I. Lead-in. Read and discuss.

At the doctor ’ s office

Idioms to do with the body.

Use the definitions in brackets to guess the appropriate part of the body in the idioms. Which of them could relate to: food and drink; worry, sadness or nerves; embarrassing situations; humour; stressful situations; sport?

1 a _____ to cry (sympathetic listener)

2 keep a straight _____ (stop yourself from laughing)

3 _____-raising (very scary)

4 turn a blind _____ to something (pretend not to notice)

5 turn your _____ up at something (treat something with contempt)

6 _____-watering (delicious, tasty)

7 up to your _____ in it (totally busy and overwhelmed by work)

8 get your _____ round something (understand something difficult)

9 _____-rending (extremely sad and moving)

10 to have butterflies in your _____ (feel very nervous before you do something)

11 win _____ down (win easily)

12 all fingers and _____ (very, very clumsy)

13 pull someone’s _____ (make fun of somebody)

14 put your _____ in it (say something that upsets somebody)

11. Work in pairs. Take it in turns to read out the questions and answer the idioms:

1 Say this phrase in another way: ‘I just couldn’t understand what he was saying.’

2 How can we describe a film, story or poem that is very sad and makes us sad?

3 What reason could you give for not going out because you’ve so much work to do?

4 Sampras won the tennis final 6-0, 6-0. We can say he won …

5 It’s clear that your friend is still very upset about a recent break-up but has no one to talk to about it. What does he/she need?

6 What might someone have just before they have to address a huge audience?

7 Our cat will only eat one type of cat food. What does she do when we gave her another type?

8 My little brother went on a really frightening water ride at Water World Theme park. How did he describe it?

9 It was a delicious appetising meal. What’s another way to say ‘delicious and appetising’?

10 My friend is trying to convince me that he’s engaged to a film star, but I don’t believe him. What do I say?

11 He looked so ridiculous dressed in that wig that we had to laugh. What couldn’t we do?

12 What might a corrupt police officer do when he sees something illegal happening?

13 When I asked him how his wife was, he said she’d left him. What did I do?

14 A waitress keeps dropping things all over the place! How could you describe her?

12. Challenge your memory. “Snowball”. Repeat each line after the teacher. Translate every sentence.

Alternative Medicine

1 A basic principle behind many kinds of alternative medicine is balance.

2 A basic principle behind many kinds of alternative medicine is balance. Various forms of energy medicine are designed to bring the body into balance.

3 A basic principle behind many kinds of alternative medicine is balance. Various forms of energy medicine are designed to bring the body into balance. This principle is an important one to keep in mind when considering alternative medicine.

4 A basic principle behind many kinds of alternative medicine is balance. Various forms of energy medicine are designed to bring the body into balance. This principle is an important one to keep in mind when considering alternative medicine. Before trying out any new therapy, it is a good idea to think over the pros and cons.

5 A basic principle behind many kinds of alternative medicine is balance. Various forms of energy medicine are designed to bring the body into balance. This principle is an important one to keep in mind when considering alternative medicine. Before trying out any new therapy, it is a good idea to think over the pros and cons. Traditional medicine views disease as a distinct entity from the person who carries it.

6 A basic principle behind many kinds of alternative medicine is balance. Various forms of energy medicine are designed to bring the body into balance. This principle is an important one to keep in mind when considering alternative medicine. Before trying out any new therapy, it is a good idea to think over the pros and cons. Traditional medicine views disease as a distinct entity from the person who carries it. Most forms of alternative medicine emphasize whole-body care.

7 A basic principle behind many kinds of alternative medicine is balance. Various forms of energy medicine are designed to bring the body into balance. This principle is an important one to keep in mind when considering alternative medicine. Before trying out any new therapy, it is a good idea to think over the pros and cons. Traditional medicine views disease as a distinct entity from the person who carries it. Most forms of alternative medicine emphasize whole-body care. Practitioners address not just the physical body but also the patient’s emotional and spiritual health.

8 A basic principle behind many kinds of alternative medicine is balance. Various forms of energy medicine are designed to bring the body into balance. This principle is an important one to keep in mind when considering alternative medicine. Before trying out any new therapy, it is a good idea to think over the pros and cons. Traditional medicine views disease as a distinct entity from the person who carries it. Most forms of alternative medicine emphasize whole-body care. Practitioners address not just the physical body but also the patient’s emotional and spiritual health. Traditional physicians can be strapped for time and pressured by insurance companies and packed waiting rooms.

9 A basic principle behind many kinds of alternative medicine is balance. Various forms of energy medicine are designed to bring the body into balance. This principle is an important one to keep in mind when considering alternative medicine. Before trying out any new therapy, it is a good idea to think over the pros and cons. Traditional medicine views disease as a distinct entity from the person who carries it. Most forms of alternative medicine emphasize whole-body care. Practitioners address not just the physical body but also the patient’s emotional and spiritual health. Traditional physicians can be strapped for time and pressured by insurance companies and packed waiting rooms. Alternative medicine practitioners typically place greater emphasis on one-on-one attention.

10 A basic principle behind many kinds of alternative medicine is balance. Various forms of energy medicine are designed to bring the body into balance. This principle is an important one to keep in mind when considering alternative medicine. Before trying out any new therapy, it is a good idea to think over the pros and cons. Traditional medicine views disease as a distinct entity from the person who carries it. Most forms of alternative medicine emphasize whole-body care. Practitioners address not just the physical body but also the patient’s emotional and spiritual health. Traditional physicians can be strapped for time and pressured by insurance companies and packed waiting rooms. Alternative medicine practitioners typically place greater emphasis on one-on-one attention.

Another draw to alternative medicine is its focus on prevention.

11 A basic principle behind many kinds of alternative medicine is balance. Various forms of energy medicine are designed to bring the body into balance. This principle is an important one to keep in mind when considering alternative medicine. Before trying out any new therapy, it is a good idea to think over the pros and cons. Traditional medicine views disease as a distinct entity from the person who carries it. Most forms of alternative medicine emphasize whole-body care. Practitioners address not just the physical body but also the patient’s emotional and spiritual health. Traditional physicians can be strapped for time and pressured by insurance companies and packed waiting rooms. Alternative medicine practitioners typically place greater emphasis on one-on-one attention.

Another draw to alternative medicine is its focus on prevention. Many types of alternative medicine encourage patients to have “well visits”.

12 A basic principle behind many kinds of alternative medicine is balance. Various forms of energy medicine are designed to bring the body into balance. This principle is an important one to keep in mind when considering alternative medicine. Before trying out any new therapy, it is a good idea to think over the pros and cons. Traditional medicine views disease as a distinct entity from the person who carries it. Most forms of alternative medicine emphasize whole-body care. Practitioners address not just the physical body but also the patient’s emotional and spiritual health. Traditional physicians can be strapped for time and pressured by insurance companies and packed waiting rooms. Alternative medicine practitioners typically place greater emphasis on one-on-one attention.

Another draw to alternative medicine is its focus on prevention. Many types of alternative medicine encourage patients to have “well visits”. In response to increased consumer demand, funding for research studies on alternative medicine is growing.

13 A basic principle behind many kinds of alternative medicine is balance. Various forms of energy medicine are designed to bring the body into balance. This principle is an important one to keep in mind when considering alternative medicine. Before trying out any new therapy, it is a good idea to think over the pros and cons. Traditional medicine views disease as a distinct entity from the person who carries it. Most forms of alternative medicine emphasize whole-body care. Practitioners address not just the physical body but also the patient’s emotional and spiritual health. Traditional physicians can be strapped for time and pressured by insurance companies and packed waiting rooms. Alternative medicine practitioners typically place greater emphasis on one-on-one attention.

Another draw to alternative medicine is its focus on prevention. Many types of alternative medicine encourage patients to have “well visits”. In response to increased consumer demand, funding for research studies on alternative medicine is growing. But compared with traditional medical methods, evidence is still limited.

14 A basic principle behind many kinds of alternative medicine is balance. Various forms of energy medicine are designed to bring the body into balance. This principle is an important one to keep in mind when considering alternative medicine. Before trying out any new therapy, it is a good idea to think over the pros and cons. Traditional medicine views disease as a distinct entity from the person who carries it. Most forms of alternative medicine emphasize whole-body care. Practitioners address not just the physical body but also the patient’s emotional and spiritual health. Traditional physicians can be strapped for time and pressured by insurance companies and packed waiting rooms. Alternative medicine practitioners typically place greater emphasis on one-on-one attention.

Another draw to alternative medicine is its focus on prevention. Many types of alternative medicine encourage patients to have “well visits”. In response to increased consumer demand, funding for research studies on alternative medicine is growing. But compared with traditional medical methods, evidence is still limited. It has left many questions unanswered.

15 A basic principle behind many kinds of alternative medicine is balance. Various forms of energy medicine are designed to bring the body into balance. This principle is an important one to keep in mind when considering alternative medicine. Before trying out any new therapy, it is a good idea to think over the pros and cons. Traditional medicine views disease as a distinct entity from the person who carries it. Most forms of alternative medicine emphasize whole-body care. Practitioners address not just the physical body but also the patient’s emotional and spiritual health. Traditional physicians can be strapped for time and pressured by insurance companies and packed waiting rooms. Alternative medicine practitioners typically place greater emphasis on one-on-one attention.

Another draw to alternative medicine is its focus on prevention. Many types of alternative medicine encourage patients to have “well visits”. In response to increased consumer demand, funding for research studies on alternative medicine is growing. But compared with traditional medical methods, evidence is still limited. It has left many questions unanswered. Currently, there are several studies under way.

16 A basic principle behind many kinds of alternative medicine is balance. Various forms of energy medicine are designed to bring the body into balance. This principle is an important one to keep in mind when considering alternative medicine. Before trying out any new therapy, it is a good idea to think over the pros and cons. Traditional medicine views disease as a distinct entity from the person who carries it. Most forms of alternative medicine emphasize whole-body care. Practitioners address not just the physical body but also the patient’s emotional and spiritual health. Traditional physicians can be strapped for time and pressured by insurance companies and packed waiting rooms. Alternative medicine practitioners typically place greater emphasis on one-on-one attention.

Another draw to alternative medicine is its focus on prevention. Many types of alternative medicine encourage patients to have “well visits”. In response to increased consumer demand, funding for research studies on alternative medicine is growing. But compared with traditional medical methods, evidence is still limited. It has left many questions unanswered. Currently, there are several studies under way. Taking the best health care from both the traditional and alternative sides of medicine could be your best option.

FOCUS ON READING

I. You will read the text about four great medical discoveries. Before you read, discuss the following with the partner:

1. Look at the title of the text. Who is the title quoting? What did he discover? In what situation did he utter ‘eureka’?

2. Look at the introduction and the titles of the four texts. What do you know about these discoveries? Why were they important? Which do you think was the most important?

3. The following phrases are taken from the text. Which discovery do you think each one refers to?

a) … used for temporary headache relief…

b) … the technique of introducing material under the skin…

c) the fundamental ingredient of most antibiotics…

d) … recognised that the veins in the human body had one-way valves…

4. For questions 1-15, choose from the answers A-D

A   The circulation of the blood                     B The smallpox vaccine

C Penicillin                                         D Aspirin

Which discovery…

hinders various natural functions of the human body?                       1 …

was based on popular wisdom?                                                          2 …

was based on the work of a contemporary?                                        3 …

dulls the body’s mechanism for feeling pain?                            4 …

significantly reduced the mortally rate?                                     5 …

was largely accidental?                                                              6 …

forced doctors to think about the body in a different way?       7 …

was made by the employee of a pharmaceutical company?       8 …

had been made before but escaped attention?                            9 …

had a mixed response from the scientific community?              10…

gave its name to a method of preventing medicine?                   11…

involved experimenting on human beings?                                         12…

contradicted previous theories?                                                13…

is used to treat various infections?                                            14…

particularly helped urban populations?                                     15…

EURIKA!

Throughout history, key discoveries have changed the course of medical science. We look at four historic medical breakthroughs.

The Circulation of the Blood

William Harvey (1578-1657) undertook groundbreaking research into the circulation of the blood and the function of the heart. He dispelled the contemporary belief that blood was propelled through the body by a pulsing action in the arteries; instead, he argued, the heart was at the centre of the circulatory system.

While at university of Padua in Italy, Harvey was tutored by the scientist and surgeon Hieronymus Fabricius. Fabricius recognised that the vein in the human body had one-way valves, but was puzzled as to what their function could be. It was Harvey who went on to solve the riddle. In 1628, he published his findings in a book entitled An Astronomical Study of the Motion of the Heart and of the Blood in Animals. His discovery was received with great interest and accepted in England at once, although it was greeted with some skepticism on the continent.

Apart from offering insight into the function of the heart, Harvey’s work also debunked misconceptions about the role of the liver, the brain and the blood itself. His discovery left scientists with no choice but to reconsider the vast majority of medical theories which were up until then accepted, and to place medicine on a new footing. In effect, it was the beginning of modern medicine.

The Smallpox Vaccine

Born on 17^th May 1749, Edward Jenner was the creator of the smallpox vaccine. It has been estimated that the task he started has led to the saving of more human lives than the work of any other person. Smallpox was the most feared and greatest killer of Jenner’s time. In today’s terms it was as deadly as cancer or heart disease. It killed 10% of the population, rising to 20% in towns and cities where infection spread easily.

From the early days of his career Edward Jenner had been intrigued by country-lore which said that people who caught cowpox form their cows (a mild skin infection which cleared up by itself after a few days) could not contract smallpox. In May 1796, a dairymaid consulted Jenner about a rash on her hand. He diagnosed cowpox, and at the same time decided that he would put the old wives’ tales to the test. He scratched the maid’s hand with a scalpel, and infected several of his patients with cowpox. As he had anticipated, and undoubtedly to his great relief, none of them caught smallpox.

Vaccination with cowpox became compulsory in 1853, and the technique of introducing material under the skin to produce protection against disease became universally known as vaccinations, a word derived from the Latin name for the cow (vacca), in Jenner’s honour.

Penicillin

In the early 1920s, the British scientist Alexander Fleming reported that a product in human tears could make bacterial cells dissolve. But Fleming’s finding, which he called lysozyme, would prove to be a dead end in the search for an efficacious antibiotic, since it typically destroyed nonpathogenic bacterial cells as well harmful ones.

Fleming’s second discovery, though would be one of medicine’s greatest breakthroughs. In 1928, he discovered another antibacterial agent, quite by chance. Returning from a weekend away, Fleming looked through a set of plates on which he had been growing bacteria cultures. On one of them, he found that colonies of the Staphylococcus bacteria had dissolved. He noticed that bacterial cells had disintegrated in an area next to the mould had caused it. That product was penicillin, the fundamental ingredient of most antibiotics now the standard treatment for infections.

While Fleming generally receives credit for discovering penicillin, he in fact merely rediscovered it. In 1896, the French medical student Ernest Duchesne had discovered the antibiotic properties of Penicillium, but failed to report a connection between the fungus and a substance that had antibacterial properties, and Penicillium was forgotten in the scientific community until Fleming’s rediscovery.

Aspirin

A bitter powder from the bark of a willow tree was first used by Hippocrates in the 5^th century B.C., to treat aches and pains. Many centuries later, Felix Hoffman, an industrial chemist, synthesized the substance salicylic acid, and in 1893 he developed a commercial process for its production. In 1897, Hoffman’s superiors at Bayer and Company named this product Aspirin. Now, about 20 billion tablets of aspirin are consumed in Britain each year.

Aspirin works by reducing the body’s production of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are enzymes that influence the rate and direction of a chemical reaction. In trying to protect the body when cells have been damaged, prostaglandins trigger fever (by acting on brain centres) and swelling, prevent blood vessel dilation and increase the sensitivity of pain receptors.

Taking aspirin can relieve many of the effects of prostaglandins. It is used for temporary headache relief, muscular aches and pains, toothaches and arthritis. It is also effective in the treatment of fever and inflammation, and is known to reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

5. Explain the underlined words in the passage. Which words in the text come from ancient Greek or Latin?

6. Answer the following questions on the first section (The Circulation of the Blood).

What is ‘the riddle” referred to?

What does the writer mean by the phrase ‘it was greeted with some scepticism’?

Explain the phrase ‘place medicine on a new footing’.

Work in pairs and find other interesting phrases in the remaining three texts and explain them. Have a class feedback.

7. Project. Speak on more medical discoveries that have changed the cause of medical science.

II. You’ll read the article from http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com Centuries-old diseases coming back

1. Rank these with your partner. Put the most important diseases to cure at the top.

• influenza

• malaria

• diabetes

• epilepsy

• obesity

• asthma

• tuberculosis

• cancer

2. Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

a. America’s health service reported on a rise in the number of TB cases. T / F

b. TB killed over 15 million people in 2013. T / F

c. TB is an infectious disease that affects the lungs. T / F

d. One of the symptoms of tuberculosis is weight loss. T / F

e. Many old people in England suffer from malnutrition. T / F

f. The number of old people with little food in England doubled in 3 years. T / F

g. A doctor said that malnutrition could not be treated. T / F

h. The doctor said there was enough of a focus on good medicine. T / F

3. Match the following synonyms from the article.

4. Match the following phrases (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.).

5. Read and answer the questions.

Centuries-old diseases coming back

Many diseases that doctors thought had almost disappeared are now making a comeback. Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) has reported a serious rise in the number of people with diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), cholera, measles and whooping cough.

An NHS spokesperson said that TB is now more common in England than it is in less developed countries such as Rwanda, Iraq, and Guatemala. Tuberculosis is also increasing across the globe. In 2013, it killed 1.5 million people worldwide, and that number is rising.

Tuberculosis largely affects very poor people. It is an infectious disease that affects the lungs. Its symptoms include bad coughs, fever, weight loss and sweating. Researchers say that many of the diseases that are making a comeback are both preventable and treatable.

One big problem in England is that TB is affecting old people who have malnutrition – they do not have enough to eat. The number of elderly who have to go without food has doubled in the past three years. This is putting these old people in greater danger of getting TB. A UK doctor said she did not understand why society wasn’t doing more to fight TB. She said: “Malnutrition is preventable. It is totally unacceptable that…there are at least one million older people malnourished or at risk of malnourishment.” She said there needed to be a bigger focus on better nutrition and proper medicine.

(from http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com)

1. Who thought many diseases had disappeared?

2. Which country’s health service reported a rise in TB?

3. Where is TB more common than Rwanda, Iraq and Guatemala?

4. How many people did TB kill in 2013?

5. What organ in the body does TB affect?

6. Who is TB affecting in England?

7. What are a lot of old people in England having to go without?

8. What did a UK doctor say was preventable?

9. How many older people are malnourished in England?

10. What did a doctor say there needed to be a bigger focus on?

6. Work in groups of 4. Role play the discussion.

Role A – Influenza You think influenza is the most important disease to cure. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what people should do to help find a cure for this disease. Also, tell the others which is the most difficult of these to cure (and why): diabetes, obesity or cancer.

Role B – Diabetes You think diabetes is the most important disease to cure. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what people should do to help find a cure for this disease. Also, tell the others which is the most difficult of these to cure (and why): influenza, obesity or cancer.

Role C – Obesity You think obesity is the most important disease to cure. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what people should do to help find a cure for this disease. Also, tell the others which is the most difficult of these to cure (and why): diabetes, influenza or cancer.

Role D – Cancer You think cancer is the most important disease to cure. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what people should do to help find a cure for this disease. Also, tell the others which is the most difficult of these to cure (and why): diabetes, obesity or influenza.

6. Surf the Internet and find out more about the diseases mentioned in the article. Share what you discover with your partner(s).

III. You’ll read the article from http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com Scientists close to influenza vaccine

1. Rank these with your partner. Put the things scientists should stop at the top.

• toothache

• hair loss

• acne

• bad breath

• headaches

• tiredness

• memory loss

• stress

2. Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

a. The article says scientists are a year away from a flu vaccine. T / F

b. The article says a vaccine is good for those who have an annual flu jab. T / F

c. The vaccine is being tested by two different research teams. T / F

d. The vaccine has been tested on mice and monkeys. T / F

e. Influenza kills close to 20 million people a year. T / F

f. Finding a vaccine is difficult because the virus is always changing. T / F

g. Vaccines in the USA reduced the risk of getting flu by 50% last year. T / F

h. The new research will not be able to help with a vaccine for HIV. T / F

2. Match the following synonyms from the article.

4. Match the following phrases from the article. (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

5. Read and answer the questions.

Scientists close to influenza vaccine

Scientists in the USA say they are getting closer to developing a vaccine that will provide life-long protection against any type of influenza. This could be welcome news for millions of people around the world who go to the doctor every year to get a flu jab. Two different research teams have been testing new drugs on animals and both have had promising results. Trials will soon begin on humans to determine if the test vaccine has similar successes. Flu expert professor John Oxford told the BBC that: “This is a leap forward compared to anything done recently. They have good animal data, not just in mice but in ferrets and monkeys too.” He added that: “It’s a very good stepping stone.”

The flu virus kills up to half a million people every year. The problem with finding a vaccine is the ever-changing nature of the flu virus. It is in a constant state of mutation. Doctors have to predict which strains of the virus are likely to cause the most infections and then create an updated version of the vaccine accordingly. For this reason, the success rate of most flu vaccines is very low because much of the process involves a lot of guesswork. Scientists say that vaccines in the U.S. reduced the risk of catching flu by just 23 per cent last year. The website Inverse.com said the research could, “point to how we can go about making vaccines for other viruses that mutate rapidly, like HIV or the common cold”.

(from http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com)

1. Where are the scientists from who are getting closer to a vaccine?

2. What do millions of people go to the doctor for every year?

3. How many different research teams have been testing on animals?

4. Who will trials begin on soon?

5. What other animals did they test on besides ferrets and monkeys?

6. How many people a year does the flu virus kill?

7. What does the article say has an “ever-changing nature”?

8. What does the process involve that makes the success rate low?

9. What was the reduced risk of catching flu in the US last year?

10. What other two viruses might the research help?

6. Work in groups of 4. Role play the discussion.

Role A – Toothache You think toothache is the most important thing scientists should find a cure for. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why cures their things aren't so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): hair loss, bad breath or stress.

Role B – Hair loss You think hair loss is the most important thing scientists should find a cure for. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why cures their things aren't so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): toothache, bad breath or stress.

Role C – Bad breath You think bad breath is the most important thing scientists should find a cure for. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why cures their things aren't so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): hair loss, toothache or stress.

Role D – Stress You think stress is the most important thing scientists should find a cure for. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why cures their things aren't so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): hair loss, bad breath or toothache.

6. Surf the Internet and find out more about the research on the influenza vaccine. Share what you discover with your partner(s).

IV. How to read a prescription drug label. Using the sample label provided, answer the following questions to determine what important information must be included on a prescription drug label.

1. What is the name of the pharmacy?

2. What is the address of the pharmacy?

3. What is the store number of the pharmacy?

4. What is the phone number of the pharmacy?

5. What is the prescription number?

6. What is the physician’s name?

7. What is the date that the prescription was filled?

8. What is the name of the person for whom the drug is prescribed? (Prescription drugs should be used only by the person for whom the drugs were prescribed.)

9. What is the brand name of this drug? (Various manufacturers or companies may make the same generic drug but will call it by their own brand or trade name.)

10. What is the name of the medication or the main ingredient?

11. What is the strength of the medication?

12. What do the letters APX mean?

13. What does the number listed below the company code represent?

14. How much is in the package?

15. What are the directions or instructions for taking the medication?

16. Are there any cautions or warnings on the label?

17. Do prescription drug labels often include any additional information that is not on this one?

Hypnotherapy

Alison Hatch teaches a class of seven- and eight-year-olds.

‘I often get stressed at work, and it makes me feel bad tempered and really worked up. I get pains in my chest, and an infections flares up in my hair and eyebrows. I’m very open-minded about alternative medicine.’

Prescribed

Hypnotherapy, which involves getting induced into a light trance state usually by closing your eyes and listening to the therapist’s voice. Though it directs itself to your unconscious mind, you remain aware of your surroundings.

Alison says, ‘We spent a large part of the first session looking back at my medical history and my life from when I was very small. She asked me what I was stressed about, to which the answer was “Everything”. The discussion was almost like therapy. I’d describe a stressful scenario, and she would look at it in a different way, explaining how things that happened in my childhood affect my reactions now.

Afterwards, she taught me breathing exercises for relaxation. Then she got me to lie down and imagine a special place where I could go to relax. I thought of a rock pool in a green lagoon. She said that she counted to ten very slowly she wanted me to be in my relaxed place in my mind, which was where I ended up.

She would then talk though whatever problems had come up at the beginning of the session, then she counted back to ten and took me out. The idea was that, when stressed, I would be able to close my eyes and remember that state of total relaxation and it’s true, I can take myself back there if I want to. The infection hasn’t been a problem since I started the treatment. When I find the classroom stressful, I take step back, breathe and tell myself to chill out. A boy came up to me in the classroom the other day and said, “Miss, what are you doing?” and I said, “I’m counting to

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