If you’re like me, then you’ve had your share of life’s ups and downs. Fortunately for me, and now you, I literally stumbled into NET (Neuro Emotional Technique).
While attending graduate school, a 3-year doctorate program with trimesters ranging from 23-27 credit hours, STRESSED is a nice way to put it.
While in my 8th trimester, I suddenly and without provocation, had lower back pain. I went to the best doctors my colleagues could recommend. Searched all modalities for a possible resolution to my debilitating pain. I tried therapies, massage, stretches, exercises, chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, self-medicated with alcohol, and even took prescription medication. After nearly 3 months I almost gave up on the Chiropractic profession, nearly quitting school, and feeling broken. Luckily a friend and classmate, Dr. Clint Demaris had stopped me one day after noticing my lackluster energy.
After a couple of minutes of conversation, he asked me if I was open to trying NET. Desperate, I agreed but not really sure what my stress had to do with my back hurting. After a few prompts, defining statements, and probes for further information with somebody's awareness; I found myself tearing up and sweating. Collapsing time and space; I immediately remembered an event never previously thought about, and honestly not a memory I thought I had. My 5-year-old self couldn’t make sense of the situation, I felt scared and threatened. As a 26-year-old, soon-to-be doctor, I was unconsciously experiencing the same fear and threat of an uncertain outcome. Consciously not knowing how to make sense of it, my body attempted to remind me by setting off a pain alarm in my low back. After doing NET with Dr. Clint and safely experiencing this stress off my younger non developed brain, I had an enormous release of energy, heat, sweat, tears, and snot. I looked up at an astonished friend laughing, “I’ve never seen anything like that before” he said. My mind mirrored his astonishment and laughter. “What the heck do you mean, this is your thing?” I replied. He smiled and simply asked, “How does your back feel?” Amazingly, my pain had vanished just as mysteriously as it began. I started to bend and twist, uncertain of what I was feeling. I literally tried to cause myself pain as I couldn’t immediately accept my lower back pain was gone. Wandering around the campus for the next few days in a bit of a mental stupor, I woke up on Saturday wildly enthusiastic. I immediately signed up for the club and learned how to practice the art of NeuroEmotional Technique (NET).
Now For The F.A.S.T. Portion Of This Blog.
Ever notice how your spouse noisily moves about the house? Clanging, banging, and slamming everything! Chewing, wipe their nose, brush their teeth, or leave socks on the floor. How they don’t pick up after dinner, don’t express their desires, don’t look at you the same way. Co-workers gossip then walk away when you enter the room?
There is a wonderful book called Triggers written by Marshall Goldsmith. Life happens, and often times we fell victim to our circumstances. How do you know if you feel this way? Have you ever blamed something outside of yourselves for feeling some emotion? “That movie made me feel sad.” In actuality, sadness exists inside of you, and the move triggered that sadness. How well coped you are to the feeling of sadness will dictate your ability to process the sadness and move on with you life. The greater the conditioned pathway of sadness and current levels of stress (Physical, Chemical, Mental) the greater difficulty you will have in processing the feeling.
Loads of therapies exist in the world to help us lower our stress levels. In my opinion, all of these pale in comparison to NET. Nothing is faster or more efficient at pulling stress from the depths of our unconscious mind and putting them on the screen of our consciousness. Once we can witness the events and recognize the previously misunderstood feeling around an event or situation, we can consciously imprint a relaxation response and give ourselves clarity on how we would have preferred the situation had played out. We can make sense of the situation and train the brain to respond with loving compassion for ourselves and those involved in the event.
On my own, I can feel the physical response to stress and hold acupuncture pulse points on my wrist while placing my free hand on my forehead. The forehead has two vascular points associated with Frontal lobe circulation, which allow for inhibition to the limbic brain (stress, pain, depression, bipolar, anxiety). It's beautiful! Once in the position, I may think about the physical stress in my body or the feeling of mental stress from my environment. Three to five breaths, alternating left, and right wrist pulse points. The FAST technique neurologically inhibits stress response to the brain while simultaneously relaxing the physical body. Connecting the mind-body in a state of relaxation. The best part is the practice can take just 2-3 minutes. Not isolating yourself in a cave for 8 weeks to achieve enlightenment. Neuroplasticity is the end result of training your brain to deal with stress so in the future your naturally going to cope with stress more easily with greater compassion for yourself and your environment.
Comment below with your questions, or share a story about how NET has changed your perspective on stress.
