Dear Maha, would you tell us a little bit more about yourself and your own personal journey that led you to what you are offering today.
Mine was and still is a journey of integration. Medical studies and self knowledge, Western medicine and alternative therapies, science and meditation.
The medical specialisation – physiatrist – was the most integrative domain of western medicine available at the time of my studies.
Do not mistake a physiatrist for a psychiatrist, a shrink. A physiatrist is a doctor for recuperation and rehabilitation, specialised in the application of physiotherapy, massage, physical movement, medicinal baths, spring waters, etc.
From early on, integration has been my focus: how do the theories and general laws manifest in the individual, what is specific versus what is common, how to harmoniously shift the way we think from reductionist, pharmacological to holistic, individualised approach. What is the role of one or the other.
In parallel with medical studies and hospital work I developed toward yoga therapy, Ayurveda, and meditation.
Later, the various needs of the individual suffering encouraged my specialiseation in homeopathy, behavioural medicine and psychotherapy.
Addressing symptoms in one single way – fever take a paracetamol – is simplistic and inaccurate. No individual is going to manifest or experience fever identically to others.
Today, we want to talk about pain during sex. But before we go into that specific area, can you talk a little bit about pain in general.
What is pain telling us? What can we learn when we listen to the pain? What is the difference between pain and suffering?
Nobody wants pain. Pain is the definition of the undesirable.
Under the doctor’s lens, pain is the perfected mechanism demanding the shift of our attention and resources. STOP your current engagements because the machine that keeps you alive requires protection and intervention.
Thus, when encountering pain, our minds urgently start the search for a solution.
Take a pill, investigate, find a treatment.
We rarely explore the painful sensation. Its undesirability sets our minds toward the fix or the emotional arousal.
Dare to explore the pain – its characters, patterns, location. This unpleasant knowledge is essential for finding the right individualised treatment.
A painkiller is a non-specific fix, does not address the root cause of the problem, it just covers it.
Emotional processing and harsh judgements will drown your healing resources. The stress of internal processing has a suppressing effect on the immune system and all self healing mechanisms.
Pain in its acute form is a friendly, protective though pretty vocal response.
The processing around the original pain, the anxious or judgemental processing transform it into suffering.
Pain perception and suffering are different and are addressed differently.
Pain requires medical attention, suffering is about self knowledge, personal development and actualisation.
What is a healthy way to deal with pain and ultimately find relief? When does it make sense to take pain killers?
Pain attention to the warning signal of the pain. Learn its modalities, its characters, the patterns of arising and of amelioration. At this point taking quickly a pain killer is like killing the messenger.
When the rapid resolution is not possible then take the pain killers.
Long term or high intensity, unpredictable pain signal can become a pathological factor in itself, a cause for disease. This is the starting point of a chronic pain syndrome.
When we look at pain during sex in particular, what are the most common reasons for this pain?
The causes for dyspareunia – pain during sex are enormous. They can be grouped in four main categories
- Injury
- Inflammation
- Functional problem – lubrication, hormonal, etc.
- Psycho somatic
Due to the sensitive quality of all intimacy problems it is estimated that only half of the actual complaints are reported, with even less investigated or addressed.
Pain during sex is a subject set to step instantly into the domain of suffering, confusion and conflict.
Not all such problems are based on trauma although traumatic storage can be the cause for development of seemingly unrelated complaints.
The subject of shame, guilt and relationships is aggravating and even an obstacle to cure.
If somebody comes to you with a particular problem, how do you get to the root cause of the issue and what is your approach to healing?
I start with a thorough anamnesis, gathering details of all complaints, from all levels – physiological, emotional, mental, social, relationship, spiritual.
We investigate the problem and the quality of the self healing mechanisms thoroughly from all directions.
Further tests and investigations might be required.
Full sincerity and disclosure, in a safe, non-judgemental space is foundational for healing. In this case it is important to identify and present especially the symptoms that seem contradictory, peculiar, strange, unique.
The human body has an innate intelligence and is able to heal itself when allowed to, when the obstacles to cure are removed.
So we set priorities and build the empowerment strategy for these self healing mechanisms
If somebody is inspired and wants to learn more from you, what possibilities are there? What kind of consultations do you offer?
My offers are online predominantly at the moment. Via my website or through direct referral.
These consultations are personalised, integrative and for with the body and the mind.
We address the main complaints and especially the improvement of the general condition of health and wellbeing.
The connection with spirituality and personal development is one of my most dear work. All that is personal development, values, meaning, purpose of life, spiritual practice or existential questioning will have a strong impact on health and healing.
My longer then 30 years experience with spiritual and religious communities is rich in inspiration and insight.
I am truly looking forward to our collaboration for your health, wellbeing and self-actualisation.