The Biochemistry of Energy Psychology

An Immunologist’s Perspective on Physiological Mechanisms Underlying Energy Psychology Treatments

Judith Swack: I just wanted to tell you that for my Ph.D. I had to major in three areas. Since I was already an expert in enzymology, I majored instead for my Ph.D. in molecular biology, immunology, and neurochemistry. So, today, folks, we’re going to get into heavy chemistry. But let me start by saying that because I applied for many NIH grants to fund my research, I understand that procedures are absolutely critical if you want anything from an agency. So we will start by doing the official CEU paperwork.

Slide 1 Objectives for CE credits

On completion of this program, the participant will be able to:

1. Name at least two well-researched physiological mechanisms most likely involved in Energy Psychology treatments
2. Cite at least two research studies from the fields of physiology and immunology that indirectly support the notion that Energy Psychology could be effective
3. Describe at least one theory from the field of immunology that provides indirect theoretical support for the potential usefulness of energy interventions as appropriate psychotherapeutic adjuncts.

Name three objectives. At the end of this seminar, you will all be able to name at least two well-researched physiological mechanisms most likely involved in energy psychology treatments. You will all be able to cite at least two research studies from the fields of physiology and immunology that indirectly– well, I think directly support the notion that energy psychology is effective. You will be able to describe at least one theory from the field of immunology that provides direct theoretical support for the usefulness of energy interventions as appropriate psychotherapeutic adjuncts.
[applause, cries of “you go girl” ]

JS: There will be a quiz at the end of this talk. All right, next slide please.

Slide 2 References

Guyton, A.C. and Hall, J.E. Textbook of Medical Physiology, 10 edition, W.B. Saunders Co. NY, 2000

Ulett, G.A., Beyond Yin and Yang; How Acupuncture Really Works Warren S. Green and Co., Inc. St. Louis, , 1992

Stefano, G.B., Fricchione, G.L., Slingsby, B.T., and Benson, H. “The placebo effect and relaxation response: neural processes and their coupling to constitutive nitric oxide” in Brain Research Reviews 35:1-19, 2001

Swack, J.A. (1992) “A study of initial response and reversion rates of subjects treated with the allergy technique.” Anchor Point 6, 3:1-10 

These are the references I used for the scientific part of my seminar. I took the body of my seminar today from the classic medical physiology textbook by Guyton and Hall. This book is fascinating and beautifully written. This is a must read; I couldn’t put it down.
[laughter]

JS: I’m serious. George Ulett, what a great man. A neurochemist, psychiatrist trained at Harvard Medical School, actually did the physiological research on how acupuncture really works. And that is a 1992 reference. I think it’s a fabulous book. I read it cover to cover on an airplane, couldn’t put it down, must read.

Stephano, coming out of Herbert Benson’s lab (Herbert Benson who is well known for his research on the relaxation response) wrote a fabulous review that just came out in Brain Research Reviews. His paper on the placebo effect and the relaxation response, neural processes and their couplings to constitutive nitrous oxide is a genius piece of work. They describe in detail the stress relaxation response, which is of course the feedback regulatory mechanism for the sympathetic alarm response. So there is the stress response and then there’s the feedback response called the relaxation response.

Today I’m going to be talking to you about the chemistry that regulates the sympathetic alarm response, and the opposing stress relaxation response, which is the feedback mechanism leading to what we call in science, homeostasis. In the energy psychology field we call it balance; in medicine they call it homeostasis.

And then of course, the last reference that I draw from is my study of allergy subjects that I treated with a Neuro-Linguistic Programming allergy technique. I followed the subjects for several years to see if the results held. In my discussion in that paper, I basically describe the biochemical mechanisms of why you can cure an allergy in seconds. It’s a direct neurological mechanism. That paper is available on my website, www.jaswack.com.

Just a very teensy brief review of HBLU: the premise in HBLU is that we all have a soul, that’s it’s currently embodied in human form, and that there are two reasons for this. One is that we’re supposed to live our life fully and experience life through our senses. That was a beautiful meditation we did in class with Nahoma Clinton yesterday, “Experience Life Through All Your Senses”. The second reason we’re embodied is to manifest our soul’s mission. That means make your personal contribution to the planet, so that when you die you know that you lived a full life and that somehow you made a difference in the world that had meaning for you.

Now, if this isn’t happening, then I believe by definition there’s interference, and the interference I see comes in three categories. Firstly, there’s the life experience damage that you pick up that imprints in the conscious mind, unconscious mind, and body. That includes traumas, grudges, limiting beliefs, reversals, whatever. Secondly, you can have bugs in your operating system, your ego personality structure, which is a whole different area of work. Thirdly, I believe that there’s external interference that doesn’t come from within you but comes from outside of you. In that area we have, basically, natural disasters, nasty people with free will–
(laughter)

JS: — and supernatural. When you work with the unconscious mind, you have to go wherever it goes, and we live in the land of mythology and religion, so we have supernatural.

Basically the format of HBLU is a very simple “Pick from Column A, match it from Column B” kind of exercise. What we do is we establish communication with the unconscious mind, body, and soul by muscle testing and also having the person go inside and talk to parts of them, using NLP i.e. hypnotic sort of techniques.

Then we establish a priority goal, get permission to balance for the goal, and determine the percent negative emotional charge, like you do with energy psychology techniques, the SUDs. Then we find the priority interference pattern. So, basically, we have lists of damage patterns in all three major categories. We go down the list: is it a trauma, is it a layer of your Enneagram wound, is it a curse, whatever.

We list out what the interference patterns are on the goal. Then we find the priority interference pattern, what’s the highest priority one to clear. We explain and understand the patterns so that they align all the levels; I understand consciously what this is now, I’ve talked to my unconscious mind, I know where I feel this pattern in my body, I see where it shows up in my life. Okay, I understand this pattern. Now you pick a technique, and the techniques are from Menu B.

So Menu B, on my Menu I have energy psychology techniques, I have hypnosis, I have NLP techniques, I have Reiki healing and channeling of chi, I have prayer, meditation, qigong, etc. One of my colleagues started out as a talk therapist. On his menu he has talk as one of his techniques and hugging as another technique. I even have stuff I don’t do on my menu, like chiropractic, acupuncture, homeopathy, because you know what? HBLU may not be the method of choice. In other words, you need to meet a problem where it lies. I had a client who was exhausted and tired; she was anemic because she’d become a vegetarian twenty years ago, and it didn’t suit her body. No amount of HBLU is going to take care of that. She finally went to a Doctor who said, “Oh my God, you’re anemic.” She went to a blood-type diet nutritionist who said, “Oh my God, you’re the blood type that has to eat meat.” So then she had to eat meat three meals a day for the next year and a half.” Well, if that’s the intervention of choice, then that’s the intervention of choice. So basically that’s the HBLU concept.

Assuming that the client has a pattern that needs to be cleared with HBLU, we find the priority interference pattern, do the chosen technique for clearing it, and test that we cleared the pattern. We always finish by writing learnings, because it brings the healing full cycle– what did you learn, what’s different for you now, did you get any insights, is there anything left to do?

After testing the intervention and writing the learnings we go back to the goal and ask, “Have you cleared all the charge on the goal?” If there is no longer interference on the goal we ask, “Do you need any additional skills, tools, strategies, additional interventions to facilitate your ability to achieve the goal? Okay, fine, you don’t have negative charge on it, but are you really equipped to achieve it? And so on the back side, if they say they need an additional something, they may have to go to school. (laughter) They may have to learn a strategy of how to process a negative emotion properly, because they actually didn’t learn that in their family. They may need additional motivation. Basically HBLU provides a soup-to-nuts structure, a framework within which you do the healing work. You list all the damage patterns that you know and every technique you’ve ever learned. You add your own intuition and experience. And the client’s deepest wisdom leads the healing. So that’s HBLU in a nutshell.

Today I’m really going to home in on trauma which is in the life experience damage category. Trauma imprints, as you know, at the body level, the unconscious level, and distorts conscious, rational thinking ability. So let’s look into how that happens.

First of all, I’d like to talk about what a scientist really is.

Slide 3. A scientist……

1. Makes an observation about a reproducible phenomenon
2. Formulates a hypothesis or model to explain the reproducible phenomenon
3. Develops and executes a series of experiments to test the hypothesis
4. Adjusts the model to conform to experimental results

A scientist makes an observation about a reproducible phenomenon. Then a scientist formulates a hypothesis or model to explain the reproducible phenomenon. Then the scientist develops and executes a series of experiments to test the hypothesis about the reproducible phenomenon, and then the scientist adjusts the model to conform to the experimental results .
[laughter, applause]

JS: Next slide, please. Okay, that’s a scientist. Those of you who took fourth grade science learned this.

Slide 4 A scientist is NOT someone who says,

“I don’t believe in the reproducible phenomenon unless you first explain to me how it works.”
Or
“I’m unwilling to test the observation unless you first show me scientific proof that it works.”

A scientist is not someone who says, “I don’t believe in the reproducible phenomenon unless you first explain to me how it works.” That’s not a scientist. And a scientist is not someone who says, “I’m unwilling to test the observation unless you first show me scientific proof that it works.”
[laughter, applause]

Slide 5 The point is

• a reproducible phenomenon is a reproducible phenomenon
  
• developing or changing the explanatory model does not affect or change the existence of the phenomenon

JS: That’s not a scientist. Alright, the point is a reproducible phenomenon is a reproducible phenomenon, and that developing or changing the explanatory model does not affect or change the existence of the phenomenon.
[laughter, applause]

Slide 6 Reproducible Phenomemon I

Sun rises in the east; sets in the west w/ 24 h. periodicity

Explanation 1:
The God Apollo drives the sun across the sky in a chariot.

Explanation 2:
Earth orbits around the sun. The earth rotates on its own axis every 24 h. The side facing the sun is in daylight and the side facing away is in night.

JS: Example one: the sun rises in the east and sets in the west with a twenty-four hour periodicity. That’s a reproducible phenomenon. Is that correct? You all have observed this? Explanation number one: The God Apollo drives the Sun across the sky in a chariot. Explanation number two: The Earth orbits around the sun, the Earth rotates on it’s own axis every twenty-four hours, the side facing the sun is in daylight, and the side facing away is in night. These are two explanations that were totally believed in during the time and place that they were developed. The beliefs didn’t change the phenomenon, but they did change the model used to explain the phenomenon.

Slide 7 Reproducible Phenomemon II

People can eliminate phobic reactions by intentionally manipulating certain areas on the surface of their bodies.

Explanation 1:
Rebalancing or discharging of chi energy (negative) through the acupuncture meridians

Explanation 2:
Deconditioning the sympathetic alarm response by intentionally activating the feedback regulatory mechanisms

Next example, reproducible phenomenon number two: people can eliminate phobic reactions by intentionally manipulating certain areas on the surface of their bodies. Am I right? Is that a reproducible phenomenon?
AUDIENCE: Yes.

JS: Explanation number one: rebalancing or discharging of chi energy-negative emotions– through the acupuncture meridians. Okay, that’s one model. Now we have explanation number two, deconditioning the sympathetic alarm response by intentionally activating the feedback regulatory mechanisms. Now, I’m going to spend time later on describing explanation number two, but the problem with models is rapport. When people get away from the phenomenon and get stuck over here in the model, they miss the point. So, most people are not scientists, would you agree?

AUDIENCE: Yes.

JS: The problem with explaining energy psychology techniques using a hypothetical model is that most 20th century Westerners do not have rapport with a three thousand year old Chinese medical system with metaphysical explanations. Is that clear?
[laughter, applause]

JS: The problem with the 20th century explanation is that most Westerners glaze over and go to sleep when given in-depth neurochemical explanations, and I can tell you that many people have fallen asleep in my seminars. I don’t understand it, but it’s a reproducible phenomenon.
[laughter]

Slide 8 I explain energy psychology techniques by:

• describing the reproducible phenomenon in human terms
  
• describing the neurochemical model 

JS: Alright, so what I do is I explain energy psychology techniques by describing the reproducible phenomenon in human terms, and afterwards, if they care, I describe the neurochemical model, since that’s my background, and I of course believe it’s true. On the other hand, three thousand years from now, I have no idea how they’re going to be describing human physiology
[laughter]

JS: I teach energy psychology techniques, how to clear phobias and traumas at Newton Community Ed, the local adult community education program. Nobody has a problem with energy psychology, because this is how I explain it. I ask my students, what’s a phobia? They say, “it’s an exaggerated, irrational reaction that you can’t control mentally.” And I say, “yep, that’s it.” So they all know what a phobic reaction is.

Then I say, “That’s a conditioned response.” And they ask, “What’s a conditioned response?” I explain, “have you ever heard of Pavlov?” They nod. The man was a genius. Why? Because did you ever hear of the flight or fight reflex? What is a reflex? A reflex is something that you just do automatically, like when the doctor hits your knee with the hammer and your knee jerks. How many of you ever tried to prevent your knee from jerking when the doctor hammered your knee? A few people admit to it. Did it ever work? No. Why not? Because it’s a reflex.

Pavlov wondered if you could train a reflex. What a concept: training a reflex. Kind of sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it. But he did it. He trained the salivation reflex in a bunch of dogs. He gave the dogs food; they salivated and ate. Then he rang a bell, gave the dogs food; they salivated and ate. Then with no food around, he rang the bell and the dogs salivated. Dogs cannot eat bells, but Pavlov trained their reflex so that they associated bells with food. What a genius. Sort of the history of science, right?

So I explain to my class that the fight or flight reflex is a reflex, and it can be trained. What happens is when you experience a severe traumatic shock that triggers your flight or fight reflex, anything that was in the environment at the time can act like the bell. And they all go, “Whoa.” And I explain, “that’s why you have the phobic reaction, even when nothing else is going on.” And they all go, “Whoa.”

Then I explain, “for every on system in the body there’s an off system, right?” They all had fourth grade science; they all nod their heads yes. On, off, yes, absolutely. I said, “So guess what? We have natural stress-relieving mechanisms and natural stress release techniques in our bodies to neutralize the fight or flight reflex, and they look like this:

• [Judith acts out the following with appropriate exclamations Oy, oh no!, etc:Rubs the bridge of nose by the eye socket
• Rubs the temples by side of the eyes
• Holds her whole hand on her cheek
• Puts her hand over her mouth, holds her index finger under the nose, the middle finger under the mouth, and her chin with the rest of her hand
• Pounds and grabs her chest under the collarbone
• Hugs herself
• Stands with her arms folded, palm of left hand over right ribcage
• Chews on the edges of her fingers
• Drums her fingertips on the desk
• Wrings her hands
• Holds her hands with fingers folded together
• Holds the outside edge of one hand within the palm of the other hand ] [laughter]

JS: Don’t look at my cuticles.

When I demonstrate this, everybody admits to doing this. I then ask, “and what happens when you do that?” People respond “I feel more relaxed, I feel more comfortable?” I explain, “Yeah, so guess what? There’s this technique whereby you can pull up what’s frightening you, and then you can go through all of your natural stress turn-off mechanisms and neutralize the reaction.” And my students go, “Whoa.” I explain that the technique is a no-brainer because you do that all the time every day automatically and unconsciously. The genius here is that you can do it with intention. You can pull up what’s bothering you, you can focus on it consciously and you can neutralize the reaction at will.” My students go “Wow, great, let’s do it.”

Next, I explain the fight or flight reflex a little bit more. “You know that fight or flight reflex? I mean, really, honest to God, something shocks you, you get triggered, and after that you keep flashing back and having these reactions, and my goodness, what a nuisance. Why do we even have such a reaction? I mean, for goodness sake. I think there was a problem in the design of this reflex, and I think this reflex and knees need to be reexamined. Trust me on this.” My students agree.

I’ve given this reflex a lot of thought and here’s the deal. Probably every animal on the planet has this reflex. Certainly the vertebrates do, and now in my readings I find out that the invertebrates do. We’re talking eight hundred million years of evolution on this reflex. It must be good for something. But I couldn’t really figure out what it was good for because it was so problematic until I had a colleague get drunk at a Christmas party, and this is what he said.

I told him I was going to buy a new car, and he told me how much he loved his motorcycle. He then launched into a very vivid description, so you know he was flashing back, of a motorcycle accident he’d had. This is how it went: he was on his motorcycle. A woman ran into him with her car. He went down and ended up on the ground. She jumps out of the car and says, “Are you okay, are you okay?” He stands up, being the macho kind of handsome guy that he is, and he says, “I’m perfectly fine.”

She says, “What happened to your arm?” He says, “What do you mean?” She’s looking at the ground, so he looks at the ground. He notices that there happens to be a pool of blood there. He follows the trail of droplets from the ground back up into the sleeve of his black leather jacket — thank God he had a black leather jacket on. He pulls up the sleeve and finds that he’s scraped his arm very severely. He says, “Wow, look at that.” Then he says to the woman politely, “Listen, my father lives about four blocks from here, so if you could do me a favor and give me a lift, he’ll take me to the hospital, and I’ll get this taken care of.” She’s exclaims, “No problem, no problem.” So he got to the hospital where he got it taken care of. Now, what’s missing from this story?

AUDIENCE: (murmuring) Pain.

JS: Pain! There’s no pain here. He had to figure out he’d scraped his arm up by looking. And then I got it. This is what this reflex is for. It numbs people to pain so they can function long enough to save their life. Isn’t that incredible! So I thought about this and I thought about cavemen since this reflex has been in evolution for a long time and we all have cavemen bodies. Some of us are starting to lose the wisdom teeth, but we still basically have caveman bodies. Let’s think about this. You’re a caveman, you have a little clan and you and the guys have to go out hunting for meat. You’re going to go up against a sabertooth tiger or a woolly mammoth or something, you and five other guys, maybe, with, I don’t know, a spear. Okay. So what’s the likelihood that you are going to get gored? Pretty high. So, Nu, you just weren’t nimble enough, you got caught by a tusk, you got gored, and boom, your fight or flight reflex fires off like crazy.

First of all, you go numb so that you don’t get overwhelmed by pain, and you can think. Second of all, you go white. All the blood drains out of your skin– you know that reflex, right? It goes to the interior of your body so you don’t bleed to death through your wounds. Thirdly, your heart rate pumps up like crazy and your muscles get really strong because you’ve got to crawl back to the cave before you bleed to death or are overwhelmed. There the medicine woman can stuff your wound with moss and fungus.
[laughter]

Right? So really, this reflex is about save your skin. It also shuts down your immune system and turns off your digestive system. You know what? You don’t need an immune system if you bleed to death. You can go for a few days without food if you don’t die first. So, basically, all the nonessential systems get shut down and everything gets shunted to “Save my skin.”

Strangely enough, that exact same reflex fires off when, say, a colleague of mine had a romantic dinner with her husband at which he told her that he was leaving her tomorrow for the woman he carpools with. You know, no woolly mammoth here, but same reaction. So what can I say? It’s still a little puzzling to me that there’s not a great distinction between physical life and death and metaphorical life and death, but it’s the same reflex.

Slide 9