What Barral Patients Are Saying
To Whom It May Concern:
My name is Bruce Beals. I am a semi-healthy 52 year old man. On June 16, 1973, I was in a auto accident that shattered my 3rd lumbar, I had to have 2 ft. of my large intestine removed, and had a 6 inch gash across my forehead due to hitting the headrest in the front seat. We were all wearing our seat belts. At that time, shoulder belts were not used, therefore the back and stomach injuries. I was in the intensive care unit of the Glens Falls Hospital for 3 weeks and in a room for another 3. I was fitted with a cast aluminum, leather bound brace that I had to wear for one and a half years. The following years I went through physical therapy until I was cleared to do just about anything I wished. Through the following years I had many jobs but, mainly I was a carpenter which fortuitously put me in great shape. Approximately 20 years ago, I had a lumbar laminectomy due to lifting a large beam and rupturing the disc at L3 and L4 (to the best of my knowledge). After therapy for over six months I was back working as a carpenter.
10 years ago my back made it impossible to be a carpenter and I changed employment to be a construction superintendent. On January 7, 2003 I had open heart surgery requiring a double by-pass. Obviously, this took me off employment for several months. I then got into construction sales. This required many miles behind the wheel, which was tough on my back. After being introduced into the UCDavis Pain Intervention Center about 3 years ago, I went through a series of nerve burns, killing the nerves at L2 to L5, which initially provided great relief, and caudal epidurals, which also provided minimal relief.
After 2 and a half years of these procedures, they no longer provided relief. I was advised to look into surgery. I was referred to the UCDavis Spine Center. I was told that they could do an extremely invasive procedure that I will attach photos of. The surgery would entail 2 rods starting at C12 and ending at my tailbone. I was taking 4 Norco, (1000 mg Vicodin), 3 to 4 10 mg. Flexeril, 2 Klonopin as well as Fentanyl patches ( 100 times stronger than morphine ). On the patch they started me on 25 mcgs per hour and working my way up to 75 mcgs per hour. Needless to say I was in a trance.
My mother recommended me to see a man named Ben Katz. I sent Ben a series of x-rays that were taken prior to my going into surgery. Ben stated he would have to actually see me to make a decision if he can help me or not. I set up an appointment on January 22, 2009. We talked for about a half and hour and then Ben proceeded to analyze my problems and he treated me. After getting up off the table I hadn't any pain whatsoever. I call that day the start of my new life. I visited Ben every week for 5 weeks and I can say without a doubt that this treatment has made me into a new person. Completely changed my life. I am able to do things that I haven't been able to do in years. Ben had come to the conclusion that after the heart surgery, that is when my excruciating pain began, and in retrospect he's 100% right. I still have pain in my back, but, nothing like before. Usually the back pain comes from me doing things that I haven't done in years, such as gardening, going for long walks, etc. Following Ben's therapy, I am a true believer in his practice and would recommend this therapy to anyone who is living in pain. more
- Bruce Beals, 52 years old
A few months ago I had the pleasure of receiving a client who was slated for orthopedic surgery. She demonstrated a lateral lumbar concavity of 40% and rotational components, which translated the level of C4 and extensive protective muscle spasming. She was in significant, constant, and extensive pain with apparent referred sequalae extending inferiorly down to her left foot.
Fascially, she seemed to demonstrate significant rotational drags in the lower extremity, which demonstrated the obvious cranial rhythmic impulse asymmetries. Arcing revealed active restrictions around uterus (significant fascial components), duodenum, liver, stomach and left pleural dome/clavicular. Her body tended to rotate around these active restrictions and demonstrated facilitation at the appropriate spinal segments, which in turn had a profound effect on the paraspinal musculature, as well as pelvic obliquity. Cranially, she seemed to demonstrate significant intra-osseous restriction at occiput, temporals, and maxillae, ethmoid and vomer. SBS patterns included extended/right torsion/right lateral strain. Also, significant intracranial membrane restriction (dural) was noted throughout the falx, in particular the falx cerebelli. The cerebellar area and associated brain structures felt quite compressed and sluggish.
Her personal history involved long-standing depression, a lack of desire, and a sense of hopelessness. To make the story short, within 4 weeks (2 sessions weekly) she had significantly moved forward. Postural distortions, pain levels and frequency had decreased significantly (95%). etc. The kicker is this....
She had an appointment with the orthopaedic surgeon upon which he didn't seem to recognize her as she was now walking (she was in a wheel chair the during the previous visit). He looked at her file and asked her what miracle medication she had been prescribed to get her out of such a serious situation. She proceeded to tell him that she was receiving CST, visceral, and fascial release, and he had no idea what she was talking about. Apparently, his ego structure was nudged as he proceeded to tell her to go back to whatever "therapy"/voodoo doctor she was going to as it seemed to be working for her and proceeded to exit her out of his office. Needless to say that he has never called me about the work.
I am happy to report that structurally she is as straight as a dime, that she has worked through some sizeable pieces of process material that seemed attached the active restriction patterns, and today once again experiences a desire for life, and has dramatically moved forward in regards to her emotional and expressive processes including her experience of the surgeon's judgment about her therapeutic choices. Reclaiming her stick (personal power) as some of my North African friends would say.
Sadly, I have often seen in the traditional medical community, ignorance and judgment such as this play itself through a process piece on the surgeon's part which is then projected onto the client. At the very least, it would be fascinating for such surgeons to learn something about the work before they travel into judgment/turf mode. Then again... let's not forget that there is no peer reviewed material regarding the motion of cranial bones and that there is no such thing as visceral motility (insert roaring laugh!)
Gotta love that voodoo! Cheers!more
- John Glenn, CPWE, RPP
What Barral Students Are Saying...
It is lovely to have the chance to affect lives on this level, very fulfilling for the therapist and most times life changing for the child or the adult. I myself have many stories to tell. An eight week old with projectile vomiting, not gaining but losing weight, just after one long CranioSacral session never vomited again, and passed normal body weight for his age in less then a month. Two week old not able to have bowel movements but every five days or so, after one Visceral Manipulation session, is going almost every diaper...oh joy!
Babies not able to latch on, hungry and frustrated normally need only one or two sessions and they disappear from our lives, so others in need can take their places in our appointment books. A seventy-four year old with a recent kidney transplant, freezing through the summer heat, with a dangerously low red cell count. Nothing was making a difference, until after three CranioSacral sessions went for his normal visit to the Cleveland Clinic to find his blood count normal, and the appointment was canceled with the hematologist. Thirty-nine year old with a spinal fracture from an impact that bruised his body from the occipital ridge to his ileum not an inch of normal skin color on his back, in two days all the blood was gone, his doctor was totally amazed, just after one CranioSacral session. My son's chronic ear infections, not responding to antibiotics cleared up within weeks, never to appear again...he is late twenties now. Unfortunately when these stories get back to the doctor, the response is always "it would have happened anyway." Regardless, we keep plugging away with big grins on our faces, because we as therapist and the patients or their parents know differently.
We keep trying to interest doctors in our area with very little success, but once in a while we get one who begins to refer patients to us, because "whatever it is that we do, that cranio-whatever stuff" makes their patients get through a pregnancy without all the pelvic pains and aches they don't know what to do with. When the case totally baffles them, they figure what we do can't hurt....so why not try it. Keep spreading the word, because it works! And for those therapists who are reluctant because they don't know how to sell this stuff, don't try too hard. It sells itself. more
- I.T.
The Visceral Dissection workshop (VMD) gave me a clearer understanding of the variability of the organ location and the fluid content. Bruno (Chikly) describes in Lymph Drainage Therapy 3 and Advanced how the organs can feel, but there is nothing like actually having them in your own hands. Really feeling and sensing organs was extremely beneficial for me. I no longer have to imagine how an organ would feel.
- Beverly Cook LMP, LLCC, LTC
[This workshop was] very profound. I would compare this to my first manual therapy class which blew me away. Visceral Manipulation fills a void in my practice that I didn't know was there.
- JC, Oregon
I wish I had found this a little earlier - it completes a missing link in my education and [I] expect it will have tremendous impact on my patients as well as myself.
August 29, 2010
- ER, Physical Therapist
I am sixteen weeks pregnant, and have been throwing up multiple times every day. I was only able to drink Ensure. I had one VM/CST session with Dee Ahern 8 days ago and have not been sick once since then, and have been able to eat!
I have more energy. For example, since I've been pregnant I have been taking the elevator to get up to the 3rd floor because I can barely make it up the stairs...but since the session, I've been taking the stairs every day and breathing better.more
- Amanda
This is a great missing link for my practice.
- K.K., Leslie, AR, at VM2
Visceral Manipulation is very effective and interesting to learn.
- C.C., New York, NY at VM2
A 'missing link' - adds another important dimension in the treatment of pain syndromes.
- M.S., Whitestone, NY at VM2
After being a PT for more than 14 years, this material truly is the missing link to get our patients better. Thank you.
- R.M, Downingtown, PA, at VM2
Opens new doors toward effectively treating orthopedic patients.
- S.L., New City, NY at VM2
This is profound work that I am excited to integrate into my practice.
- K.Z., Brooklyn, NY at VM2
