Jin Shin Jyutsu as part of an

integrative medical plan

By Beverly Bell

Photo: Shaun Ring

For information about JSJ, visit

ukhealthcare.uky.edu/markey/JSJ/
26 Spring 2014
T he patients enter Jennifer Bradleys
treatment room at the UK Markey
Cancer Center in widely dierent states
1900s. One of his students, Mary
Burmeister, brought it to the United
States 50 years later.
what Bradley picks up from observing and
talking with the patient. e concerted
process leads to a more relaxed pulsation
of emotion worried, angry, exhausted, During a session, patients lay fully clothed and a restored balance.
scared, and yes, skeptical. Aer all, what with the exception of their shoes on a Mary Gay Lake is one of those patients
can she give them with her Japanese padded massage table. Other than the who has beneted from JSJ. When youre
touch therapy that traditional cancer soothing, spa-like music playing in the taking chemotherapy, you are given a
treatments cant already address? background, the sessions are quiet. is steroid, she says. is opened up a
Turns out, more than anyone could isnt a communicative therapy, Bradley says. world of anxiety, sleeplessness, feeling very
have realized. Its more about giving people a calm place hyped up. JSJ was very instrumental in
Bradley practices Jin Shin Jyutsu (JSJ), to put their restless minds. keeping me calm and centered, focused.
an ancient art form of touching key points Treatments radiation, chemo and Lake isnt alone. Prior to each session,
on the body in order to increase energy other medicines can wreak havoc on pa- Bradleys patients ll out a form, reporting
ow and return the natural harmony tients. ey oen feel overwhelmed and levels of nausea, pain and stress on a scale to
within. Five years ago, Bradley oered it at conicted about their own bodies, which 10, with zero representing no symptoms.
no charge to cancer patients at the center as simultaneously hold both the illness and ey complete the same paperwork aer-
a way to give back to the facility, which had the possibility of remission. Bradley under- ward. In every case, all levels improved aer
provided care to her late mother-in-law. stands this. e body is doing the best it the treatment.
Now, through a grant from the Lexington can to keep you on this planet, she says. While her work at the center is with can-
Cancer Foundation, patients can receive up Adding to the complexity of experiencing cer patients, Bradley also has a private
to ve free sessions from Bradley. Jin Shin cancer, some patients undergo post-trau- practice and can use the technique on any-
Jyutsu has become part of an integrated matic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, one of any age head trauma victims, the
medical plan, one that includes chemother- similar to those found in soldiers returning elderly, those in hospice care, etc. When
apy, radiation, surgery, and yes, this East- from war. Its that moment of diagnosis for she can, Bradley enjoys volunteering to
ern-based approach that can help to reduce some, says Bradley. e moment you work with the addicted babies at the UK
the pain, stress and nausea many patients found the lump. For others it may be the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Born into
face as a result of their illness. dicult treatments or reoccurrence that is a the world as users of various narcotics be-
Back in 2009, when Bradley began volun- trigger. People can walk around like that cause of their mothers substance abuse,
teering at the centers chemotherapy clinic, for months, even years. eir bodies remain these small babies represent some of the
she had to seek out patients. She conducted in a constant ight/ght condition, and most compelling patients. ey cant make
short, 20-minute sessions, mainly as a relax- that makes them unable to be a full partner eye contact. ey cant tolerate touch.
ation tool. As patients started reporting in their healing. Every motion and sound over-stimulates
back to their doctors about feeling better, ey dont understand what the doctors them. ey cry constantly.
Bradley received a call from the oce of Dr. are telling them. ey cant eat. ey cant Bradley wanted to help. She showed one
Mark Evers, the director of the Markey sleep. e thinking mind shuts down, of the doctors three particular ways to hold
Cancer Center. He wanted to meet with Bradley says, noting that the National Can- the babies, she says. e physician found
her and better understand what she was cer Institute recognizes PTSD as a serious the most miserable infant in the unit and
doing. Aer that conversation, he talked eect of cancer diagnosis and treatment gave it a try. Aer about a minute, the little
with some of the patients and their doctors. that needs to be addressed. boy relaxed, stopped crying, turned his
I was amazed at what I was hearing, he Its up to her to try to address this head, looked up at the doctor and smiled.
says. JSJ was providing relief, in some cases disharmony. She uses both hands and gen- If you can work with someone in the be-
as a complement to traditional medicine tly touches some of the 52 energy path- ginning of their life, imagine how every-
and in others, where conventional treat- ways, 26 on each side of the body. In the things going to be dierent, Bradley says.
ments had come up short. medical world, these might be called trig- e California native and licensed JSJ
at resulted in the Markey Cancer ger points. Bradley refers to them as little practitioner now teaches self-help classes
Center receiving the rst grant from the spheres of energy. and is developing online videos so that a
Lexington Cancer Foundation in 2011 rough the thousands of nerve endings greater number of people can access the
for JSJ and a formal referral system was in her ngertips, Bradley listens to the therapy. Evers joins Bradley in wanting to
developed. e ongoing support from pulses. ey tell her where areas are reach a larger audience. Ive seen the great
the Lexington Cancer Foundation blocked. She compares it to stones in a benets that its had on our patients, and its
allowed Bradley to take care of 160 stream, preventing the waters natural cur- truly remarkable, he says. With additional
patients last year. rent. We take those stones out and now funding, his hope is that they can expand
Developed in Japan, JSJ traces its roots the stream is back on its normal path, she the program, by making Bradley full-time
to thousands of years ago. Jiro Murai, a says. e areas she touches and the order in and adding other professionals so that more
young philosopher from a medical fam- which she does it, called ows in JSJ, is de- patients can participate in sessions. Im re-
ily, rediscovered the art form in the early termined by what her ngers hear and ally sold, Evers says. n

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