96. Do We Predict Our Symptoms with Dr. Michael Dow

Grace is joined by Dr. Michael Dow, a clinical psychologist and lead therapist for Pain Reprocessing Therapy, to explore how our brains can learn to predict symptoms—and why that's actually good news for healing. Michael shares his personal journey from chronic weekly headaches to full recovery, what he learned from running a pain management program where nobody got out of pain, and how everything shifted when he discovered pain reprocessing therapy through the Boulder Back Pain Study. They discuss why symptoms show up at the same time every day, what recovery really looks like, why that last 5-20% of healing feels hardest, and how to address the emotions and life patterns keeping symptoms stuck with fierce compassion.Takeaways:- If your brain learned to predict your symptoms, it can unlearn them- Pain management vs. pain treatment: one keeps you comfortable, one gets you out of pain- Recovery doesn't mean perfection—it means living without fear of your symptoms- That last bit of healing often requires facing what you're most afraid of- Patience and self-compassion aren't optional—they're essential- If one approach doesn't work, keep trying; there's something that will clickABOUT DR. MICHAEL DOW:Dr. Michael Dow has been in practice in Boulder as a psychotherapist for over 20 years. After finishing his MA in Contemplative Psychotherapy at Naropa University, he worked in a variety of settings with different mental and physical health issues. He completed his doctorate in clinical psychology in 2009 at the University of the Rockies with a focus on the development of mindfulness-based psychotherapies. Most recently, he managed a large integrated medical clinic and served as lead therapist and trainer for Pain Reprocessing Therapy—an approach with excellent results for chronic low back pain in a recent randomized controlled trial (Ashar YK, Gordon A, Schubiner H, et al. JAMA Psychiatry). Dr. Dow specializes in mind-body issues, couples psychotherapy, and psychodynamic psychotherapy, with a focus on how close attention to body, mind, language, and connection leads to healing and aliveness.If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. CONNECT WITH DR. MICHAEL DOW:Website: drmichaeldow.comEmail: [email protected] coaching is available nationwide and internationallyConsultation groups for practitioners working with neuroplastic symptomsHow to work with Grace:Practitioner Training-Mind Body Integtration Method Founding Cohort Mind-Body Healing Method Course - Regulate your nervous system nowFree Masterclass: How to Know If Your Nervous System Is Behind Your SymptomsWork with us in private mind-body coaching Subscribe to my Substack for the deeper how-to'sConnect with GraceConnect on InstagramCheck out my website