CHRONIC Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) – or ME – causes extreme tiredness, muscle pain and mental fogginess and affects about 240,000 people in Great Britain.
But the impact doesn’t stop there – many sufferers are forced to take time off work as a result, causing employers to lose out.
However, an innovative type of therapy known as Reverse Therapy is helping sufferers significantly – in most cases, returning them to full health.
Having successfully treated clients across the UK, Europe, Australia, Asia and the US, Angus-based therapist Kathleen Haden is now opening Aberdeen’s first Reverse Therapy clinic at Grampian Health Store on Market Street to treat her north-east clients.
Working in both one-to-one and group situations, Kathleen helps her clients through face-to-face and phone consultations.
Founded by Dr John Eaton, Reverse Therapy operates on the concept that the body and mind are two separate intelligences. When the mind is unbalanced, the body notices emotional changes and sends signals to the mind to rectify this.
When these signals are ignored, the body makes physiological changes to communicate to a person that something is wrong. These physical changes can manifest themselves in a variety of ways – including CFS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, panic attacks, stress and depression.
Kathleen said: “Reverse Therapy teaches people how to eliminate their symptoms by understanding and acting on them. While regular therapy only focuses on letting the patient express their feelings, Reverse Therapy is much more strategic. It tells clients how to fix the problem.
“The key to Reverse Therapy is authenticity – is the client being genuine with his or her emotions? If not, this can be the trigger for physiological symptoms such as CFS or ME. It’s about letting go of the belief that we have to behave in a certain way.”
In April, the national director for health and work calculated that ill-health is costing the UK economy £100billion every year. CFS sufferers can often be signed off work long-term, yet Reverse Therapy can help to improve their quality of life, allowing many to return to part-time or full-time employment.
Kathleen added: “The clients that I see come from all walks of life – from senior management of large companies to housewives. Sometimes, they are referred by their GPs; sometimes they approach me of their own accord, and sometimes it is through their employer.
“Witnessing the improvement of a client with CFS or ME gives me an enormous sense of satisfaction, particularly when their condition has prevented them from doing everyday things we take for granted.
“Rather than teaching my clients how to live with their condition, I strive to relieve them of their symptoms and teach them how to apply Reverse Therapy in order to maintain full health.”
A former nurse who worked for the NHS for 10 years, Kathleen gained a Diploma in Ericksonian Solution Focus Psychotherapy at Regents College, London, in 2003. She then trained with the founder of Reverse Therapy, Dr John Eaton, and qualified as a therapist a year later.
To book a session with Kathleen in Aberdeen, contact 01224 590886. For further information about Kathleen’s work, visit www.kathleenhaden.com