Healing Chronic Pain

Your back hurts. Or your knee. Or your neck. Maybe it's migraines, fibromyalgia, or digestive issues. You've seen doctors, tried medications, done physical therapy. Some things help temporarily, but the pain keeps coming back.

Does this sound familiar?

• Your pain moves around or gets better/worse for no clear reason
• It intensifies when you're stressed or upset
• Doctors offer hope at first, but nothing works
• You feel like your body has betrayed you

Your pain is real

But that doesn't mean you're stuck with it.

What is Pain?

Pain is a distress signal that comes from the brain, through a series of connected neurons, to an area of the body. When you get hurt, this signal helps you pay attention, give yourself first aid, or call for help.

What is Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain also comes from the brain, but it's a glitch in the system—the brain keeps firing warnings even after an injury heals, or misinterprets neutral sensations as dangerous. It's kind of like an optical illusion, but with touch instead of vision.

What is Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)?

Pain Reprocessing Therapy is a science-based approach that teaches the brain to reinterpret sensations correctly. When your brain realizes that you're not in danger, it stops signaling.

What is Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET)?

EAET addresses physical pain that has emotional roots. Pain researchers discovered a connection between people who had Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) and chronic pain. So they began assessing whether therapies that resolve childhood trauma worked for pain - and they did.

EAET offers a gentle, supportive way to express and resolve emotions so your body can stop bracing, tensing, anticipating trouble, and/or trying to get your attention about emotional wounds from the past.

How therapy for chronic pain works

I always start by making sure you've had a thorough physical exam to rule out diagnoses that need medical treatment. From there, we will talk about your pain history to determine whether PRT, EAET, or some combination would work best for you. Then, you will learn real skills you can start practicing right away to:

• Calm your nervous system
• Rewire your brain to interpret sensations correctly
• Let go of physical tension or "bracing" through mindfulness
• Safely and gently express any feelings that were discouraged or punished in childhood

If you're tired of treatments that don't offer lasting results and you suspect your pain might be neuroplastic (caused by misfiring neurons), let's talk.