Somatization – mind and muscles
John Diamond is a psychiatrist who, after he met Dr. Goodheart, became interested in the psychological and the psychiatric aspects of Applied Kinesiology, “as I realized it could give us instant access to the unconscious.” Just as Sigmund Freud (1900) revealed how dreams may prove to be a “royal road” to the unconscious mind, Dr. Diamond has shown how manual muscle testing during psychological questioning functions as another window to hidden motives and emotions. This is what makes Diamond’s work so congruent with psychoanalysis and applied kinesiology.
The principles of MMT developed in Applied Kinesiology were adapted by John Diamond in his book Behavioral Kinesiology, (Diamond, 2012, 1985, 1979) and form the basis of contemporary ‘energy psychology’, a popularized form of these psychosocial approaches that originated in Applied Kinesiology. Dr. Diamond has published significant amounts of theoretical and outcomes research related to the diagnosis (using the MMT) and treatment (using psychological, meridian, nutritional, homeopathic, and manual methods) of psychosocial disorders. A review of his writings and research should be made by anyone wishing to expand their knowledge in the area of psychosocial dysfunction. (Diamond, 2012, 1985, 1979)
 |
| John Diamond, MD and George J. Goodheart, Jr., DC Founders of Behavioral and Applied Kinesiology |
Dr. John Diamond was the first medical clinician-scientist in the psychological field to use and scientifically write about the meridian system’s influence on human psychological behavior and the link between the acupuncture meridians and emotions. Diamond is a psychiatrist and past president of the International Academy of Preventive Medicine, and was critical in bringing many leaders in the field of C.A.M. to Goodheart’s attention, as well as bringing Goodheart’s work to many leaders in the C.A.M. community. Diamond's pioneering concepts, together with some of the concepts developed by Goodheart in Applied Kinesiology, form the basis on which a new method of holistic psychology developed, and from his work the new field of “energy psychotherapy” emerged. (Diamond, 1985, 1979)
Dr. Goodheart said “Dr. John Diamond has been a friend and physician colleague for over thirty years. He alone deserves a Nobel Prize for his accurate observations on the acupuncture meridians and emotions.” From his initial work Dr. Diamond has spent 35 years developing methods of diagnosing and treating what he calls “The Acupuncture Emotional System”, associating the major positive and negative emotions with each meridian and thereby offering one possible pillar for psychosomatic medicine. In his view the acupuncture system is the communicating link between the emotions, the organs, and the muscles.
 |
| Dr. John Diamond demonstrates "psychological challenge" as used in AK with his own manual muscle test |
Diamond’s work also had a strong influence on the renowned osteopath Robert Fulford, D.O., with whom he corresponded. Fulford found Diamond’s book Life Energy essential, (1985) and his discussion of birth trauma were critical to Dr. Fulford's development of methods to release cranial injuries in children at birth. Diamond relates issues of fear, hate, and envy that may accompany the infant’s leaving the comfort of the womb. As a whole Diamond's work suggests that the body and the psyche progress in parallel during the developmental process, and that interventions aimed at improving the emotional-adaptive response to the birth experience and life traumas is fundamental for the patient's development and well-being.
Diamond was instrumental in the meetings between Dr. Goodheart and Dr. Willie May, and the salutary results from this interaction have been extensively published in the biomedical and chiropractic professions.
 |
| Diamond's philosophy of life as a healer is an elegant guide to the life-of-the-spirit that should be lived for physicians |
 |
| In applied kinesiology and behavioral kinesiology, the importance of the mental side of the triad of health is never overlooked |
A brief summary a few of the contributions of Dr. Diamond are as follows:
- Dr. Diamond identified the links between specific meridians and emotions.
- Dr. Diamond discovered how muscle testing of meridian, acupuncture, and alarm points could be used to identify the meridian imbalance underlying an emotional state.
- Dr. Diamond discovered how meridian imbalance may occur in layers, and how these may correspond to layers of emotions. Thus, he used muscle testing to identify the sequence of meridians that required treatment in relation to a particular emotional problem. The complexity of the human psyche was found to be reflected in the complex adaptations made by the human muscle and meridian system.
- Dr. Diamond suggested that manual muscle testing could be extended to exploring emotional truth, as well as the impact of all manner of mental stimuli upon the measurable human muscular system.
- Dr. Diamond discovered how meridians that are out of balance may be corrected by specific affirmations.
- Thus, Dr. Diamond discovered an efficient way of identifying how the meridian system is out of balance in relation to an emotional problem, fear or phobia, and how to correct this.
- Dr. Diamond also identified profound obstacles to healing, such as the “reversal of the body’s morality” (what is called “psychological reversal” in AK).”
- Diamond’s work led to profound elaborations on the use of the manual muscle test and AK approaches in the works of Roger Callahan (“Thought Field Therapy”), Gary Craig (“Emotional Freedom Techniques”), and many diverse but associated systems of treatment in the field of “energy psychology” and “kinesiology”.
Additionally, Dr. Diamond is a profound instructor on the usefulness of the arts to personal human development and healing.
His book on the poet William Blake is recommended.
“The most accurate diagnosing tool you can have is in your office -- YOUR PATIENT, with Innate intelligence the body language combined with muscle testing.”
-- George J. Goodheart, Jr.
Selected from the
Textbooks Now Available For Sale at
