Recovery programs at a glance

Dr. Martina Melzer, updated: 10/04/2024

I would like to give a small overview here. Since other people already share very good information about these programs, or at least about a part of them, I will be brief and link to the sources I know.

 Important: There are more programs than the ones I list here! I'm only sharing a selection here, but that doesn't mean that I don't think anything of the other programs. It would only go beyond the scope. And new ones are added all the time. I also can't judge what advantages and disadvantages the programs have. I myself have only done ANS Rewire during my recovery journey.

Founder: Dan Neuffer. An Australian physicist, he himself had ME/CFS, POTS and fibromyalgia for seven years. Through intensive scientific research, he hypothesized the disease mechanism. This helped him recover and was the basis of his ANS Rewire program. Neuffer has also written the books „CFS Unraveled“ and „Discover Hope“.

Structure: The program is designed for people with ME/CFS, POTS, fibromyalgia, MCS and related syndromes. It takes a multimodal approach, consisting of a biomedical approach that focuses on exercise, nutrition, and treatment of the physical problems. In addition, there is a mind-body approach, the core of which is neuroplasticity ( = brain training, see more at the end of the article). This addresses psychological, emotional and physical stressors that one retrains. The program consists of over 40 instructional videos, exercises, meditations, there is an opportunity to ask questions. One can start the program at any time.

Website:
https://ansrewire.com/

Dan Neuffer's story:
https://cfsunravelled.com/dan-neuffers-cfs-recovery-story/

Success Stories:
https://ansrewire.com/testimonials/

Experiences and more:
Heal with Liz:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkQhg6CLjII
The Puzzle of Healing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2HXCl6RlXs

Founder: Rebecca Tolin. The former U.S. TV news reporter herself had ME/CFS for 13 years and ultimately healed herself through a mind-body approach. Tolin is a mind-body coach with numerous qualifications. She has compiled everything she learned during her own recovery journey and in many continuing education courses into the Be Your Own Medicine course.

Structure: This is an 8-week live course. It is designed for people with various syndromes, which Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS) founder Dr. John Sarno understands to include ME/CFS, Long Covid, Fibromyalgia, POTS, migraine, unexplained back pain, interstitial cystitis and irritable bowel syndrome. The course includes live sessions, question-and-answer sessions, meditations, handouts, and a private course community for sharing, among other things.

There is an on-demand version of her course. You can start anytime.

Website:
https://www.rebeccatolin.com/course

Rebecca Tolin's story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAQW2BS2TRg

Success Stories and Experiences:
Success stories or testimonials on Rebecca´s Youtube channel and website.

Founder: Toby Morrison. An Australian, he developed ME/CFS at age 16 and became bedridden. His recovery journey took 4 years. A multimodal approach helped him get better. His findings are the basis of the program. He also wrote the book, „Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Guide to Recoery“.

Structure: The program lasts at least 6 months and is designed for people with ME/CFS, POTS, fibromyalgia, and postviral fatigue. The program is designed to help people determine their baseline, and there are explanatory videos on diet, exercise, mindset, etc. Coaches guide participants and there are weekly conversations and Q&A sessions. There is a private online community on Facebook. The program is also available as an app and you can start it anytime.

Website:
https://www.cfshealth.com/

Toby Morrison's story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPl77n4KqDM

Success Stories:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZwMeaMI7H8&list=PLVAucNjUKbAStib-m49wR2NUoaxGoZvPy

Experiences and more:
I haven´t found English ones so far.

Founder: Miguel Bautista.

Miguel's story: https://healwithliz.com/miguels-full-recovery-from-severe-me-cfs-and-pots/

Structure: The program is primarily aimed at people with ME/CFS and chronic fatigue. According to the program page, you go through various modules within the first four weeks, there is a community, zoom calls and coaches. The program is expected to last a total of 12 months. There are ten spots per month to take part in.

Website: https://www.cfsrecovery.co/

There are plenty of testimonials on Miguel's website and YouTube channel - and if you google it.

Founder: Annie Hopper. Hopper herself had unexplained symptoms, syndromes and sensitivities for years and healed herself with brain training exercises she did daily, targeting the limbic system. From this, she developed the DNRS program. She wrote the book „Wired for Healing“.

Structure: DNRS stands for "Dynamic Neural Retraining System" and is designed to be helpful for ME/CFS, Long Covid, POTS, multi-chemical sensitivity, depression, anxiety, PTSD, fibromyalgia, mast cell activation syndrome and other conditions. The program focuses on the brain's ability to adapt - neuroplasticity. Chronic stress and trauma alter the activity of the limbic system, which is part of our emotional brain. DNRS is designed to bring it back into balance. You can start the program at any time, you have access to the 12 modules for a year, there is a manual, an online community and the opportunity to get coaching or join an online support group.

Website:
https://retrainingthebrain.com/

Success Stories:
https://retrainingthebrain.com/success-stories/

Experiences and more:
Heal with Liz:
https://healwithliz.com/going-on-imaginary-dream-vacations-gave-me-my-life-back/
The Honest Spoonful:
https://thehonestspoonful.com/dnrs-program-my-story-and-review/
Georgina's Journey:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EmcykHw8Rk

Founders: Professor Howard Schubiner and Hal Greenham. Australian psychotherapist Hal Greenham suffered from chronic pain, fibromyalgia and ME/CFS for years himself and healed himself through a mind-body approach. US physician and scientist Howard Schubiner also struggled with back pain for years and cured it through a mind-body approach. Their findings and experiences with patients and clients are the basis of the program. Schubiner has written several books, including "Unlearn your Pain" and "Unlearn your Anxiety and Depression."

Structure: The program runs for 10 weeks and consists of weekly modules. It focuses exclusively on the mind-body approach, with inner child work, brain training, working through repressed emotions, explainer videos, therapeutic writing, meditations. One has access to a private Facebook group and the options to book therapists to join. The access is valid for one year. The program can be started at any time in self-study. It is aimed at people who, according to the understanding of the founders, have a mind-body syndrome, for example: ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic pain, migraine, depression, anxiety disorders, interstitial cystitis.

Website:
https://www.freedomfromchronicpain.com/

Hal Greenham's story:
https://www.freedomfromchronicpain.com/my-story/

Success Stories:
https://www.freedomfromchronicpain.com/testimonials/

Experiences and more:
The program is based on Dr. John Sarno's work on Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS).
Thank you, Dr. Sarno:
http://www.thankyoudrsarno.org/
TMS Wiki:
https://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/Success_Stories_by_Symptoms_&_Diagnoses

Founder: Ashok Gupta. Gupta had ME/CFS himself and recovered through a holistic approach. He believes that syndromes like ME/CFS are based on a dysfunction of the fear center in the brain, the amygdala, and the so-called insula. The insula, also called the insular cortex, is important for the perception of bodily sensations. Both physical and emotional stressors permanently trigger the amygdala, which then activates the autonomic nervous system, causing symptoms.

Structure: The program is designed for people with ME/CFS, Long Covid, Fibromyalgia, MCS, MCAS, Chronic Pain Syndromes, anxiety disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, SIBO, POTS, adrenal fatigue and chronic lyme disease. Like the other programs, the core is brain training to stimulate brain neuroplasticity. Gupta uses learning videos, meditations, visualizations and psychological techniques. There is a free one-month trial. The whole program runs for at least 6 months. There is an option to add coaches.

Website:
https://www.guptaprogram.com/

Interview with Ashok Gupta (The Puzzle of Healing, The Chronic Comeback):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8fKuSszk70&list=UUWQg__9VeFL-DejXdkRFURQ&index=13
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg2v6RPA7bk

Success Stories:
https://www.guptaprogram.com/success-stories/

Experiences and more:
CFS Survivors:
https://cfs-survivors.org/blog/2020/03/03/review-of-the-gupta-program-for-chronic-health-conditions/

Founders: Jennifer Mann and Karden Rabin. Mann is a yoga and Pilates teacher, coach, body and movement therapist and mind-body specialist. She herself has had ME/CFS, POTS, chronic pain and an anxiety disorder. She has recovered through a holistic, trauma-informed mind-body approach. Rabin is a massage therapist and bodyworker who overcame his chronic back pain through a combination of mind-body therapies and body-oriented trauma therapy.

Structure: The program is designed to help people with ME/CFS, POTS, Long Covid, fibromyalgia, digestive problems, anxiety disorders and chronic Lyme disease, among others. The 3-month program consists of 10 modules. The two founders take a holistic approach based on brain training, polyvagal theory, trauma-oriented therapies, inner child work and ways to find and develop oneself.

Info: The program was previously called CFS School and is now called Heal. There are other programs and services offered by Somia International.

Website:
https://somiainternational.com/heal/

Jennifer Mann's story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ65OCqlJqw

Karden's story can be found on the product page.

Success stories:
https://somiainternational.com/success-stories/

Founder: Jason McTiernan. McTiernan, like so many other founders, had ME/CFS, POTS and irritable bowel syndrome for 11 years. In order to get well again, he participated in a brain training program that helped and healed him furiously. He is a hypnotherapist and NLP trainer.

Structure: The program is designed to help people with ME/CFS, digestive problems, chronic pain syndromes, depression, anxiety disorders, etc. The program seems to focus only on brain training, but McTiernan provides little information. One can watch a webinar and then book a free 20-minute appointment with him.

Website:
https://icanthrive.com/

Jason McTiernan's story:
https://icanthrive.com/jason/
Raelan Agle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSEgDzlRlI4

Success Stories:
https://icanthrive.com/victory-stories/

Experiences and more: I am not aware of any at this time.

Founder: Phil Parker. Parker is an osteopath, hypnotherapist, coach and NLP trainer. He has done a lot of research on the mind-body relationship and from that developed the program to help people with chronic illnesses. Parker has also written a book on the Lightning Process.

Structure: The Lightning Process focuses on the mind-body relationship and relies on brain training techniques. This is intended to stimulate the brain's neuroplasticity. The program starts with an online seminar, then you have to choose an LP trainer, attend a 3-day seminar, from then on you apply what you have learned on your own and can get further coaching if needed.

Website:
https://lightningprocess.com/

Success Stories:
Phil Parker's YutTube channel, testimonials:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fROsdZfEo9s&list=PLaNFstNp99BJU9j7Vv8lOKhVjPd9BWKdw

Experiences and more:
Heal with Liz:
https://healwithliz.com/jodies-inspiring-cfs-recovery-story/

Founder: Lindsay Mitchell. A physician assistant and biologist by training, she herself struggled with lyme disease and other infections for years as a young adult. Brain training exercises and other things helped her get better. She is now also an NLP, EFT and TFT trainer.

Structure: Like the other programs, My Vital Side is oriented around brain training and neuroplasticity. It is designed to help people with a wide variety of syndromes such as ME/CFS, POTS, fibromyalgia, adrenal fatigue, Long Covid, chronic lyme disease, anxiety disorders, depression, autoimmune disorders, etc. There are several courses that consist of learning videos and physical and mental exercises. If I understand correctly, there is a beginner course and the other courses require you to purchase a membership over a period of time.

Website:
https://myvitalside.mn.co/
More about the courses:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/MG1-2oYCKyQ

Success Stories:
Can be found on the website.

Experiences and more:
Are not known to me so far.

Founder: Dr. Eleanor Stein. Dr. Stein is a psychiatrist and had ME/CFS, fibromyalgia and MCS herself for 28 years (!). She researches and works with people who have these and similar syndromes.

Structure: The program is designed for people with ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, Long Covid and MCS. The focus of this self-help course is on neuroplasticity and thus brain training. In addition, there is helpful instruction on pacing, sleep improvement, dealing with sensitivities, nutrition and stress reduction.

Website:
https://www.eleanorsteinmd.ca/pathways

Founder: Dr. Cathleen King. A U.S. physical therapist, King has had her own long journey with chronic infections, chronic fatigue and trauma. Brain training, trauma therapy and a holistic approach have helped her recover. She has compiled her findings in the Primal Trust program.

Structure: The program targets people with ME/CFS, Long Covid, PTSD, chronic infections, POTS, autoimmune and other conditions. It works very comprehensively and builds on different levels: Regulating, Integrating, Releasing. Through a variety of physical, emotional and mental techniques, one is to learn to regulate the nervous system, retrain the brain and find a meaningful life. Membership is required, which then provides access to coaches and a community in addition to the content. There are weekly question-and-answer sessions.

Website:
https://www.primaltrust.org/

Cathleen King's story:
Heal with Liz:
https://healwithliz.com/how-dr-cat-found-her-freedom-from-severe-cfs-and-lyme/
The Chronic Comeback:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcgPxi-upPs

Success Stories:
https://www.primaltrust.org/testimonials/

Experiences and more:
Haven't found any so far. I can only pass on from hearsay: Can be overwhelming due to the amount of content.

Founder: Ben Ahrens had chronic Lyme disease, ME/CFS and hypersensitivities. Conventional medicine did not help him. Then he came across Neuroplasticity and healed himself. He says he has been symptom-free for over 10 years.

Structure: The program focuses purely on neuroplasticity and retraining the brain. There are different pricing models with online course, live meetings, group coaching, etc.

Website:
https://re-origin.com/program/

Founder: Daniel van Loosbroek. A Dutch national, van Loosbroek had ME/CFS himself and recovered from it through a holistic approach.

Structure: The program is designed for people with ME/CFS, long covid, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, etc. It is a self-study. The program is divided into 13 modules, with a focus on brain training, emotions, mindfulness, behaviors, meditation and a new direction in life. There is a community.

Daniel's recovery story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tQitTkMq5I&t=645s

Website:
https://releasecfs.com/

Founder: Alex Howard. British Howard is a psychologist, coach and founder of the fatigue clinic "Optimum Health Clinic." Howard had ME/CFS himself as a teenager and young adult and healed himself through a holistic approach based on functional medicine, brain training and psychological techniques. He has written the books "Decode your Fatigue" and "Why Me?: My Journey from ME to Health and Happiness."

Structure: this is a 12-week self-study with weekly modules. Howard puts a lot of emphasis on education, mindset, mindfulness, meditations, methods to change emotions and behaviors. This is brain training, too.

Website:
https://alexhoward.teachable.com/p/the-reset-program

Success Stories:
Alex Howard's YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-17o35zmy8&list=PLV9_UwxKR5Fw215Svh95Cm5lwAwJ6Tz2M

Experiences and more:
I am not aware of anything about the program at this time. However, you can find many testimonials about the clinic. For example:
The Hope Boat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2jfNcb_n0g

Founder: Irene Lyon. Lyon, a Canadian, is a Somatic Experiencing trainer, Feldenkrais instructor, body therapist, and fitness and nutrition consultant. She healed her own health issues and trauma through a body-based approach - directly at the nervous system level.

Structure: SmartBody-SmartMind is a 3-month live online program that takes place twice a year. This is about neuroplasticity and brain training on a physical level, not a psychological one. Lyon explains the basics of the nervous system, trauma and how it relates to chronic disease. You learn a wealth of exercises, and there are question-and-answer sessions and live support. The program is geared toward people with all kinds of syndromes that Lyon says are based on a maladaptive autonomic nervous system.

Website:
https://smartbodysmartmind.com/

Irene Lyon's story:
https://smartbodysmartmind.com/meet-irene

Success stories:
https://smartbodysmartmind.com/participant-stories/

Experiences and more:
Irene Lyon also offers a 3-week course that you can start at any time that targets the basics. It is called "21-day Nervous System Tune-up."
https://21daytuneup.com/

Bottom line: Each program certainly has pros and cons, and I've heard of people who got well quickly with one program and those who didn't.

I recommend reading this article from Liz Carlson:
https://healwithliz.com/read-this-before-considering-a-neuroplasticity-program/

Liz Carlson and Lindsay Vine have created a recovery programs guide (19 USD):

https://healwithliz.com/our-programs-guide-is-finally-here/

Translated with the help of DeepL

Also, the content on this page is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for talking to your doctor or other therapist. Please talk to your doctor or therapist before making any decisions about your physical or mental health. Every way into a mind-body syndrome is something individual, and every way out.