Hi Jane and Chris,
Thanks for all the work you’re doing to inject the population with the ACE meme – it’s a great thing you’re doing! I’m new to ACE as of February but I have already integrated it in different ways. I’m an independent practitioner (in the Seattle area) teaching people how to heal their physical and psychological problems using James’ Pennebaker’s Expressive Writing (this is not the expressive writing that is used in educational settings – these are completely different writing modalities.) I’ve been in contact with some ACE people here in Washington State and it’s become apparent that there is confusion about “expressive writing”.
Pennebaker’s expressive writing program has been researched for 25 years and is very effective, simple, and safe to use. It’s a specific type of writing that encourages people to write about the most upsetting experiences in their lives. This is usually done in private and the material is usually not shared with anyone – the value of not sharing content (but often sharing process and outcomes) is that it allows people to fully “express” really painful or embarrassing or shameful experiences in blunt and honest language via the private written word.
We’ve been working with ACE people for years now but we just didn’t know it (until very recently)!!
In Pennebaker’s research people who wrote for just 20 minutes, on four days total, had physical and psychological benefits that lasted a year; very similar to the people in the San Diego Kaiser system who answered the 10 ACE questions and also experienced benefits for up to a year.
Since so many people already have their ACEs, Pennebaker’s expressive writing seems like a good match; especially since the person with the physical or mental pain from their ACEs is the one doing the healing work. It’s quite remarkable to see a person heal their chronic pain (or other issues) because of their very own efforts; the empowerment of that healing goes a long way in helping people believe that they can in fact heal from what ails them; what they’re doing is reprogramming the brain to respond differently to old triggers and prompts by creating new neural pathways.
We also utilize the work of John Sarno, MD and Howard Schubiner, MD (see below for links)
Hope this helps,
Ted
James Pennebaker - Expressive Writing - OPENING UP (book)
Introduction to Expressive writing - 5 minute video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsHIV9PxAV4
John Sarno, MD – 40 years healing chronic pain/conditions – THE DIVIDED MIND (book)
20/20 New Show – 14 minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsR4wydiIBI
Howard Schubiner, MD – expressive writing workbook UNLEARN YOUR PAIN
Watch the Swedish Hospital video on the Schubiner’s homepage: