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I don't believe that I have to limit myself to any one definition of mind-body awareness/theory/practice. For me, Dr. Sarno's brilliant theories were only a starting point. My most alarming symptoms were not pain, but what he eventually called "TMS equivalents". I spent decades (even as a child) being told by doctors that there didn't seem to be anything wrong with me. Each time, I would relax, and the symptom in question would go away - only to be replaced by something else. And there were the ongoing symptoms as well, which came and went over the years, including frequent digestive upsets, headaches, chronic neck pain after a skiing accident, neuro symptoms, and dizziness. I've seen MDs and PTs for the dizziness, MDs for heart palpitations and stomach problems, and a chiro for years for the neck pain.

My first book was The Divided Mind, which turned my life around, but the next two books that helped me to change my life were "Hope & Help for Your Nerves" by Dr. Claire Weekes (who died in her 90s in the 90s so I doubt she even knew about Dr. Sarno) and "When the Body Says No" by Dr. Gabor Mate, who doesn't mention Dr. Sarno in that book, although I'm sure he's heard of him.

Dr. Mate blew my mind. I DO believe Dr. Mate when he says that the development of cancer requires a perfect storm: 1) a genetic predisposition, 2) environmental exposure, AND 3) long-term weakness of the immune system due to repressed emotional stress.

I would also recommend The Anatomy of Hope by Dr. Jerome Groopman. And look into the research that is actually being done on the power of the placebo effect (this excites me a LOT because I believe in the placebo effect, and I use it on myself quite successfully, I think).

You have to understand and believe that your brain is in control of every physiological process in your body before you can help your brain change what it is doing to you. I've done it, but it's not easy. And my brain still comes up with new symptoms. It's not always easy to banish them, because (as today's neuroscientists tell us) we are still wired to think negatively, to constantly be scanning the horizon for danger. Our thoughts are always heading for the negative, and it's really really hard to recognize that and turn them off. There have been some excellent replies on this thread about what works for different people. The key word being different!

Honestly, this stuff goes WAY beyond the excellent groundwork laid for us by Dr. Sarno. The phrase "TMS" is useful, but it doesn't even begin to encompass the possibilities and the potential for self-healing.