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ABSTRACT
Context * The paper reports a case of trauma treated by the Move to Emptiness Technique (MET), which is a therapy to alleviate patient's physical or psychological symptom related to trauma by combining Qigong with imagery, metaphor and suggestions.
Objective * To introduce MET and report treating a patient with trauma using MET.
Intervention * The patient was guided to visualize a symbolic object that represented the physical or psychological symptom of the traumatic experience, and visualize moving the symbolic object to the farthest possible space of "emptiness", where the object became imperceptible. At the same time, the patient embodied the physical and emotional sensations of the symbolic object and its container, and focused on the changes in his sensations when moving them.
Outcome Measures * A self-assessment was used to score the patient's distress form 0 to 10, 10 being the worst before and after intervention.
Results * The score of distress dropped form 8/10 to 2/10. The patient improved a lot and was better able to manage his emotions and communicate with his parents after resolving his conflict.
Conclusions * MET may be an alternative to commonly used trauma-focused treatments. It is safe and easy to learn for therapists and patients. (Adv Mind Body Med. 2021;35(4):9-11.)
INTRODUCTION
The Move to Emptiness Technique (MET) is a mind-body exercise pioneered by Professor Tianjun Liu at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine.1 It combines ancient Daoist reflective training of focusing the mind on a visualized object (??), thought stillness (A?)2, and Western psychotherapeutic approaches, and was first introduced as a "Box Moving Technique" in 2008.3 MET starts with the trio relaxation Qigong exercises4 that regulate body, mind and breath.
TRIO RELAXATION EXERCISES
Regulation of the Body
Sit upright, straighten the waist and back, rest both hands on the thighs and close both eyes. This approach facilitates mind-body connectedness, refining proprioceptive and interoceptive sensations as feedback measurements to guide body and mind relaxation.
Regulation of the Breath
Breathe deeply and slowly, focus only on exhalation. Pay no special attention during inhalation. Try not to fill or empty the lungs completely to allow smooth breathing cycles. This approach facilitates equilibrium of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) with parasympathetic predominance.
Regulation of the Mind
Empty the mind on...