Several months ago, I received an email from a graduate student in the Mental Health/Rehabilitation Counseling Program at Florida Atlantic University, Luna Medina. Her request was to interview me, a licensed professional in the field of psychotherapy. As I explained my unique training and background, she became particularly interested in the Rubenfeld Synergy Method.
To my surprise, a few months later, she sent me an abstract and her complete study which is basically a literature review about combining talk and touch therapy and the Rubenfeld Synergy Method.
Touch therapy has been researched for many years and is accepted as a successful therapeutic method for healing. It went a long way from being a part of mainstream medicine to becoming just a branch of alternative medicine. The Rubenfeld Synergy Method (RSM) has been created almost four decades ago and has been recently rediscovered due to the growing and evolving industry of alternative medicine. RSM combines gentle touch and talk therapy to treat patients. As of now there is no research-based support for the benefits of this method. The author reviewed some of the vast quantity of data supporting the benefits of Touch therapy in addition to the benefits of Talk therapy. The author believes that the holistic approach presented by RSM can benefit the patient in many ways. It is important to understand the value of the interconnected, even inseparable, linkage of Mind-Body-Spirit and the importance of not separating them to be able to completely assist a patient solve any issues in his/her past and/or current life.
This review is an important step toward bringing greater awareness to the healing potential of the Rubenfeld Synergy Method. The abstract does not mention a study by Dr. Pamela Pettinati (a singly-blind, randomized, clinical, controlled study of the efficacy of various complementary modalities in the lives of patients with chronic pain), which did indicate that the Rubenfeld Synergy Method provided relief for the symptoms of chronic pain. This study is cited in Ms. Medina’s full research paper.
For more information, contact Luna Medina at lmedina4881@gmail.com. Information about this study is also available at RubenfeldSynergy.com
Has this lit review been published? is it possible to get the whole article? could be very valuable!
best wishes all,
Laura
Laura,
The entire research paper will be posted on this blog site soon.
Erica
I’d love to see a graduate student actually design and conduct a study to determine the efficacy of the Rubenfeld Synergy Method®. Even though I’ve seen remarkable results with individuals who’ve been helped by this method, solid research by an independent source is what matters in helping others determine whether RSM is effective.
I, too, would like to read more of this Grad paper. It would be beneficial to know her resource list. Potential RSM clients may benefit from learning more about the Body-Mind connection from objective sources.
Thanks for sharing, Erica.
Twitter: JoanMBrooks
says:
While I understand the desire, especially in our “must-be-proven-by-scientific-methods” soceity, to have objective data, do not discount your own experience. We experience life through our bodies, not in a laboratory. Unfortunately, the age of reason would have us completely discount this experience in favor of “scientific” research, using the mind alone. Accessing the wisdom of the body is one of the reasons why Rubenfeld Synergy is so efficient and effective. Yes, I’d like to see research done on RSM and the need for touch, and I also know the efficacy of this modality. I’ve experienced it personally and I’ve seen the results in my clients. That’s good enough for me!
Joan,
I agree. We cannot discount our personal experience with the Rubenfeld Synergy work. I have personally experienced a sense of my body feeling reconnected where it had felt disconnected and disjointed before the session. And my clients remind me often about how these subtle movements create huge changes in their bodies and their thought processes.
Erica
Can I please read the whole article? I am researching in a similar field ( Rosen Bodywork) and would like to connect!
Shantika,
The entire research paper is currently posted as a page, but it will only remain here for a short time. Click the link at the top of this page “Talk and Touch: Rubenfeld Synergy.
It is gratifying to read that interest is growing for more research to demonstrate the effectiveness of combining talk and touch therapies. It should be noted that there are different approaches to touch therapies, as there are to talk therapies. What makes the Rubenfeld Synergy Method so effective and appealing is that this approach is based on listening, rather than manipulating or “fixing”. This creates the possibility for real healing from the inside.