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Chronic Pain, Fatigue & Other Symptoms
Your body is speaking, but you don’t understand what it’s saying.
Maybe it started with an injury, a virus, a tickborne infection, or a concussion. Or maybe it came out of nowhere. Maybe your symptoms mysteriously vary from day to day, or there’s just one that’s unrelenting.
You’ve seen your PCP, consulted with specialists, done all the diagnostic tests they can think of. Maybe you were relieved to finally get a diagnosis, only to be disappointed that it didn’t come with a clear solution.
You’ve tried prescription medications, injections, and maybe even had surgery. Perhaps you’ve dabbled in special diets and alternative therapies that were expensive, time-consuming, and even weird or painful.
You’re desperate for a solution and you’re losing hope. Your world is getting smaller. You’re tired of spending so much time, energy, and money on your health and still not feeling well.
GOOD NEWS!My evidence-based mindbody approach can resolve your health problems. They are the key to the door that leads to healing all of you. They are our guide. Your body shows us where to go. You can trust it after all. You just need to know how to interpret the signs and you’ll be on your way.
FAQs About Mindbody Approach to Healing Chronic Pain
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There’s a difference between acute pain from an injury and chronic pain which is pain lasting longer than 3 months. If your problem is chronic and you’ve ruled out a tumor, infection, or acute injury, I can probably help you get relief. Here are some conditions best treated by this approach:
- Pain in any body part – back, neck, hips, shoulders, knees, feet, hands…
- Migraines
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic fatigue
- Dizziness, poor balance, & lightheadedness
- GI problems and food allergies
- Painful sex
- Bladder problems
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Itching, burning, tingling and other unusual sensations
- Severe allergies & skin rashes
- Light & sound sensitivity
This list is not exhaustive. Many patients are given very specific diagnoses for their conditions, but they are just descriptive of the problem in medical lingo; they do not speak to the mechanism of the disease or the solution to them.
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No! Well, yes… but not in the way that they mean when they dismiss you and your pain. If you have seen all the doctors, run all the tests, tried all the treatments and nothing is working (or something does work, only for another symptom to show up soon after) that means the symptom is likely due to a problem in your brain, NOT in your body. But I want to be clear – that doesn’t mean it hurts any less. And it doesn’t mean you’re a slacker or a faker. You aren’t making it up and it’s not your fault. There is great research now that explains the mechanisms by which chronic pain and other sensations are generated by the brain. Understanding that science is the key to retraining your brain.
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Nope. All pain is real. It’s just as real as if you had an open wound in your body. Pain is always generated by the brain, even when there’s an obvious injury in the tissue. It’s just that the solution to chronic pain is not where you’ve been looking. Usually (but not always) chronic health conditions are brain problems, not problems in the tissues of your body. That’s backed up by the last two decades of research on pain and neuroplasticity, but the word hasn’t gotten out much yet, even among most medical professionals. So the solutions to acute pain verses chronic pain are different. You need a doctor for the former, a pain-informed therapist for the latter.
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When I first got my Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology, we were told we couldn’t treat pain, that we could only treat the psychological aspects and effects of pain. But the last two decades of neuroscience research have changed that. We now know that the brain is constantly changing in response to what we do every single day, constantly learning and adjusting to make whatever we do often easier (a process they call neuroplasticity)… and that includes feeling sensations of pain, fatigue or other symptoms. The upshot for those suffering like this is that if doctors haven’t found an explanation or medical solution for your symptom, there is a very good chance that it is learned. And that means you can unlearn it! And mental, emotional and behavioral learning is most definitely within the purview of mental health. That means a pain-informed psychotherapist is the perfect person to help you. Most of us don’t question why we get grumpy when we’re sick. The body impacts the mind, right? The reverse is also true. Your mind is impacting your body all the time. But getting at what’s in the mind that’s causing body problems, well, that can take some digging...
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Because I’ve been there. I lived with chronic unexplained pain and fatigue mixed with a myriad of mysterious symptoms that came and went for years. I know how chronic health problems threaten your relationships, social life, beloved hobbies, career aspirations, and finances, not to mention your mood and mental health. I know exactly what it’s like to be trying so hard to heal, wanting so badly to get back to living life fully.
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I have training and experience in all the skills you’ll need to heal. I am certified in Alan Gordon’s Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT).* I’ve also done training with the Psychophysiologic Disorders Association** and the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS). And I have extensive training in treating trauma which is often part of healing from chronic physical symptoms. (See my website section on individual therapy for more info on that.) Most of all, I’ve walked the path of healing myself, so you get the benefits of all the lessons I learned the hard way, without all the detours and dead ends.
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It depends on so many different factors, there is no way for me to know. For a lucky few, just learning the pain science is all they need and the pain goes away. But for most, it is a process of addressing complex emotions generating the pain and learning the skills to train your brain out of pain on a daily basis. To a large extent, how quickly you heal is significantly impacted by how motivated you are to put time and attention into retraining your brain, as well as how stressful your life is to you currently. The length of time you’ve had your symptoms, as well as the number and intensity of symptoms sometimes impacts your healing time, but not always.
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Besides the primary goal of helping you unlearn your chronic physical symptoms, I can also help with these common challenges of living with them until you do:
- Managing the stress of dealing with our broken healthcare system.
- Advocating for yourself with medical practitioners who often imply “it’s all in your head,” blame you for being sick, or give simplistic answers to your complex problem.
- Choosing between the various alternative healthcare options, especially when financial resources are limited.
- Developing a mindfulness practice which will help with any health problem, but which research has shown to be particularly helpful in decreasing inflammation and managing pain.
- Grieving losses incurred as a result of your health limitations, including finances, relationships, and career opportunities.
- Communicating with significant others and friends about your needs and limitations while you heal.
- Finding the balance between accepting your current limitations and pushing yourself just a bit beyond your current level of functioning to regain ground… safely and gradually to avoid setbacks.
- Exploring the relationship between your thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and physical symptoms you are experiencing.
- Listening to your body and honoring its messages.
- Practicing self-compassion.
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Yes! Because even if your symptoms do have a medical explanation or solution, many of the above skills listed in the previous answer could still help you cope with and/or decrease the symptoms you experience. There are ways to figure out which type of symptoms you have if you aren’t sure.
Sound like you?
Consider joining my Minding-The-Body Healing Group.
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What neuroplasticity is, how it is likely working against you, and how to turn it in your favor.
What research has revealed about pain and how knowing it can help you heal. (I promise it won’t be boring!)
The various possible causes of the symptoms in your life.
The mental, emotional, behavioral, and lifestyle factors that facilitate your symptoms and how to change them.
Practical skills for relieving stress and keeping your body in “Rest, Digest, & Repair” mode rather than “Fight, Flight or Freeze” mode.
Ideas and tools for decreasing depression, anxiety, isolation, and hopelessness.
How to stop the pattern of overdoing it on good days which leads to flare ups.
Coping skills for managing the flare ups when they happen.
The difference between getting support and getting stuck in the pattern of complaining.
When to process painful emotions and when to distract yourself and let those emotions pass.
Understanding what shame is, how toxic it is to your health, and how to stop indulging shame-based thoughts.
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See banner at very top of website for specific dates & times of next series being offered.
Held online via secure videoconferencing platform, NOT in person.
For adults (25 or older) who can be physically located in NH or FL during the sessions (because of licensing regulations). Note that that does not mean you need to be a resident of one of those states.
Maximum group size is 10 participants.
After finishing the series of 8 sessions, you’ll have the option to join other MTB alumni in ongoing sessions for further support in implementing and applying the tools you learned to your specific situation.
20 minutes of preparation (watching videos) is required before each session.
Includes 12 hours group time, detailed notes on each meeting for reference, resource list & access to Ellen between meetings for support in applying skills.
Here’s what MTB Healing Group participants said about it:
“Enlightening. It really gave me some hope when I was lost and confused as to why I couldn't get well, and why I was so sick in the first place. It really helped me understand how my body ‘turned’ on me.”
“I'm extremely happy with my results and the money (and my time spent) was well worth it.”
“It was informative, supportive and at times individualized.”
“Interacting with others that had the same (but different) issues I was having was refreshing as, at least for me, when I was in pain I had more of a ‘woe is me’ attitude. Knowing others were going through what I was helped me a great deal - especially at first!”
“I loved the resources and felt you provided a lot of detail that I needed to help accomplish my goals.”
“This is the best favor you can do for yourself!”
“DO IT! The price is so reasonable. If you've been suffering and have never explored your nervous system/brain as being the source...please try it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain from the knowledge and tools provided in the group. And it helps you feel less alone.”
FAQs about the MTB Healing Group
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No way! The MTB group is about solutions, not current suffering. We stay out of the details of the symptoms themselves. We will have a wide range of symptoms represented in the group. Since the mechanism is the same for all of them, the details don’t matter.
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Feel free to lay down during the meeting. You just need to figure out a way for your computer camera to show your face while it sits on a stable surface, such as on a TV table (NOT your lap). In order to heal from chronic health problems, you absolutely have to understand how pain works in the brain and the principles of mindbody healing. That means I need to spend quite a bit of time on psychoeducation. I think you will find the time flies by…
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By joining the group, you are committing to watch a minimum of 20 minutes of videos for each meeting. Most members beg me for more, so I provide other resources that are optional. I will provide an outline on each session before we meet, but you don’t have to read it in advance (although some people do). It’s handy to print it out so you can make additional notes on it.
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In order to build good momentum in the group cohesion, it really is important that everyone try to make all 8 sessions. That said, it’s rare for folks to have no conflicts in a series of 8 weeks. Plus, life happens — sickness and emergencies come up. Every session builds on the last one, but since you will have the notes and the homework prep available to you, you could catch up by reviewing them carefully. I don’t recommend signing up if you know for sure you would miss more than one session at the outset. Ask me when the next group will be starting. It may be worth waiting. Please note, since space is limited and I am reserving a spot for you, there will be no refunds for missed sessions.
“Traumatized people chronically feel unsafe inside their bodies: the past is alive in the form of gnawing interior discomfort… they often become expert at ignoring their gut feelings and in numbing awareness of what is played out inside.”
— Bessel van der Kolk
