I have had a lot of retrainers questioning and wondering if there is a time and a place to consider adding in other modalities to support recovery while doing brain retraining.
I believe that it is good to initially throw oneself wholeheartedly into brain retraining, letting go of other modalities and treatments so that one may fully immerse in the rewiring process. That being said, if after a decent period of time of being devoted to rewiring (at least 6 months to a year), you have hit a plateau in your progress or are not getting the results you desire despite implementing the program to the best of your ability, it may be worth considering adding in other supports to increase your physical functioning while the limbic system continues to sort itself out.
We know that nutritional deficiencies can present as limbic system dysfunction, and that gut health plays a key role in mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. Since the gut is where most of your serotonin is manufactured, healthy gut function helps to create and sustain the optimal neurochemistry for rewiring. We also know that things that trigger your nervous system also influence limbic system functioning. There is a two way relationship between the brain and the body. The brain sends signals to the body but the body also sends signals to the brain. It makes sense that by supporting both the brain and the body at the same time we could move recovery along more quickly.
We don't want to go on a wild goose-chase, looking for the next thing to support us (that behaviour is driven by automatic negative thoughts), but it is sometimes worth ruling out whether there are contributing factors that may be slowing the recovery process. Keeping in mind, of course, that if you've already tried everything under the sun and that is what led you to brain retraining, then there is no need to go down this path again. If we do need a little support, we want to be mindful of relating to it as something temporary that is supporting our recovery process (rather than a problem that needs fixing). Perspective plays a big role in how we process information and how our limbic system reacts to the choices that we make. There is no need to fear adding in other things if they can help move you forward. By keeping the focus on recovery, retraining, and increasing wellbeing, we can offer our system a little extra help without reinforcing the maladaptive pathways in the limbic system.
Until next time!
If you have a question, please email me at dearcandyquestions@gmail.com
Candy Widdifield is Registered Clinical Counsellor, Wellness Coach, and Registered Reiki Master Teacher in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. She works with people all over the world, helping them to optimize their wellbeing and thrive in their lives. Her modalities include coaching, therapy, Reiki and the Safe & Sound Protocol. More information about Candy can be found at www.candywiddifield.com
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