#317 Howard Schubiner, MD | A Cure for Pain episode artwork

EPISODE · May 26, 2026 · 47 MIN

#317 Howard Schubiner, MD | A Cure for Pain

from SuperPsyched with Dr. Adam Dorsay · host SuperPsyched ©

Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces an episode of SuperPsyched featuring physician Dr. Howard Schubiner discussing his updated book, Unlearn Your Pain, and evidence-based approaches to chronic pain that avoid medication or surgery. Schubiner recounts his path from academic medicine to learning from Dr. John Sarno and explains how pain can persist without tissue damage due to neuroplastic neural circuits shaped by stress, emotion, and life experiences, with pain sometimes worsening via nocebo effects from medical messaging and MRI interpretations. He describes criteria suggesting non-structural pain and research indicating most chronic back/neck pain cases may be neuroplastic despite abnormal imaging. Schubiner outlines treatment steps: accurate diagnosis, education about brain-based pain, pain reprocessing therapy to reduce fear and build safety signals, and emotional awareness and expression therapy to address underlying emotions and trauma, citing clinical stories and randomized controlled trial support.00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched00:28 Chronic Pain Problem01:13 Meet Howard Schubiner02:33 Sarno Origin Story04:37 Sarno Theory Explained06:53 How Pain Is Learned11:21 Compassion and Root Causes12:34 Pain as Social Justice15:43 Placebo Nocebo Power19:17 MRI Words and Nocebo21:09 Adam Sciatica Story22:27 When Surgery Helps23:10 Fibromyalgia Is Real23:17 Neuroplastic Pain Evidence23:56 MRI Study Contradiction26:35 Is It All In Head27:30 Brain Creates Pain29:12 Back Pain Recovery Story31:50 Sensitivity And Temperament34:02 Peacemaker Pain Pattern35:33 Endometriosis And Boundaries39:40 Treatment Steps Overview42:25 Emotional Expression Therapy45:05 Movement And FarewellHelpful Links:Unlearn Your Pain WebsiteUnlearn Your Pain BookEpisode 84 - Unlearning Your Pain | Howard Schubinder, MDThe Science Behind The Symptoms Podcast

Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces an episode of SuperPsyched featuring physician Dr. Howard Schubiner discussing his updated book, Unlearn Your Pain, and evidence-based approaches to chronic pain that avoid medication or surgery. Schubiner recounts his path from academic medicine to learning from Dr. John Sarno and explains how pain can persist without tissue damage due to neuroplastic neural circuits shaped by stress, emotion, and life experiences, with pain sometimes worsening via nocebo effects from medical messaging and MRI interpretations. He describes criteria suggesting non-structural pain and research indicating most chronic back/neck pain cases may be neuroplastic despite abnormal imaging. Schubiner outlines treatment steps: accurate diagnosis, education about brain-based pain, pain reprocessing therapy to reduce fear and build safety signals, and emotional awareness and expression therapy to address underlying emotions and trauma, citing clinical stories and randomized controlled trial support.00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched00:28 Chronic Pain Problem01:13 Meet Howard Schubiner02:33 Sarno Origin Story04:37 Sarno Theory Explained06:53 How Pain Is Learned11:21 Compassion and Root Causes12:34 Pain as Social Justice15:43 Placebo Nocebo Power19:17 MRI Words and Nocebo21:09 Adam Sciatica Story22:27 When Surgery Helps23:10 Fibromyalgia Is Real23:17 Neuroplastic Pain Evidence23:56 MRI Study Contradiction26:35 Is It All In Head27:30 Brain Creates Pain29:12 Back Pain Recovery Story31:50 Sensitivity And Temperament34:02 Peacemaker Pain Pattern35:33 Endometriosis And Boundaries39:40 Treatment Steps Overview42:25 Emotional Expression Therapy45:05 Movement And FarewellHelpful Links:Unlearn Your Pain WebsiteUnlearn Your Pain BookEpisode 84 - Unlearning Your Pain | Howard Schubinder, MDThe Science Behind The Symptoms Podcast

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#317 Howard Schubiner, MD | A Cure for Pain

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This episode was published on May 26, 2026.

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Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces an episode of SuperPsyched featuring physician Dr. Howard Schubiner discussing his updated book, Unlearn Your Pain, and evidence-based approaches to chronic pain that avoid medication or surgery. Schubiner recounts his...

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