| Heart-Free™ created by Helen P Bressler: |
I researched the impact of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation on quality of life whilst at university in Oxford, England. This heart rhythm disorder is characterised by intermittent palpitations leading to shortness of breath, dizziness and potential loss of consciousness. During my research I was allowed to attend an arrhythmia clinic at one of Europe’s top cardiac hospitals, during which time I asked several adults about their experience. In each case, the affected person reported anxiety, frustration and/or fear regarding potential (re)occurrences of atrial fibrilliation; plus experience of such accompanying each episode. I began to research reports of EFT on arrhythmias. In my own practice I'd experienced success in addressing such issues as fear, anxiety, perceived lack of control and frustration which had arisen due to coping with (other) long term conditions.
|
 |
| Click on image to visit the Atrial Fibrillation Association |
|
| And so I discovered that atrial fibrillation and other heart conditions could potentially lead to experiences of stress/depression/fear/anxiety and so on. Hence I realised such impacts of heart disease/condition could potentially be addressed by EFT.
|
The use of EFT and heart health is in its early stages and it must be stated that EFT is an adjunct and NOT a replacement of contemporary treatment. It is my goal to reduce the impact of heart issues and promote positive health by proactively addressing individual stressors.
|
|
Heart-Free™ 1,2,3. 1: addressing emotional responses to illness. Whether you are living with, or have a family member with a heart [or other*] condition EFT can aid in addressing associated emotional aspects. Often anticipation of events can be as stressful as the event itself (for some people PTSD-like symptoms may be experienced). Together we can address these issues.
|
 |
| Click on image for The Coronary Prevention Group |
|
|
2: prevention and secondary prevention. Whether you require smoking cessation, are dealing with stressful life situations or overcoming motivational barriers to healthy eating and exercise regimes, EFT can aid in making this a smooth and empowering transition.
3: regaining balance. Successful coping includes addressing both internal and external factors. EFT helps to assess and aim. That is, to assess a situation in a new light and to discover personal goals to promote health. YOU in charge of you.
* Heart-Free can be transferred to living/coping with other conditions. As such it is my absolute honor to offer these services as a Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Coaching Partner. Mesothelioma.com is dedicated to providing comprehensive mesothelioma resources to those affected by pleural mesothelioma. For more details follow this link: http://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/types/pleural.htm
|
References: Baum A (1994) Behavioural, biological, and environmental interactions in disease processes. In Blumenthal S, Matthews K and Weiss S (Eds) New research frontiers in behavioural medicine: Proceedings of the national conference (pp 61-70). Washington DC: NIH Publications. Bosma H, Marmot M G, Hemingway H, Nicholson, Brunner E and Stanfeld S A (1997) Low job control and risk of coronary heart disease in Whitehall II (prospective cohort) study. British Medical Journal. 314,285. Brown J D and McGill K L (1989) The cost of good fortune: When positive life events produce negative health consequences. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 57, 1103-1110. Butler L D, Koopman C, Classen C and Speigel D (1999) Tramautic stress, life events, and emotional support in women with metastatic breast cancer: Cancer-related traumatic stress symptoms associated with past and current stressors. Health Psychology. 18, 555-560. Cohen S, Kamarck T and Mermelstein R (1983) A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behaviour. 24, 385-396. Cohen S, Kesler R C and Gordon L U (1995) Conceptualizing stress and its relation to disease. In Cohen S, Kessler R C and Gordon L U (Eds) Measuring stress: A guide for health and social scientists (pp 3-26). New York: Oxford University Press. Cohen F and Lazarus R (1979) Coping with the stresses of illness. In Stone G C, Cohen F and Adler N E (Eds) Health Psychology: A handbook (pp 217-254). San Francisco: Josey-Bass. The Coronary Prevention Group (2000) Stress and Your Heart. London: The Coronary Prevention Group. The Coronary Prevention Group (2000) You and Your Heart: London: The Coronary Prevention Group. DeLongis A, Coyne J C, Dakof G, Folkman S and Lazarus R S (1982) Relationship of daily hassles, uplifts, and major life events to health status. Health Psychology. 1, 119-136. Kanner A D, Coyne J C, Schaeffer C and Lazarus R S (1981) Comparison of two modes of stress measurement. Daily hassles and uplifts versus major life events. Journal of Behavioural Medicine. 4, 1-39. Lazarus R S and Folkman S (1984) Stress, appraisal and coping. New York: Springer. Leserman J, Li Z, Hu Y and Drossman D (1998) How multiple types of stressors impact on health. Psychosomatic Medicine. 60, 175-181. Lobel M, Dunkel-Schetter C and Scrimshaw S C M (1992) Prenatal maternal stress and prematurity: A prospective study of socioeconomically disadvantaged women. Health Psychology. 11, 32-40. McCann B, Benjamin A, Wilkinson C, Retzlaff B, Russo J and Knopp R (1999) Plasma lipid concentrations during episode occupational stress. Annals of Behavioural Medicine. 21, 103-110. Marmot M G (1998) Improvement of social environment to improve health. Lancet. 331, 57-60. Pillow D R, Zautra A J and Sandler I (1996) Major life evens and minor stressors: Identifying mediational links in the stress process. Journal of Personality and Social Pyschology. 70, 381-394. Stoney C, Niuara R, Bausserman L and Matacin M (1999) Lipid reactivity to stress: 1. Comparison of chronic and acute stress responses in middle-aged airline pilots. Health Psychology. 18, 241-250. Taylor S E (2003) Health Psychology 5th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill. Widdows M, Jacobsen P and Fields K (2000) Relation of psychological vulnerability factors to posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology in bone marrow transplant recipients. Psychosomatic Medicine. 62, 873-882.
International Obesity Taskforce Atrial Fibrillation Association Arrhythmia Alliance
|
 |
| NEXT PAGE |
|
|
|