Evidence and Background

Physiotherapy: With more than two decades of direct clinical patient care working with this client group.

 

Coaching: Using a person-centred, non directive, solution focussed approach, empowering the individual to take responsibility for their recovery rather than relying on a doctor or external expert to “Fix” them. Again almost two decades of coaching experience within healthcare is being utilised.

 

Psycho education:

- Educating the individual on the complex range of factors that predispose, trigger and perpetuate chronic symptoms.

- Understanding the nature of neuroplastic symptoms provides a much needed alternative to having “no answers” or that symptoms are driven by stress and anxiety or just “imagined”. 

- Alleviating the preoccupation experienced by many chronic symptoms sufferers is a significant step in recovery. 

 

Pain Reprocessing Therapy: A relatively new psychological approach to chronic pain and symptoms that is gathering a solid evidence base (see below for references). PRT aids the individual to reconceptualise their pain/symptoms as a “non dangerous” brain activity rather than being caused by damage or disease in the body. 

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Sometimes physical and medical factors may be part of the picture e.g. IBS, Long COVID, hyper mobility and also neurodivergence. These are accounted for within the approach.

 

Neuroscience: Some basic neuroscience is provided to explain how the brain creates symptoms and can learn to “predict” symptoms in the absence of physical damage or disease (Predictive Coding), along with the involvement of the sympathetic nervous system’s heightened responses.

 

Lifestyle Advice: Guidance is generalised for movement, food, sleep and stress management drawing on NHS and public health guidance. For example encouraging eating more vegetables and fibre, reducing sugar and highly processed food intake. Increasing activity levels gently in line with recommended amounts and getting 7 -9 hours of sleep a night.

 

Signposting/Care navigation: Through the course there is signposting to other trusted sources of support including NHS Talking Therapies to complement what is offered by General Practice. The majority of organisations signposted to help avoid additional NHS burden and support participants to access community support (social prescribing and care navigation).