Placebo effect vs repressed emotions?

Ever since I got involved in the TMS universe, I've been a little murky on how much the "placebo effect" contributes to healing vs. actually releasing/ labeling/ acknowledging difficult emotions. I'm still not totally clear on it to be honest, but I guess I've come to the following question on the subject... does it really matter? On an individual level, I'm not sure. I've gotten much better... maybe some of that is because I BELIEVED that Sarno's methods would work, so my brain started following suit, maybe some of it is because the emotions finally got "unstuck" from my body. I don't know. Curious to hear how you guys feel about this? Do you think any of your healing can be considered "placebo response"? Does it matter to you whether it is or not?

The reason this question is cropping up is because of a conversation I had last week with Dr. Tor Wager (who is heading up the new mindbody research study with @Alan Gordon LCSW and Howard Schubiner). He has some really interesting breakdowns of how the brain activates a placebo response and why he thinks the brain responds to emotions physically.

To hear his thoughts on the topic, you can listen to the full interview with Tor. Some bullet points of what to expect:

• Tor breaks down TMS concepts in a very digestible way... the interview is honestly more of an "neuroscience audio lesson" than an interview
• His explanations are actually a great supplement to Alan's new program... he talks about the neuroscience behind a lot of the important components (like the pain/ fear cycle)
• I know many of you contributed to the new study, and Tor explains a lot of great details on what's going to happen and why it's designed the way it is

Curious to hear what you guys think about Tor's explanations, and also about the role of the placebo effect in your own journey...

 

So let's say that treating TMS is making use of the placebo-effect. There is a big difference between the TMS approach and all other therapies:

The patient is openly informed about the nature of its symptoms and how the brain controls them!!!

It is a method you can use over and over again without loosing its power, its a tool for life that is free and can be applied anywhere at any time. The patient is essentially given back control over its own mental and physical well being.

The placebo effect is changing your state of mind to one that allows or even induces positive physical and psychological effects. In my mind it is as simple as that. And the nocebo effect is simply the opposite of that.
Because the repression of emotions is keeping a lot of people from being able to structurally change that state of mind, learning how to recognize and acknowledge them is key to healing.

I hope Tor and Alan/Schubiner can start writing some strong papers soon based on this study and that it will stir some much needed debate in the medical community.