“The King’s Speech” and Body Tuning

by Jason Alan Griffin

While I was watching the movie, The King’s Speech I was struck by how the methods used by the speech therapist, Lionel, were so much like ‘Body Tuning.’  Even some of the movements he had Bertie do were reminiscent of what might go on in a Body Tuning session.

I was especially interested in the scene when Lionel was about to be fired because it was discovered that he was not a ‘doctor.’ He had never represented himself as such but even without the ‘degree’ he was the only person who had been able to help the Duke. Yet, his successful track record was not enough, it seemed, in the face of not having ‘credentials.’

The film showed how doctors were trying ‘the latest techniques’ on the Duke, only to leave him frustrated and swallowing marbles. Had he   dismissed Lionel, he would have lost what he had found: a treatment that worked.

In a very similar way, many Americans today are in the same danger. We suffer from elitism in our healthcare system.  This is a society where anyone with a PhD or an MD calls the shots.  Despite the fact that maintaining proper diet and nutrition and getting the proper amount and type of exercise can be just as, if not more effective at treating many of the symptoms that doctors and surgeons would rather treat with expensive medicines and surgeries.

But because there is so much financial backing for the medical route, it becomes “the club.” Diet and exercise are considered radical and scoffed at, while health insurance companies, prescription drug companies, medical centers, hospitals and many other very large and powerful entities are determined to make sure we choose the “higher road.” Pain medications have side effects and may only be temporary fixes. Undergoing surgery is risky and also not always necessary when there are viable alternatives.

Clinging to the medical model can often prevent people from getting the care they need for long term health. Instead of body work, people take Advil. Instead of physical therapy, people opt for surgery. Instead of changing their diets and exercising, people opt to take cholesterol lowering drugs, or blood pressure medication. Of course there are times when patients truly need medications, but it is too often the case that they are the first things tried rather than a last resort. The most common and most ‘respected’ methods are not always the best.

The King refused to let his voice teacher be fired because he was getting results. And Lionel ended up helping the King make a fine coronation speech and stayed with him for the rest of his career.

The moral of my story is: Don’t let yourself be bullied by “the club.”  Believe that results can be found by addressing your behaviors. Seek experts who get you results. Don’t keep doing something if it isn’t working. And open your eyes to what it really means to ‘treat’ your bodily symptoms with medications and surgeries.

Body Tuning is a lot like Lionel, the Speech Therapist. His methods are unique and they work. Body Tuning doesn’t follow a protocol, nor is it beholden to one method or approach. It is culled from many different scientifically based somatic practices and philosophies. And it works. The body feels and moves better and the patient is happy. Just like Lionel, it gets results.