The Meaning of Truth: embrace your truth. create your life.

I had this book saved on my Wish List for quite some time. I had been watching Nicole’s video’s on Youtube ever since I discovered TMS.I was drawn to Dr. Sarno’s book The Mind Body Prescription and after getting validation of something I knew to be true which was, there is absolutely nothing wrong with my body and … I knew this for sure; Dr. Sarno just confirmed it for me and I was set free. However, I still experienced pain and so, I continued to pull up Youtube video’s to get nourishment and inspiration and then I found Steve Ozanich and Nicole Sachs. After watching testimonies of those who read Steve’s book, The Great Pain Deception, I bought that book and in the meantime, I saved Nicole’s book in my Wish List.The problem I had with Nicole’s book is that she used the word “Truth” in her title and that turned me off completely. Through all of my spiritual growth, in which I can secretly thank pain for opening me up to the discovery of myself, I’ve come to appreciate that Truth is nothing more than a belief that manifests into an experience. As soon as the belief changes, so does the truth and so truth is ever evolving as I evolve.Maybe I didn’t want to know the Truth about my pain. Maybe I was scared to be proven wrong in my ideas … my own beliefs. But pain is the gentle lover that will seduce me to keep moving forward and discover more about myself even though I am exhausted, tired, frustrated and so, so weak.And so I broke down and ordered Nicole’s book. I didn’t want to do it. I wanted to be “Healed” before I needed another tool to assist me in getting free from the pain. I just wasn’t there yet and I was getting weary. While Dr. Sarno and Steve Ozanich can craft a good book, they were coming from a guys perspective. How men process their life is mechanically different than the way women process their life. There is no judgment here … just an observation about the way the male mind works and the way a female mind works. I needed to hear from a woman and the fact that Nicole is a psychotherapist, was the bait that drew me in. By this time, I’m beginning to think that seeing a psychotherapist would support me but I had no idea where to turn to and so, I ordered Nicole’s book.There are some pro’s and a con to this book. Let’s look at the con first;I had a hard time getting into this book. While some of the reviews appreciated Nicole’s writing style as being like a conversation with her, I found her to babble a lot in the first half of the book. She spends a lot of babbling time assuring the reader that she is on their side and she is going to do everything in her power to prove her commitment to supporting the reader through their pain. It’s was nauseating to me. It felt like she wasn’t sure she would be able to convince the reader of her passion or her ability to offer support and the tools and so she went the extra mile in words to assure the reader. Ugh … just get on with it!With that being said, let’s get on with the pro’s;Her story was my story. I could identify with her as if she was sharing with the reader all of my thoughts, my pain and I found myself in tears a couple of times. I could completely relate to her and when she expressed that massage therapy on her back left her in more pain after the session than before the session that cinched it for me! I was cooked! I cannot tell you how many therapy treatments I have had in which I would surrender one more time to the hands of a soft tissue therapist, only to not be able to get up off of the table after wards; So, so disappointing. This is not something that I have ever shared freely with anyone because I knew if I did, I would be met with suggestions about seeking other help, so it became one of my secrets. Thank you Nicole for validation! … *sigh* …There is no scientific information in this book. Thank you very much!!! I don’t care about the science. I don’t need any facts. I just want someone with the emotional capacity to reach my soul and extract the elements that put up the road blocks. Science is not going to heal me. Emotional intelligence was going to show me the way.I fell in love with Nicole in this book. I fell in love with her gift and ability to reach inside the reader and touch that spot that needed scratched. She so gets the human mind and the tricks we play on ourselves. I could relate to her. While Dr. Sarno and Steve can give you all of the facts and research, Nicole understands the human emotions and the working mechanisms of the brain … the protective shields we put up in order to survive.There were a couple of touchstones in this book that I found to be a great comfort and I’d like to share them here with you;Page 149 … bottom paragraph of the page, “Translation: Human beings don’t need to see change, regardless of how we are convinced otherwise by our outcome-addicted culture. We need only to open ourselves to seeing our truths. Once we can clearly see ourselves and our situations without judgment, change will occur effortlessly, as appropriate for each of our lives.”The next paragraph quote relates to Journal Speak which Nicole will teach each of her readers to practice on a daily basis. In Journal Speak, the pain sufferer is encouraged to write from the depths of the soul to get out on paper that which wishes to be released. These are painful thoughts or ideas that in and of themselves are harmless but they cause conflict within that are too ugly to look at and so, we bury them because we are scared of what they can do. Nicole has given the reader permission to let it all out and set it free;Page 151 … Middle paragraph, “Tell your daughter you’re jealous of her, your husband you’re no longer attracted to his fat gut, your best friend that she’s too pretty for words. I’m gonna tell you a little secret that I promise will prove true for you in your journey; Once you say it, you often don’t feel it anymore. And then more will be revealed.”There is freedom in Journal Speak. Every day that the pain sufferer sits down and invites the demons permission to be set free, the writer discovers they are safe in letting out in a daily, sacred ceremony in which it is released and set free. Burn it, delete it and never look at it again. Once it is out, there is no need to revisit it ever again. Isn’t that good news?!This book was a delicious surprise for me. It was loaded with all of the juicy morsels that gave nourishment to my dry, parched search for freedom. I’m still in the process and thanks to Nicole, I’m assured that I am on the path to freedom with the tool of Journal Speak to help me clear away the debris and the rubble that is causing me to stumble or hold back.I leave this review with one more quote from the book. To me, it was the best news of all;“Once we see our truths and ourselves clearly, healing isn’t an effort. It’s a given”.That my lovely lights, is the best news of all.

Update October 2018 (long)It's been a few months since I began the JournalSpeak process. It was hard, at first, to keep doing this daily on blind faith that something would shift when nothing else ever worked. It seemed like weeks and weeks went by with no shifts. But I really kept the commitment to engage in the 20 minute JournalSpeak process on a regular basis (meaning nearly every day).I can't tell you when the change began, but I can tell you that I have experienced amazing changes in my life due to Nicole and her book, "The Meaning of Truth." Here are just a few:* Food sensitivities are reduced and I am able to tolerate more foods that I haven't been able to eat (some, for decades!), like sunburgers, tofu, carrots, green beans, hemp seeds, cabbage, and apples.* I began going to 9Round kickboxing gym and loving it! I went just because I felt a tremendous urge to punch something about six weeks ago, but then, I fell in love with it. You have to understand that I am diagnosed with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, migraines, dizziness, IBS-C, herniated discs, spasms in my neck, leg pain, and much more.I was barely able to do a 20 minute walk previously and every time I tried any type of weight training or workout, my leg or neck would spasm and cause a migraine immediately!In fact, three weeks after joining, I got a migraine (see next bullet point) and I went to the gym DESPITE having it! And I felt a bit better after, which shocked me. The trainer is great and gives me dumbed down versions of the exercises, but I'm kicking and punching and even doing a squat challenge of 25 a day with NO PAIN. Before, I couldn't even do T'ai Chi or ChiGong due to pain in my knees.You truly have to understand that I was so sedentary and felt imprisoned by the pain and fatigue I experienced. I was so afraid of triggering the pain. Now, I'm a month into exercising, three times a week, and I feel powerful in a way I never have before. But without Dr. Sarno, Nicole's book, and the JournalSpeak method, I would never have believed I could do this. In fact, I wouldn't have even considered such a ridiculous idea! I'm 63, after all!* I went six weeks without a migraine recently and when I got one, it lasted four days and only one day used fioricet (whereas my usual frequency of headaches is every 10 days, lasting for five hard days). And this was even after going to work out on day three of the migraine.* Over the past few years, I was in extreme gut pain after eating nearly anything. A few months ago, I reduced to half the medication I've been taking to relieve nerve pain, but it hadn't been working that well anyway, prior to starting this work. Now, even on half, I rarely experience severe gut pain, and more often, no gut pain at all.* I'm able to weep, sob, and feel my feelings. Truly, JournalSpeak has shown me that weeping is a miracle cure. I realized that I was told feeling wasn't ok as a child, and spent my life shoving down feelings. And so, I suffered from various addictions and ill health. With each addiction I recovered from, my brain took it out more on my body. All to keep me from feeling my feelings.This is the real power of JournalSpeak and I'm convinced it's the real reason I'm healing. The more I cry and rage in my 20 minute daily sessions, the more I dig deeper into what I feel, the stronger my body becomes and my symptoms recede. Some days, I can't reach down into the pain, and so I just do what I can, knowing there is an inner therapist helping me. What a revelation to learn that it's ok to feel my feelings and that the pain is not bottomless.I am not yet fully healed. I still have flareups. I'm still dizzy and have some health issues that haven't improved at all. For instance, the "C" in my IBS-C hasn't really budged. But my quality of life has vastly improved and my attitude around my symptoms has profoundly changed. Like going to the gym, where there is blaring music, despite the migraine.And also, I take NO supplements at all other than some trace minerals in my water.I am not expecting a complete cure. But I am overjoyed with the progress I have made.So, thank you, Dr. Sarno, for giving me the knowledge I needed to heal. And bless you, Nicole, for giving me the very specific instructions on how to do so.After spending tens of thousands of dollars chasing cures in medical treatments, therapies, supplements, tests, and alternative practices and practitioners, NOTHING budged. I never experienced ANY real relief for more than a day or two. This is the first time there's been a palpable difference in my health and it's all because of a few books and videos that changed my life.I urge you to read "The Meaning of Truth" if you are in chronic pain or if you have invisible illnesses that seem to have no viable treatment. I was a complete skeptic after so many broken promises of guaranteed cures. So I can't tell you for sure that this will work for you. All I can say is that it is working for me when nothing else would.**********ORIGINAL REVIEWLet me start by saying I love this book because it has given me a clear and simple path to healing. Now let me explain how I found the book and why it's the best one for me (and for anyone who needs a simple, clear explanation for how to implement Dr. Sarno’s treatment plan). This is really more than a book review, but this whole TMS journey for those of us suffering from it is complicated. And this book has been a game changer for me.I'm 63 and have suffered with TMS symptoms and equivalents since I was a child (I know this now). After reading John Sarno's books a few months ago and watching his DVD, I was convinced that this was my story. The problem with Dr. Sarno's books (I have Divided Mind, Healing Back Pain (plus DVD), and MindBody Prescription) is that he tells you the basics of how to journal to get to those deeply suppressed emotions, but I was still left confused about how to actually do it.In seeking help, I stumbled onto a couple of websites and groups. They were great but filled with so much information and so many ideas and options that I quickly became overwhelmed. In looking at other TMS authors’ books, I felt they all added their own (complicated) spin and a lot more “stuff” to Dr. Sarno's simple idea.All I wanted was clear instructions on how to do the journaling Dr. Sarno recommends. And then, I came across a YouTube video by a guy named Joe Tunon (just search YouTube for “Joe Tunon TMS”). EUREKA! The video blew me away because he talked about Nicole Sachs and how she gave him the missing piece as to how to do the journaling! (And his story is quite amazing as well.)I immediately watched Nicole's free videos and just loved her sincere and impassioned presentation ... and the single-mindedness of her approach. A few days later, I bought her book, “The Meaning of Truth.” The videos definitely give you all you need to know to get started. But it's great having the information in written form and there is even more detailed instruction in the book.Nicole worked hand-in-hand with Dr. Sarno. And she firmly believes, based on her own experience and that of so many people she's worked with, that this type of journaling (she calls it "JournalSpeak”) holds the key to healing from TMS.I am highly skeptical about such things, having been on a long journey to overcome my disabling symptoms for many years. And I’ve been very resistant to journaling in the past because it just seemed like rambling on and getting nowhere when I tried it. I’m even in a twelve-step program that encourages you to journal to connect with your inner child and loving parent, etc., so I knew there was value in digging deep down, but I just couldn’t make it happen until I found Nicole’s work.JournalSpeak is something entirely different than anything I’ve tried before. And it’s so brilliantly simple to do. But it does take willingness to feel your feelings and the effort to do it consistently.It’s been about six weeks that I’ve been doing this work (nearly every day). I’ve definitely seen some progress with my symptoms, but have experienced amazing relief and insights around my emotions. My symptoms are longstanding and not primarily back and neck issues. I have fibro, CFIDS, IBS, migraines, chronic dizziness, and more. But I know they are all just symptoms of TMS.Since doing this work, I’ve gone longer in-between migraines and have been able to eat a few foods I’ve not tolerated for years without experiencing gut pain. That’s astonishing. And this process has finally allowed me to cry without trying to hold it back.I’m still resistant, but I’m beginning to look forward to my daily JournalSpeak sessions as a safe haven for connecting with, and releasing, negative emotions. I laugh sometimes as I tell my husband I’m going off for my daily wail and sob now. I don’t think about how long it’s going to take to get well though. I know that it took me decades to get into this mess and it will take some time to repair it. I just know that this is the medicine I need.Nicole has a clear, straightforward writing style. I know some have been put off by it. But I wasn’t. I felt as if she was speaking to me. She writes in a direct and simple manner that gets the point across. That's all I need. And she’s bluntly honest, which I really appreciate.So, this is not a book to read and move on to the next thing. It’s a book to take to heart and put her instructions into practice. At first, I thought I would break apart from the emotions I felt. Now, I feel unnerved when my session finishes with just a few ripples. Where are those buried emotions!?“The Meaning of Truth” doesn’t offer a quick fix or painless solution. It’s not for the faint of heart. And it’s definitely not for you if you want an entire toolbox of ideas to choose from. But if you want one incredibly powerful tool that you can begin using right away that will change your life, look no further.

The shortcut to reading this book is to study her videos about healing chronic pain parts 1-4. Ms Sachs has a talent for writing in a way that you can feel her holding your hand through this journey with love in her heart for all who will accept her gifts. I was actually sold on buying this book from the one star reviews that complained about her foul language. I think that adds to her humanity and realism. The difference between this and Dr Sarno's book is his reads like a textbook written by a doctor and hers is in a language that is well communicated and makes for a more enjoyable read, which ultimately results in us getting the most out of it. More likely to have success. Thank you Nicole! I am a new, huge fan!

Nicole makes you feel like a friend, an equal because she is. She had her own debilitating pain when she was in Collage and soon met Dr. John Sarno and was cured of what doctors described as a lifelong affliction that would leave her at least handicapped. After training with Dr. Sarno Nicole has made it her life's purpose to help others with chronic pain and other afflictions. I myself was diagnosed with severe Sciatica with pain from my back to all down my leg with buzzing, cramping, and numbness due to what doctors said was a bulging disc. Come to find out later that a lot of people my age, over 40, have bulging discs with most with no pain. I have good insurance and tried a year of everything mainstream and alternative short of surgery with at best only temporary and very mild relief. I then found the books of Dr. Sarno and then a month later Nicole Sachs. I have implemented her easy methods consistently and now I am at least 95% pain-free and sometimes 100%. I have told my friends and family about this truth and have witnessed amazing results with all.

Nicoles book has made it a lot more simple. Having had Tms from a young age with a few symptoms I developed pain at age 29. I only discovered john sarnos work last year. I wish I'd have found it sooner! His work along with Steve ozanich's work got me some of the way but it was Nicoles book that got me there! Specifically how to translate your everyday moaning and worries etc into what it actually means through her journal speak method. This is no hokey science, this is the new science of how pain and many other symptoms can develop. I'm almost there with my healing about three months after picking up this book and watching her videos online. Please realise that modern medicine theory around physical pain which is generally accepted by the lay person is just that! Theory! Thankyou Nicole for giving me the tools and the belief that I can recover from all of my wacky and weird symptoms!

The explanations and understanding within this book changed my life and gave me the way to heal. This book has contributed so much to my healing and it remains a valued source of encouragement and information for me. I found I gained a full understanding and acceptance of TMS by reading John Sarno's book The Mind Body Prescription first, followed by The Great Pain Deception by Steven Ozanich which deepened my understanding of the condition and how it was showing up in my life. I found The Meaning of Truth by Nicole Sachs very helpful to add to my understanding of the condition and to give me powerful ways to heal and stay healthy. These are all books to read and re-read. Be prepared, you may be challenged but read with an open mind and you may find yourself on the pages - I did. I highly recommend these books to anyone who has chronic illness and or pain.

I love the author and she speaks really well and from an impressive depth of knowledge. I found the book banal and basically the message is pain is held in the body, write about it or as she calls it Journal Speak - this is just a way to monetise writing in a book. There is a free lesson on her website if you can bear the 5 day email onslaught that follows with the click thoughs taking you down a sales funnel of resolving urls.Overall waste of money - the awful title should have been a giveaway really.

I loved this book because I didn’t realise I had TMS until I was introduced to Dr Sarno. This book came along at a time of severe PTSD pain resurfacing & literally taking the legs from me rendering me cripple again. As a therapist myself & doing inner/shadow work I loved how Nicole wrote this as if I’m with her in her therapy room. It reminds me of my own start (19 years in April) with looking at my Truth & still doing this as it changes yet brings up more (on a collective level now). I love authentic & real therapists & Nicole is definitely one. 💜🙏

Fabulous content, Nicole's approach WORKS, she trained and worked with Dr John Sarno, check out her website thecureforchronicpain.com for more resources like Facebook group, podcast and online course.