Support Letters

Dear Friend and No IBS Program User,

This is the first of several support letters Kathy and I are going to send to help you move through The No IBS Program.

By the time you read this letter, you’ve probably started The No IBS Program and may already be feeling better. If you haven’t begun it yet, for whatever reason, we want to give you some encouragement and tips for using the program.

First, print out the one page Quick Start Guide and keep it in your pocket or purse for quick reference when you’re out.

Next, decide how you want to go through the program. Some people like to consume all the information quickly and work with one module each day. Other people prefer to complete one module a week. If this is how you are using the program, it’s a good idea to actually book time in your schedule for the module, as if you were attending a regular class or going to a health consultation.

Third, don’t just watch the video and listen to the audios; take action! We really want you to get all the benefits of this material. The only way to do that is to tap along with us and take the steps we suggest in the food and chemical modules.

I know that some of this is going to seem challenging or isn’t what you’re used to, but, let’s face it, you bought this program because what you’re used to isn’t working, right? So, please, please don’t cheat yourself. Pretend we’re in the room with you, coaching you in person.

When you have questions, or something doesn’t make sense, or you need support, please email us. Kathy and I are here to help. We are also very interested in your progress, so let us know how you’re doing and what changes you notice as you go through the program.

Please note that we have put the Tapping Tutorial Video and other videos on a special Tutorials page for you.

We designed this program to help you work with IBS in a new way. In the past, you may have focussed mostly on diet or some other physical aspect. But IBS is complex (like we humans are) so it seems to work best when you attack it on several levels at once. That’s why we’ve included tapping to “re-program” your brain reactions, along with the module on food and the module on clearing chemical toxins.

These are the 3 pillars of The No IBS Program and you’ll get your best results by using all of them. If you notice that you’re avoiding taking the steps in one of the modules, it’s possible that module is a very important one for you. But, if it makes you feel uncomfortable, go on to the next one and come back to it later. That’s okay.

Here are seven tapping tips:

1. You can speak loudly or softly when you tap. If an issue is quite intense and makes you want to yell the words, go ahead! Or, if you don’t want to be overheard, you can whisper or even think the words to yourself. The point of the words is to keep your mind focused on the issue.

2. We start the tapping in Module Two with simple reminder phrases, which may seem a bit monotonous at first. But it’s important to do this so you learn the basic technique of staying focussed on a specific issue. As the program continues, the words you’ll use or “tapping scripts” will become more varied.

3. Part of tapping is noticing your physical and emotional state and how that changes. So before you tap, notice how you’re feeling and check in with yourself again afterwards.

This is important because there is a very common reaction to tapping called the “Apex effect.” This is when you tap on a problem, it improves, and then you say to yourself, “Oh, that was never an issue for me.” The Apex effect can happen even when you’ve had a problem or symptom for years! It’s as if the brain simply deletes all memory of it.

So do notice and pay attention to what’s happening to you, so you can track your progress.

4. While it may seem like you’re just saying words and tapping with your fingers, you are actually moving energy through your body (tapping is a form of energy medicine which is possibly the oldest healing system on the planet.)

So you may find that you’re tired after tapping. This is normal. Allow yourself to rest when you need to, and give your body time to integrate the changes. On the other hand, you could feel energized. So be prepared for either or both.

5. Be persistent! You’ll do a lot of tapping as you go through the program, because there are many aspects to IBS that we address. We also encourage you to tap on your own, on any symptoms or issue that comes up for you.

6. When you are tapping and you release an issue, you may not recognize it consciously. But your body will know. So you may spontaneously sigh, take a deep breath, or find yourself becoming bored with the issue. These are all signs of progress!

7. If you want written instructions on how to tap and create your own tapping scripts, you’ll find them in the ebook bonus “Tap Into Financial Health.”

There is a lot of material in the program so it helps to go over the modules several times. To get the most out of them, read the transcripts as well as listening to the audios. When you use more of your sensory pathways to take in the material – sight, hearing, touch – you pick up information you could miss when you only use one sense.

Also, there can be more than one layer to an issue. For example, you might tap on a physical symptom and find that some emotions or memories are released. If that happens, just keep tapping on whatever comes up to remove the intensity from it.

The main thing to remember is to listen and take action every day, letting whatever happens be okay. Make your time with The No IBS Program like brushing your teeth. Do it, then forget about it and go on with your day. Trust me, the changes will come, and they will be profound.

If you have any questions, or if there is any other way that we can serve you, please email us.

Our purpose is to make sure you get all the benefits the program can bring.

Good health to you always!

Karen & Kathy

Karen Alison and Kathy Raymond
The No IBS Program

Dear Friend and No IBS Program User,

At this point, you’ve had The No IBS Program for at least two weeks and you’ve probably completed Module 3 for Anxiety and Depression by now.
 
So, I want to begin by telling you an inspiring story to encourage you along the way. Then we’ll get into something new: a quick and comforting energy technique that will help you to have more relief from anxiety and depression.
 
At the end of this letter, I’ll give you a way to deal with worries about the effects of drugs you’ve taken or are currently taking, since this is an issue that causes a LOT of internal conflict and anxiety (which only makes things worse.) This will help you to develop additional control over your health as well as some peace of mind.
 
Some inspiration:
 
Here’s what happened for a woman with IBS-C (IBS with constipation) who suffered from crippling anxiety and depression. Since she prefers to remain anonymous, I’ll call her Shelley.
 
Shelley’s IBS began when “my best friend and partner of 17 years announced he was leaving me,” and became progressively worse over 5 years. During this period, her brother and mother both died and, by the fifth year, Shelley collapsed and could no longer work.
 
In addition to her GI symptoms, she felt extreme fatigue and had become agoraphobic (an anxiety disorder where the sufferer feels high levels of anxiety or panic in public places. The person fears being trapped and unable to get away easily, as when sitting in a classroom or standing in line. For some, the exposure of being out in public places and having to deal with strangers is overwhelming.)
 
Shelley was largely housebound and often depressed. Because of her physical and emotional symptoms, travel was nearly impossible and even visiting relatives posed a huge challenge in terms of food and her exhaustion level. She also had significant back pain and wore a brace.
 
“For me the IBS always manifested in the morning – the first bit of food – often only yogurt and Metamucil – immediately caused extraordinary fatigue. As I struggled between rests to get ready [for the day], my resolve progressively wore down until, exhausted, I lost all motivation…”
 
Prior to having Irritable Bowel Syndrome, she enjoyed social life and ran her own accounting practice, so IBS-C completely changed and restricted her life.
 
Here’s what she says:
 
“After the second session, I decided to do something I’d been reluctant to do for 5 years. That is, I packed up and drove over 200 miles by myself to my primitive cabin and actually enjoyed 4 days there.”
 
On arrival, she had to get a neighbour to help her break into her own cabin, since the key had been misplaced. Despite this apparent set-back, she coped well with the situation. She also told me that, on the way back, she stopped at a diner and was able to digest a hamburger!
 
“After the third session, I signed up for three courses – one for employment, one for fun and one for self-improvement. I successfully canvassed my street for charity and started to make long overdue appointments for repairs to my house.

My IBS symptoms had improved by at least 50%, maybe more. But by the fifth session, I had fallen back, yet by then I had the deep down confidence to believe that I was gradually getting better…”
 
“For the first several days after the sixth session, I did not rally as I had after the fifth. But then it happened. I tapped on my worry and am happy to report that, for the last 15 days, I’ve been regular every morning, my lower abdomen discomfort is greatly lessened and my motivation to face the day is returning me to higher spirits.
 
Therefore, once again, after so long, I’m looking forward to the future. In fact, for the first time in my life, I am nearly daily going for a brisk walk and the serious lower back pain which I have endured since age 19 is abating.”
 
“I truly believe [the tapping procedure] is a lifetime tool I will always be able to use, by myself, to let go of worry over the large and real problems and also even small ones that crop up regularly in anyone’s lifetime.”
 
I recently caught up with Shelley and learned that in the months since we were last in touch, she had flown off on a group tour to Israel for several weeks, where she had a fabulous time! Clearly her goraphobia was a thing of the past.
 
She laughed and told me, “There is a heaven and it’s already starting on Earth!” This was a 180 degree turn-around from her previous emotional state of feeling like life was torture.
 
As for her physical symptoms: “I ate whatever the heck I wanted and I was fine.” She didn’t even mention her former back pain!
 
I commented that she sounded completely different from when she started the program – positive, upbeat, strong, confident and powerful. There was excitement and laughter in her voice.
 
“I’m a different person now,” she said with glee. “The IBS is virtually gone.”
 
So that’s one person’s experience of recovering not only physically but from her anxiety and depression and being able to return to life with gusto.
 
Some comfort in hard times…
 
Now let’s move on to a simple energy technique that is very comforting. This technique is called the Spine Rub.

You may have seen the video of this technique on our site where we show it for IBS nausea and abdominal pain. But the spine rub can be used for anxiety and depression as well, because it rebalances your entire system. When you are anxious or depressed, you tend to be out of balance, so this little technique will help you feel better quickly.
 
It’s helpful to have another person do this technique for you, since it’s a bit challenging to reach your whole spine by yourself. But if no one is available, you can certainly try doing it yourself.
 
The basic idea is that you or the person you’ve chosen will lightly massage each vertebrae of your spine, starting at the very top one – the atlas – where your spine meets your occiput – the bony ridge at the bottom of your skull at the back of your head.

Using your thumb and two fingers, gently grab or pinch the skin at each vertebrae and slide it up and down in a head-to-toe direction over each knob of your spine, 5 or 6 times. Work your way from the top of your spine down to your tailbone.
 
You can do this fairly quickly, although it’s not necessary to go fast. Use just enough pressure that you can feel your skin moving a little with your fingers. You don’t need to press hard! This is NOT Shiatsu massage.

The spine rub is usually done standing up and fully dressed. You can do it through the average shirt or sweater, but probably not through a suit jacket.
 
That’s all there is to it! This is Kathy’s favourite all-purpose energy technique, so you can use it for a quick boost any time. Perhaps your partner or friend would enjoy exchanging spine rubs with you so you can both feel the benefits.
 
Dealing with worries about the effects of drugs…
 
One anxiety we often hear from clients is the fear that the drugs they have taken in the past or are taking now are harming them or will cause them to backslide into symptoms again. This is particularly true of antibiotics and pain relievers.
 
Practically everyone in the industrialized world has taken a course of antibiotics at one time or another. These drugs are very hard on the internal environment of the intestines, and there’s no question that they contribute to digestive problems.
 
But sometimes drugs are needed or were the best choice you had at the time you took them. If you are worried that necessary drugs are not your best friend, here’s what we suggest. Tap on the fear and worry, so you can allow your body to get what it needs from the drug
while you are taking it. Or you can tap to clear the residue of a drug you took in the past.
 
Are we suggesting that you take any old drug in a carefree manner and simply tap to avoid worrying about it? Of course not!
 
But if you must take a drug, for whatever reason, it helps not to have to fear the medication. Your body is very resilient and with the skills you are learning in this program, you are helping yourself to restore your body’s natural balance.
 
So here are a couple of tapping scripts for relieving the worry about the effects of drugs. Start by tapping on the Karate Chop point (KC) on the side of your hand for the Set Up Statement, then move on to tap the circuit of points on your face and body, using the phrases below.
 
Worry about the effect of a drug you are taking now:
 
KC: Even though I’m worried about the effect this drug
[or say its name] is having on me, the truth is, my body is
using it well for exactly what I need
KC: Even though I’m scared I’m hurting myself by taking it,
the truth is, my body is using it well for exactly what I need
KC: Even though I’m worried about the effects of
this drug on me, I’ve decided to relax and allow this drug
to help me
 
EB: I’m worried about the effects of this drug
SE: I’m scared it will harm me
UE: I’m worried about the side effects
UN: I’m afraid of the effects on my GI system
CH: Worried about the effects of this drug
CB: Scared of the effects on my body
UA: Scared I’m hurting myself by taking it
H: I’m worried about the effects of this drug
 
EB: I’m scared it will harm me
SE: The truth is my body is using it well
UE: I’m worried about the effects of this drug
UN: The truth is, I’m getting what I need
CH: I’m scared I’m hurting myself by taking it
CB: The truth is, I’m doing my best to help myself
UA: My body is using it well
H: I’ve decided to relax and allow this drug to help me.
 
Worry about a drug you took or just finished taking:
 
We’ve used “antibiotics” in this tapping script, but you can insert the name of any drug you took that is causing you worry.
 
KC: Even though I took antibiotics [or other drug name],
I accept myself and I request that my body clear their residue
completely
KC: Even though I took antibiotics and I’m worried about the
effects on me, I request that my body clear their residue completely
KC: Even though I took antibiotics, I accept myself and
I request that my body clear their residue completely
 
EB: I took antibiotics
SE: Worrisome antibiotics
UE: I took antibiotics
UN: I took antibiotics
CH: I’m worried about their long-term effects
CB: I took antibiotics
UA: I took antibiotics
H: Worried about antibiotics
 
EB: I accept myself
SE: My body clears the antibiotic residue completely
UE: It was the best option at the time
UN: My body clears the antibiotic residue completely
CH: I accept myself
CB: My body clears the antibiotic residue completely
UA: My body is safe and growing healthier every day
H: My body clears the antibiotic residue completely
 
Take a deep breath and let all that integrate.
 
Remember to email your questions to us, since your input is the only way we can improve the program and make sure you are getting what you need from it. Also, we would love to hear about your progress!

 Good health to you always!

Karen & Kathy

Karen Alison and Kathy Raymond
The No IBS Program

Dear Friend and No IBS Program User,

Does changing to natural and unscented products really make that much difference to your bowel and digestive health? In a word, YES! Unfortunately, this is information you will rarely hear from health-care providers.

Taking the actions in Module 4 will give your digestive system a big boost. Whereas, if you don’t do them, your symptoms could drag on and on or suddenly flare.

In this letter, you’ll learn:

– A simple way to get started if you’re having trouble taking action on the module about chemical toxic

– How to be a detective for your body if you suddenly have a flare of symptoms.

– How to protect yourself from dangerous plastics that harm your digestion and other systems of your body.

– About dealing with resistance to change. Sometimes the people who are closest to us put up the most resistance. So we’ve created a special tapping script for you to use when this happens.

– And, some ways to protect yourself from other people’s chemicals when you’re in different situations – travelling, going out, or when you have houseguests.

Here’s something that happened to me.

Some years ago (before I knew everything I know now), I was given a great sweatshirt that I wore to a casual party. Unfortunately, at the party, I was overcome by uncontrollable gas. It didn’t exactly make my evening enjoyable.

Later, I found out that new cotton clothes are often full of chemical sizing and pesticides that can cause problems for the GI system. So, if I had washed the sweatshirt before I wore it, my digestion would have been fine. Live and learn.

That’s a minor example, but when you add together all the chemicals and scents your body has to cope with in a day, it’s best to make this load as light as possible.

If you feel a bit daunted by the thought of making a change away from scented and chemical products, here’s a tip: Start simply.

Two actions to take right away:

Begin with unscented laundry products and start washing the scent out of the clothes and sheets you use most often.

Then put your perfume, cologne and scented aftershave or other products into a box and store it in your garage or storage locker. Putting aside my perfumes was one of the hardest things I ever did. I loved my scents and had no intention of ever giving them up, no matter what the health consequences!

My clever and experienced health practitioner at the time suggested I avoid them for only a month. After that, I could open up the box and try them again. So, I packed up all my fragrant bottles, including my beloved shampoos and conditioners, and put them in the garage.

At the end of the month, I swooped down on that box with all the excitement of a mother meeting her child again after a long absence. 

Peeuw! The smell was overpowering! I couldn’t stand it. Instant headache. I went back to the unscented, fragrance-free new products I’d bought with a feeling of relief.

In module 4, we ask you to avoid your scented products for 90 days and, from my own experience, I think you’ll notice a big difference.

And one more thing that will really help:

Don’t feel that you have to change your whole house or apartment overnight. Just work with one room at a time over a number of weeks.

The most important room to start with is your bedroom. While you sleep, your body rests and recovers from the stresses of the day, so the cleaner your bedroom environment is, the better you’ll sleep and the better you’ll recover. When you remove the scents, chemical products and plastic bags from your bedroom, you take away a big layer of toxic stress.

Be a detective for your body:

If you suddenly start having IBS symptoms after feeling good for some time, you need to do some detective work. Check your immediate environment and what you’ve been doing. Review the green actions in Module 4 for help. Here are some additional possibilities to watch out for:

• Did you spray chemical insect repellent on your skin or use bug spray or fumigants inside your house? Try tea tree oil or citronella based products.

• Did you go to a party or event where people wearing scent (perfume, cologne, aftershave, or scented hair products) have hugged you and left scent residue on your skin or clothes? Wash your face, ears and neck and change your top as soon as possible. Sometimes after a party, you may even have to wash your hair if there has been a lot of scent and cigarette smoke.

• Did you pump gasoline into your car and get fuel on your clothes, shoes or skin? If fuel is on your hands, wash them with a grease-cutting dish soap. Cut a piece of lemon and rub it over your hands along with some baking soda to get the smell off them.

• Have you recently renovated or redecorated part of your house? New paints, solvents, and glues, as well as furniture that contains particle board all outgas their chemicals into the air inside your house. Probably the best time to renovate or redecorate is at a time of year when you can keep the windows open. And if your bedroom is repainted, use latex or low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paint and do not sleep in the room for 2 or 3 days to a week, until the paint has dried well. When furniture contains particle board, that part of the furniture can be sealed with wood sealant (preferably not by you!)

• Did you spend several hours inside a shopping mall? Shopping malls are notoriously difficult places to stay healthy, as they are full of plastics, new clothes treated with pesticides and fire retardants, hair salons, perfume counters, and other chemical sources. All of the chemical products give off molecules that make a toxic brew out of the air surrounding you. They spell disaster for your digestive and immune systems. If you must go to a shopping mall, plan your purchases and try to get in and out as quickly as possible.

• Did you purchase new cotton clothing and wear it without putting it through the wash first? Cotton and other natural fibers are often heavily pesticided when they arrive from other countries, especially warm countries. It’s important to wash this chemical residue off your new clothes or pajamas before you wear them so it cannot harm you.

And here’s a note about plastics:

Plastics are made from petrochemicals, so plastic bags, wrap, and containers are constantly releasing petrochemical molecules into your household air.

The harder the plastic (like a phone or computer), the less likely it is to do this. But the softer and warmer the plastics are, the more toxins you inhale or ingest from them. Once they’re inside you, they cause problems for your digestion and for your health in general.

How to protect yourself:

1) Contain your plastic bags, containers and plastic wrap by storing them in large tins with tight-fitting lids.

In my house, we have several. They look like giant cookie tins – almost 12 inches high – and are often seen in stores around Christmas time, usually filled with popcorn. My husband eats the popcorn and then we use them for plastic storage.

This keeps the plastic molecules out of our home air. When we need a plastic bag, we take one out, which releases some of the molecules, but a LOT less than if the bags were in a drawer or cupboard.

2) NEVER cook with plastic. If you use a microwave, put your food in glass or regular dishes and cover with a paper towel or a plate NOT plastic wrap. Heating plastic is like salting your food with petrochemicals. Yuck.

Going chemical-free is like learning any new skill or language.

It’s awkward at first and you have to make yourself remember to do it. But as you keep on taking steps to improve your health, it becomes second nature.

When I first went chemical-free, other people didn’t always get what I was doing. One relative in particular thought it was all nonsense and possibly even criminally dangerous. However, I did not let her lack of information about health stop me.

Today, sadly, she has multiple chronic health problems that might have been prevented. Others who were confused or resistant have come to ask me what THEY should do to protect their health!

So, what I found was that even if people are not supportive of you at first, they DO notice when you become healthier. Quite often, they want to have the same benefits in their own lives.

Change creates resistance…

The reality is that ANY type of change creates resistance, no matter what it is. This just seems to be the way humans are. In spite of our cherished beliefs that we are each individuals, most people spend their time walking around in a state of unconsciousness, going along with what everyone else is doing. We feel comfortable with the familiar, even if it’s killing us. Which is a distinct possibility in the case of scented and chemical products!

In fact, going chemical-free protects far more than your bowel. Evidence in books such as Dr. David Servan-Schrieber’s “AntiCancer,” Dr. Theo Colborn’s landmark “Our Stolen Future” and Dr. Josef Krop’s “Healing the Planet One Patient at a Time” reveal the importance of avoiding chemical products for your overall health.

There are few if any long-term studies on the combined effects of all the chemicals in our daily lives, but there’s no question that chemical ingredients play a role in cancer, memory problems, asthma and breathing problems, depression and anxiety, menstrual and fertility issues, arthritis, heart, and other chronic conditions.

So instead of thinking that you are a special case, always different, and can’t fit in, the truth is, by going chemical-free you are ahead of the crowd. In North America, it is becoming more and more common to ban scented products in hospitals, schools and other public buildings, just like smoking. A few years ago, you had to buy unscented products in the health food store. Now, every urban grocery store carries them.

Be patient with the poor folks who don’t have your inside information. They need help and, sooner or later, they’ll ask for it.

But I don’t want to convince everyone!…

While it helps if your whole family can go unscented at the same time you do, it’s not necessary. Much more important is what you choose to put on your body. That means personal care products, hair products, and laundry products (because they leave their residue in your clothing.) If all these items are scent-free, you’ve lifted a huge burden off your gastro-intestinal system.

Resistance from your family or partner can feel stressful and even hurtful at times. Here’s a tapping script for dealing with that:

Start by tapping on the Karate Chop point on the side of the hand.

KC: Even though I feel stressed [or guilty / angry / disappointed / tired / hurt / frustrated] because my family / partner is resisting these changes, the truth is, I’m going ahead anyway
KC: Even though I would prefer to have their support and cooperation, it’s important that I make these changes for myself
KC: Even though I really wish I had their support, I accept myself and am committed to moving forward anyway.

EB: Family resistance
SE: I wish I had their support
UE: I’m feeling alone with these issues
UN: Doesn’t anyone care?
CH: Family resistance
CB: It makes me feel so angry (hurt/disappointed/frustrated)
UA: Why aren’t they more supportive?
H:  I’m tired of feeling alone

EB: Even though I could use more support
SE: I choose to move forward anyway
UE: I’m committed to helping myself
UN: And it’s important to make these changes
CH: I wish they could be more supportive
CB: But change is uncomfortable for everyone
UA: I’m committed to supporting my recovery
H: So I’m willing to go ahead on my own

Take a deep breath, and release it.

Tips for protecting yourself from other people’s chemicals:

One great advantage you have over other people is that, because of IBS, you’ve probably trained yourself to think ahead. This is an incredibly useful skill (and, in fact, a sign of advanced thinking capabilities.)

So here’s how you can put this skill to use to protect yourself from other people’s chemicals.

Travelling?
When you stay in a hotel or someone else’s home, you may encounter bedding and towels full of strong chemical scents that cause trouble for your digestion. What I do is take along my own sheets, pillowcase, washcloth and towels so I don’t have to use the ones provided. It may sound like a lot of work, but it’s actually a lot less trouble than feeling horrible.

Going out?
Don’t let your coat be hung up in a closet or thrown on a bed with other coats. Be fussy and put your coat to the side or hang it at the very end of the closet with its back to the other coats.

Why? Because the rest of the coats may have perfume on them which will transfer to your coat. We call this, “skunking,” as in, “She skunked me with her perfume.”

If perfume gets on your coat despite your best efforts, here’s what to do once you’re home. Lay your coat on the couch and liberally sprinkle plain dry baking soda on the scented places until they’re covered. Leave it for several hours or overnight. DON’T wet or wipe.

The next day, shake the baking soda off your coat into the sink (you can use it to clean the sink, if you want.) If there is still some baking soda on your coat, use a whisk broom or rough dry cloth to brush it off. Do NOT wet it.

The baking soda is usually enough to lift the scent out of the fabric, but you may also need to hang your coat outside for a few hours to freshen it. If the skunking was fairly light, sometimes hanging the coat outside will be enough to remove the smell.

Have houseguests?
One overnight visitor used such a powerful spray deodorant, my husband and I felt the toxic effects for a week afterwards. On top of that, the guest’s few seconds with a spray can forced me to do several smelly and unwanted hours of work. His deodorant spray must have bounced off his armpits and all over the room because the scent had to be scrubbed off everything: the bedding, the floor, the furniture, even some of the walls!

I now know the importance of asking guests NOT to use such products in my house. They don’t intentionally endanger your health, or their own, but their lack of information is no reason you should suffer.

You have a couple of alternatives. You can let your guests use your unscented products. Or, when the weather is fine, you can ask them to apply their chemically scented products outdoors. Or they can take their hairspray, perfume, aftershave and any spray product with them when they go out and apply them in a public restroom.

If these seem like extreme measures, remember that what might be a minor inconvenience in a guest’s morning could make a major difference to an entire week of your digestion, your mental and emotional functioning, and your ability to do your work. You are fully within your rights to protect your health by asking guests or anyone who comes to work in your house for their cooperation. Your guests might even learn something from you!

Please email us with your questions or concerns. We’re here to help.

Good health to you always!

Karen & Kathy

Karen Alison and Kathy Raymond
The No IBS Program

Dear Friend and No IBS Program User,

Have you ever wondered why eating can be so stressful? The obvious answer is that food often poses a major challenge when you have IBS.

What’s less obvious is that the act of eating brings back all your memories of food and mealtimes, both good and bad.

Most of these memories are unconscious, but they affect your reaction to food and eating for better or worse throughout your life. Fortunately, you can use tapping to change that reaction. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to relax more around mealtimes and thoughts of food? We’ll explain how to do that in this letter.

Before we go into that, let’s talk about meal planning and how to create a simple IBS diet with lots of soluble fibre foods.

To relieve some of the stress associated with the special food requirements of coping with IBS, we recommend that you spend some time creating a food plan or weekly menu for yourself. This makes shopping and meal preparation much easier. You’ll have the food you need on hand and won’t have to worry about: “What should I (or can I) eat now?” 

One way to do it is to choose three or four breakfasts that you like and tolerate as well as three or four lunches and dinners. Then you simply rotate through them. Keep bananas and applesauce on hand because they are easy to grab and are safe foods for almost all IBS sufferers.

Here are some other ideas that focus on mostly on soluble fiber foods:

Breakfast

1. Quick-cooking quinoa flakes (just add hot water, similar to oatmeal but gluten-free and contains soluble fiber)
2. Amaranth waffles with avocado slices (gluten-free and dairy-free)
3. Banana “cereal” (sliced bananas with rice milk or other tolerated liquid)
4. Oatmeal with cinnamon

Lunch

1. Sweet potato or squash soup with diced white chicken
2. Cooked rice, chestnuts, tolerated vegetables (soluble fibre vegetables would include carrots, parsnips, winter squash, beets, mushrooms.)
3. Buckwheat muffin and applesauce
4. Guacamole and rice crackers

Dinner

1. Cooked squash, white chicken
2. Sweet potato and white turnip boiled then pureed together, fish
3. Cooked quinoa, pureed carrots & parsnips
4. Egg white and mushroom omelette

As your symptoms subside and your bowel heals, it’s important to add more green vegetables. Start with small amounts and make sure they are cooked and chopped or pureed.

If you have trouble with gas and bloating, beware of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbages, until your digestive system is able to handle them more easily.

Legumes such as black beans, pinto beans, lentils, lima beans, chickpeas and other beans are also gas-causing foods. So even though they are mentioned on many lists of soluble fiber foods, beans probably won’t be easy on your body even when you take digestive enzymes. That’s because of the raffinose, an indigestible sugar in legumes. Best to avoid all gas-causing foods initially.

Stress-free mealtimes?

In private practice, one question we typically ask our clients is: “Are mealtimes stressful?”

Almost everyone answers, “No.”

Yet, when we probe a little about what their mealtimes were like when they were growing up, a very different picture emerges.

You may have happy memories of special birthday or holiday meals. But what were your daily experiences at the meal table?

During my childhood, breakfasts and dinners were often highly charged, with everyone at the table feeling upset or upsetting each other in one way or another. It took me many years to understand that the unconscious memories of these volatile meals were activated every time I sat at a table to eat with another person!

Even in a restaurant, I felt anxious sitting across from someone. My dining companion could be the most pleasant person in the world but because I unconsciously expected shouting, accusations, or criticism, I was always hyper-alert, ready for fight-or-flight. Needless to say, this didn’t do much to help my digestion! The result was often gas, stomach pain, constipation or drinking a few too many glasses of wine in an effort to self-medicate my extreme anxiety.

But it certainly explained why I could eat exactly the same foods by myself at home and feel fine.

If mealtimes are associated with stressful memories from the past, it’s very possible that you are being triggered into anxiety or other symptoms such as digestive problems, headaches, even back trouble, at breakfast, lunch, dinner or all three.

The stress may be associated with incidents from childhood such as sibling arguments or parental anger or criticism. Or your triggers may come from adulthood and may be associated with an angry, critical or alcoholic spouse or partner.

The following are examples of possible triggers of unconscious memories:
• Dinner time, i.e. anywhere between 5 and 8 pm: the body’s internal clock recognizes the time of day, which triggers anxiety
• Sounds of food preparation
• Smell of cooking coming from the kitchen
• The sight of the kitchen or dining room table settings

Tapping will help to take the stress out of mealtimes and eating by neutralizing those old triggers.

General script for mealtime anxiety

KC: Even though mealtimes used to be stressful, I deeply and completely accept myself.
KC: Even though I get uncomfortable at mealtimes, I accept myself and I’m ready to heal from this.
KC: Even though my body remembers how stressful mealtimes used to be, I choose to stay calm and relaxed.

EB: mealtime stress
SE: mealtime stress
UE: mealtime stress
UN: my body remembers
CH: mealtime stress
CB: mealtime stress
UA: mealtime stress
H: it’s time to let it go

Repeat. Then take a deep breath and release. If you wish, you can tap a third round, using the affirmations below.

Affirmations:

EB: what if it could be different?
SE: what if I could enjoy mealtime
UE: I wonder if this could happen
UN: I’m open to these new possibilities
CH: I would like mealtime to be easy
CB: I can imagine what that would be like
UA: I wonder if this could really happen
H: I look forward to these new possibilities

Here are some other set-up statements for tapping scripts on this important topic. Choose the ones that apply to you and tap on them, or make up your own. 

1. Even though there was a lot of tension at the table, I’m ready to release it now

Reminder phrase: “tension at the table”

2. Even though breakfast/lunch/dinner was stressful, I’m ready to relax at mealtimes

Reminder phrase: “Breakfast/lunch/dinner was stressful”

3. Even though I hated eating at the table with my family [or other person/s], the truth is, that was the past and it’s over

Reminder phrase: “hated eating at the table with my family”

4. Even though I was always scared at mealtimes, I am safe now

Reminder phrase: “always scared at mealtimes”

5. Even though I start to feel anxious around dinner time [or other meal], it’s okay to relax at meal time.

Reminder phrase: “dinner [or lunch or breakfast] anxiety”

6. Even though I always felt nervous eating lunch in the school cafeteria, I can find ways to deal with this/I’m no longer in school so I choose to let go of this tension.

Reminder phrase: “nervous in the cafeteria”

7. Even though I can’t stand the smell of _______________, the truth is, it’s only a smell and doesn’t mean anything

Reminder phrase: “I can’t stand the smell of _________”

8. Even though the sight / sound / smell of ____________reminds me of my childhood dinners [or other meal], I’m no longer a child and I choose to release this memory from all levels of my being.

Reminder phrase: “that smell / sight / sound of ___________”

Again, you can use these Affirmations as a third round, if you wish.

EB: what if it could be different?
SE: what if I could enjoy mealtime
UE: I wonder if this could happen
UN: I’m open to these new possibilities
CH: I would like mealtime to be easy
CB: I can imagine what that would be like
UA: I wonder if this could really happen
H: I look forward to these new possibilities

Take a deep breath and relax after tapping.  Once you have tapped on some of these eating experiences and their associated emotions, you will likely find that you can relax more around food and eating as the old, unconscious memories are no longer triggered.

Please email us with your questions, comments and feedback. We’re here to support you.

Good health to you always!

Karen & Kathy

Karen Alison and Kathy Raymond
The No IBS Program

Dear Friend and No IBS Program User,

Have you ever found yourself reeling with shock, barely able to respond or think clearly after someone gives you bad news or makes a remark that you find unbelievably insensitive?

This is a classic example of the “freeze” reaction. You have just been traumatized! Whatever that person has said to you triggers your nervous system into “shut down” mode. This is an unconscious survival reaction and your brain is trying to protect you.

Has that person ever been a doctor or other health professional?

When they are, you may feel as if you have been doubly betrayed. Aren’t medical people supposed to look after you, treat your needs with sensitivity and respect, and have the answers to your health problems? You are usually at your most vulnerable in the doctor’s office or hospital.

Yet, sometimes medical people can say things that leave you feeling upset, discouraged, and outraged. Even one experience like this can make you dread having anything further to do with them.

In this letter, we’re going to give you a tapping script for dealing with the shock of something the doctor said. You’ll also find one to use when you feel alone and lonely because of IBS.

Tapping for the shock of what the doctor said:

KC: Even though I was shocked when the doctor made that insensitive comment, I deeply and completely accept myself.
KC: Even though he/she made that insensitive comment, the truth is it had very little to do with me.
KC: Even though the comment was insensitive and I was shocked by it, I accept myself and who I am.

EB: I was shocked by that comment
SE: it was so insensitive
UE: I was shocked by that comment
UN: and I feel it in my body
CH: that comment was shocking
CB: he/she was supposed to help me
UA: I was shocked by that comment
H: it was so insensitive

EB: even though I felt shocked
SE: maybe I can begin to let it go
UE: even though I felt so shocked
UN: I choose to feel calm and relaxed
CH: I choose to feel calm and relaxed
CB: I release this shock from my body
UA: I release this shock from my body and my mind
H: I accept myself and I choose to feel calm and relaxed

Take a deep breath, and relax.

Tapping for feeling lonely because of IBS:

You know very well that most people don’t understand what it’s like to live with IBS. This can result in you feeling very isolated and alone. ‘Pooping problems’ are not a popular topic for conversation. When your life seems to revolve around these issues it can create a profound sense of loneliness. Sometimes you try to protect other peoples’ feelings by keeping your problems to yourself – again leaving you to cope on your own.

Let’s do a tapping script to help release some of these feelings.

KC: Even though I feel so alone with my condition, I accept who I am and where I’m at.
KC: Even though I feel so alone sometimes, because others don’t understand what I’m going through, I deeply and completely accept myself anyway.
KC: Even though I’m all alone with my condition, I accept who I am and how I feel.

EB: I feel so alone
SE: I’m alone with my condition
UE: others don’t understand
UN: I feel so alone
CH: no one wants to hear about it
CB: they certainly don’t want to talk about it
UA: they don’t understand
H: and I feel so alone

If you wish, you can repeat the first round.

EB: I accept myself anyway
SE: I choose to stay positive
UE: my problems are real
UN: I choose to be calm and confident
CH: I accept my condition
CB: and I choose to stay calm and confident
UA: others may not understand
H: and that’s okay

Take a deep breath, and let it out.

Tapping on other aspects that arise:

You may notice that other thoughts, feelings or memories come up when you tap through these scripts. If so, go ahead and tap on them. You can use a simple set up statement such as:

Even though I feel ______ (or I remember ______), I deeply and completely accept myself

Here are some examples:

1. After tapping about the shock of what the doctor said, you might realize you feel angry or hurt by the comments.

“Even though I felt angry / hurt, I’m ready to release that episode and I choose peace.”

Then tap on “I felt angry / hurt”, or “This anger/hurt”

2. After tapping on loneliness, you might find you feel sad so you could tap on:

“Even though I feel sad, I deeply and completely accept myself.”

Then tap two rounds on “I feel sad” or “This sadness”

3. Or, after tapping on loneliness, you might have a memory about a school friend or someone else who unexpectedly moved away – an event that left you feeling shocked and lonely earlier in your life.

“Even though I felt shocked / lonely when my friend left, I know it was in the past and I’m ready to let it go.”

Then tap on “This shock / loneliness when my friend left” as your reminder phrase.

If you would like to tap a third round, here is one you can use for any of these issues:

EB: even though I felt shocked / lonely
SE: maybe I can begin to let it go
UE: even though I felt so shocked / lonely
UN: I choose to feel calm and relaxed
CH: I choose to feel calm and relaxed
CB: I release this shock / loneliness from my body
UA: I release this shock / loneliness from my body and my mind
H: I accept myself and I choose to feel calm and relaxed

Take a deep breath after tapping, and let all of that integrate.

Please email us with your thoughts, feedback, suggestions, and questions. There are no stupid questions! Even if it’s something small, we would like to help you with it.

Good health to you always!

Karen & Kathy

Karen Alison and Kathy Raymond
The No IBS Program

Dear Friend and No IBS Program User,

In this letter, we’re going to look at how to make up your own tapping scripts. A big problem for many people is not knowing how to word their scripts. What are the “right” words to use? We’ll give you some techniques to deal with that.

How to create your own tapping scripts:

There are two main steps to the process:
1. The Set Up Statement and
2. The Reminder Phrase.

Step 1 – The Set Up Statement

Tapping begins with a Set Up Statement. The set up is always in two parts. The first part is a statement of the problem or issue and the second part is an affirmation. You always begin with the words, “Even though…”

The classic set up statement is:

Even though ________ (state problem or issue), I deeply and completely accept myself. <- (this part after the comma is the affirmation)

For example:

Even though I feel so tired after eating, I deeply and completely accept myself.

If you don’t want to say, “I deeply and completely accept myself,” you can choose any affirmation that feels right to you.

By the way, you don’t have to believe the affirmation when you say it. Tapping does not operate at the level of the conscious brain. You are getting past that and into the limbic system or survival brain while you work with your body’s energy system.

For example, your affirmation could be:

…I choose to stay calm and peaceful.
…I’m open to a better possibility.
…I release this from all levels of my being.
…I’m ready to heal quickly and easily.

You say your Set Up Statement three times while you tap on your Karate Chop (KC) point.

To find that point, imagine giving someone a karate chop. The KC point is on the fleshy area on the side of your hand right where you would deliver the “chop.”

But I don’t know what to say in my Set Up!

This can stop you cold before you get started. Don’t worry about using the “right” words. The whole idea behind the Set Up Statement and the Reminder Phrase is to keep you focussed on your issue or symptom. When you’re really focussed, you don’t even have to say the words out loud; you can just think them.

Here are some guidelines for creating your set up:

1. What is bothering you most?

Say you had a day like this: you’re getting ready for work or school when you find out the cat chewed a hole in the shirt you were going to wear, you can’t find your keys, you have an important presentation or a test, now your stomach is starting to hurt and you’re worried your symptoms are going to get out of control and you’ll be late or even have to stay home and then people will be angry and blame you for being absent. On top of that, you’re scared of the pain if your symptoms do start to act up.

Sounds pretty stressful, doesn’t it?

So, do you tap on all of that at once? No.

Pick the thing that’s bothering you the most and start with that. It might be that you’re scared that people will blame you and be angry if you’re late. Or that you’ll lose your job if you don’t get to work. Or fail your test if you don’t get to school. Or you might feel upset because you just bought the shirt that the cat chewed and now it’s only fit for the rag bag. Or you’re afraid of the pain your symptoms will inflict on you.

When you create your set up, forget about the “right” words. Just use your own words. Imagine that you are telling a close friend what’s bothering you. If you would tell your friend, “I’m scared that people at work will be mad at me for being late,” then use those words for your set up statement and add an affirmation:

“Even though I’m scared that people at work will be mad at me for being late, I choose to be calm and confident.”

Once you have tapped on the thing that is bothering you most, then tap on the next most intense issue. (See the section on Aspects below for help with this.)

If you’re completely overloaded and can’t sort out what is bothering you most, just tap on, “Even though I’m completely overloaded [or “freaking out” or “anxious”], I choose to be calm and confident.”

2. Physical or emotional?

Are you in physical pain or emotional distress? Whichever it is, start with that. If you’re having physical symptoms, review Module Two for examples of scripts.

For emotional distress, identify your emotion – angry? sad? hurt? disappointed? grief-stricken? unhappy? – and tap on that.

“Even though I feel  ________, I deeply and completely accept myself.”

If you can’t decide exactly how you’re feeling, just pick a general term that you would typically use, like “bad” or “awful” or “upset” or “stressed” or a similar word. So you would say “Even though I feel bad / awful / upset / stressed…” and add your affirmation to complete the statement.

3. Be specific!

Being specific about the issue you are tapping on will make your tapping very directed so you get results faster.

I know I just said that if you can’t figure out how you’re feeling, you can use a general term. That’s a good starting place. It’s better to tap on SOMETHING than not to tap because you can’t figure out where to start!

Then, once you’ve started, see if you can tap on the specifics of what is bothering you.

For example, if you are in pain, you can focus your attention on the part of your body that’s in pain, or touch that area, and use a general set up statement such as, “Even though I’m in pain, I accept myself and I choose to release it.” [or whatever affirmation you prefer to complete the set up statement]

Then you can be even more specific by saying, “Even though I have stabbing pain in the right side of my abdomen, I accept myself and I choose to relax and heal quickly.” 

Or, “Even though I have this throbbing pain in the front of my head and in my temples, I’m ready to heal from it now.”

If you are feeling anxious and stressed, you can say, “Even though I feel anxious and stressed, I choose to feel calm and confident.”

Or, you can be more specific by saying, “Even though I’m anxious and stressed because I was invited to the party on Friday and I’m afraid my symptoms might act up, I choose to relax and feel calm.”

Or, if you’re angry and embarrassed: “Even though I feel angry and embarrassed because my boss was so critical of me in front of the others yesterday, I accept myself anyway.”

Or, if you’re hurt: “Even though I’m hurt because John laughed at me, the truth is, I deserve respect and kindness.”

4. You don’t have to believe the affirmation!

Why not? Because the purpose of the affirmation is NOT to say something your logical forebrain agrees with.

The purpose is to engage your limbic system – the part of your brain that deals with emotions and survival – and to introduce a whole new thought pathway into your brain.

So, even if you can’t believe that you could relax from the pain, introduce that idea to your brain anyway. Even if you think you could never accept yourself or feel calm and confident, imagine that you are retraining your brain to help you move on from past events.

Why do we use the words “accept myself” so often?

“I deeply and completely accept myself” is the classic affirmation in EFT. Since very few of us grow up with the feeling that we are unconditionally accepted, it’s extremely important to affirm this as often as possible. Total self-acceptance is the most powerful state you can live from.

Does this mean that when you totally accept yourself you will become obnoxious to others? Not at all. In fact, when you accept yourself completely you become comfortable with yourself and you tend to be calmer. Others sense this and it gives them unspoken permission to accept themselves, too.

Step 2 – The Reminder Phrase

After you have completed the Set Up, you’ll move on to saying your Reminder Phrase as you tap through the sequence of points on your face and body.

How do I word my Reminder Phrase?

The Reminder Phrase is usually a shortened version of the issue you stated in the Set Up Statement.

For example, if your set up is:
“Even though I have stabbing pain in the right side of my abdomen, I accept myself and I choose to relax and heal quickly,”
the reminder phrase could be: “stabbing pain in the right side of my abdomen”
or simply, “stabbing pain.”

You’ll notice in the Program tapping scripts that we vary the Reminder Phrase. It’s fine to do that. Just make sure your Reminder Phrases relate to the issue you named in the Set Up Statement.

In the example above, you could alternate your reminder phrase at each tapping point between: “stabbing pain” and “right side of my abdomen.”

Then you could tap a third round based on your affirmation:
“I choose to relax and heal quickly” or simply, “relax and heal quickly.”

You could alternate this phrase at each point with, “I accept myself.”

The third round is not strictly necessary but we add it because it allows you to introduce a new idea to your brain and end the tapping on a positive note.

What if you are tapping on an emotional issue?
 
For example: “Even though I feel angry and embarrassed because my boss was so critical of me in front of the others yesterday, I accept myself no matter what anyone says.”

In this example, you could alternate your reminder phrases like this:
“I’m angry”
“I’m embarrassed”
“My boss criticized me yesterday”
“In front of the others”

You can then tap a third round on “I accept myself no matter what anyone says.”

How do I know whether the tapping is working?

When your tapping is effective, here are some possible signs that confirm that it is working:
– feeling a sense of relaxation or an energetic shift in your body.
– experiencing a release of emotional tension.
– taking a deep breath, sighing or yawning.
– becoming bored with the subject of your tapping.

When I tap, usually I feel the effects immediately. But sometimes I don’t! Yet I notice that after a few minutes or hours, or occasionally the next day, I will suddenly realize that things have shifted and the issue has cleared. When this happens, I think it is because it can take time for your system to process the changes.

If your tapping doesn’t seem to be working, make sure you are being specific about your issue. And, if being specific doesn’t seem to be enough, or if you feel more uncomfortable after tapping than you did before, it’s important to realize that there could be more than one aspect to the issue.

We humans are complex beings. Physical problems are entwined with emotions, memories, beliefs, and values, in other words, programs in the subconscious mind. All the parts of you act together to create your experience. This is why there can be several aspects to tap on when something is bothering you.

Tapping on Aspects

Sometimes when you tap for an issue, it brings up other aspects of the problem. The new aspect disrupts your energy, so your feeling of intensity will go up instead of down. This happens because the words of your original Set Up Statement and Reminder Phrase do not apply to the new aspect. In short, a new stress or belief has come into play.

Let’s go back to one of the examples from above. Let’s say you have just tapped on, “Even though I have stabbing pain in the right side of my abdomen, I accept myself and I choose to relax and heal quickly,”

Then you remember, “I just found out today that my daughter is in the school play and I’m afraid I won’t be able to go because my symptoms might act up.”

So tap on that. Why? Because all parts of us act together. An emotional stress may be triggering your physical pain. According to Dr. John Sarno, it’s hard for the brain to accept certain emotions so, to distract you from feeling them, it creates a physical problem. This happens on the unconscious level without your permission or knowledge.

So you need to put a stop sign in front of your brain by taking notice of what’s going on and tapping on it. Like this: “Even though I’m afraid I won’t be able to go my daughter’s play because of my symptoms [or exhaustion or depression or anxiety], I accept myself and choose to relax.”

After tapping on that, perhaps you realize that you feel angry or guilty because IBS is keeping you from being the kind of parent you want to be. Since anger and guilt are quite different emotions, I would tap on them separately.

“Even though I’m angry that IBS is keeping me from parenting the way I want to, I accept myself and I’m doing the best I can under the circumstances.”

“Even though I feel guilty that I can’t spend the kind of time with my daughter that she deserves, I accept and forgive myself.”

At this point, you may have resolved the issue and your abdominal pain. Or yet another aspect could surface, an aspect from memory. It could be that YOUR mother or father didn’t come to the school play that you were in when you were young and you’re still feeling angry or hurt about it. Remember, when trauma has not been discharged, your unconscious mind believes it is still happening.

Sometimes clients tell me, “Oh, that happened so long ago, I should be over it by now.” Well, guess what? Being over something and telling yourself you should be over it are two very different things. Saying “I should be over it” is a way of dismissing your own reality and your feelings. If you really want to be over it, tap on it!

“Even though I’m still angry / disappointed / hurt because my mother / father didn’t come to see me in my school play, I’ll consider letting it go and I choose peace.”

Why should I bother with all these aspects?

With all these aspects, does it seem like you could be tapping forever?

Well, initially, you may have to put some time into your tapping as you neutralize issues and “reprogram” your brain. What I found was that I did a lot of tapping in the beginning but as issues resolved and my health and life changed for the better, it was no longer necessary to do so much tapping.

In fact, now when a temporary issue comes up, I sometimes have to make myself remember to tap! Or Kathy and I remind each other to tap. (This is where a trusted “tapping buddy” comes in handy.)

I was ready to pay any price to resolve issues that had been troubling me and ruining my life for years. I thought that spending a few hours with an effective technique to get results was a pretty good deal, especially after trying so many things that didn’t work. But that’s me. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether spending some time on this is worth it to you.

Keeping it simple

Your tapping scripts do not have to be complicated. When you are first creating your own scripts, it’s a good idea to keep them simple. Here are some examples of tapping scripts for a symptom, a feeling and an issue/event:

Symptom

Set-up Statement: Even though I feel so exhausted, I accept myself anyway.
Reminder Phrase: I feel so exhausted

Eyebrow: I feel so exhausted
Side of Eye: I feel so exhausted
Under Eye: I feel so exhausted
Under Nose: I feel so exhausted
Chin: I feel so exhausted
Collarbone: I feel so exhausted
Under Arm: I feel so exhausted
Head: I feel so exhausted

Positive Round:
Eyebrow: Even though I feel so exhausted
Side of Eye: I accept myself anyway
Under Eye: Even though I feel so exhausted
Under Nose: I accept myself anyway
Chin: Even though I feel so exhausted
Collarbone: I accept myself anyway
Under Arm: Even though I feel so exhausted
Head: I accept myself anyway

Feeling

Set-up Statement: Even though I’m so angry right now, I choose peace.
Reminder Phrase: I’m so angry

Eyebrow: I’m so angry
Side of Eye: I’m so angry
Under Eye: I’m so angry
Under Nose: I’m so angry
Chin: I’m so angry
Collarbone: I’m so angry
Under Arm: I’m so angry
Head: I’m so angry

Positive Round:
Eyebrow: Even though I’m so angry
Side of Eye: I choose peace
Under Eye: Even though I’m so angry
Under Nose: I choose peace
Chin: Even though I’m so angry
Collarbone: I choose peace
Under Arm: Even though I’m so angry
Head: I choose peace

Issue/Event

Set-up Statement: Even though my sister lied to me, I’m open to healing this issue.
Reminder Phrase: My sister lied to me

Eyebrow: My sister lied to me
Side of Eye: My sister lied to me
Under Eye: My sister lied to me
Under Nose: My sister lied to me
Chin: My sister lied to me
Collarbone: My sister lied to me
Under Arm: My sister lied to me
Head: My sister lied to me

Positive Round:
Eyebrow: Even though my sister lied to me
Side of Eye: I’m open to healing this issue
Under Eye: Even though my sister lied to me
Under Nose: I’m open to healing this issue
Chin: Even though my sister lied to me
Collarbone: I’m open to healing this issue
Under Arm: Even though my sister lied to me
Head: I’m open to healing this issue

The purpose of the set-up statement and the reminder phrase is to keep you focussed on the ‘target’ or issue. But if something’s really bothering you then you are already very focussed on it.

So just tap while you think about it or talk your way through it without any kind of scripting. This will take the edge off of the problem. Later you can come back to it and create a more formal statement and work on it again, if necessary.

The most important part about the tapping is to DO the tapping. It’s a very forgiving process, meaning that it usually works even if you don’t do everything perfectly.

Please email us with your questions, comments and feedback.

Good health to you always!

Karen & Kathy

Karen Alison and Kathy Raymond
The No IBS Program

Dear Friend and No IBS Program Participant,

Do you sometimes do things you don’t understand? Have you ever thought that those inexplicable behaviours might actually be helping you?

In this letter, we’re going to tell you a client story that reveals the real purpose behind some “odd” behaviours. We’ll also show you a gentle way to tap for big traumatic events to lower the emotional charge on them, first without revisiting them and then, when you are ready, an easy, gentle method to process and release the entire event.

Thirdly we will cover a powerful example of surrogate tapping. Surrogate Tapping is a method that allows you to process your emotional reaction to other peoples’ negative or stressful experiences.

At the very end, we’ve put the links to all the previous Support Letters, for quick access.

By now you will have completed most or all of the modules, depending on what pace you set for yourself. In Module 8, we talked about the part of the brain that controls your fight or flight reactions. This part of the brain is called the amygdala – a small area of the limbic system deep within the brain that has powerful effects on your behaviour and health.

The amygdala is the alarm center of the brain. When your brain believes that your survival is threatened – whether physical or emotional survival – the amygdala triggers a cascade of reactions within your body that include speeding up or shutting down your digestion. Yet the amygdala makes mistakes! It not only reacts to real-time events, such as a large dog running at you and barking, but also to frightening memories.

A memory cannot hurt you, physically, but your amygdala behaves as if it can. This is actually part of our human survival mechanism. Your brain remembers dangers so you can avoid them and stay alive. But too many of these memories put you into a constant state of anxiety and can trigger IBS symptoms or other chronic health conditions, as well as behaviour patterns.

The entire No IBS Program has been designed to help you defuse the memories and shut off the amygdala when it’s not needed, thus preventing symptoms. Traumatologist, Dr. Robert Scaer, says that, “When you are in the present, the amygdala is silent.” Meditation traditions have taught this for centuries.

What’s the catch? The catch is that not all of our memories are conscious. So we sometimes find ourselves behaving in ways we find confusing, even a little crazy.

Here’s an example.

Counting the squares on the sidewalk:

One IBS client suffered from high anxiety. He reported to me that whenever he walked on the sidewalk he found that he always counted something. Sometimes he counted cars or trees but mostly he looked down and counted the squares of the sidewalk. When he told me this he also shared that he felt like this was crazy behaviour and wondered if there was something wrong with him for doing it.

My response was just the opposite. I told him that this was likely a coping strategy to keep him feeling calm and safe while out in the world and walking down the street. This made sense to him and he felt relieved. This man had been in a serious car accident where a relative was killed. He knew he felt anxious being in a car, and that made sense to him, but he didn’t realize that he also felt anxious simply walking where he could hear the traffic.

It turned out that he was being triggered by the sight and sounds of the cars passing him. But when he focussed on counting the sidewalk squares, he remained in the present moment where it is virtually impossible to experience fear or anxiety. We tapped through the car accident event to clear the trauma and calm the anxiety, which made it easier for him to walk without counting.

What’s interesting about this story is that the man instinctively came up with this coping strategy to allow himself to be out in the world and walk down the street. Yet because he was not conscious of creating this strategy to calm his amygdala, the logical part of his brain had no idea what was going on and could only assume he was losing his marbles.

Do you have any “odd” behaviours that could actually be clever coping strategies allowing you to function in the world?

A Gentle Way to Tap for Bigger Events

If you’ve experienced a significantly traumatic event in your life, it is not necessary to recount all of the painful details to get relief from the triggers associated with the event.

You can start very gently with a general script without calling to mind the details. Once you’re ready, and only when you feel ready, you can use what EFT founder Gary Craig calls The Movie Technique to work very gently with the details. By the time you have tapped through Step 1, much of the intensity of the event will likely have dissipated.

Step 1 – General Script

Do not bring the details of the event into your mind. Just tap with these words:

KC: Even though that event happened, I accept myself and I want to bring healing to this. (Repeat 3 times)

Reminder Phrase: ‘the event’

EB: the event
SE: the event
UE: the event
UN: the event
CH: the event
CB: the event
UA: the event
H: the event

Do 3 or 4 rounds of tapping using these simple words. If most of the intensity has dissipated and if you feel ready, you can move on to Step 2, The Movie Technique.

Step 2 – The Movie Technique

This technique involves running the details of the event through your mind like a movie, but in a very specific way, so that you will not feel upset by them.

Usually you start the movie at a point before the most difficult part of the event:

• Do NOT dive straight in to the worst part of the incident.
• The instant you reach a part of the ‘movie’ that feels intense or upsetting, STOP and tap until the intensity subsides completely.
• Then resume the movie.
• “Watch” a few more seconds of it.
• Feel intensity? Tap until you’re calm.
• Then roll the movie a little further.
• Feel discomfort? Stop and tap.
• Continue this process until you can review the details of the entire movie and feel little or no intensity.

Surrogate Tapping

Here’s a story about one of our clients and how her body stored the trauma she experienced at the dinner table with her family of origin.

One of our clients – I’ll call her Roberta – has a keen eye for beauty and surrounds herself with art and antiques. She’s the kind of person who could make a dungeon look like a palace. But underneath, things aren’t so pretty.
 
Roberta grew up in a family where her parents constantly fought at the dinner table. And it wasn’t just bickering. Roberta told me that her mother would make demeaning remarks about money, then her father would blow up and start yelling and swearing.

Needless to say, this was very frightening to the three children. Roberta was so traumatized by the tension, she developed physical changes to her bowel which have plagued her ever since. By the age of ten, she was put on tranquilizers for nervous twitches.

The worst experience she remembered at the dinner table was one night in her early teens. Her father shrieked and cursed so violently, her 18-year-old brother jumped up and threatened to attack him. They were going to fight it out, right there in their elegant dining room amidst the antique furniture and bone china. Her brother felt very protective of his mother and sisters and could no longer tolerate the father’s abusiveness.

At this point, her older sister rushed out of the house and escaped to the park. Roberta remained in her chair, completely frozen, unable to move her lips to form the words, “Please don’t fight.” Tears ran down her cheeks. She told me she was so shocked, she couldn’t even react. It was the first time she could remember her father and brother getting to physical violence and she was terrified.

If you feel some tension reading Roberta’s story, remember that it happened over 40 years ago to people you’ve never met. If reading about or watching events that happened to complete strangers or TV characters affects you, you can use a technique called ‘surrogate tapping’ to relieve this stress. The tapping script below shows you how to tap for Roberta and in so doing, relieve the intensity you feel about reading the story.

Why is this helpful? Because when you feel intensity about someone else’s story, it may be that you experienced something similar. You may not have gone through the same events as Roberta, but you have probably known injustice, tension, shock, and the feeling of being frozen with fear or outrage. So tapping on her story will help to relieve some of your own stored trauma.

And as you know by now, relieving stored trauma means you are de-activating triggers of IBS symptoms.

KC: Even though Roberta was frozen with fear when her father and brother were fighting, she can still love and accept herself.
KC: Even though Roberta was too afraid to speak, she can still love and accept herself.
KC: Even though Roberta was shocked and frightened by the fighting, she can still love and accept herself.

EB: Roberta was really afraid
SE: She was frozen with fear
UE: She was afraid because of the fighting
UN: She couldn’t even speak
CH: Roberta was really afraid
CB: And the fear got stuck in her body
UA: She felt shocked and frightened
H: She was frozen with fear

Tap through these points several times until any intensity goes down and you feel more neutral about the story. Then tap the more positive round below.

EB: This happened to Roberta a long time ago
SE: She’s not so young and vulnerable anymore
UE: Even though she was frightened when it happened
UN: She can love and accept herself now
CH: What if she could release these experiences from her body
CB: I bet she would feel more peaceful
UA: Maybe she could let go of the old fear
H: And have the calm and peaceful life she deserves

You may not have encountered the violent episodes Roberta witnessed. Children experience many types of discomfort and stress from adults and others including expectations, criticism, mockery, certain looks, the silence that says more than words, and so on. These stay in the unconscious memory where they can be triggered for the rest of time unless you do something to release them.

So use this surrogate tapping technique any time you feel discomfort hearing or reading a story or watching a show or movie. This will help neutralize and release the triggers that are stored in your body and mind that are being activated by the content you are exposing yourself to.

Well, that’s all for now, folks. Thank you for participating in The No IBS Program. You’ve come a long way since Module One and you now have all the tools you need to control your symptoms and feel better. Please send us a progress report on how you’re doing. We would love to hear from you!

If you would like personal coaching on any aspect of the program, or wish to work on a particular issue in more depth, please contact us.

We look forward to hearing from you and…

Good health to you always!

Karen & Kathy

Karen Alison and Kathy Raymond
The No IBS Program

P.S. Here are your links to the previous Support Letters:

Support Letter One

Support Letter Two

Support Letter Three

Support Letter Four

Support Letter Five

Support Letter Six