Hi friends,

There is so much changing and growing in the mindbody healing space, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for those who are experiencing neuroplastic symptoms. However, much of the information out there still centers around pain, leaving many people (myself included when I first started this journey) feeling confused about whether this applies to them. Chronic, unexplained symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, weakness, and GI issues, along with syndromes like POTS and Long Covid might not be the first things we think of right now, but the science behind them is the same as with pain.

By retraining the brain, these symptoms, sensations, and conditions can be effectively treated too, and this is precisely the premise behind Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT). This is the piece of the puzzle that really changed the game for me, so I wanted to take the time to go into more depth on this approach and the people that paved the way for this in the mindbody arena. While it was originally developed to treat chronic pain, and this is still the focus of programs like Curable, PRT has shown promising potential for a wide range of chronic symptoms.

So, let's dive into how PRT can be expanded beyond pain syndromes, and explore some insights from the pioneering work of Dr. John Sarno, Dr. Howard Schubiner, and the Pain Psychology Center, as well as some of my favorite coaches in the arena like Dan Buglio (Pain Free You), Jim Prussack (The Pain PT), and Rebecca Tolin (Be Your Own Medicine).

Understanding Pain Reprocessing Therapy

At its core, Pain Reprocessing Therapy is a psychological approach that aims to teach the brain to reinterpret pain signals as non-threatening. Chronic pain, according to PRT, often persists not because of ongoing physical damage but due to neural pathways that have become overly sensitized. By changing how we think about and respond to these pain signals, we can effectively reduce or even eliminate chronic pain. And this can be applied to any chronic neuroplastic symptoms too, which we’ll touch on in a bit!

This concept is built on the groundbreaking theories of Dr. John Sarno, who proposed that many forms of chronic pain are rooted in psychological factors rather than physical abnormalities. Dr. Sarno’s work highlighted the role of repressed emotions in perpetuating pain, suggesting that by addressing these underlying emotional issues, patients could find relief.

Dr. John Sarno: The Mind-Body Connection Pioneer

Dr. John Sarno, a former professor of rehabilitation medicine at New York University, was one of the first to challenge the conventional understanding of chronic pain. He introduced the concept of Tension Myoneural Syndrome (TMS), which suggests that chronic pain is a result of repressed emotions such as anger, anxiety, or trauma. According to Dr. Sarno, these unresolved emotional conflicts cause the brain to divert attention to physical pain as a coping mechanism.

Sarno's approach involved educating patients about the psychological origins of their pain and encouraging them to acknowledge and express their repressed emotions. This mind-body connection has inspired many subsequent therapies, including PRT, by emphasizing that addressing emotional health is crucial to managing chronic symptoms.

Dr. Howard Schubiner: Advancing the Mind-Body Approach

Dr. Howard Schubiner, a prominent figure in the field of mind-body medicine, has expanded on Dr. Sarno’s theories. Through his work, Schubiner has demonstrated that chronic symptoms such as fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and chronic fatigue can also be influenced by psychological factors. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the brain’s role in perpetuating these symptoms.

Dr. Schubiner’s approach combines education, emotional processing, and somatic tracking—a technique where patients learn to observe their symptoms without fear. This helps to rewire the brain’s response to physical sensations, reducing the intensity and frequency of chronic symptoms.

The Pain Psychology Center: Bringing PRT to Life

The Pain Psychology Center, founded by Alan Gordon, LCSW, has been at the forefront of applying Pain Reprocessing Therapy to treat chronic pain. The center’s approach involves a structured program that includes education about the brain’s role in pain, somatic tracking, and cognitive-behavioral techniques to change maladaptive thought patterns.

Their success in treating chronic pain has opened the door to exploring how PRT can be adapted for other chronic symptoms. By using similar principles—educating patients about the mind-body connection, addressing emotional health, and retraining the brain’s response to symptoms—PRT can be a powerful tool for managing a variety of chronic conditions.

Other Leaders in the Pain Reprocessing Arena

Jim Prussack: The Pain PT

Jim Prussack, also known as the Pain PT, has been a vocal advocate for the mind-body approach to chronic pain for many years. Through his coaching practice and online videos, he educates patients about the psychological aspects of pain and provides practical strategies for reprocessing pain signals. He has a great deal of resources on his website, and a YouTube channel that I’ve found very helpful along my journey!

Dan Buglio: Pain Free You

Dan Buglio, the creator of Pain Free You, has dedicated his career to helping individuals understand and overcome chronic pain through education and empowerment. His approach focuses on teaching patients how to stop fearing their pain and start living their lives again. After overcoming many years of debilitating back pain and sciatica, Dan has helped many people reduce their chronic symptoms and improve their quality of life. I absolutely love his calm demeanor and his daily videos on YouTube.

Rebecca Tolin: Mind-Body Coach

Rebecca Tolin is a coach who specializes in helping individuals recover from chronic conditions using mind-body techniques. Drawing from her own experience with over 13 years of chronic fatigue syndrome, Rebecca combines PRT principles with mindfulness, emotional processing, and self-compassion practices. Her holistic approach addresses the physical, emotional, and psychological aspects of chronic symptoms, offering a comprehensive path to recovery. I was privileged to take her Be Your Own Medicine course last year, and highly recommend it!

Applying PRT to Other Chronic Neuroplastic Symptoms

PRT can be used to address any time of neuroplastic symptoms, including chronic fatigue, IBS and GI issues, fibromyalgia, migraines, dizziness, POTS, Long Covid, and environmental sensitivities.

By applying PRT principles, you can learn to reframe your perception of any symptom or sensation, reducing the brain’s hypervigilance towards it. Techniques like somatic tracking can help you observe your fatigue/indigestion/neuro symptoms/etc without fear, gradually diminishing their impact. PRT can also help you address the psychological factors contributing to these syndromes, such as repressed emotions and chronic stress, eventually leading to a reduction in unwanted symptoms. You can learn to identify and process your brain’s triggers, reducing the frequency and intensity of your symptoms.

Implementing PRT for Chronic Symptoms

1. Education: The first step is educating yourself about the mind-body connection and how the brain can perpetuate chronic symptoms. Understanding that symptoms can be influenced by psychological factors is crucial for effective treatment. Check out my resources tab to start learning!

2. Emotional Awareness and Processing: I encourage my clients to explore and express repressed emotions, as part of alleviating the psychological stress that contributes to chronic symptoms. Techniques such as journaling, mindful movement, and talk therapy can be beneficial here.

3. Somatic Tracking: This involves observing physical sensations without fear or judgment, and is my absolute favorite practice to do. With somatic tracking, you can reduce your brain’s hypervigilance and rewire its response to chronic symptoms. Download my guided somatic tracking practice HERE.

4. Cognitive Restructuring: Changing maladaptive thought patterns is essential for altering the brain’s perception of symptoms. Cognitive-behavioral techniques can help you develop healthier ways of thinking about your symptoms.

5. Ongoing Support: Chronic symptoms sometimes take time to reduce, even with consistent practice. This is why it can be helpful to join a coaching group or get ongoing support from a therapist familiar with mindbody conditions. There are also lots of great books, YouTube channels (like those mentioned above), and other online resources to tap into.

Can PRT Help You Too?

Pain Reprocessing Therapy offers a revolutionary approach to managing chronic symptoms by addressing the brain’s role in perpetuating pain and other symptoms. And I hope to see this type of therapy used by more practitioners and in more conventional medical spaces. I can’t even imagine how different my life would be had I found PRT 14 years ago, and I believe it has the power to save so many people from suffering like I did.

So, even if you don’t have pain or pain isn’t your primary symptom, know that the principles of PRT can apply to you too. Assuming that you know your symptoms are neuroplastic in nature! Not sure? I have an assessment in my free brain retraining starter guide, so go download that first.

If you have questions and need more personalized support, you can book a coaching session with me. At the moment, my practice is full, but you can add your name to the waitlist to be notified of openings! Or, you can schedule an Energy Alchemy session in the meantime!

Wishing you all joy and ease for the rest of your summer,

What Is Pain Reprocessing Therapy And How To Apply It To Non-Pain Symptoms