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ellie,

I've written a lot on this subject. It will probably suffice to say that the confusion rests on differences between pure TMS and more expansive, more recent neuroscientific approaches. Classic, pure TMS sees the cause of pain as repressed emotions with concomitant oxygen deprivation. The neuropsychological approaches are wider embracing and at their heart agree that sympathetic dominance is also a key factor. Pure TMS theory does not make this distinction and does not acknowledge the role of the branches of the nervous system as being integral to the genesis of pain.

The fact is emotions are the mediating factors in the nervous system (which means both emotions and the nervous system interplay with one another) so essentially if your TMS doctor has suggested you give up on the TMS approach, he is telling you to stop going down the emotional route. It simply doesn't work for everyone. Many people, myself included are recovering because we are healing our nervous system by bringing the parasympathetic back into its natural state of dominance. Our bodies are designed to be predominantly in a state of rest and digest, not agitation and vigilance.

I'm happy with the expansive view. It is corroborated by science and experience. It embraces stress and other causes of chronic pain. In no way does it undermine Sarno's work, it simply adds to it and means more people heal. That can only be a very good thing.