Neuro-Emotional Technique Reduces Trauma for Cancer Survivors

We’ve known for a long time that a positive attitude is imperative to healing. The brain/body connection is powerful. Here’s a connection you may not be aware of – not only does your mind hold memories, your body does too! And if it’s a bad memory it can have a terrible effect on your health.Take for example how people who have suffered from cancer still have physical effects after completing treatment. The stress of having this disease has caused a trauma that they haven’t been able to properly process or extinguish.

Physician researchers at The Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at Thomas Jefferson University wanted to see if Neuro-Emotional Technique (NET) could help reduce the symptoms of traumatic stress in cancer patients. This study really interests me because I’ve seen time and time again how NET, a holistic therapy, has helped many individuals find and remove unresolved stress patterns, so the body and mind can heal itself.

They studied 23 cancer patients “who expressed a distressing cancer-related memories that were associated with traumatic stress symptoms” for six months or more. They were divided into two groups. Some participants received NET and others were put on a waiting list and were used as the control group.

Each group received a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while listening to the story of their distressing cancer memory – scanned before and after NET.

The results?

Before NET “the fMRI scans in both groups showed significant increases in the bilateral parahippocampus and brainstem. After NET, reactivity in the parahippocampus, brainstem, anterior cingulate, and insula was significantly decreased during the traumatic stimulus.”

Yes! NET calmed down the areas of the brain that react to traumatic memories and stress!

The researchers noted, “The results of this study were really quite dramatic. In just four to five brief sessions, patients who received NET reported much less distress, their overall emotional state improved significantly and the way their brains reacted to stress cues normalized.”

NET has not been a standard intervention for cancer survivors, but I believe it should be. If you know of someone still suffering from the traumatic stress of cancer, or any other trauma, please share this article with them so they too can find relief.

As a NET practitioner, I’ve seen how it helps people live happy full lives again. I’ve even had great success with using NET to help those with Aspergers connect the dots. I find it’s more effective than talk therapy or exposure therapy.

If you live near Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA please contact my Jantzen Beach office and schedule an appointment.