Firstly, welcome to this section of the site dedicated to helping you find solutions to M.E, we hope you find it useful.

As you may already know this is a very complicated illness in many ways, even the names that are variously used to describe it can be confusing.

Throughout this site we use the term M.E (Myalgic Encephalopathy), but we and our clients also use this as an “umbrella term” to describe those other closely linked conditions Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome (PVFS) & Fibromyalgia (FM). The reason for this is we have found that they often share common symptoms, and most importantly find that they all respond equally well to the Lightning Process Training. So if you have a clear diagnosis of M.E, or FM, or are unsure which you one you have, this site is for you.

There are many possible factors that can cause this neurological illness. They include;

Genetic

Bacterial and Viral infections

Mitochondrial malfunction

Physical trauma

Emotional trauma

Whatever the factors that have conspired to make you ill, there are some key questions you will need answering, “Why has this illness affected me so profoundly? Why hasn’t everyone else exposed to the same factors also had the same health issues?” and most importantly “How do I get back to wellness?

As a health practitioner with a good knowledge of physical medicine, osteopathy, nutrition, exercise rehabilitation, acupressure and psychological approaches, I felt sure I had a lot to offer clients with M.E. But after 15 years of trying, I found that although I could help them a bit, I struggled to help them maintain their improvements. It was so upsetting to have to standby helplessly seeing them continue to suffer.

After developing the Lightning Process, and finding it so successful with all sorts of 'difficult to treat' cases I began to consider if it would be effective in helping M.E sufferers.

To my astonishment the effects were instant and profound. Clients with all kinds of different M.E symptoms got better rapidly, sometimes over night. At first I was cautious of the initial success.
Would it last, did it just work for a few people and had I just been lucky with my first clients?

After seeing my first five M.E clients, who all reported the same types of dramatic improvements, and a complete remission from all their symptoms, and following them up over the following 2 years I discovered three important things

1. M.E can be turned around rapidly.

2. The Phil Parker Lightning Process is an extremely effective approach for rapidly recovering permanently from M.E

3. There appears to be a set of common findings in M.E cases, which indicate a disruption in the normal function of the Sympathetic Nervous System.

To give an example of some of the elements that seem to be common in all M.E sufferers, I present ONE aspect of my M.E research below.

There are many elements that make up the Lightning Process, but one of the most important is called the "Physiological Catch 22". This is derived from Phil Parker’s identification of the following downward spiral in M.E sufferers. Recent research by Dr Bruun Wyller has concurred with the physiological findings suggested by the Lightning Process model:

1. They fall ill due to an initial 'bug' or some external factor that precipitates their M.E. This onset can be variable from one individual to another- it commonly includes responses to operations, vaccines, extreme temperatures and even emotional stress. This onset “event”, whatever it’s cause, results in creating an extreme physiological stress on their immune system.

2. They feel very unwell. The symptoms were either very strong or lasted so long that they begin to wonder if they'd ever get better. They consult G.P's and specialists in a number of fields, but nobody seems to have any answers, or provides much useful help, and the illness continues.

3. The ongoing physical response to the original “event” combined now with these additional emotional concerns, understandably, creates an even greater and sustained physical stress/arousal response. This in turn further stimulates the Sympathetic Nervous System and the adrenaline, nor adrenaline, dopamine and cortisol axis. A sustained arousal of this system has been long known to have a detrimental effect on many other body systems, but of special importance in M.E is the disruption this causes to normal immune system function. This then creates a positive feedback loop, taking the M.E client back to step 2.

The Lightning Process is very succesful for helping people recover from M.E, but as each case is individual, it is quite difficult to answer this question with a quick yes or no.
However, we have found that the vast majority of people with M.E report that after the 3 day training program they feel they have either: -
a) already made a fundamental shift in their issues and that they have the tools to recover fully over time
or
b) they feel they have made a complete recovery.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that all their symptoms will be gone, although that can happen. Nor does it mean that they will instantly regain full exercise fitness as it takes some time for the body to go through the complete rehabilitation process. However, they do have a clear sense that they have reached a turning point. They feel everything is now on track and that their future and health is going to be different from this point on.

After the 3 days.
As with any training program great, long term results will only be achieved by making sure you keep using the tools you have learnt. As professional trainers we understand how difficult this can sometimes be and so we provide a full follow up and support service for all those who take the seminars.
We are also very aware that the structure of some other approaches makes it all too easy to for clients to become locked into taking endless follow up sessions or nutrition supplements. However, our trainers are ethically committed to both providing the support you require, and to make themselves redundant as soon as you are ready.

Dr. Bruun Wyller has published some interesting articles which concur with the clinical findings of the Phil Parker Lightning Process which you can find here (Ref 1 and Ref 2). His most recent paper in conjunction with Hege R. Eriksen, Kirsti Malterud who are university researchers from Bergen, can be found here (Ref 3).

Dr. Bruun Wyller, who is considered to be one of Norway's leading experts on M.E, says: 'Recent research on CFS pathophysiology has revealed alterations of cardiovascular regulation and thermoregulation, characterized by enhanced sympathetic nervous activity and increased secretion of epinephrine.
These findings indicate a state of permanent distress response – sustained arousal – in CFS patients. 
Based upon our findings, we have formulated a theory of sustained arousal in CFS, which seems to correspond quite neatly to the theoretical considerations underlying the Lightning Process.' 

LP research- Success rates.

We are pleased to report that we are currently undertaking research establishing our evidence base from clients seen. We are also in positive dialogue with a very solid Norwegian research group who has contacted us about doing Randomised Controlled Trials, using established scientifically valid research protocols and experienced established researchers from acknowledged research institutes, which we feel is the best strategy for reliability and acknowledgement.

More details will be released once the findings are collated and some conclusions are drawn, as that will be the most appropriate time to discuss the research's impact.

You can also read the findings of our recent survey of the results and experiences of participants on the LP seminars by clicking here

Theoretical basis of the Lightning Process

The established scientific theories that underpin the Lightning Process are

• Neuroplasticity- the ability of the pathways of the brain to change and develop in response to learning and repetition. (Reference 1,Reference 2 )
• The physiological effects of Adrenaline, Nor-Adrenaline & Cortisol in the “stress” response. ( Reference 1,Reference 2)
• The interaction of the body and mind. (Reference 1, Reference 2, Reference 3)
• The osteopathic theory of facilitation and the impact of changes in structure causing changes in function. (Reference 1, Reference 2)

People with M.E are very rightly concerned at any suggestion that M.E is a psychosomatic illness. It's not. It's not all in the mind. It's a physical illness, classifed as a Neurological illness by the WHO, and as "a multisystem disease, primarily neurological with variable involvement of liver, cardiac and skeletal muscle, lymphoid and endocrine organs" by Ramsay.

It's taken medicine a long time and much campaigning to get M.E recognised as a physical condition, and we are very keen to emphasize that we concur with that view.

Our approach relies on an understanding that the body and the mind are interrelated and interact with each other. We have used this training program to successfully help people get over all sorts of other physical conditions, like back pain, migraines, asthma etc., but that doesn't mean we consider those conditions to be all in the mind either.

It's also true for most people that attempting to recover from M.E using physical methods rarely succeeds. The Lightning Process however has been very successful at changing people with M.E's physical condition rapidly and for the long term.

We would suggest that if what you are doing isn't working, then it's time to do something different.

We are often asked if once you have recovered using the process is it possible to relapse (which of course is huge fear of many M.E sufferers as it happens with so many other approaches). The simple answer is NO, not if you continue to use the process as you have been taught it.

Consider if we were training you to speak French and you left our French course with a good understanding of how to speak French, then, would you expect to be able to speak French a few months or years later?

The answer would not depend on our French training, it would depend on whether you had kept up practising your newly acquired skill, and because The Lightning Process is a training program, it's exactly the same-if you don't use it you will lose it!

Naturally if you learnt the Lightning Process, and didn't apply it, but tried to push yourself do activities that your body was just not phycially capable of, it would cause the same problems as for anyone who still had M.E, in that you would probably crash. This however is not because of taking the Lightning Process training, it's due to unrealistically expecting your body to be different inspite of not using the Lightning Process to restore good physcial health and function.

Amongst the thousands of Lightning Process succcess stories are a number involving celebrities and people in the public arena.

The indivdiuals in the "celebrity" stories that follow have been very keen to share their Lightning Process experience with visitors to our website for two reasons.

Firstly they of course wish for others to get the kind of changes they have achieved, but secondly they also know how important it is to be certain that the testimonies you find on line are true. As there is so much independent information about these people on line it becomes quite easy to check for the accuracy of their stories with a simple internet search.

We hope you find their stories useful in your journey to health and a great life.

Austin Healey - Former England International and Leicester Tigers Rugby Player

Esther Rantzen CBE - Television presenter, Childline Charity founder and Journalist

Chris Marques - 3 times winnner of The World Salsa Championship title, choregrapher for BBC's "Strictly Come Dancing"

You can also search our on line library of success stories to find one that matches some of your symptoms and situation.