| Transformation is the act of nullifying dysfunctional or | | | | emotionally potent desired state, the quicker the |
| unwanted patterns and replacing them with functional | | | | transformation will be come permanent as it rapidly |
| and desired ones. For transformation to occur, both | | | | becomes the new habituated pattern. |
| processes must be considered. One without the other | | | | When working with stroke patients, a few innovative |
| will assure failure. For instance, the strength of | | | | clinicians (Walsh & Pascual-Leone, 2003) have |
| neuro-physiological patterns related to smoking must | | | | realized that inhibited (or stroke damaged) neural |
| first be disempowered. Then the clinician or a person | | | | substrates become quickly encroached upon by their |
| doing self-treatment will quickly notice that the | | | | immediate neighboring substrates, which realize an |
| opportunity for success will be greatly improved when | | | | opportunity for growth. Another example of this is |
| they replace them with more powerful ones having a | | | | found with deaf patients who have improved their |
| more pronounced emotional/feeling intensity. Indeed, | | | | peripheral vision once some of the occipital lobe |
| neurophysiologists specializing in Transcranial | | | | functions have been able to expand into auditory |
| Magnetics (TCM) realize that the virtual lesions that | | | | centers. |
| they create in the brains of their virtual patients will | | | | For some people, stretching this rationale into the |
| quickly get filled in by surrounding neurons or brain | | | | somatic arena is difficult. Nevertheless, over the past |
| functions (Walsh & Pascual-Leone, 2003). | | | | several years there have been several studies |
| Likewise, when an unwanted neuro-physiological | | | | involving the impact of neural processes - which they |
| pattern loses its strength there is a natural tendency | | | | either call hypnosis, suggestion, or guided imagery - on |
| for it to reappear - or be replaced with another | | | | physiological processes. Most of these studies |
| dysfunctional one such as overeating - should it not be | | | | (Ginandes, et al., 2003) have tended to confirm the |
| quickly replaced with a stronger one of the subject's | | | | perception that wounds heal faster when patients |
| choosing. | | | | visualize accelerated healing. Even though the most |
| This theory can be applied to a wide range of cases. | | | | enthusiastic researchers meekly claim that their |
| In the case of addictions, success will not occur unless | | | | findings warrant further confirmation, this proves to be |
| the dysfunctional patterns are weakened by lack of | | | | another verification that focusing on a desired pattern |
| attention and replaced by a compelling new identity | | | | may very well impact on somatic processes as well. |
| and set of positively compelling emotions/feelings. It is | | | | The latter issue should not be surprising. The |
| not enough to support patients' efforts to "try to quit" | | | | imagination function inherent in suggestions creates a |
| or to stop smoking; they must replace it with a new | | | | specific and measurable neuro-physiological change |
| positive reality. It is not about quitting. It is about | | | | starting with the R-OFC. This then affects specific |
| beginning! | | | | parts of the thalamus, which in turn communicates with |
| Similarly, this can be extended to performance | | | | the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, the master |
| enhancement. Take for instance a situation in which a | | | | endocrine gland. This signals a cellular reaction as the |
| client desires to improve a golf swing. The current | | | | parasympathetic autonomic system has been |
| state of the swing represents the neuro-physiological | | | | activated. In this mode cells are open to nutrition and |
| patterns that must be replaced. Such clients often | | | | replication, two conditions that are required for wound |
| come in to the clinician's office dwelling on the details | | | | healing. The connection between the imagination and |
| of the poor swing and why it is important make the | | | | somatic healing is a logical one that may be measured |
| improvement. Essentially, in many ways they are in a | | | | by discrete physiological events as well as by noting |
| stuck state that reinforces the habituated pattern. As | | | | statistical results. Nevertheless, the allopathic medical |
| long as they continue to reinforce the pattern through | | | | obsessions with surgery and pharmacology together |
| continued attention, it will not change. The focus needs | | | | with their overuse of the "all in their mind" mantra will |
| to be on creating an emotionally vivid alternate pattern | | | | continue to delay their acceptance of therapeutic |
| that uses all the senses. The less attention given to the | | | | suggestion as part of a healing protocol. |
| unwanted, yet habituated state and more given to the | | | | |