Customer Reviews

Autogenic Training: A Mind-Body Approach to the Treatment of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Syndrome

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This book will be a "classic" for both professionals and patients alike. Dr.Sadigh masterfully weaves through the literature on Fibromyalgia, Stress & Pain, and Autogenic Training setting up "Part III", a tour de force on "Training, Biofeedback, and Treatment of Insomnia"

He walks you through a six step sequence of Autogenic Training Exercises as if you were sitting in his office. The chapters are clear, concise and have immediate clinical applications. Of particular interest and help are the "Case Examples" and "Common Difficulties" sections which follow each Autogenic Exercise sequence. These sections as well as the "Questions & Answers" chapter assist the clinician or patient as if the Doctor himself were right there answering your very questions.

This book is a landmark compilation crossing many boundaries that will be a mainstay on the book shelves of professionals and patients for years to come.

I only hope that Dr. Sadigh will follow this book with a CD or Tape Set consisting of the Autogenic Training Exercises that he so expertly presented in this book. Having a tape or CD to practice the exercises would truely give people suffering from Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain, and Stress & Cognitive Anxiety the opportunity to derive ongoing benefit from the information presented in this masterful book.

Thank you for you magnificent contribution in helping sufferers worldwide!

Dr. Micah Sadigh provides a comprehensive guide to autogenic training's uses in treating fibromyalgia and chronic conditions, revealing the healing technique which is the only mind-body technique with origins in medical research. Chapters explain and explore methods of stress management, meditative exercises for self-awareness, and the medical benefits of managing chronic pain with autogenic training.

The title of the book tells us what we are getting. "Autogenic Training: A Mind-Body Approach to the Treatment of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Syndrome." was written as a reference resource and training manual for practitioners. The first 1/4 of the book consists of a review of research studies on fibromyalgia, stress and pain. A later chapter also covers insomnia and how it is typically found in patients who suffer from chronic pain and fibromyalgia. As a psychotherapist and someone who experiences chronic pain I find this book a very useful resource.

That's not to say that others wouldn't appreciate the book, too. The chapters that cover the specifics of Autogenic Training are excellent. They are very thorough and provide a clear and modern introduction to the practice. There is a much shorter chapter that provides an introduction to advanced Autogenic Training methods. It is generally focused on the use of techniques, "formulas" that are useful in the treatment of insomnia and chronic pain. Each of the six steps or standard exercises gets its own chapter with a listing of benefits, cautions and a short case study along with thorough instructions.There is also a short section of general instructions for people who suffer from insomnia.

As you might expect of a book targeted towards clinicians, the writing is academic in style, though not to the point of being unreadably dry. Of use to anybody interested in systematic training and documenting the benefits of Autogenics are the Autogenic Pain and Tension Checklists, include in an Appendix. The book is adequately indexed and referenced.

It's nice to see a modern, research based coverage of Autogenic Training.The basic Autogenic Training formulas are well covered, and the research is up-to-date as of 2000. I would love to see a second book from the author that addresses the broader scope of Autogenics, as the original texts on the subject are out of print and expensive, as well as containing research that is 50 or more years old.

Although the term "autogenic training" may sound intimidating, it is really just a very effective relaxation technique. Developed by the German psychiatrist Johannes Schultz in the early 1930s, it was a forerunner of the fascination with the "mind/body" connection that emerged in the 1970s. And like so many of us in the 70s (those of us who were alive back then!), Schultz himself was fascinated with yoga and meditation, incorporating many of their principles into his technique.

Autogenic training has been taught and used extensively in Europe and Japan since its inception, but oddly never received much attention in the United States. However, clinical studies of its effectiveness were carried out in Germany from the beginning, and since the 1980s studies have been published in Japan and throughout Europe. It has been shown to calm the nervous system in a manner similar to deep meditation, and thus helps relieve physical and emotional complaints stemming from stress and anxiety. It has also been shown to help strengthen the immune system.

Dr. Sadigh has written this book for both the lay reader and practicing clinicians. As a lay reader, I am not in a position to evaluate the scientific rigor of the many studies he cites throughout the book. However, I was able to teach myself the technique using this book as a self-study guide. Moreover, I appreciate an author who provides citations, as I've seen many holistic health books that make bold claims without providing any evidence from clinical studies.

Parts I and II seem to be directed more toward professional clinicians. In Part I, "Theoretical Aspects of Chronic Pain and Stress," he outlines recent studies of fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety and other mind/body conditions, and shows how other relaxation therapies compare to autogenic training in their effectiveness. In Part II, "History and Principles of Autogenic Training," he discusses how the technique was developed and how to optimize its practice. These first two parts may be a bit dry for the lay reader, since he very carefully cites numerous studies and gives evidence for his findings. However, I found that reading over the material did give me important background information that helped me understand how to do the exercises.

In Part III, "Training, Biofeedback and Treatment of Insomnia," he lays out the steps for practice, which are very clear and easy to follow. Starting with preliminary exercises, you progress gradually, mastering one step at a time before adding on another. After learning the basic practice, you can go on to advanced techniques, some of which use visualization, and all of which deepen the meditative experience. Finally, there is an entire chapter on insomnia and pain, which I found very helpful, having been plagued by insomnia from a very early age.

This book is well-organized, clearly written, and, despite its rather dry tone, I found it inspirational. It enabled me to influence my physical responses to stress, thus empowering me to improve my health and my state of mind. Although I am grateful for modern medications and have benefited from them, I always prefer to use the power of my mind to help myself. This book teaches how to do that.

First off, I was a student of Micah Sadigh's. He was my undergraduate psychology professor. At the time, I was very sick and was going through all sorts of treatments that were various degrees of unpleasant. My MD near the college recommended that I begin therapy with Dr. Sadigh since he specializes in autogenic training. In addition to my therapy, Dr. Sadigh gave me a copy of this book with an audio recording of the first two relaxation techniques since I was only a freshman and this course was an upperclassman major course. In the years since, I have worn out both my book and the tape (that's how long ago it was, the recording was a cassette tape). It is easy to read and is very clear for anyone from an 18 year old struggling with chronic disease to the healthcare professional. This guide is systematic in the approach, well documented and scientific in the method.

As a healthcare professional, I've used this book as a reference for various papers on stress and wellness. As a patient that suffers from Rheumatoid Arthritis, I've used this book over and over again to remind me of the importance of stress reduction and relaxation techniques and to help me practice them.

I just wish the book came with a CD of the recordings he gave me once upon a time.

Though putatively angled at fibromyalgia-sufferers, this is far-and-away the best instructional guide to AT. The practical bit actually covers eighty of its 219 pages, with a further, somewhat (by necessity) sketchier treatment of 'advanced' training (viz. 'autogenic meditation'). Many other books on this topic are obsessed with AT's being learnable only under the guidance of a (medically) qualified trainer, and deploy that as an excuse to be vague about technique, to the point of uselessness. That is nonsense. This text's special merit lies in its careful clarification of 'passive concentration', pointing out that one does employ visual (or other) imagination whilst repeating the formulae. The only other decent, practical guide, Kermani's, was, for me, confusing on this score.

Unfortunately the book appears to be very expensive now. Nonetheless, this is the one. And, to repeat, don't be put off by the book's appearing to be specifically targeted at fibromyalgics. It doesn't matter.

If you are unable to get a grip to Autogenic Therapy by J. H. Schultz and Wolfgang Luthe (the original six books), you have to read Micah's book. But, remember: Schultz and Wolfgang Luthe are the masters. Their books were published between 1930 and 1973.I read those and are fresh and full of insights. Why copy the copy when you can go to source. If you are really interested in the subject, the book to acquire is the original Autogenic Training published in 1959 by J.H. Schultz and Wolfgang Luthe. Always, go to the source.