adapting them if I had trouble); worked with me on figuring out how to inhibit spasms; and so on. We sat inside to work on my problem with listening. We walked outside to work on light/motion. (I know he has driven in cars with people to work on that.) He also advised me about lifestyle changes which would calm my brain and promote neuroplasticity. The sessions were really packed and kind of exhausting but also exhilarating because they felt very productive. I have had a couple of Skype sessions with Dr Farias since November and those were very helpful, too - and the more bleph patients he works with, the more exercises he comes up with - potentially helpful to all his patients. Modified by lisao at Fri, May 31, 2013, 13:36:22 |
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Posted by: antigua ® 05/31/2013, 15:50:42 |
Thank you so much for writing about your sessions with Dr. Farias. The sessions sound facinating and so individual. How are you doing? Are you still getting Botox injections? Antigua |
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Posted by: lisao ® 06/02/2013, 12:15:48 |
I wrote a LONG reply to this and then accidentally deleted it. UGH. Will redo but don't have time yet ... |
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Posted by: lisao ® 06/03/2013, 00:16:48 |
Antigua, I think I have probably made the least progress of all of us who've seen Dr Farias, for the simple reason that I haven't managed to make the lifestyle changes (sleep more, reduce stress, etc.) he prescribed. So it's as if I injured my foot while running, and the doctor told me to stop running and do certain physical therapy exercises to heal my foot - I am doing the therapy exercises but still running! Even so, I have been making an important kind of progress: I have been learning how to inhibit my spasms in various trigger situations. Before Seville, when facing triggers, I would just struggle, then shut down. Now, I keep trying to open my eyes, using techniques Dr Farias showed me and other things I figured out myself using his approach. ("Inhibiting" spasms does not mean fighting spasms but delaying them from starting.) At this point, my control is temporary, imperfect, and inconsistent. But as I get more experience of not spasming in those situations, my brain will learn that it has another option besides the current (spasm) default. If you read some of Carol's posts over the past year, you will get a sense of the possibilities and the challenges of the therapy. Carol can now inhibit spasms for extended periods in SOME situations. She used to have to concentrate all the time to do this, but it's gotten easier. But she still has serious setbacks. Last summer it took her months to get to the point where she could walk outside without spasms pretty easily. But when winter hit, her progress went out the window. Dr Farias told her to be patient and try again when the weather got warmer - and that by next winter she will find it easier. Last I heard from Carol, she was back outside and catching up to where she'd been before winter. I myself recently tried a technique Dr Farias showed me in a Skype session and was able to jog for 8 minutes with my eyes open (whereas before I couldn't jog for 30 seconds without spasms). I was eager to work more on this technique, but then I caught a bad cold, and my eyes regressed. I have been waiting for weeks for my eyes to return to (my) normal so I can get out there and try again. The point is - the therapy requires patience and long term commitment. Dr Farias said in Intertwined that it can take 6 months to multiple years to recover from a focal dystonia. But that time frame refers to a complete recovery. Every gain along the way is meaningful. One person I spoke to recently was having serious trouble with driving before she saw Dr Farias, and now she's driving without difficulty. She still considers herself to be actively working on controlling her spasms, but she's very happy about her progress. Anyway, I hope that helps. I will keep posting about how I am doing. Over the next few months, some changes in my life may make it easier for me to make the global changes Dr Farias recommended. I will be curious to see how that affects my progress. As I said elsewhere, I think anyone who is interested in this therapy and wants to learn more about it should read Intertwined. It is not about bleph, but the approach is similar in many ways.
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Posted by: Michelle ® 06/03/2013, 06:36:29 |
Thank you Lisa for posting your experience with Dr. Farias's and his approach
to focal distonia. Anyone interested in neuroplasicity should first read 'The Brain That Changes Itself' by Dr. Norman Doidge . Brain science is now proving that the brain is plastic and not hard wired as was thought. Last year when I was diagnosed and doing a lot of research I was lucky enough to have found this book . Soon after I read Dr. Doidge's book, Lisa posted on here about Dr. Farias and his research on Blepharospasm. I was filled with hope. I went to Spain in June and again in November. I am now no longer hopeful but convinced that through neuroplasicity therapy and the fact of opening up new pathways in my brain, I will overcome this condition. |
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Posted by: antigua ® 06/03/2013, 07:39:42 |
Thank you Lisa and Michelle,
I appreciate reading your accounts of dealing with BEB. I have been trying to relax more, get more sleep, meditate and with your suggestions of being more aware of body language/spasms/triggers, etc. I am trying out many new ways of dealing with this. A book that I just started reading by Deepok Chopra is Super Brain and it tells how the mind-body connection is proven and how we can reprogram our brain. Also thanks for sending the U Tube, Open Your Eyes. I keep telling myself that all the time!!! Antigua |
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Posted by: lisao ® 06/03/2013, 08:36:55 |
Of course, the other thing I would say to anyone who wants to do this therapy is to go see Dr Farias for a series of training sessions! I don't think one can do this therapy by reading about it. Dr Farias's minute observation/correction of movements; his choosing & adapting exercises for each person; his explanation of the approach (from tiny details to holistic "big picture")- all are essential. I am sure the others who have seen him would agree with me on this. Some of the ideas and techniques are subtle and it takes awhile to understand. You don't even realize what you don't get till you begin trying to do the therapy. I still review my notes from my sessions with Dr Farias regularly, almost daily, and at least one of the others who saw him with me said she does the same thing. We also communicate with Dr Farias regularly, reporting progress and asking him questions that come up. I have had two Skype sessions which were very valuable in helping me understand better what I need to work on. (Also, talking to Dr Farias is always very encouraging - good for morale!) I know it's hard to imagine going all the way to Spain for the therapy. I was very hesitant myself(kept thinking, "Can't we just Skype?" but for the initial sessions, I think being there in person is key). But everyone I am in touch with who has done it feels it was totally worthwhile. I don't mean to sound like a groupie or cult follower. I think of myself as pretty hardheaded and skeptical generally (though willing to try things). But Dr Farias is an extraordinary person, and I feel very lucky that he happens to be devoting his energy to helping people overcome focal dystonia. I was rereading Intertwined yesterday (another thing I keep doing and finding helpful) and liked this page at the end about Dr Farias, so I will quote it here: "Dr Joaquin Farias is a leading specialist in neuropsychological rehabilitation of focal dystonias, biochemist, ergonomist, psycho-sociologist, musician, martial arts instructor, shiatsu therapist, traveller, researcher and advocate for a patient's right to receive the least aggressive treatment available. He believes that patients are not just subjects, but are people, and when a life is reduced to a clinical history, many times the most important facets of the person are overlooked. He believes that rehabilitation experiences are not reproducible because each person is unique and different and that life doesn't repeat itself. He believes in the humanization of science and in the integration of all disciplines because the patient lives in a world that cannot be divided. He believes that questions without answers could be resolved if we were not in such a hurry and it wasn't so important to be completely right all the time."
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