Exploring Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)

Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) is an evidence-based method that teaches the brain to respond correctly to body signals, breaking the cycle of chronic pain. A key technique in PRT is somatic tracking, which combines mindfulness, safety reappraisal, and positive affect induction to help clients perceive pain through a lens of safety, deactivating the pain signal. Understanding the neuroscience of pain is fundamental to my approach. By educating the clients on pain science, we can retrain the brain to move away from patterns of over-protection and pain, calming physical symptoms.

Further Techniques Used in PRT Sessions

In my sessions, I integrate various techniques to regulate the nervous system and reduce fear linked to symptoms and activities.

Key practices include:

Trauma-informed safety techniques, polyvagal-informed practices, imaginative guided imagery, enhanced somatic awareness, compassionate inquiry, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), breath work & mindfulness meditation, journaling, gentle movement and fun fitness exercises, and EMDR.

We are Building Your Skills for Lasting Relief

These tools help us navigate the emotional landscapes often intertwined with chronic pain experiences. Throughout our journey, you'll learn valuable skills to deal with fear as your mentor versus your enemy and understand avoidance patterns linked to pain.

Additionally, I incorporate Internal Family Systems Therapy to guide your inner world and nervous system toward a comforting sense of safety.

Imagine your mind as a bustling city, each part of you is like a different character in this urban drama. There’s the Workaholic who never takes a break, the Critic who’s always got something to say, and the Carefree Child who wants to have fun. Sometimes, these parts are at odds, leading to chaos and inner turmoil. But what if they could all work together in harmony?

Enter Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS)

– a transformative journey into our inner world that invites a harmonious collaboration among our many inner parts and our CORE SELF. IFS, often referred to as “parts work”, is a gentle, non-pathologizing model that effectively addresses suppressed emotions, trauma, limiting beliefs, and challenging patterns.

When combined with mind-body practices and techniques for calming the nervous system, this evidence-based inside-out approach is deeply healing. It gently frees up areas of your life that have been dominated by pain, self-criticism, overwork, feelings of inadequacy, shame, perfectionism, and other stresses. It helps to heal old wounds and foster inner strength, Self-leadership, self-worth, courage, confidence, clarity, creativity, and vitality. It embraces the value of each part while making you aware of how it feels to be led by YOUR CORE SELF rather than your wounded parts.

Let me tell you a story about Jane. Jane was constantly overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy and perfectionism. Her inner Critic was a relentless taskmaster, never satisfied, always pushing her to do more. Through IFS, Jane learned to acknowledge her inner Critic, realizing it was trying to protect her from failure. By understanding that her inner Critic was trying to help her, she was able to validate it, and the part softened. This shift brought Jane a sense of calm, confidence, and creativity she never thought possible.

All parts are welcome. Dr. Richard Schwartz, the founder of IFS, beautifully illustrates this in his book, No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model.