M.E. / Chronic Fatigue
1st morning before the Lightning Process Training |
End of the second day of Lightning Process Training 4th July 2006 |
Going for the Lightning Process (LP) has been the best thing I have done, yet it began as the most daunting, having been in bed for 95% of the last 16 years. I had been ill since the age of 14 and am now 30. During this time, I was pushed near the edge of being able to cope quite a few times, but particularly during the first part of this year with an intensification of panic. Out of the blue a friend told us that the LP had helped her so much. I wanted to go and it became a light at the end of the tunnel.
I was nervous about travelling and was exhausted upon arrival. I managed to sleep and was ready to begin the next morning. It felt as if once I had committed to going and doing the LP, something took over. For me, it felt like I was being taken and I felt so weak I just floated with it. I found learning EFT before I went invaluable. It supported me with the emotions of facing it and also during the days away. I continue to use it regularly as emotions come up.
We stayed in a self-catering cottage in a pretty village. Meeting Sarah put me at ease as she is just as lovely as my friend told me she was. As Sarah has been through her own journey of recovery, I felt an unspoken understanding and respect. This was a wonderful advantage to me, feeling I could be entirely open and express my thoughts, feelings and tears without being judged in any way.
I had done many years of mind, body, spirit reading and healing and as I worked through the LP sessions, it slotted in with so much and clarified other areas. I learned so much and where I had been confused before, I came away enlightened.
Compared to the efforts I had put in through previous years, or indeed to the hidden strain that coping with such severe anxiety and illness creates, to learn the LP and apply it hasn't been a problem. It's like a breath of fresh air, mainly because the process became very clear to me as I sensed the positive physical differences very quickly.
I wasn't certain at what rate I would find I could do more but sure enough, it has come since about the 2nd evening onwards. I have strength to build back and after so long lying down, I am gentle with myself. The changes have been amazing though, being downstairs sitting on the sofa every day, feeling part of life wearing clothes.
Also, as the weeks pass, I have been getting to the shops, able to buy gifts for friends, family and myself! Having dreams come to life, like getting to the beach after so long. It's only 5 weeks! The ability to breathe a sigh of relief, know that ahead lie good times and think how precious a gift that is to me.
And all at my own pace, no comparisons, everyone has a unique path. But I'm on that path and happiness that was missing from my life for over ten years is back. I've smiled so much, my face looks like me again and my eyes sparkle. But it's also my way to live again, with my health and strength back and growing daily. I got to do that and actually be Kathryn again up & about!
I'm so thankful to everyone that helps me to do that, especially Mam, Dad and Sarah.
 3 weeks later! 21st July 2006 |
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Update 9 months later:
I thought I'd add an update to my testimonial. It's now 9 months since I learnt LP. Everything has been going great and I feel like I'm living a life now and doing more of what I love. There is a certain pace that's seems ideally suited to me, and tends to find its own level. I feel this is a very important part of LP, using it to take off any extra pressure that out of habit can be placed on ourselves from internal judgements. I use EFT for this too.
I sense this balance continuing into the future. I tend not to have to think ahead unless I want to imagine what I'd like to do, as I focus on enjoying the moment. Walking is increasingly easier and I enjoy shops more as a result. After 17yrs when I didn't walk anywhere (apart from sometimes the bathroom) it is marvellous and enables me to feel a returning independence. It'll gradually grow, meaning I can partake in more.
I find there's two different types of doing things. One is the bigger occasions/trips, the other is what you're doing day to day and both are so much better. Sitting at the computer now I'm keeping a blog to be in touch with friends and make new ones. We've been out in the car and its been great to see the seasons. There's a growing strength within my body that comes not just from using the muscles and them building but from how I feel about my life and how much calmer things are. I have been making things from paper and fabric, this is something I can develop and do more of as I learn and get better at it.
This is true of the process too, it's a skill that gets easier with time and I know it will remain an important part of how I'm progressing. The EFT is also such a benefit. Sometimes I use EFT and sometimes the LP. It is only understandable that after such a traumatic time in the past that there is emotional healing to take place as well as physical, both an intricate part of my individual journey. Here is a new photo of me even more myself than the last ones and happy. I would like to thank Sarah for her support and compassion towards me and for "being there" and doing what she loves, she's a shining example. I wish you all well.
Update 2 years later:
The summer months of 2007 saw my progress go from strength to strength. I had my first holiday for 17yrs in a self catering cottage in the Lakes with my parents. To be around and about in nature was amazing, to see mountains, trees, and streams, and wide open spaces after so long within my bedroom was a wonderful boost on so many levels. Whilst I was there I ended up doing more than I expected and I used EFT to process quite a lot of deeper emotion that surfaced whilst we were away.
The following few months couldn't be termed as quite as easy, as I had some spells where I needed to process feelings and had some deep tears that just had to come out. I feel it's important to not expect yourself to be able to manage everything straight away as there has been for me a need for time and an allowing of feelings. During these days I found it best not to expect as much from myself physically. Things that perhaps were suppressed when times were tough can release once things improve. I think this is relative to how ill you've been and for how long. So I have never sought to compare where I'm at with anyone else using LP. If I do at times, I find I fall into a trap of feeling not good enough which I think is a common theme for us all.
Over the winter things weren't as easy physically as they had been, and I found I was slipping back. I did work with Sarah initially on helping my inner child to feel safe in case there was any hidden apprehension holding me back from what was the next steps forward along the path back to normal living. However, despite this and my continued use of EFT and LP, things weren't so good and my energy levels dipped. I was by no means back to square one, far from it, but I did drop from being out some of each day more or less, to perhaps once or twice a week doing smaller things. I had experiences too where the LP didn't help me calm the anxiety while in larger places in the wheelchair, and this knocked my confidence especially as I sought to understand why it was all happening. I had previously had spells like this which sorted themselves out through using EFT and similar things within a matter of days or weeks, but never something that lasted as long and halted my 'being on a roll' which is so important with LP. So all this has been over about 5 months.
It is now a few weeks since I began to feel better. I would say to anyone experiencing dips, whether they be a matter of days, weeks or longer, try not to pressure yourself and just go with it, somewhere along the line you'll discover what the problem is. For me there was a factor that was effecting me that I hadn't been aware of, and it was 'filling my tanks' with stress and causing more anxiety. Once I altered this situation I feel more like I used to and that the LP is working better for me. I will do another update further along my path and hope it helps those of you going through similar experiences or considering LP and wondering what its like after a few years. Especially if you are starting off from a severe ME situation. I am coming up to my 2nd anniversary of learning it and I have no regrets. My life is so much improved, and I have the potential to continue that. Fun is a part of my life now; yes there are tricky moments too as I have gone into above but it is still all so very worth it. :)
So here are a few pictures:
June 07 on holiday |
With Sarah at the clinic |
February 2008 in a cafe |
Kathryn - North East
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I have just had a marvellous week – done 46 miles cycling! Never thought I'd do this a year ago……………
My story begins in September/October 2005 - I was very anaemic and trying to run the house, work 4 days a week and everything else as my husband was poorly. I ground to a halt one day feeling I just couldn't carry on with work and doing everything else as well. I was feeling very tired and sleeping a lot and I had no energy whatsoever. I started taking iron tablets from the doctor and over the next three months despite being no longer anaemic I wasn't getting any better but just felt the same. I had to give up work and was sleeping 12 hours a day and still feeling tired. Every time after doing something physical, it just knocked me out, even a day out to relax knocked me out for the next month. I tried some treatment at the hospital but this only aggravated the situation because it made me very stressed. The hospital said that I was only allowed to do 5 minutes of something and then I had to have about 40 minutes rest and then another 5 minutes of doing something and it just didn't make any difference really – I only felt slightly better. The hospital said I would never get back to full capacity – maybe 75% better but never back to what I was doing before.
I visited my niece and she told me about a friend who had ME and had gone on the Lightning Process course and she had seen a huge difference to this friend who was looking so well and full of energy and she felt that I ought to look into it and do the course if possible. I met this friend later that day and had a chat and saw just how well he was – sparkle in the eyes and full of energy and the friend told me about the course and how much he had benefited. As I had met him and saw at first hand how it worked for him, I felt it was genuine and well worth going on. Next thing was I applied and went on the course in March 2007.
The course was over three days – the first day was 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon and by the end of the day I felt my energy coming back. The first day I had to apply the process many times and this is because it takes a while for the adrenalin to leave the system so you only feel the benefit after doing it lots of times. The next day was a one to one going over difficulties that you may have in your life and how you can tailor the process to apply in your life – at the end of the second day I went for half an hours walk after studying for two days. Before the course, I hadn't been able to walk to the end of the avenue and if I did go for a short walk it would be two weeks before I could do the walk again. Then the final day was how you can apply it – going back to work and getting back into life again. At the end of the course, I felt overwhelmed and tired with all the information but after applying the Lightning Process, I felt full of energy, calm and relaxed again. I then went for a 30 minute walk and by the end of the day I had made the bed, cleaned the bathroom and floor, cooked tea, washed up, cleaned the kitchen, swept and mopped the kitchen floor and made my daughter's sandwiches for the following day and ironed her school shirt!
Each day the study had got easier – they took us through the course at our own pace and let us take breaks as we needed it. As Sarah had previously suffered from ME herself, she could relate to how we were feeling – she was very good at teaching the course. There was just the two of us and that made it a lot easier. At first, I applied the process consciously but as time went on this became an automatic reaction to situations and only when I was doing something new or stressful did I need to apply it consciously. For it to work you need to apply the process in a consistent way every time you feel stressed and are having difficult times.
Helen on her Bike - Feb/March 2008 |
Walking in the Lakes - Easter 2008 |
It is now just over a year on from the treatment and now I am working three days a week and can do all my housework in the week. Three months ago I got a recumbent tricycle and I am now cycling 20 miles a week with work – just the other week, on a few days off from work, I cycled 46 miles on different cycle tracks with no ill effects! I am also singing in the Church Choir again, I can go out for days out, help at our Church Youth Group, go to Church gatherings, entertain friends again and be able to do something every day of the week and have no ill effect.
I can't thank Sarah and Phil enough for teaching and discovering the Lightning Process – it has really changed my life and given me so much more confidence and I'm doing a lot more than I even did before!
At last … I have my life back!!!
Helen
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"I'm well, I'm well" it is hard to believe after 7 years of ME, the last 5 years spent bedbound in a darkened room but that is what learning the Lightning Process has done for me.I was taught the process by Sarah who was brill at explaining everything and made it a lot of fun to learn. The process is easy to learn but it is hard work to do and you have to be dedicated. I soon started to feel the effects only a few hours into my first day of training and I have hardly stopped since. On the first day I sat up for hours and even played a long game of monopoly after 4 hours of training.
On the second day, after a two hour session, I went out in my wheelchair for a walk, no pillow or sunglasses which were the norm pre LP (if I managed a wheelchair trip as my one big activity a week). I also phoned my grandma to tell her I was well and I played another game of monopoly, I went to bed exhausted but the normal kind not the ME sort.
On the third day I came home after the final LP session, it was an hour long car journey, which I sat up for, no reclined seat, no sunglasses, no pillow, all of which I'd had on the journey 3 days before. I got home and played a game with my gobsmacked sister who just kept looking at me as if she couldn't believe I was real. We watched a DVD film all the way through and had a chinese take away and I still felt so well that I phoned an ME friend who just kept saying wow, wow as she was so amazed at all that I had done.
I cannot say how grateful I am to Sarah for teaching me this wonderful thing that has given me my life back and has also shown me the real me in a way. I am also using LP on my anxiety which almost prevented me from going for LP and I would advise anybody thinking of taking the training to go for it but be prepared to work hard and it is sooo worth it, getting a life you love. Thanks Sarah you were great.
Four Weeks later:
Hi, it's been over 4 weeks since I had the Lightning Process taught to me and I'm happy to say I'm still M.E. free and having a brill time creating a new life for myself. Now getting out of bed is well, just normal for me and so are full days doing all kinds of things.
Here are just a few of the things I have been up to; I have been to the pub in the village where I live a few times building up my social experience, I've played on the swings at the park, I've been shopping to Tesco (one of those great big ones), I've been out for a meal with my whole family and I'm starting to get on my feet again with the help of some crutches.
It's brilliant getting my freedom back again. I'm able to keep in touch with friends and start to make new ones which is something I've missed. Although I've had a few moments where I've done anxiety, Sarah has helped me and has been great at reassuring me I'm doing great as well.
Two Months later:
Hi Sarah, I thought I'd let you know how I'm doing. Fantastic is the answer!
1 year later:
It has now been almost a year since I did the lightening process and my life is completely different. I can now walk over a mile which is brill after not being able to walk a step for 5 years. It has taken a while for my stamina to build up and my muscles but its getting there. I have just started driving lessons which I love and I am about to do a course for English and Maths at a local college. Life is great although sometimes I still have a bit of struggle I can get through it using the LP so it is definitely something you can always go back to which is comforting.
Samantha - Cumbria
Samantha started the LP training lying down in bed in a darkened room and just 3 hours later she was sitting on a sofa, no sunglasses and eager to learn more. She has never been in bed since, other than to sleep which she does soundly each night about 10pm.
We both found the training interesting and fun and easy to follow. Sarah is a lovely person and an excellent coach and made sure we understood everything before moving on to the next section. Sarah has the double advantage of not only having had ME herself but also having recovered using LP a few years ago, so she understood exactly how Samantha was feeling. Sarah had already helped Samantha get ready for LP, by using EFT over the phone, as Samantha had been forced to cancel her first appointment for LP due to anxiety. I think it helps having a parent, partner, or close friend to sit in on the training so that they can reassure you afterwards if doubts or anxieties creep in. LP is not a quick miracle, you have to be determined and work hard at the process even though the physical process itself is easy.
Samantha is still wheelchair bound as she has no leg muscles after 5 years in bed, but she can now sit up all day, she is no longer light sensitive, she can eat foods that have previously made her feel ill and she can even tolerate iron supplements, as she is anaemic. It is not just her health that has improved, her confidence has increased too, she phones people, writes letters and likes meeting people when we are out and about.
I would recommend LP to anybody who has ME, we have watched about 30 other young people go for LP and have the same remarkable results, some had only been ill for a year or two but others had been ill like Samantha for 6 or 7 years and had been severely affected, now they are all ME free and getting their lives back.
Thank you Sarah for all your help, you know how much you have changed our lives I just hope you can do the same for lots of other people too.
1 year later:
It is now a year since Samantha was taught the Lightning Process by Sarah and this is just an update to let people know how well Samantha is doing. Today she has started college, just 2 hours a week doing numeracy and literacy, but an amazing event as she never managed a full week in high school and was too ill for any education for 6 years. Tomorrow she is going to the gym for her weekly workout at a special GP referred session, which is ideal for building up her stamina. On Wednesday she has a 2 hour driving lesson and on Friday she is looking after two young children; oh and at the weekend she could be on a boat chugging around the North East coastline if the weather is okay.
Even we find it hard to accept that a year ago we had to wash her hair 10 days before going to Darlington for LP to make sure she wasn't too tired from the experience. LP certainly works and has given Samantha her life back. It hasn't all been easy as at times progress in physical fitness has seemed slow to Samantha compared to some recovery stories. You have to keep reminding yourself just how far you have come and realise every recovery is different and is affected by other illnesses, relationship issues, personality etc. We were a little worried after Christmas when Samantha had a rough patch and even though it wasn't tiredness like ME it was still scary seeing her struggle again. Then we stepped back and thought about what was happening in her life and we were able to see it was her attempt to come off anti-depressants that was causing her problems. What I am trying to say is LP is fantastic but it isn't a miracle you have to work hard, first at doing the process, then at reclaiming your life but it is so worth the effort. I think having had the LP experience has made Samantha determined to try new experiences even when she is nervous and it is a valuable self help tool for lots of situations. If anybody is reading this wondering if they should give LP a try all I can say is YES go for it, it sets you free from ME and best wishes for the rest of your life.
Heather (Samantha's Mum)
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Gill's Story - Length of illness - Fibromyalgia 41 years
Eighteen months ago, I and a friend travelled from Spain to do the Lightning Process with Sarah in Darlington. My friend had had ME for 10 years and I had had Fibromyalgia for 41 years, only diagnosed 2 years or so previously.
We travelled with our husbands as our "team" and also with feelings of almost not daring to hope that what we were about to embark on (and we didn't know exactly what it was we were about to embark on!) would end many years of illness and all the other things that these conditions bring along with them. We had originally talked about the LP and both brushed it aside saying that we didn't want to be brainwashed and that, as therapists/healers ourselves, we would be able to see through it and it wouldn't work. Within two weeks we had both decided, independently, to go and do it anyway and being "brainwashed" might be the better option than putting up with what we both endured every day!!
After the first session with Sarah we walked out slumped against each other only to burst into laughter, enjoying the joke and our men's faces of amazement at these two women jumping around and laughing! I knew then that whatever it was I was embarking on it was just fine with me (it isn't brainwashing I discovered, by the way, it's "brain using and
choosing", or something like that) - the next three days confirmed that over and over again, and has continued to do so over the last eighteen months. (It is learning exactly how the mind and body powerfully influence each other and how the mind can get "stuck" in a number of damaging unconscious responses that keep our body trapped in an illness loop - Sarah).
The three days of the LP were a roller coaster for me, experiencing healing of a profoundly experiential nature. One of my worries was that the LP, and how it works, would disturb or dislodge my spiritual life and my way of being in the world, as well as my work as a sensitive. Sarah was able to not only put my mind at rest but also to do work with me that actually deepened my way of being in my work and my relationship to my spiritual beliefs. I sensed that Sarah has the gift to be able work on any level the client presents, whether spiritual, emotional or purely physical concerns - a mark of an excellent practitioner.
What has the LP given me? It's given me my life, it's given me a joy of life and things and people, it's given me my laughter even greater than it was before. In June last year I travelled to England to live with, and nurse, my father who had been diagnosed with cancer. I was able to have the deep privilege of accompanying him on that greatest of journeys - without having done the LP I would not have been able to have done that in any way, even to travel to England was a massive undertaking pre-LP. AT THE SAME TIME as I was doing that I embarked upon the Diploma training to enable me to do the LP practitioner training myself. I am about to take my exam and complete the training so I can help others in my practice as a healer and NLP/LP practitioner - help others who, like me and my friend, had tried everything and nothing had worked. Try it! And Sarah, our practitioner - I have nothing but great respect for her work, and her flexibility to work with whatever is presented.
Thank you Sarah for helping me to live life again.
Gill - Spain
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Mark's Story - Length of illness - Over 20 years
I had been ill with ME – or “doing ME”, as I have now learned to say – for over twenty years. Indeed, I had never been well from early childhood, and in some shape or form had probably been doing ME all my life.
I had tried various therapies – conventional and complementary – with limited success. My GP had found that anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication were beneficial, but the effects were always partial and short-lived. These medications gave me an initial boost, but weren't enough to bring about a permanent breakthrough.
I tried Mickel Therapy (a derivative of Reverse Therapy), and again this gave me a boost, but the improvement petered out, and I ended up back where I had been previously.
I had most success with a therapy called EFT (which is described elsewhere on this website), and when I discovered that Sarah combined EFT with Lightning Process (about which I had heard some highly positive reports), I had an intuition that this combination might offer not just the usual temporary boost but a lasting impetus towards real and deep-seated recovery.
The LP course in Darlington - which included much EFT (Note from Sarah: People who already use EFT sometimes request incoporating EFT into their individual session. I also use EFT when people need extra tools in moving forward. If you would like me to incorporate EFT into your individual or follow up session, please mention when booking) - was brilliant. It gave me that initial boost (as I had expected) but, when things began to go wrong, I wondered whether the old pattern of improvement followed by relapse was repeating itself.
This time, however, I had support of follow-up phone calls with Sarah to fall back on, and was also becoming more skilled at applying the LP and EFT techniques I had learned on the course.
After a couple of rocky months I started to improve again. I am not yet completely recovered, but am far healthier, happier, and more positive than I have been at any time during the last twenty years. The cycle of improvement/relapse has finally been broken, and I am now moving forwards all the time.
Most importantly, I feel I now have the tools to maintain that improvement, to nip any signs of relapse in the bud, and to use my LP and EFT skills in more and more creative ways in order to keep moving forwards and to create for myself a healthy and positive and fulfilling life.
Thank you, Sarah, for teaching me these life-changing techniques.
Mark
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Hi Sarah. I hope you're keeping well - I certainly am!
Sorry it's taken so long to give my 'success story'. I think about it a lot and what I'm going to say, but then never get round to it because there seems so much to say. So I've thought it doesn't matter if I leave stuff out - it's better to send something than nothing at all.
Well, I'm doing things that I never thought I'd be doing again. I'm playing football, reading, watching television and, best of all, having more quality time with my daughter without worrying all the time. It's not been easy and I'm still using the process (though a lot more sporadically now). Things get better gradually and each time I see an improvement my confidence and belief grow - the process taught me that it's not what I do that is the problem but it's the way I react to what I do that is the problem and it's reversing all that automatic negative thinking that is the hard bit. So confidence and belief are, as you know, everything.
I'm still hesitant about doing some or too many things, because I'm still apprehensive about not being in control of my thoughts and allowing ME thinking to creep in (or rather, to allow myself to do the thinking that creates the stress/adrenaline cycle that leads to ME symptoms). Having said that, I know if the old patterns of thinking do start then I will be able to handle it, but I can't honestly say that the spectre of the old life has gone completely and that I am totally better. However, over the 6 months since the learning the process I have built up enough ability to do a lot more and that my life is approaching a level of normality that I used to dream of.
I've also learnt a lot more about myself, reinterpreting past thoughts in a new light. I now know more about my natural capabilities and that my old way of living would have been unsustainable. Even if I had not become with ME, then it was only a matter of time before something else gave way. So I don't know whether I'll ever go back to full time work or go for a higher paid, more stressful job, even if I make a complete and full recovery. It's just not worth it and it I'm just not the sort of person who deals with that sort of stuff very well. And I'm very happy about knowing that.
So I'd like to finish by thanking you sincerely for believing in me and accepting me on your course. Your support and kindness gave me the courage to keep aiming for a better life.
I wish you all the very best, Alex.
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Tríona's Story - Length of illness - 16 months
Hi my name is Tríona, I'm 19, I'm from Dublin and I had ME for about 16 months. It's over a month now since I learnt the Lightning Process and so much has happened since then…so much GREATNESS!
I remember driving to the LP the first morning and I felt so nervous. In the weeks leading up to LP I had felt a little nervous but I had mostly felt excited. Excited that this could be it, this could be the start to a new healthy me! And it was! It is! But I guess that morning I was afraid of what if it doesn't work? But once I went inside and started to learn LP I felt more at ease. I found it really helpful that Sarah herself had had ME before and so she could identify with how I was feeling. It was great to be finally understood and also to understand what was happening in my mind and body!
Before LP I was more of less housebound. Apart from trips to the doctor and occasional efforts to go for a walk I sat on the couch. My friends were great and they visited me regularly. My family were also great company. But I didn't feel like me!
After the long LP session of day one I went for a 15 minute walk (something I hadn't done in a long time and especially not after 4 hours of learning!). By day two my 15 minute walk took a detour into Topshop where I bought a dress! 15 minutes turned into 25 or 30 and I hadn't even noticed! When my Mom phoned from Dublin she couldn't believe I'd been shopping! When I came back from shopping I forgot to flop on the couch, instead I sat at the table chatting with my cousins. I even forgot to think about CFS! I went to bed that night not able to sleep because I was so excited!
The day after I came home it was my Aunty's 50th and we had a party in my house. I stayed up until 1:30am laughing and talking!! Later that week it was my own birthday and I was able to have some friends over which felt great.
Since LP I've also spent two weeks in France with my family where I swam EVERYDAY! I also went shopping, went out for meals, went for walks! I even bought a wetsuit and a boogie-board and ran off down the beach to the sea! I think my family were in shock!
Everyone's noticed a huge change in me (and I have too). My bother says he notices me singing again! I swam 30 lengths of the pool the other day! I've been out with my friends. I'm also applying for my provisional driving license.
So in summary LP was very very very worthwhile for me! If you are in the process of applying for the Lightning Process, I wish you the very best of luck if you do do it! Thank you Sarah for all your help and support! I'll never forget my three days in Darlington or how great I've felt since!
Tríona
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Hello, I did the Lightening Process training about 10 months ago and my life is so very different now it's sometimes hard to believe I was diagnosed by the medical profession as having M.E. for 8 years. Before I started the LP training I couldn't walk more than a few minutes without dizziness, pain and discomfort, and now I'm a regular hiker and mountain biker on the hills and mountains near where I live. I used to experience so much exhaustion after even short journeys as the passenger in a car it would take me hours to recover, but now I can happily read in a car on a 6 hour drive and be ‘with it' enough to have fun when I reach my destination. Two months after LP training I did an evening class at college, 6 months after I started a part time job, was socialising lots, getting fit, and learning a new language (whereas 6 months earlier just getting a sentence of my own language together was often a challenge!). Now its 10 months later and I continue to get stronger each month, I now am a volunteer dance teacher, training to be an EFT practitioner and easily could work full time in the shop I work in (dealing the with the general public all day long!) but I chose instead to have 2 days to learn new things and study to set up my own business as well as enjoying my new found freedom.
LP wasn't an instant miracle for me but in the weekend of my training I went from using a stair lift to walking at least a mile and climbing lots of steps and I felt confident to eat foods that usually affected me and I could go shopping in a busy town, which were all little miracles for me really. I went away from the training knowing that I had the evidence that I could always use the LP technique to get rid of my symptoms. It was then up to me to use it enough when I got home to prevent the symptoms appearing in the first place. This took a few months of trial and error, but I always could use LP to ‘mop up the spillage of any adrenaline overload that accidentally flared up'. Before I did LP I had already heard about and used EFT to get rid of my Hayfever, so I was already very open to the power of the body and mind that was beyond accepted medical convention in this country.
Now my new found friends out there in the ‘real world' have told me that they find me inspiring! Having missed out on lots of the normal young adult adventures such as university and moving out of home and going travelling, I have sometimes felt overwhelmed at all the things I want to catch up on. However, once I realise that this just puts pressure on me and causes adrenaline I use the LP or EFT to put things in perspective, (because even young people I know who have never been ill think that I'm trying to do too much all at once!) I know it's just something I need to do to find out where my limits are, but really just the freedom to go where I want, when I want and to be earning my own money and staying up dancing till 4am, that's the ‘living the life I love' that the LP has helped me to achieve. I can't thank Sarah or Phil enough for pointing me in the right direction towards health, but I still consider that it was, and still is 100% my responsibility to make it happen.
Amy
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I think one of the best ways to show what the Lightening Process has done for me is to describe what I used to do before, and after coming on the course.
Before I met Sarah I was bed-bound, and so I had two sessions on the phone which enabled me to be able to get down the stairs, so I could make the trip to Darlington.
The morning of the first day of the course I was able to hobble from the front door to the car (while holding on to my Dad). By the end of the third day I had gone for a wander into Darlington with my Dad, and ended up taking a detour to the cinema on the way home.
Now it is nearly three months later, and things are getting very interesting, I seem to have got myself a life, and it is great! This week I have been to a free festival in Newcastle for my friends birthday, attended a afternoon marketing course, helped out in the library (where I now volunteer), and it is only Thursday! The rest of the week I will be doing housework and ironing, going for a day out with my boyfriend, going to another free festival, and completing my assessment for my course on how to write web pages, and probably many other things besides!
Going on the Lightning Process course is the best thing I could have done. I would also highly recommend taking someone with you, I was lucky as my Mum was on the course too, so we got to bring my boyfriend and Dad as extras. Their support has been invaluable, as they are very good at giving me a hand if I get a bit stuck.
The Lightening Process has totally changed my, and my families lives, I have a future again, and for that I cannot thank you enough.
Katherine
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The past eleven months have been a rollercoaster ride for me; I have managed to experience my worst and some of the best moments of my life. However I feel I should go back a little further to explain where I think my M.E stemmed from, in 2003 I caught glandular fever a few weeks before I was going to start my law degree which I never seemed to fully recovery from and any physical exertion (e.g staying up late with friends dancing) would leave me more exhausted than normal for the following day or two.
In September 2006 I was starting my Honours year and I was organised and raring to go. Then I fell ill on the 28th September and I became progressively worse until May 2007, it began with profound tiredness and shaking from feeling so weak at Uni that I only managed to make it to a week of classes but I persevered with my studies at home for another week or two until even reading became an impossible task for me. My immune system became very weak and I began suffering from lots of throat infections and a bout of flu that was so bad (and made me so weak) my parents had to stay off work to look after me.
As people with M.E know no two days are the same and on a good day my mum would take me a drive in the car and then perhaps I would walk around the street where I live, on bad days these tasks were impossible. Every day for seven months I had at least 10 hours sleep a night and slept for 1-2 hours every afternoon just to keep my energy at a level where I was comfortable to sit and talk to my family.
Unfortunately no doctor had any answer (or cure) for me and I was eventually diagnosed with post viral fatigue syndrome. My family were very supportive and spent hours trawling the internet or talking with friends to find any treatment that could improve my situation. We went to a nutritionist who wanted me to drastically change my already healthy diet however I ended up feeling worse some days because I was taking so many supplements. I was beginning to feel that there would be no end to this and was heartbroken at the thought of being like this for years. Throughout my illness my family and friends were fantastic, I couldn't have asked for a better support network.
In March, my mum's work colleague brought a newspaper article in about the lightning process and how it had helped Esther Rantzen's daughter who suffered with M.E for years. Understandably at the beginning I believed it was too good to be true but my parents researched it and read the success stories (like you are doing now) and felt that it would be worth my while trying the lightning process.
I was a little reluctant to believe it could reduce my symptoms of M.E as drastically as the other sufferers because I was worried I would be the one it didn't work for - this felt like my last chance of becoming better so I read more about it and booked into the three day course with Sarah.
It was like having a weight lifted off my shoulders speaking to Sarah as she had suffered from M.E she knew exactly how I felt without having to explain everything to her. My mum attended the sessions with me which has helped a great deal because when I started beating myself up for not progressing at the speed I wanted she reminded me of how well I had done already and got me on track when I needed support.
Sarah taught me how powerful the mind is over the body, after the first session I decided I didn't need my usual afternoon sleep and on the second day I walked for three miles around York without any pain, discomfort or tiredness. I finally felt free and in control of my own body at last instead of M.E dictating my every move.
Every day for the next two weeks I woke up excited because I felt like I had been given a second chance at life and was determined to build my physical strength up to what it was before. Unfortunately my immune system was still weak and I managed to catch another throat infection which took two courses of antibiotics to get rid of. I felt a little disappointed (realising I wasn't invincible!) but phoned Sarah straight away and I was back on track using the lightning process within a few days and really haven't looked back since!
I am building my immune system up by focussing on a diet rich in nutrients and I'm taking some supplements every morning - I now know that a cold is just a cold and a virus is just a virus and will not lead to M.E returning.
My life has been turned upside down this year and I am looking forward to starting my Honours year in September, I can go out with my friends like a normal 21 year old, I have joined a running class and am taking snowboard lessons (everything which I promised myself I would do when I got better).
I felt it was important to share my story because I believed since I had ‘only' had M.E for 7 months the lightning process wouldn't work as well as people that have had it for years. I wanted other M.E sufferers to know that if you are at a stage in your M.E journey that you don't want it anymore and you are prepared to work at changing then you can, regardless of whether you have suffered for two months or twenty years.
Life couldn't be any better which is all thanks to a newspaper clipping and of course - Sarah.
Susie, Scotland
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I did the Lightning Process with Sarah about six weeks ago now; and the results have been really amazing. I can honestly say it has transformed my life.
Six weeks ago I was able to venture out of my flat only once/twice a week and was very limited in terms of walking and levels of activity. I also had a carer come to dry my hair, make my meals and do my shopping Mon-Fri. My daily routine consisted mainly of ‘rest' periods and several naps during the day.
That all seems like a distant memory now. Now, I am out at least once a day, I have travelled on trains across the country on my own to visit friends (with a suitcase in tow too!). I rarely sleep during the day and I have regained a social life again.
The course itself is very interesting and enjoyable and Sarah is an excellent practitioner. It's not easy, and for me the results have been gradual, but consistently so. I can say with 100% certainty that I won't ever have a relapse again – and if I'd said that to myself before the course I would have laughed if off as ridiculous.
I feel I have a way to go with my recovery, but as everyday and week passes I have achieved more and more. Like I said, it's hard work at times but if you trust in the process (and the results speak for themselves) then you can stay on the path to recovery.
I am building up my strength and stamina gradually – physically, mentally and socially. I have to remind myself I have spent the last two years pretty much bed bound so things will take a little while to return to normal. The great thing is I know that it will.
I would have written this sooner but I've been a bit busy doing other things!! At the moment I have a horrible cold so I'm not feeling particularly good. However – it does feel good to have a ‘normal' cold and to feel like my body has an immune system that can do what it needs to do. Previously, I would have panicked if I had a virus like this, but it really doesn't bother me now. Other than I'd rather be well and out doing things that is!!
I would highly recommend the Lightning Process. It was worth every penny – how I feel now is priceless. My family and friends are still a bit stunned by my progress, and to be honest so am I at times!
So…. A big thank you to you Sarah!
Feedback 1 year on:
It's been just over a year now since I finished the Lightening Process and looking back I have achieved so much in that year. My recovery has continued to improve and I feel it still is. During the last year I've been abroad on holiday twice, I've moved to Leeds, visited friends and family all over the country.. and the big one is I'm starting back as a part time secondary teacher in September.
Getting back into work was definitely a hard decision to make, but I am now confident (after a quick consultation with Sarah) that I am capable of doing the job and there is no reason why I can't. It's a huge leap for me and I'd be lying if I wasn't apprehensive but on the flip side I'm really excited!
I've had a couple of what I call 'wobbles' over the last year. These aren't relapses of any description as I no longer have ME, just occasions when important decisions have had to be made and when I've found myself in a stressful situation. The process has taught me how to deal with these and maintain my health whilst doing so. This is invaluable though also quite challenging to implement at these times.
At the beginning of the month I along with two others gave a talk to the local ME group about the Lightening Process. The response was great - they couldn't believe how different our lives had been since doing the course and also how healthy we looked. A lot of people said it was the most positive group meeting they'd ever been too which was rewarding to hear.
A year on I'd still highly recommend the process, especially with Sarah. It has been life changing, and my life seems to be still changing.. onwards on upwards.. and I look forward to seeing what this next year brings!
Lauren , Cumbria
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My name is Anna I'm 15 and before doing the Lightning Process 3 weeks ago I had M.E. for almost 3 years (since December 2004). I suffered from extreme tiredness, poor concentration, poor temperature control (very cold feet), and dizziness and at my worst not being able to speak simply because it took too much energy. Now after completing the Lightning Process I no longer do M.E.
For the first year I had many trips to the doctors and the hospital, never being any help as the doctors didn't understand or were able to help. About a year ago I started having acupuncture which was a big help but I didn't recover. I heard about the Lightning Process through AYME and a friend's friend who had recovered from M.E. using the Lightning Process.
When I first heard about the Lightning Process I was unsure whether it would work or not as I didn't understand what it was. I was quite sceptical about it and if I had done the Lightning Process then I don't think it would have been so successful as it has been now. Earlier this year I was starting to improve and I saw some articles in AYME Cheers magazine about people who had recovered using the Lightning Process and wanted to find out more. We looked on the internet and found Sarah's website, filled in the application form then got a call from Sarah saying she had a place in a few months.
We set off (me and my Mum) the day before to travel the 2 hour car journey to Darlington (which is about 80 miles away), the furthest I had been in 3 years! We arrived at the hotel very tired. The next day we went to the first session with Sarah for 2 hours before lunch then in the hour we had for lunch we walked to a café (further than I would usually walk) had something to eat then walked back, I had no symptoms, previously this would have wiped me out. The next day I woke up early about 7am (I used to sleep until 9-10am), went to the Lightning Process then went shopping for over an hour! I had the final session with Sarah then travelled home. My family couldn't believe how well I looked and I don't think I have stopped smiling since I got back!
After returning home I have done lots, I have walked most days, been shopping a few times, redecorated my room and have been able to do pretty much anything I want (within reason!). I haven't had to use the Lightning Process much since I have got home but I know its there if I need it. I am hoping to return to school in September, and continue doing what I am at the moment and enjoy being a well, M.E. free person.
Feedback 1 year on:
Hi Sarah, It's Anna Blair, I came to do the lightning process about a year ago. I just thought I would email you and tell you how I'm getting on.
I have done a lot in the last year, I would also say I no longer have M.E and haven't done since I did the lightning process. I managed to get back to school part time and do 4 GCSEs which I got the results for this morning, I got an A in English literature, an A in English language, an A in Maths and an A* in Food tech! As you can guess I am really pleased with the results as not that long ago I didn't think I would be able to do any GCSEs. I am going to go to college in September to do A-levels: photography, media studies and communication and culture. I am really looking forward to it.
I have been on holiday 3 times since last year, we went to Whitby in the autumn which was really good and I managed to walk as far as the rest of the family, an achievment considering most of Whitby is on a hill. We then went to Barcelona at Easter, my first holiday abroad and first time on a plane! Then just a few weeks ago we went to the Cotswolds which was really nice. I think we have possibly caught up for all the holidays we missed when I was ill.
I have also seen a few bands live since last year which is really good knowing I can do that and still have lots of energy left.
I had been looking for a part time job for over the holidays but didn't have any luck but I have been volunteering at the primary school until the end of term and then at this place near I live which is like an art/craft supplies place which has been really good.
I am really looking forward to September and going to college and making a fresh start. Thank you so much for all your help. All the best
Anna, Cumbria
Anna's Mum - Sandra: Watching Anna suffer over the past three years has been really hard for all the family knowing that she should have been enjoying herself and doing all the things a healthy teenager should be doing. Therefore seeing her recover over such a short space of time has been like watching a miracle happen. Obviously it will take a little time to build up her physical stamina but what she has achieved over the three weeks since having the Lightning Process would have been out of the question previously without pay back of days if not weeks.
Anna had the Lightning Process at a time that was right for her and it worked. All I can say is that it's absolutely fantastic having our daughter back. Good Luck to anyone who wishes to try!
Sandra
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Well what an interesting week it has been, I went along to the LIGHTNING PROCESS this week.
Started out on Sunday got myself all worked up and stressed out before my wife and I had even started out! It took about 2 hours to get to Darlington where the Process was taking part. Anyway got there ok, booked in to hotel and flaked out for the rest of the day..
My first Session was on Monday morning and I was a bit sceptical to say the least, didn't really know what was involved in the whole Process. It is mainly about P.M.A (Positive Mental Attitude) learning how to change the negative thought patterns and it does really WORK.
This is not to say it's all in the mind, it's an illness with major physical symptoms but by studying the above core element of M.E. we can start to see how the mind and body powerfully influence each other. It is a vicious cycle and can go on for years. The reason why this eludes us is that it's produced by unconscious patterns. Once these patterns are broken our body quickly starts to respond.
Straight after the 4 hour session, my wife and I went for a walk around Darlington for about half an our. Doesn't sound like a lot but I would not have done that before. I would have been too tired and stressed out to even try. We got back to the Hotel and I still didn't flake out, just relaxed and watched T.V. I would have normally gone straight to bed!
The Second day was much the same - about a 3 hour session and again I didn't just got back to the Hotel and crash out afterwards. My wife and I went for a meal with another couple, one who was also doing the process. So in all I did 3 hour session and about 2 hours out walking and talking (I would never have done that before) then it was back to the Hotel and relax.
The Final day was a one to one session just going over what I had learnt which lasted about 1 1/2 hours. After that we went for a meal, then arranged to meet the husband of the the other person on the course. We had met at the earlier sessions and had been out for a brew. We had a good look around the centre of Darlington while his wife was in her session. So we walked around for a 1 1/2. Again there is no way I would have even thought of doing such a thing before the Lightning Process .
Then we all met up with his wife and my Wife and I said good bye to the couple. Then it was back to the hotel and a trip back home. Even after that full day I didn't crash out! just stayed up and watched T.V.
So in short this whole Lightning Process does work! You just have to BELIEVE!
So a Special thanks to SARAH MARSHALL.
Darren, Lancs
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When I came on the course I was struggling to cope physically and mentally with the demands of looking after my daughter who also had M.E. and was bedridden. I was trying to work part time, unsuccessfully, and help around the house. I already suspected there was a link between anxiety and a flare up of symptoms as I had noted an increase in anxiety when Katherine became worse as obviously this was very worrying. So just at the time when I needed to be fit and healthy to look after her the M.E. would kick in.
At Christmas I started to do a lot of relaxation and made a huge effort to not do anxiety and my symptoms did decrease but were still there. So I knew there was a strong link between the anxiety and the M.E. Then I heard about the Lightning Process through an article in the Daily Mail. It fit in exactly with what I was trying to do but seemed much more effective judging by the testimonials on the website. So my daughter and I both booked a place on the course and waited six long weeks. I had a phone call session with Sarah to do some tapping (EFT) as I was finding the idea that I could get rid of M.E. after 15 years a bit mind blowing, especially as it was going to be done without medication, and I was going to do it myself! A difficult thing to come to terms with - if I could get rid of it myself why hadn't I done that in the past? The answer was easy - I didn't know about the causes and I didn't know about the solution - the Lightning Process.
So I went on the course with my daughter. I took my husband along with me as the person who knows me best (a great idea - his support, and Katherine's, has been invaluable over the last few weeks and it saved me having to explain everything!) and learned about my brain, adrenaline and M.E. I then learned and practised the Lightning Process. Fantastic! I felt a physical improvement straight away and this has lasted and increased over the last few weeks as I have become healthier and fitter.
Last week I walked 20 miles over 3 days on holiday in the lakes. It would have been more if the weather had allowed me! My head is much much clearer. I can use big words! I am working part time consistently and coping with shopping and housework easily - nothing is a problem now. I've even started a Tai Chi class. I don't have to look after Katherine at all in fact sometimes I don't even know where she is! (She is an adult so this is OK.) And I don't worry about her because she knows how to do the Lightning Process if she needs to.
I did the Lightning Process a lot in the beginning but I use it less now unless I am conscious that I don't feel right mentally or can sense anxiety. Then I go through the process, sometimes alone, sometimes with Katherine or Geoff, identify the problem, get rid of it, feel great again and get on with my life. This sometimes happens if I am coming up against a new situation, such as meeting new people, taking on more tasks at work. I am trying to add new things in slowly so I don't overload myself but I think I've actually lived and done more in these last six weeks than I have in the last 3 years.
I am so glad I went on this course. It has changed my life completely. I am fitter, healthier and much much happier. Thank you Sarah for being a great coach and a big thank you to Phil for coming up with the Lightning Process.
Maureen
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I was diagnosed with CFS in 1999 and at that time my symptoms were slowing me down but I hadn't reached a total standstill, so kept pushing myself to the limits. Gradually over the next 7 years I deteriorated to the point where there were only a few windows of `feeling well`. I had no quality of life and ran to every little glimmer of hope that I could find. Hypnotherapy, MRI scans etc etc. For me this running around like a headless chicken looking for a quick fix just helped to confuse me more as to what was going on. ‘Menopause', said my mother, ‘Depression', said my doctor, ‘Diet', said the nutritionist.
I was told about the Lightening Process by a member of our local ME group who since doing the course had improved dramatically. This all made sense to me as I am a great believer in the power of the mind. I made the call and it was that call that has helped me to understand the bigger picture and how we all have control over our minds and bodies.
Working with Sarah was a pleasure and has left an indelible mark on how I now view my life. At all times she was calm, professional and inspiring. Without her I doubt I would have faced the demons that were lurking away in the recesses of my mind. I thought I had them all under control but like so many of us I had just stored them away because the thought of facing them was too painful. Facing them with Sarah using EFT helped me to see events from a different angle and the relief from that has been tremendous. It has enabled me to move forward with self belief and confidence in a direction that brings fulfilment and enjoyment.
If you are reading through these testimonials and thinking `Should I try this?' then please, take that step forward. Make that call and get your life back on track.
Mandy - Leicestershire
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After three and a half years of being debilitated by M.E. I am back to full fitness after a 3 day course! How amazing is that! I owe it all to a Phil Parkers Lightning Process taught to me by Sarah Marshall.
Four years ago I was working full-time as a Reception Class teacher in a very successful, thriving but stressful school. In May 2003 Ofsted certainly played a part in adding to the stress. The effects of a brilliant report, instead of allowing us to relax knowing we were doing an excellent job, added pressure to keep up the pace and build on excellence!
I have twin daughters who were then 9 years old and, luckily, a very supportive husband. I wanted to be the perfect wife and mother and career woman.
In the summer of 2003 my GP suggested I stop taking HRT, that was prescribed by a different GP for an early menopause, but didn't tell me to do it gradually. I had a very bad reaction- feeling miserable, alone, bad tempered, having hot flushes night sweats etc.
In September I went back onto HRT and my symptoms reduced but pressure at work continued.
I was normally a fit and energetic person who never caught colds or illnesses then one day I started coughing. The next day I could hardly move. The doctor diagnosed a chest infection but after 2 weeks I was still very ill. I was given different antibiotics then after another week of feeling terrible I was diagnosed with pneumonia! After taking more antibiotics I started to recover slightly but then relapsed with another chest infection ending up in hospital on Boxing Day. With treatment using intravenous antibiotics I was feeling improved but weary and lethargic. The doctor told me I had Chronic Fatigue syndrome but I thought it meant I was tired! He gave me no other explanation or suggestions. I decided to try and “shake myself out of it” and get back to work and life. After 3 months away, I went back to work part time to let myself in gradually. My work situation had changed and I was told to work with a different age group, in a supportive role of another teacher and the hours I had asked for i.e. mornings only, were not available. I had to work all day on Fridays and do all day duty!
I was furious, upset, disappointed and disillusioned. I lasted 21/2 weeks then was very ill with pains in my joints, aching muscles, and horrendous headaches, inability to walk far and at a very slow place. My head was ‘fuzzy', my memory terrible. I then used the internet to find out more about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and saw it was in fact M.E.!
After a long talk with my doctor the outcome was he could do nothing for me, I just had to rest, eat well and eventually in 6months- 20years I would probably get better!
I learnt to rest, eat healthily and I also spent a lot of money on a nutritionist, massages, homeopathy and I slowly improved. Nine months later I attempted another return to work but lasted 2 weeks before another sever relapse! I then gave up work!
I now had no money to spend on alternative treatments but I treated myself with reiki. I was very slowly improving with rest and pacing myself to do one small activity a day-coffee with a friend, small bits of housework, short walk with the dog etc. I found omega 3 tablets were a tremendous help with brain fog!
Three and a half years of this existence and then I read Esther Rantzens article about her daughters recovery from ME! I immediately went to the internet and looked up Phil Parkers Lightning Process. I had read about it previously but I had thought it was saying ‘it's all in the mind'. I was sure it wasn't. I knew I was ill. I didn't want to be ill. I was desperate to be well! I read the information and the description of the adrenaline being exhausted leading to a cycle of illness-worry-etc was so logical. All I needed was to stop the cycle!
I rang Sarah Marshall at Raincastles in Darlington , chatted about the Process and applied. After a month I was on my way to Darlington . In that month I had started to feel real hope, excitement and felt much more positive about my future. I was on my way to recovery!
Sarah was FANTASTIC. She talked so enthusiastically and informatively about the process and, using a variety of methods, lots of laughs, a few tears and after 1 day I felt brilliant. I walked all over Darlington and felt full of life and energy. After the three days I returned to my family as if the last 31/2 years had been wiped away!
I have continued to use the process, when needed, and after just 3 weeks I know I can do so many things-whatever I want!
My family and friends are thrilled. I AM BACK! The real me has returned from the awful place of M.E. And I won't be going there again!
Judith
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I had suffered fatigue for a year, the first 6 months was so chronic I didn't have the brainpower to complete a sentence. The next 6 months I did have periods of recovery and I spent a small fortune trying anything and everything to get well. But the relapses were relentless and I was loosing my confidence of a complete recovery. I had previously been a very fit and healthy 50-year-old representing Great Britain in the Age Group Triathlon in Madeira and I was determined to get my life back. Then almost a year to the day I first suffered fatigue; I was given a newspaper article about Sarah and the lightning process.
Sarah had previously suffered with ME for 5 years, she knew this technique worked and I felt very comfortable with her. Sarah helped me take my life back and within a week I knew I no longer had fatigue.
Sarah is trained in other methods of treatment and is very intuitive and also helped with problems in my life that I wouldn't have believed I could be helped with. Some times emotions emerged and she sorted them in minutes with EFT. I cannot stress just how much Sarah has helped improve my life. Things I thought about me that were imprinted since birth and could not be changed – have been, I am more confident and relaxed and patient and all I went to Sarah for was my health back!
I didn't just get my health back, my whole life has improved and my family are benefiting too.
Within a week of my first visit to Sarah I had jogged 3 times. The following week I walked 6 miles then 2 days later jogged 6 miles and the same evening took turns piggy backing my 5 and 7 year old grandchildren up a steep hill, a mile and a half long. The next day I spent 3 hours in the kitchen cooking for 10 people. (This is one area the family are benefiting - previously I had only ever cooked for 6 - I would have been stressed, even if I had the energy).
I would recommend any person who doesn't love their life to visit Sarah.
6 months later Sandra reported:
I've not suffered from fatigue again. Thanks again Sarah for everything.
Feedback 18 months later:
Sandra has remained fit and healthy.
Feedback 2 years later:
3 years ago I was just happy when I could function normally for a whole day. I am now back fell racing, and have run races up to 8 miles. If I have learned anything from the chronic fatigue experience, it is I can do just as well on a lot less (meaning there is no need to over do anything). I now listen to my body, if I feel tired it is just that - I am tired - so I take time out. If I listened to people who said I would have C.F.S. for ever, then possibly I would have. Yes I tried a hundred different things (alternative, supplements etc) but you have to believe you are well and the Lightening process works, I'm so glad I spent my money on Sarah. It was difficult, when I'd already spent hundreds of pounds, to believe something like this could work. BUT IT DOES. Thank you Sarah, I often visualise your face when I'm once more trying my hardest during a race. Yes I said I rest when tired, but boy do I give it all I have I race.
Sandra - Marske
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I first became ill with a very nasty dose of flu which I just could not shake off and which left me with extreme fatigue and pain. I have an excellent GP who diagnosed CFS/ME but was unable to offer any treatment except pain killers and “pacing” which had very limited results. I was determined that ME was not going to rule my life and kept working full time. However it soon became apparent that I would have to reduce my workload and thanks to a very supportive boss I managed to keep working. Unfortunately in January this year I had to reduce my workload still further and was feeling so exhausted that I had no energy for home life – I would be lying on the sofa falling asleep each evening – no fun for me or my family. I could see no end to the ME and felt as if I had no control – really I was just waiting for it to end without knowing when or how that would happen.
Just before Easter my sister told me about someone in her village who had been to see Sarah for Lightning Process and how successful it had been. A little research on the internet and a phone call to Sarah soon persuaded me to give it a go, which I did the week before Easter. This was the best thing I have done as it has completely changed my life. I no longer consider myself to have ME – I am now just very, very unfit and tire easily after over a year of very little activity. However I am pain free, can now do twelve minutes on my exercise bike, walk on the beach for hours at a time, go out for meals with friends and stay up late and still have energy the next day. I have just been to Edinburgh for the weekend with friends – we walked for eight hours with only two half hour food stops and then went out for a meal till nearly midnight – unthinkable only a few weeks ago.
Lightning Process has given me the tools to be active and cope with tiredness – lovely, normal tiredness and not ME exhaustion. Yes, it is sometimes an effort to do the process but it is always worth it – my girls feel that they have their mum back and my husband can't believe how well I am. My thanks to Sarah – I will always be grateful for her help and support.
3 months later Sally reported:
I am now fully recovered - back to a normal workload at school, doing exercise classes, socialising madly as I am catching up on the last 18 months and really just being a normal person again!
Sally - Tyneside
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It's amazing. I'd been ill for about 4 years and it was only at the end of last year that I was diagnosed with ME. When I first heard about the Lightning Process I wasn't sure if it was something I wanted to do, I was fed up of seeing all these doctors and people and them not being able to help me. So I didn't want to put my trust in it, in case the same thing happened again. But I read all the testimonials of other people that had recovered from ME and the results sounded so amazing that I thought it was definitely worth doing.
My mum and I went up to see Sarah and it was a long car journey but well worth it! Sarah came to see us at the house we where staying in the next day, she was so nice and friendly that it was fun doing the Lightning Process. It is something you have to be completely sure you want to do and be dedicated to but the effects are amazing. After the first 2 sessions I felt so much brighter and had some energy already! We went out for a walk after Sarah had gone and went to the pub that evening too. When we got back I managed to run up the stairs!! I hadn't been able to do that for years! It was great!
On the second day after the sessions we went into Darlington, went shopping and had a pizza it was so much fun as I felt great and had the energy to do it all! That evening when we got back I went for a run! I haven't been able to go out for a run for years it was so great! The next day I got up and went for another run before breakfast! I couldn't remember I time when I'd had so much energy. I had my final session with Sarah and it went really well. Since I've been back home I've ridden my horse, ridden my bike, played tennis, been running most days (though I've had to take it a bit easy so my muscles can catch up with me!), been out with friends, sleepovers, done some school work and hopefully will be back at school really soon and I cant wait! Thank you soooooooooooooo much Sarah for everything!
Two Weeks later:
I'm back at school now its sooo great! Bit tired but I know it's natural!! Thank you so much!
Flavia - Wiltshire
Flavia's Mum - Ellie: My daughter, Flavia, aged 14, is now free of M.E. thanks to Sarah and the Lightning Process. Flavia had been ill for nearly 4 years and we had been floundering around for most of that time trying to find the answers to all her symptoms. She had so many tests and supplements and food sensitivities and even a tooth removed to rid her body of mercury in the filling (all of which, in itself, was very stressful to her). She was diagnosed with M.E. in Dec 05 and it was that “label” that led to us hearing about the LP.
A chance conversation with a neighbour told us of a boy in our village that had recovered using LP so we researched LP and found Sarah's website. Flavia was anxious about seeing yet another person about her health but after reading the accounts of some people who had success with LP she was happy to go ahead. Sarah was so nice on the telephone and made sure that Flavia was determined to do the LP and then suggested places to stay (we live in Wilts.) We opted for the cottage in Gainfield, just outside Darlington which was perfect and Sarah came to us for the sessions.
She was extremely understanding and very good at explaining the process and Flavia grasped it very quickly. After a day of pretty intensive work, Flavia was already feeling better and looked much brighter, although pretty tired (but not her usual exhausted self). That evening we went for a walk by the river and Flavia felt the urge to climb a tree! That night she went to sleep at 11pm instead of her usual 3.00am and woke at 8am – not seen for a very long time! The second day was shorter, reinforcing the day before and by the time Sarah left, Flavia was doing really well. We went shopping in Darlington and had lunch out and then we went for another walk by the river and then Oh My God Flavia went for a jog!! On the phone that evening, Flavia's father couldn't believe the difference in Flavia – her voice had changed. Another good night's sleep and Flavia was up on the 3rd day and out for a run before breakfast. Sarah arrived for the last session and was so good at helping Flavia with how to deal with future challenges (which includes returning to school). We left Gainford knowing that we had 2 hours of follow-up phone calls with Sarah, so we have fantastic on-going support. FLAVIA LEFT GAINFORD WITHOUT M.E.
I'm writing this 12 days after coming home from Darlington and Flavia has continued to thrive. She has been sleeping well, ridden her horse, jogged, been out with her friends, played tennis, I can't stop her. She has started to do some school work at home with the hope that she can go back full time in about 2/3 weeks.
I hope that if you're reading this, you will go ahead and learn the Lightning Process with Sarah and change your life. It's changed ours!
Thank you so much to Sarah.
Two Weeks later:
Flavia is now back at school.
Ellie (Flavia's Mum)
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"Will it work for a 62 year old?"
"Will it work for someone who has had ME since 1989?"
Thank God it did!
Immediately after the last session with Sarah on July 19th I went for a walk on the
local Moor applying the LP technique every few steps.
I only walked for about 7 or 8 minutes but on my return I knew it had worked. Walking
had always been my Achilles Heel ever since the ME started. It was always over-walking which brought on a relapse.
After this first walk on the Moor I knew it was all over. I doubled my walking on day
two and doubled it again on day three, applying LP all along the way.
After about two weeks of using LP it was no longer necessary. Now I KNOW I am
well and fully recovered. I now take regular 1/2 hour walks almost daily without having to
apply the LP any more, and all symptoms of fatigue have disappeared. Now I only
feel tired; a healthy tiredness.
We had not planned a holiday for this summer thinking I would be incapable of
going anywhere and doing anything. But the recovery between 19th July and 31st
July was so dramatic that we immediately booked a farmhouse cottage in Wales
and spent the best part of two weeks touring and walking.
Thank you Sarah for being so sensitive and patient as you guided us through the LP
steps.
Abraham Hassan -
Salford, Lancs
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Hi, I'm Megan age 13 and I had M.E. for 2 years. It started with a virus and I just didn't get better. I saw lots of doctors and a nutritionist who put me on a strict candida diet for a year, it was really hard, but I was very determined! It helped my immune system but I didn't recover from M.E. I heard about the Lightning Process in the AYME magazine and contacted a girl called Chloe who had done the Lightning Process and no longer had M.E. My Mum took me to see Sarah and over 3 days I learnt the Lightning Process. It was pretty easy but I did find a few things difficult to understand, but Sarah and my Mum helped me. It's a week on and I'm feeling great, I have bags of energy and I'm always hyper. Having energy has really changed my life around, before when I was doing M.E. I was always tired but now I have more energy than I can remember, I feel like a new person as if I had been reborn! I still have aches and headaches and my concentration isn't brilliant but I'm getting there, the aches in my legs have improved and I'm doing more than I'm used to, out with my friends and having fun. The headaches used to last all day, but now I get about 1 a day. And all that is just after a week. I can't imagine how I'm going to feel after a month! I'm now on my way to be doing all the things I've missed, back at school, shopping with friends etc. For 2 years I've been so looking forward to the day I'm out and about doing everything a normal person does, and now I am free at last, there's no more M.E. (miserable existence) coming my way!!!
Megan - West Yorkshire
Megan's Mum - Vicky: Hello I'm Megan's Mum, it's a week since Megan leant the Lightning Process with Sarah and things are looking great. The process is simple once it's explained to you. Megan applied it to her life and has seen the benefits. It's not a quick fix as she has to be consistent and put the work in but because the results are so quick it's really rewarding and makes you want to work at doing the Lightning Process well. I feel that Megan is starting to live the life she wants to live. It's hard for me to imagine how ill she was when I see her leaping about the place now. I can't wait to do all the things we've missed out on as a family with Megan being actively involved. I may regret saying this after this weekend as she is having a sleepover with 5 of her noisy friends!
Two months later:
Megan is back at school full-time.
Vicky (Megan's Mum)
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Dear Sarah, I would like to let you know how grateful I am for all your help with Lauren. As you know, before we came I was quite sceptical about the therapy and could not understand how the effects could be as immediate as others were claiming. My concerns about what the treatment entailed and whether Lauren would be left feeling let down and the effect that would have upon her were however allayed the first day that we met you. Having already been through CBT and it having gone totally over a then nine year old child's head and having a totally negative effect, I was concerned that this may occur with the LP too. I was however proved wrong. You are a natural at setting people at ease and working with children in a friendly way that they can understand and relate to.
Lauren has lost almost two years of her childhood as a result of this awful illness. I felt out of control and very down myself, watching her childhood pass her by. On the day we arrived, Lauren was virtually unable to go out without her wheelchair. By the end of the first day my shopaholic ten year old enjoyed an hour and a half walk round the shops, something she has not been able to do in almost two years. She got to sleep in 5 minutes instead of 3 hours, was up early the next day and full of beans. Having been unable to read even a children's large print book she read OK magazine from cover to cover. To say I was amazed at the effect the LP had on her is an understatement. The progress continued, on the second day she ran round a castle, calling at me to keep up! The third day she enjoyed a day out at the seaside and lots of walking.
I saw Lauren get her life back over those few days, which was truly amazing. She returned to school full time having hardly been able to manage half an hour home tutoring. Seeing her do something as normal as go to school with her friends after so long left me in tears. A big change from ending up in tears before seeing her friends doing such a small thing as walking to school knowing how miserable Lauren was not being able to be a part of what should be her everyday life. On her first day back she took part in her class assembly and went swimming. Less than 3 weeks after the LP she completed a 4 mile sponsored walk to benefit other young ME sufferers without any problems (in the pouring rain).
We are now about a month on and Lauren is continuing to live the life of a happy ten year old child. I remain stunned at the transformation. Lauren of her own accord talks about her ME in the past tense, she hardly ever has to actively use the LP any more, she is just getting on with her life, which is all I ever hoped for.
There is a lot of scepticism and cynicism out there about LP and I have to admit I had very real doubts myself before we saw you. What helped me was speaking to other sufferers and carers who had personal experience of LP and who it had worked for. I have now seen with my own eyes a total transformation of my daughter from a debilitated, virtually housebound child to a child who is full of energy living life to the full again within days of having seen you.
I cannot thank you enough. If you wish to use this letter for others to consider I have no problem with that at all. Thanks again.
Feedback 10 months later:
Lauren has remained ME free.
Carol-Anne (Lauren's Mum) - Huddersfield
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It gives me great pleasure to endorse "The Lightning Process". I had this illness for twenty two years and after three days with Sarah I feel a different person. All I can say to anyone with ME is that you have nothing to lose and so much to gain GO FOR IT.
Sydney
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If you are looking at this website for the first time, you may be thinking as I did, this cannot be true, if so why is anyone still suffering? The answer is that people have not looked, or they see and do not believe.
I decided to take a chance and give L.P. a try and now less than two weeks later I am wanting to tell you all who read this what a wonderful life changing experience I have been through.
The treatment and technique was so easy to do because it was all about me and my body. When I say that I am talking about my physical body and my mind working together in a positive way to achieve the goals that I have set for myself.
L.P. prompted me to look within myself at the emotional blocks that I had created over 50 years; things that I had never dealt with, that had been pushed down inside me. Other life events added to these things over the years and eventually disempowered me from taking control of my own thoughts and feelings. Following surgery 5 years ago, I felt helpless and my energy became trapped inside. All I could see was an illness that I could not recover from, but by talking to Sarah and her using EFT on these long gone experiences I not only relaxed and released my energy, but I set myself free.
Believe me when I tell you that I feel fantastic. I have become a new person with a positive and fresh attitude towards the future, and in case you are wondering how I was before L.P. then I am pleased to say that my "Disabled" badge, my wheelchair and my lifestyle of the last 5 years are now things of the past.
I sincerely believe that if you want to set yourself free, and recover your life, give Sarah a call and take the first step towards a new beginning.
Thank you Sarah and thank you Steve who heard about L.P. on the radio and told me about it.
Lucy
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I had originally been diagnosed by a consultant and after 3 years was virtually housebound, only being able to drive a short distance on a good day and often having trouble walking around the house. Before going to see Sarah, having tried other treatments, I had reached the stage where I would have tried anything to improve my situation and after hearing the Radio 2 Jeremy Vine Lightning Process report, it seemed it could be the answer, but at the back of my mind, totally unbelievable. However, with my husband's encouragement, I decided to take the plunge.
After the first session with Sarah, my mindset was transformed. Having arrived in a wheelchair, I was able to walk back to the car park and arriving at our hotel, my husband parked in the normal disabled bay, but I told him to park in a normal space, as I was no longer disabled! In view of my improvement, on the next day after my appointment, we went shopping in Darlington for an hour, without the wheelchair. Having returned home, I was able to go food shopping the next morning unaided for the first time in years! I felt fine, no wobbly legs or confusion, just a few aches in my legs from lack of use.
My daughter had a major operation while we were in Darlington. A week later, we had her, her partner and 3 and 1/2 year old daughter for a week's stay. Amazingly, I survived it well, and only had one ‘wobble' mid-week. Yes, I was very tired, but not fatigued.
I felt able to do much more than I ever could: driving my car again; going for short walks; doing some housework; chatting on the ‘phone, all without any ill-effects! The pains in my limbs, neck and right side had gone, too. Also, I completed a 3/4 hour drive to see my parents and sister, who couldn't believe the change in me! My husband would like to add that he's now got his wife back!
Gina writes 6 weeks later:
We have had our first holiday without ME. This time we were able to go out much more and even walked around Plymouth shopping for 3 hours one day which was tiring, but I coped well.
I really feel that I no longer have ME and have my life back. Sarah has been very supportive on the couple of times I've telephoned and reassured me on one occasion. Things have been fine since.
Life is so wonderful now that I have no hesitation in recommending Sarah and the Lightning Process to anyone who is ready for a different approach and willing to commit to it.
4 months later:
I'm now 100% fit and well again.
One year on:
It seems unbelievable that I have reached this milestone. This last year has been so different, in a very good way. I have rejoined the local art club and doing my voluntary work again. It's wonderful to have a full social/family life without wondering if I will be well enough. Also, I am going to start cycling again, which I haven't done for years. Basically, I'm fine, a normal well person.
I don't need to do the LP exercise very often, but it's good to have it as a back-up, not because I fear ME is returning. I am living proof that there is a way out of ME!
Gina
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Yes! It worked for me. I had my doubts beforehand because I'd tried so many things and nothing seemed to help. At the time I started the LP I could only walk a few yards and was sleeping more than 12 hours a day. I was scared I wouldn't make it through the first day's instruction, but the improvement started from Day 1.
My doctor had wanted to put me on steroids to 'kick-start' my immune system and give me more energy but agreed to let me try the LP first; he was astonished to hear that after just a week I was walking 10-15 minutes a day (in the middle of the summer heatwave) and only taking one short nap in the day.
Now, four months later, I am doing all my own cooking, I can walk comfortably for half an hour a day. I am driving after six years off the road and can manage two appointments in the day in addition to my regular daily tasks.
Thank you, Sarah, for the gentle, patient and encouraging way in which you taught the LP and for being so flexible about the arrangements. Most of all, thank you for giving me back my life!
Dee
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All testimonials have been displayed with the permission of the owner.
What others have said:
June 2007: I've been well since I saw you in June last year - so thank you so much for that!
Everything's going great! Thank you so very very much. You are a saving angel!
Life seems much lighter and I now look forward and don't go into that dark place anymore. I'm getting fitter, losing weight and looking healthier than I have for a very long time. I admire your work and the depth of understanding you show with your clients and I'm sure you'll continue to help many more people. It's a special kind of person who gives of themselves to help others. A big thank you from one who will never forget or underestimate the magnitude of what you are achieving.
Thank you very much for being such an excellent trainer and therapist, for helping me to find my pride and power, for showing me I can "do" choice, and most of all... for being you, Sarah. With love, thanks and respect.
Dear Sarah, I am writing to say a huge THANK YOU for your LP training enabling me to get my life back 'on track' after 3 and 1/2 years of ME. I woke up this morning buzzing with energy and the joy of life and coached myself to do housework - to very loud music! My family are thrilled - this has affected more than my life - my family's as well. The training was hard work but good fun too. So again 'Thank You'.
I don't know how to begin to thank you for everything. The results are beyond my wildest dreams. I didn't expect to be doing normal so quickly. Thank you so so much.
Thank you so much for helping me to get me energy and life back. Words can't say just how grateful I am.
I just wanted to drop you a quick line to say how well I'm doing. I have been doing consistently 'normal' stuff since I left you on Wednesday and it's been wonderful!! Having all this time is taking a bit of getting used to, I can't get over how much I can do compared to before....... I am also finding I am doing the process less as the days have gone on. Anyway, just wanted to say thank you and to let you know you have another success story on your hands!
I can't tell you what a difference the process has made to our lives.
It's been life-changing!
Sarah I am absolutely delighted with the course and the positive benefits I am experiencing. I am very grateful to you. Keep up the good work!
It has been so wonderful to be trained by someone who has been there themselves.
It has clarified so much.
It feels good, my future at last feels good. I just wanted you to know how very much I value your help and understanding.
Thank you so very much for being so wonderful through this process. I'm now all set for good health, energy and a full and happy life.
Thank you for all your help - feeling much better!
I'm now 100% fit and well again.
Thanks for your help during this journey to good health - I'm feeling stronger every day!
Have a fab festive season - I know I am thanks to your training!
I just wanted to say a big thank you for all the help you have given me, I can finally look forward to the future rather than worrying about what the next day may bring me. Keep up the excellent work!
It was lovely to meet you and thank you for all your help, kindness and understanding. Thank you for making such a difference to so many people.
We were impressed how professional you have been from the moment we met you and how high the standard of training was.
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