Your brain is constantly trying to make life easier for you. It does this by predicting what’s about to happen -- what you'll feel (including pain!), see, hear, and need -- so you don’t have to consciously process everything in real time. This creates efficiency in the nervous system, which our brains really like as a way to get through our day-to-day lives. Sometimes though, the brain gets these predictions wrong, especially when it comes to chronic neuroplastic pain. So how can you help your brain overcome this largely subconscious process? Read on to learn six key ways to rewire your brain’s pain predictions.

Working to create more space & ease from pain or challenging emotions? Slow down, tune into your body & mind, and get to know the little details about what you’re experiencing in the moment. When you slow down in mindfulness and get into the granular details of your experience, the activity of two important neural networks shifts significantly, helping your nervous system move from “fight or flight” to “rest & digest.” Learn more here about how a specific mindfulness practice can turn down the volume on intense feelings, and the neuroscience behind why it works so well.

So you've tried Somatic Tracking for your chronic pain a bit but it doesn't seem to be working. You're feeling frustrated; impatient even. What's the deal? Does it not work? Is PRT a bad fit for you? Nope. That's not it. Somatic Tracking is a great practice for creating safety in our nervous systems around pain sensations. And, for most people it offers only one dimension of the healing process and is not a complete solution. When my clients stall out on pain relief from using that mindfulness practice alone, I know very clearly that it's time to go deeper and begin addressing the belief and emotional realms too.