Case Studies / Testimonials

Ken McCarthy talks about his 40 year pain journey and what has helped.

Here is a follow up email from Amanda:

Hi Jonathan,

I imagine it's typical for someone to do your program and then disappear without circling back and letting you know how things are going. I'm reaching out to thank you for the unbelievable gift you've given me through your program. The tools you've given me have helped me navigate a minor injury and helped me develop a much deeper awareness of what my body needs in both activity and rest.

I came to you in an effort to address injury before it got out of hand but I never imagined the outcome - by learning to use my body as an integrated whole, I've also discovered pleasure in movement in a way I've never had. I didn't realize I had been in a trench war *against* my body for so many years, and now I'm actually feeling pure joy - even elation - when running and walking and doing yoga.

Thank you for all of this.

Jeremy Sharpe talks about his quality of life improvements in a short time.

Julie talks with me about what led her to the Be Your Own Healer Program and her lifelong journey of physical discovery 

Christine McRae shares her experience working with Jonathan in the Be Your Own Healer Program and processing chronic pain. 

Hi Jonathan,

I've finally got around to writing to update and thank you again. This is a longish brief summary!, hope it makes sense, it's hard to explain some of it non visually.

I've watched, very slowly, ( so I don't overdo it) all of the Psaos videos & am going through the bonus ones now. Some amazing insights and reactions.

I realised when I move my thighs back & tilt my pelvis a little, my ANS (Autonomic Nervous System) alters completely. In old me , my energy is above the diaphragm/ rising, faster breathing & there is a feeling of slight tension / innate tissue anxiety? -as in for no specific reason! As soon as I go to new me, my energy drops, my breath slows, my energy feels connected to the ground & I feel instantly calm. It works when sitting & lying in bed, too.

It's like a miracle, I've done years of work ( literally) rewiring my core traumas, shaking, dancing, doing somatic release practices, TRE, etc, etc, etc, until I'm sick of it:) and still I seem to be on orange if not red alert. That one small movement changes it. Hooray!

I started with constructive rest as you said, & still lie down several times a day & most of the evening if I can. Lots of tremoring to begin with, seems to have calmed down now.

I love the leg sliding exercise, I do it every evening at least, & yawn endlessly.

My other favorite is leg on block, which I'm doing a lot ( whilst kettle boils, etc). At first, it was agony, hard to hold my hips stable, etc, but it's slowly getting better. I can feel the muscles going " oh, yeah, that's better " ...

My right lower back muscles are still pretty locked, but no longer in spasm. I'm trying to release them but also getting help - see below! Yesterday I walked up a 30 + mins local hill to a viewpoint & then cried, it was such a joy to be out again. At the beginning of the month, I still couldn't sit up without being in abdominal pain & could only walk on flat for 10 mins max. So not bad in less than 3 weeks, & 3 weeks before that I could barely get out of bed still. And in another month I'll be better still.

I'm back to sleeping on my back without pain- being on one side or my front for 2+ months probably hasn't helped.

As I'm at the point of restrengthening all my muscles incorrectly, I think- I'm off to see a Rolfing practitioner tomorrow ( I've never tried it) - a result of your enthusiasm for it, to see if we can correct some of the core imbalances. 2 people have told me it's a painful experience, but honestly, nothing compares with the pain of 2 months ago, worse than childbirth at times :))

Then I'm going to start on the core walking ones. I'd love to join a workshop at some point, but am resisting atm as I need to keep things simple & have a habit of doing too many things at once. But it's on the radar.

So, it got quite long, but I just wanted to tell you how insanely helpful your work is. I'd still be in an awful state without it. And I have completely avoided the medical system - result! Thank you so, so much again, and for your time last month when I was quite despairing. It's changed my life.

Hope all is well with you and family & furry friends over the ocean :)

Best wishes

Hazel

Oh and a ps. The abdominal pain - which was 15 out of 10, not touched by all the drugs & completely disabled my right leg has virtually disappeared ( I have to consciously look for it :) . Not sure if I mentioned that before. It's been rumbling away for 7 years with no diagnosis. Crazy.

Sandra Lippmann chats with Jonathan about hyperextension of the knees, constructive rest, and long covid.

Nicola Slade shares her experience with the CoreWalking Program

Robert Brandt is 68 and pain free.

Frank Prisinzano talks about getting back on his feet.

Jerzy O talks about his experience with Jonathan & The BodyMind Program

Cally Reiman can walk around in any shoes she wants.

Hi Jonathan,

Just wanted to say how much I love your yoga classes! And what a difference they are making to my strength and flexibility.

I can't always join live but try to do 2 a week from the recordings when I can't be there live.

Today for the first time in my life I could put my foot up on my upper thigh in tree pose - never ever been able to do that before! I've always had to put it on the lower leg in the past. It definitely helps that it is REALLY warm here right now but still... It's a noticeable difference.
And a few weeks back when we did crow pose I was able to do that - first time ever.

I'm now doing other exercise regularly which is all helping but I know that the great foundations you are giving in these classes and the workshops is making all the difference.

Thank you so much!

Korani

Alexis Quadrado talks about how walking has helped.

Walter M. talks about the benefits both him and a friend received.

Hi Jonathan!

Just wanted to let you know that I have not hurt my lower back/SI joint in over two years, thanks to your help. I'm sticking with constructive rest, transverse abdominis exercises, and side plank twists, and I feel strong and the back feels safe. I've also recently gotten into forearm planks, and am doing yoga more regularly. So, thank you!

I do occasionally still have a twinge in my mid back area (not terrible, but not fun when it happens). From some googling, my best guess is that it's my serratus posterior inferior, a small spot on the right side (usually happens when lifting something heavy with my right hand). I'm always trying to keep my posture correct, but my efforts have focused on my lumbar spine, not thoracic, and now I'm trying to include thoracic more in my thinking. Any suggestions on exercises/stretches to combat this nagging injury would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for everything you do! You really have saved my back.

Best,
Ben