top of page

Please note: My services are available for Australian residents only. I am not currently taking on any new clients

Happy Girl

Freedom From Chronic Pain

Screenshot 2023-12-18 121046.png

Suited to those who are currently experiencing chronic pain and other chronic symptoms, with approval from their medical doctor. Utilises my meditation teacher training and is based on the Freedom From Chronic Pain method, which can break the cycle of chronic pain and minimize debilitating symptoms.

A new paradigm for understanding pain

Pain is a danger signal

There's a revolutionary change emerging in how we conceptualise chronic pain, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, depression and other similar conditions. We now understand that pain is more than just nociception (signals for tissue damage). Instead, pain is a subjective experience based on the brains interpretation of threat, as described in the video to the right.

 

​When the brain feels threatened the 'fight or flight' response activates - affecting muscles, blood flow, the nervous system, the heart, the gastrointestinal system and the genito-urinary system. This response can trigger: pain almost anywhere in the body, tingling, numbness, burning, IBS and bladder symptoms, palpitations, rapid heartrate, headaches, migraines and more - often without any tissue damage and sometimes where old injuries have healed.

​

The brain processes emotional threats very similarly to physical threats. Thus, stressors like work, unresolved past traumas, relationships, childhood adversity, anger and even fear, worry or anticipation about experiencing pain can all contribute to the brain feeling threatened enough to make the body feel chronic pain.

All Videos

All Videos

Watch Now
Forest

That doesn't mean it's all in your head

Far from it. Chronic pain is associated with physical changes in the brain at the cortical level.

 

According to the PPDA, Psychophysiologic Disorders (PPD) is the clinical term for bodymind symptoms, meaning symptoms that are caused by neural pathways that develop in response to stress, trauma, and repressed emotions. These learned neural pathways are anatomical changes in the brain, which means that the resulting symptoms are generated in the brain and not “in your head.” The symptoms are very real and can be chronic and debilitating, but the good news is they are also benign and treatable!

Working with me can involve:

By changing the brain we can change the pain.

More effective than conventional treatments

A number of recent scientific studies have shown that approaches similar to mine, which draw on bodymind healing principals, produce better healing results than conventional treatments for chronic pain.

 

For example, in one recent study, 98% of back pain patients who received a relatively short course of Pain Reprocessing Therapy reported improvements in their symptoms. 66% became pain free or nearly pain free compared to just 10% of patients who received standard care from their usual medical practitioner. 

 

I believe that the integration of complementary techniques, such as breathwork, and a longer duration of therapy for more complex bodymind presentations could have resulted in even greater success in the Pain Reprocessing Therapy Group. 

​

I offer many complementary modalities, including breathwork and meditation, that you can learn in-depth alongside your pain reprocessing work. 

But what about my imaging results?

Most imaging is of no value in explaining pain

Medical imaging procedures such X-rays, ultrasounds, CT Scans and MRIs can be very valuable for identifying serious medical conditions such as fractures, dislocations, spinal cord injuries, etc. However, once serious problems have been ruled out by a doctor, minor findings are generally of no value in explaining aches and pains.

​

For example:

  • MRI studies of healthy individuals with no history of upper or lower back pain found that 47% had disc degeneration, 53% had disc bulges, and 58% had disc tears in their thoracic spine.

    • Amazingly 29% of those healthy adults have a disc bulge that was actually deforming and pressing on the spinal cord, yet they did not know about it. This means that there is little correlation between most spinal abnormalities and actual pain.

  • Studies have shown that when x-rayed, up to 85% of adults with no actual knee pain have x-rays that show knee arthritis. This means that there is little correlation between degree of knee arthritis, and actual pain.

  • MRI studies of adults who have no shoulder pain show that 20% have partial rotation cuff tears and 15% have full thickness tears.

​

For more information see here. Information taken from the APTEI poster.​

Bodymind tools can be used to help most forms of:

  • Fibromyalgia

  • Tension headaches

  • Back pain

  • Neck pain

  • Whiplash

  • Knee pain

  • Patellofemoral syndrome

  • Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome

  • Chronic abdominal and pelvic pain syndromes

  • Chronic tendonitis (in any joint)

  • Vulvodynia

  • Piriformis syndrome

  • Repetitive strain injury

  • Foot pain syndromes

  • Myofascial pain syndrome

  • Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome (AMPS)

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder

  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

  • Eating disorders

  • Substance use disorders

  • Endometriosis

  • Irritable bowel syndrome

  • Interstitial cystitis (Irritable bladder syndrome)

  • Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)

  • Inappropriate sinus tachycardia

  • Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (CRPS)

  • Migraine attacks

  • Insomnia

  • Some patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)

  • Paresthesias (numbness, tingling, burning)

  • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)

  • Dizziness

  • Pseudoseizures

  • Trigeminal Neuralgia

  • Globus sensation

  • Burning chest pain (resembles acid reflux)

  • Difficulty breathing

  • Chronic cough

  • Spastic dysphonia

  • Chronic hives

  • Hypersensitivity syndromes (to touch, sound, smells, foods, medications)

What it is not for:

Since structural damage or organ disease processes can also cause the symptoms on this list, it is important to first rule out serious medical conditions with your doctor. Ask your doctor if it’s safe for you to pursue bodymind education and coaching for your symptoms in conjunction with medical treatment.​

 

This approach is NOT suitable for patients experiencing:

  • Cancers
    Rheumatoid conditions / Some arthritic conditions

  • Clearly diagnosed nerve injury

​

​

For more information see the PPD Association

You will need to do some work

Unlike taking a pill, re-training your brain and nervous system takes time, effort and consistency on your part. In order to benefit from this sort of coaching, you need to be willing to put consistent effort into your healing and to do work that may feel emotionally uncomfortable at times.

​

I will act as a guide to provide you with education, encouragement, accountabilit and support - but the only person who can re-train your brain and nervous system is YOU!

​

Hiking in Forest

Book an Appointment

Ready to experience a revolutionary approach to health and wellness?

bottom of page