Has chronic pain taken over your life?
Are you living with chronic headaches, back, neck, stomach or other pain?
Have you been diagnosed with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/ME)?
Have you been to more doctors than you can count, and they don’t know what’s causing the pain?
Maybe you’ve already had every test known to man, trying to figure out what the issue is?
Perhaps you’ve even been dismissed by some doctors, or told “the pain is all in your head”?
Have you given up on your favorite hobbies because of fear they will cause the pain to recur?
Do you avoid social events because you never know when the pain will crop up again?
Or maybe you struggle to show up for your kids or partner, because the pain gets in the way?
If any of these are true for you, then I am deeply sorry. No one should have to live with chronic pain, and nobody deserves to be dismissed by the medical community, even if they cannot explain where the pain is coming from. You deserve a pain-free, fulfilling life!
Chronic pain has become an epidemic
According to research published by the CDC in March of 2023, an estimated 51 million people - which is more than 20% of American adults - suffer from chronic pain. That’s more than one in every five Americans suffering from some form of chronic pain. So if this includes you, then you are not alone. Many people struggle with some form of pain, or multiple different kinds of pain at once, that have an unknown origin. This is often frustrating, because despite seeking help from medical professionals, nothing seems to help. Maybe you’ve tried a variety of western doctors with different specialties, physical therapists (PT), acupuncture, reiki, massage therapy, medications…and still nothing has worked.
There is hope for healing with chronic pain treatment
What if I told you that many people in chronic pain don’t have to be, and that with the right treatment, you might be able to reduce or even eliminate your symptoms? “Nonsense!” you might say, “I’ve already tried everything and the doctors told me I’m just doomed to be in pain forever”.
Our understanding of chronic pain has evolved over time, and not all doctors are aware of the latest advances, which were not available when they went through medical school. Newer research shows that for many people with chronic pain, their pain might not be generated by a structural or tissue damage issue at all (e.g., a herniated disc, a food sensitivity, a sports injury), but by hyper-sensitized neurons in the brain that are misinterpreting safe signals and instead sending pain signals. This is a type of pain called neuroplastic pain, and NO, it’s not imagined or “just in your head”.
What is Neuroplastic Pain?
Neuroplastic pain is what happens when the brain is keyed up/on edge (perhaps from a history of trauma or a previous injury) and it then misinterprets every signal that comes its way as dangerous - much like a child who just heard a ghost story before bed and worries that every bump in the night is a monster coming to get them. It is essentially a false alarm from the brain. But to be clear, this false alarm is NOT your fault, nor are you “making it up”. This pain is just as real as if you put your hand on a hot stove.
Where does pain come from
All pain comes from the brain, even the kind that happens when you put your hand on a hot stove or break your leg. When you put your hand on a hot stove, the nerve endings in your hand collect data which they send to your brain. Your brain then reads that data like a report and interprets it to decide if there is a problem that needs addressing or not. In the case of the hot stove, your brain says “WOW, that’s way too hot, if we don’t move our hand fast, then we’re going to get burned!”. The brain then sends pain signals down to the hand to let you know something bad is happening and you should move your hand. The medical term for this is called nociceptive pain.
Is neuroplastic pain “real pain”?
Yes. The process that generates the pain signals when you put your hand on a hot stove is exactly the same as the one that causes neuroplastic pain, except that the brain misinterprets safe data in the report as dangerous, and sends a pain signal because it believes you are in danger. This misinterpretation is not your fault, nor is it under your immediate cognitive control (meaning that you can’t just think the pain away in the moment). This is the same type of pain that amputees feel, which is often referred to as phantom limb syndrome, because the brain still thinks the limb is there and in danger. But the good news is that because the pain is coming from the brain, and not a structural or tissue damage issue, then it can also be rewired in the brain to turn down or off the volume and eliminate the pain using a process called Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT).
What is Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) for chronic pain?
Pain Reprocessing Therapy is a type of evidenced-based treatment for chronic pain that helps retrain the brain to interpret signals from the body appropriately, and stop the cycle of chronic pain. It involves multiple components, including education about the origin of pain and how to reverse pain cycles, as well as mindfulness and somatic therapy practices to help calm the nervous system so the brain can stop interpreting everything as dangerous.
Pain Reprocessing Therapy is the most effective form of chronic pain treatment we currently have, according to a study conducted at the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2021. In a randomized controlled environment, 98% of the participants receiving PRT improved throughout the 4-week treatment, and 66% were pain-free or nearly pain-free by the end of treatment.
Are you ready to heal chronic pain?
I have been certified in Pain Reprocessing Therapy and was also a chronic pain sufferer myself for over 3 years. Once I started using PRT in my own life, I was able to completely eliminate my pain. I would love to see if we could do the same for you! If you want to learn more and get a personalized plan, sign up for a free consultation call below to explore your options.
Now, I know you may still have some concerns or questions about therapy and coaching for chronic pain…
Does Being an HSP mean that I’m weaker than other people?
Absolutely not!!! In fact, given the amount of sensory data you’re processing, integrating, and responding to, I’d say it actually means you’re stronger in many ways. There is a misguided notion in Western cultures that having or showing strong emotions somehow makes a person weak. You may have had people say things to you like, “You’re too sensitive”, “Just shrug it off”, “You just need to grow a thicker skin”, “Don’t be such a sissy/cry baby”, or “Why are you making such a big deal out of this?”.
People who say things like that to an HSP likely do so because they don’t understand what it’s like to notice and be impacted by so many things. Being an HSP is like being a very sensitive metal detector: it’s exactly what you want when you’re trolling for treasure on the bottom of the ocean…but if you bring that same metal detector into New York City without putting a protective casing on it, then it will go off constantly because it’s picking up on SO MUCH STIMULI!
Being able to sense subtleties that others miss can be a huge advantage, which is why evolution continues to perpetuate the trait. And once you learn how to manage all the input, there will be no limit to what you can do with your newfound superpower!
Is High Sensitivity the Same as Sensory Processing Disorder, Autism or being gifted?
No. Being a Highly Sensitive Person is not a disorder, it’s a completely normal biological trait, just like having red hair or blue eyes. Approximately 1 in 5 people will possess the trait of high sensitivity, or what is sometimes referred to as Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) in the research. It is different from Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and being gifted. There may appear to be some similarities on the surface, but research on the brain shows very different underlying neurological processes.
People with SPD, Autism, or gifted individuals will often appear to be sensitive to certain stimuli/environments, much like highly sensitive people, and they may have “meltdowns” when they are overstimulated. However, they also typically struggle to read social cues, understand implied meanings, and foster empathy for others - all areas in which HSPs excel.
If you have further questions about you or your teen’s situation, I’d be happy to discuss them in more depth on a free consult call.
If being an HSP is so common, why haven’t I heard about it until now?
The term HSP was originally coined by Dr. Elaine Aron, a psychologist, in her 1996 book The Highly Sensitive Person. Prior to Dr. Aron’s research on highly sensitive people, different aspects of the trait were researched under different names, most of which focused on negative aspects of the trait like shyness or social inhibitedness. However, she was the first to distill down and be able to identify a unique trait that unified all the disparate characteristics previously studied, and also included the gifts.
Since then, research on HSPs has drastically increased, showing higher levels of brain activation in tasks involving sensing subtlties, feeling empathy, and many other areas. But it takes a long time for research to reach the mainstream culture, so there are still many misconceptions and myths about highly sensitive people. We are sometimes pejoratively referred to as, “shy”, “weak”, “cry-babies”, “awkward”, or “too sensitive” by people who don’t truly understand what it means to be an HSP.
In some eastern cultures, HSPs are more revered and sought-after by their peers for their empathy, good listening skills and ability to function in community. But in most western cultures, where competition and capitalism are king, the trait of high sensitivity is often undervalued. Western society is slowly coming around to recognizing the value of soft skills like empathy though - skills that come naturally to HSPs.
My mission is to spread awareness about the trait of high sensitivity so that people who are highly sensitive, or people who are a parent/teacher of or partner to a highly sensitive person, truly understand the trait and all of the gifts it can bring when the overwhelming aspects are accounted for and managed.
I’m an extrovert, can i still be an hsp?
Absolutely! In fact, research shows that 30% of all HSPs are extroverts. This may seem confusing because many highly sensitive people tend to be introverted and value their alone time. But being highly sensitive and being extroverted aren’t mutually exclusive.
Extroverted HSPs will often need decompression time after a busy day too or can be overstimulated by social interactions, despite also feeling energized by them. This can seem difficult to manage at first, because you may be drawn to highly stimulating activities or social situations, but then feel somewhat overwhelmed or exhausted by them because of the onslaught of sensory input. This is completely normal for an extroverted HSP and I can teach you how balance the needs of being both extroverted and highly sensitive.
I don’t live in Colorado, can we still work together?
Yes! While I’m licensed to practice psychotherapy only in Colorado, I do work with HSPs (and parents of HSPs) all over the globe in a coaching capacity. There is some overlap between the two, but they are different in some key ways.
Therapy (which I can only provide to people in Colorado) is more appropriate for people struggling with severe anxiety, depression, or trauma. If that is the case, and you live outside of Colorado, then I can help connect you with HSP resources and possibly an HSP-knowledgeable professional in your area for that deeper level of support.
Coaching (which is available world-wide) is appropriate for people who:
Are just discovering the HSP trait and wanting to learn about how it factors into their lives
Are looking for tools to manage the trait of sensitivity so their natural gifts can shine through
Are feeling overwhelmed and need some coaching around how to reduce stress
Are struggling with a particular aspect of being an HSP and it’s getting in the way of their life
Are having difficulty working with their sensitivity at school or work and needing tips for how to make it feel less overwhelming
Are struggling with sensitivity in relationships (either personal or professional) and want to learn how to better navigate these
Are looking to make a change in their life or career to better support their HSP systems but don’t know what steps to take first
Get stuck in patterns of overthinking that lead to thought spirals or difficulty sleeping/relaxing
Want to reduce or even eliminate your chronic pain?
If you are suffering from neuroplastic pain, or are curious to learn more about whether your pain might be neuroplastic, and therefore could be reduced or eliminated, then schedule a free consult call today to see how your life could be different with less pain & more energy for what you love.