Teresa Jade LeYung's BLOG

Posts Tagged ‘Linda Harris’

2021 August 14, 21:08  California

Dear Reader,

I hope you are well.

Several people I care about are struggling with illnesses and side effects of medications. This blog post is to share what Dr. Danielle Rosenman has taught me – to retrain Beautiful Brain to wellness.

Dr. Rosenman herself needs our prayers and well wishes right now.  She needs her “bag of tricks”.  I hope Dr. Rosenman’s family members have photos of her in every room, in her field of vision, so that her Beautiful Brain can “register” her own vibrancy. “Seeing” one’s vitality helps Beautiful Brain relearn wellness.  May Dr. Rosenman enjoy complete wellness soon.

[When we don't have photos or when we have weak or no eyesight  or when no one is around to help us - we send our thoughts to memories of our vibrant selves. ]

During neuroplasticity coaching, Dr. Danielle Rosenman instructs:  “Smile for yourself and talk out loud to your brain. When you learn to talk to your brain, you are opening up a new life.”

A thousand thanks to Dr. Rosenman for the coaching sessions, and to Dr. Michael Moskowitz and Dr. Marla Golden for their magnificent workbook and webinars, to Professor Lorimer Moseley for his wonderful presentations (find him on YouTube), to Dr. Victoria Sweet for instilling appreciation of “slow medicine”, to Dr. Norman Doidge for his books (find him on YouTube), Dr. Amy Grace Lam for extraordinary healing, and, of course to all the dear hearts who care about my well-being.

Thank you, Loduskia “Dusky” Pierce, for leading me to Dr. Doidge’s books. Thank you, Linda Harris, for remembering that Dr. Rosenman uses Dr. Moskowitz’s techniques.

Prior to August 2020 . . .  “Shingles”  “chickenpox reactivated”  “postherpetic neuralgia”  “persistent pain”  “neurological disorder” “keloid scars”   were just words to me.

When Shingles rash broke out, and the pain, oh the acute pain  (thank you dear Linda Harris and GH for your loving care) . . . my primary care physician prescribed Gabapentin, in addition to Tylenol and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.  After the rash began to heal … but the pain would not go away  (persistent pain) and depression set in …. I was in bigger trouble.

In his engaging talks, Professor Lorimer Moseley explains:

“If you have a brain, you will experience pain. If you don’t have a brain, you won’t experience pain.

“We feel pain in our body, and, we feel it in a particular location, but, it is impossible to feel pain without a brain, and, it is completely possible to feel pain without the body part.

“Pain is our most sophisticated protective device.”

“The term ‘neuroplasticity‘ refers to the adaptability of our nervous system. The other side of neuroplasticity is sometimes called ‘the dark side’.

“The mechanisms that cause us to change in a good way can also cause us to change in a way that makes our lives more difficult and more unpleasant.”

Unpleasant sensations?  Pain. Depression. Anxiety. Dizziness. And, what I call “Ick”

 Truths help me persevere in retraining “Beautiful Brain” (“BB”)

From Dr. Moskowitz’s and Dr. Golden’s workbook, from Dr. Rosenman’s guide, from Professor Moseley’s talks, from (Teresa Jade LeYung) my own experiences:

• The brain doesn’t just receive information from the body, but sends directions back out to tell the body what to do.

• The brain “reads” everything going on in the body 30 times a second for an entire life.

• The adult brain changes throughout our lives based upon the information it receives from our bodies

• The brain changes whenever we learn to do something new or when we stop doing something

• The brain stores not only all my experiences, but also, everything I’ve watched and heard, in addition to genetic information

• The adaptable nervous system – adaptability which scientists call neuroplasticity.
  

• Without the thinking conscious brain, I wouldn’t feel any sensation – pleasant ones or unpleasant ones.

• What is the antidote for pain, depression, anxiety, and other unpleasant symptoms?  PLEASURE.

• Beautiful Brains (doing their jobs to protect Body Tissue) can make mistakes, mistakes that deplete vitality.

• Thank goodness BBs (even when stubborn) can be retrained!

• The simple act of smiling for myself  helps BB’s natural production of chemicals that include GABA, Anandamide, Endorphins, Oxytocin.

• My BB is THE expert of my experiences; however the expert can and does make mistakes; I can retrain BB to gain wellness

I was successful retraining Beautiful Brain (“BB”) to stop sending pain signals.  My troubles were over . . . so I thought.

Gradually, pain morphed into another unpleasant symptoms / awful sensation. It even spread to parts of the body that never had Shingles rash.

[2021 August 15, 12:03pm Addendum –

Also, Beautiful Brain reactivates pain signals from past injuries (in my hand and in my knee). BB’s wanting to protect body tissue, so BB sends signals to grab my attention, except grabbing my attention this way saps my energy.  It’s like an alarm clock’s “snooze” setting in malfunction, going off at random.]

Remembering what Professor Moseley said -  that “Pain is our most sophisticated protective device” – and what my mentor (author Margaret Davis) said to me: “Teresa, can’t you apply the very same techniques you used to retrain your brain on pain to rid this undesirable sensation?”

YES, I can.

Through their workbook, Dr. Michael Moskowitz and Dr. Marla Golden instruct: ” … harness the power of our brains.”   On the last page of their workbook, they leave us with plenty of hope: “Neuroplastic Transformation opens a new approach to treating people living with persistent pain ….   The overarching message is that persistent pain can be challenged and defeated  by using the same principles that have created it.”

Interrupt unpleasant signals with pleasurable …

- THOUGHTS

- IMAGES

- SENSATIONS

- MEMORIES

- SOOTHING EMOTIONS

- MOVEMENT

- BELIEFS

Dr. Michael Moskowitz and Dr. Marla Golden http://neuroplastix.com/

My February 11, 2021 blog post “Brain / Pain Scientist Professor Lorimer Moseley uses humor to help us understand Dark Side of Pain” is at:

https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/brain-pain-scientist-professor-lorimer-moseley-uses-humor-to-help-us-understand-dark-side-of-pain/

which highlights  “Getting a grip on pain and the brain – Professor Lorimer Moseley - Successful Ageing Seminar 2013?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p6sbi_0lLc

I am convinced that one safe place is my own thoughts. However the same place could be my enemy, so, it’s up to my will power to go to safe thoughts, beautiful thoughts, healing thoughts. The words in my thoughts hold much power.

I am one of the fortunate ones – to live with housemates who care about me, in a pleasant environment, and in a position to shelter-in-place during this pandemic.

Other folks are not so fortunate – their external world could be chaotic, even traumatic …  The only safe place could be their beautiful thoughts.

I remember Dr. Danielle Rosenman telling me during neuroplasticity coaching:  “Smile for yourself and talk out loud to your brain. When you learn to talk to your brain, you are opening up a new life.”

Also I remember how she taught me to create my unique “bag of tricks” to retrain Beautiful Brain (small items to look at, to smell, to touch…to recall pleasure, vibrancy, peace).  But, what about when there is no physical “bag of tricks”?   I have my thoughts! Thoughts of Beauty!  No no can take that away from me.

This blog post has taken many hours over many days – this is what it’s like to work while retraining Beautiful Brain with a neurological disorder

2021 August 4, 02:02-02:38; 15:54; August 5, 18:48; August 6, 14:55, 23:56; August 7, 00:10; 21:57; August 8, 13:56; August 10, 12:58pm; August 11, 17:17, August 12, 13:44; August 13, 17:14; August 14, 20:45  California

Thank you for reading this blog post  “Retraining Beautiful Brain By Rewriting My Personal Truths With Wordplay” by  Teresa Jade LeYung

For other posts related to our Beautiful Brains and Neuroplasticity  in my blog  https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog …  If you look at right side of screen, you’ll see the category “Beautiful Brains Neuroplasticity”.  Please click on that category to get all my blog posts pertaining to the topic.

I wish you and your Beautiful Brain safety, kindness, excellent health.

Sincerely,

Teresa Jade LeYung

photo of Teresa Jade LeYung in Paris by Nan and Sasa October 2018

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Thank you, MT et MYW, for masks; Starry Starry Night mask by Dahlynn & Ken of WoodstockAndYarn at Etsy

Dear Writers/Caregivers/Advocates for Loved Ones,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here . . .  I see how helping a loved one/being an advocate is so much like writing a book.

My papa has been diagnosed with Parkinsonism by his neurologist. If Papa is telling his story, he would be the first-person narrator; if I’m telling the story about him, then I would be the third-person narrator.

A book (story) consists of one main character (also known as “hero” or “protagonist”) or multiple main characters and other characters (other archetypes), a subject matter that is discussed repeatedly (“theme”) and at least one plotline (“what happened?”). The merging of these elements helps the writer show the hero’s journey.

Helping a loved one/being an advocate consists of at least 2 protagonists (YOU and the loved one) and other archetypes (physicians, healthcare and social service providers, other family members and friends, neighbors, coworkers, vendors, . . . the stranger who gives up her/his seat on the train for you), themes (the cause for help and advocacy and the related issues), and plotlines (the interconnected events associated with all the characters).  Who will be the most transformed in the story?  The loved one?  You the caregiver/advocate? The person who is most transformed would be the main character/hero/protagonist.  Perhaps both people will go through great transformation.  Two protagonists!

I am writing – I keep a notebook for whenever I visit my papa or when I do something on his behalf- gosh, there are so many little “subplots” to keep track of! (Is this Papa’s third or last session with the physical therapist? Mary and I need to witness the exercises so that when the P.T. closes the case, we would be able to coach Papa. Did he say he wanted another heating pad? Oh my, there are at least 18 model to choose from.   Gotta review friends’ advice about what is a comfortable bed and also Consumer Reports. Then Papa has to “test drive” some beds. You just can’t shop for a mattress the way you shop for a pair of shoes.

MATTRESS SHOPPING TIPS (from Sealy’s website)

1. Plan to spend at least one hour in the store.
2. Wear loose clothing and easily removable shoes.
3. Test out mattresses in groups of three for easier comparison.
4. Lie on each mattress for 5 to 15 minutes to let it fully adapt to your body.
5. Don’t feel rushed. It’s ok to ask for privacy.

I would add:  Bring your own pillow so that your neck is supported while trying out mattresses; maybe bring an extra pillow case too.

And, I am reading the book The Brain’s Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity by Norman Doidge, M.D.  Chapter 2 is titled “A Man Walks Off His Parkinsonian Symptoms”  . . . how John Pepper has been able to reverse the major symptoms, the ones that Parkinson’s patients dread most, those that lead to immobility. He’s done so with an exercise program he devised and with a special kind of concentration . . .

All the “characters” in Dr. Doidge’s books (The Brain’s Way of Healing  and The Brain that Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science) and in Dr. Victoria Sweet‘s book (God’s Hotel: A Doctor, a Hospital, and a Pilgrimage to the Heart of Medicine) are guiding me on my journey as an advocate for my father.  And, I just know that my mom plays a huge role in helping me.

I thank everyone who has given me her/his time, energy, and prayers.

Here are links to websites I’ve relied on lately:

https://franceskakugawa.wordpress.com/category/caregiving/  Frances Kakugawa

http://www.writeradvice.com/ywmtdw.html  B. Lynn Goodwin

http://www.normandoidge.com/  Norman Doidge, M.D.

https://www.michaeljfox.org/  Michael J. Fox Foundation

Special thanks to Margie Yee Webb, Frances Kakugawa, Penny Manson, Debbie Ramos and her daughter Melanie who went out of their way to help me research specific items and to Mary, my sister Maria Leung, Linda Harris, Sue, Janet, and Elaine for being there in person.

Sincerely,

Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

Author & Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan says: “Reach out, not stress out. Enjoy your writer’s journey.”
http://WritingCoachTeresa.com

http://lovemadeofheart.com/

http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/

https://www.youtube.com/user/teresaleyung

Author & Platform/Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa Jade LeYung (formerly Teresa LeYung-Ryan) celebrates New Year 2015 with dear colleagues

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http://writingcoachTeresa.com

https://lynnscott.wordpress.com

https://feministteaching.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/MargieYeeWebb

Lynn Scott, Linda Harris, Sheryl Fairchild, Teresa Jade LeYung, Margie Yee Webb

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author Luisa Adams  http://www.rp-author.com/Adams/

author Teresa Jade LeYung (formerly Teresa LeYung-Ryan)   https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog    http://writingcoachTeresa.com

author Martha Alderson  https://marthaalderson.com/

authors Luisa Adams, Teresa Jade LeYung, Martha Alderson

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https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog

http://yourwritingmentor.com/

Writing Coaches Teresa Jade LeYung and Mary E. Knippel prepare outline for Teresa's "For Theme's Sake" class for writers and editors

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http://margaretdavisbooks.com

http://winifredmccaffrey.com

http://writingcoachTeresa.com

https://www.facebook.com/diane.warner.948?fref=ts

Carmen Lee of Stamp Out Stigma http://www.stampoutstigma.net/  I look forward to seeing you soon!

Margaret Davis, Ray Davis, Winifred McCaffrey, Teresa Jade LeYung, Diane Warner

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http://lovemadeofheart.com/Love-Made-of-Heart-Online-Store-&-Gift-Shop.html

Teresa Jade LeYung with her Love Made Of Heart trademark - photo by YBK

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Yolande Barial Knight is:

http://just-a-mom.us

http://www.goldenstatenewspapers.com/topic/?q=%22yolande%20barial%22&t=&l=25&d=&d1=&d2=&f=html&s=&sd=desc&s=start_time

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Elisa Sasa Southard (Certified Tour Director) is creator of Big City Travel Skills http://elisaonassignment.com/

https://www.facebook.com/elisa.southard?fref=ts

Sasa Southard and Teresa Jade LeYung brainstorm over breakfast at Sunrise Bistro

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Theme consultant, author, photographer Teresa Jade LeYung   http://writingcoachTeresa.com   https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog

Professor Sheryl Fairchild  https://feministteaching.wordpress.com

Author and photographer Margie Yee Webb  https://www.facebook.com/MargieYeeWebb

Teresa Jade LeYung, Professor Sheryl Fairchild, Margie Yee Webb meet in Berkeley

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I met with filmmaker / artist Chandra Garsson and had a lively discussion about a new book cover for Love Made of Heart, commenting on facebook to support our colleagues, and movie recommendations.

Chandra Garsson takes photo of the bookcase she was commissioned to paint for author Teresa Jade LeYung (formerly Teresa LeYung-Ryan)

https://www.facebook.com/chandra.garsson?fref=ts

http://flyingpaintproductions.blogspot.com

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Dear Vicki Weiland, I wish to see you soon!

https://vickiweiland.wordpress.com

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Theme consultant and author Teresa Jade LeYung wishes everyone excellent mental health!

http://youtu.be/glj79Mb0ZaM

http://youtu.be/MPD_4PrDiSE

Teresa Jade LeYung (formerly Teresa LeYung-Ryan) is  “Platform & Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa” and Manuscript and Theme Consultant and  . . .

author of:

Love Made of Heart: a Mother’s Mental Illness Forges Forgiveness in Daughter Ruby (novel used by college professors)

Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW (workbook)

Coach Teresa’s Blog at https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog