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Systemic Coaching & Psychosomatic Symptoms

Martyn Carruthers

We find that psychosomatic symptoms originate in, or are worsened by, a person's beliefs, emotions and relationship entanglements. Most psychosomatic symptoms seem to be meaningful communications, and many medical symptoms seem to have psychosomatic components.

What are Psychosomatic Symptoms?

Some symptoms have no known physiological basis. Some symptoms seem more related to beliefs and emotions than to actual physical damage or biological causes. These symptoms can range in severity from mild headaches to phantom pregnancies to cancer, and can include nausea, abdominal pain and chest pain, breathlessness, diarrhea and giddiness and muscle pains.

Although all illnesses involve the mind (psyche) and body (soma), there is little agreement as to what symptoms should be called psychosomatic. Sometimes, emotional components seem particularly important, and influence not only the cause of the illness, but can worsen the symptoms. These illnesses are most commonly referred to as psychosomatic. Other symptoms have apparently little emotional component and appear almost totally somatic. Beyond biology we find psychobiology.

Like many doctors, we believe that illnesses such as asthma, eczema, heart problems, hypertension, migraines and ulcers are strongly influenced by emotions and beliefs - and therefore by the relationships which generate emotions and beliefs. And sometimes anxiety, stress or depression seem to somehow precipitate physical and emotional complaints.

What is the difference between somatic and psychosomatic complaints?

Some people consciously exaggerate or fake symptoms to avoid examinations, work or military duty. Unconscious ways to prevent overwork, stress etc include physical or emotional complaints, such as ...

Physical Complaints

Emotional Complaints

  1. Dizziness
  2. Headaches
  3. Upset stomach
  4. Neck or back pain
  5. Muscle aches and pains
  1. Hypochondria
  2. Obsessions or compulsions
  3. Poor balance and double vision
  4. Anxiety, panic attacks or phobias
  5. Anger, irritability and impatience

To what extent do relationships require somatic symptoms?

Psychosomatic symptoms can affect people at any age. They are more likely appear during times of stress, such as divorce, examinations, overwork, military service and other life problems. These symptoms may also appear during intense conversations about life goals and family relationships.

During our coaching session I had a headache which moved. It was weird. Then we noticed that different headache locations corresponded to different relatives. My mother-headache was back left for example ...

We find that the key issue is usually communication. Psychosomatic symptoms seem more common in children and in people who cannot communicate well, especially about their emotions and feelings. But how many people are taught how to communicate their feelings ... children may be punished for expressing emotions that their parents do not want to acknowledge.

People appear to develop psychosomatic symptoms to cope with stress and relationships. We find that psychosomatic conditions are often linked by family dynamics, role modeling and identification. For example, chronic sadness, chronic anger and chronic anxiety seem to be passed on from family members of one generation to the next generation. Parents lead and children follow.

Dissolve Psychosomatic Symptoms

Expect to find multiple factors precipitating psychosomatic symptoms. We don't seek one cause - we seek ten! If we only find six - we keep looking! Finding all the benefits of symptoms is often complex and tricky, so we observe non-verbal signals at least as much as vocalized words.

You can help people dissolve psychosomatic symptoms by helping them resolve relationship issues from which unpleasant emotions and beliefs can drive dysfunctional behaviors and physical symptoms. If you help people resolve the elements that underlie psychosomatic conditions (and if body tissues have not been irreparably damaged or removed) those conditions may seem to magically disappear.

I had migraine headaches for many years - and only one since our coaching last year. I found that I was following my mother - who used her headaches to avoid anything she did not like - and that I was clinging to her aborted child as if it was sitting on the back of my head. I also used to overwork a lot, and now I take more holidays.

Some health professionals do recognize the importance of dealing with relationship factors of disease symptoms and try to heal whole people, rather than just sick body parts. And yet some people diagnosed with psychosomatic disorders tell us that their doctors talked to them as if they were insane. Most people need a safe space, time and a good listener to talk about their feelings and relationships. We provide this to help them and us gain insights into how their symptoms interact with their lives.

Look at the whole lifestyle of people - look at their current and past relationships, look at how they deal with stress, and check their diet and exercise. Provide time - not only for talking but for listening and insights but also for integration. Although our coaching sessions may only be an hour or two, people often describe insights that keep on coming for days or even weeks.

People with psychosomatic symptoms can benefit from support, understanding and compassion (but not so much from sympathy) of family and friends. They can benefit from friendly people who will listen and provide supportive feedback. They can benefit from our systemic coaching.

Consult your physician about any opinions about medical symptoms or medical conditions.

Relationship Coaching ... Systemic Coach Training ... Your Next Step

Do you want relationship coaching or systemic coach training. Do you want better relationships, or do you want to coach people to resolve relationship challenges? Contact us.

Copyright © Martyn Carruthers 2008, all rights reserved


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Relationship Coaching ... Systemic Coach Training ... Your Next Step
 
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Write to: 05-082 Stare Babice, Orla Bialego 2m9, PL  or  Angel, Trnsko 13A, 10020 Zagreb, HR

Workshop

Systemic Coach Training

Systemic 1 How to evaluate relationship dynamics and resolve entanglements
Systemic 2 How to define life goals, identify blocks, resolve objections & plan for success
Systemic 3 How to do or continue goalwork using metaphors and dream coaching
Systemic 4 How to recognize and dissolve abuse and trauma, and rebuild motivation
Systemic 5 How to change limiting beliefs and toxic relationship bonds for emotional freedom
Systemic 6 How to recognize and resolve identity loss: recover lost qualities and lost skills
Systemic 7 How to end mentor or therapist damage, and provide inspirational mentorship
Systemic 8 How to coach couples and partners to remedy partnership issues
Systemic 9 How to coach whole or parts of families to solve family blocks
Systemic 10 How to coach teams and team leaders to resolve team problems

Copyright © Martyn Carruthers 1996 - 2008 All rights reserved. Soulwork systemic coaching was primarily developed by Martyn Carruthers. We train people to coach others to manage emotions and improve relationships. This information is for your general knowledge only. Please consult a physician about medical conditions and before changing any medical treatment. Link to our pages, but get Martyn's written permission to post or publish his work.