Episode 49: How to Talk to Yourself When You Have Chronic Pain

Subtitled: The Power of Reframing In this episode, I dive into the power of reframing thoughts to alleviate chronic pain, particularly in fibromyalgia. Chronic pain originates in the brain's perception of threat, triggering a stress response. By learning to challenge and rewrite unhelpful beliefs, we can foster a sense of safety and improve our overall well-being. What You'll Learn: Why the brain matters in chronic pain: Chronic pain often stems from the brain’s perception of a threat, even when there’s no physical danger. A transformative case study: Meet Mary, a 70-year-old with severe knee osteoarthritis. Together, we worked to reframe her belief that sitting down made her unproductive. Embracing a new thought—that rest could be valuable and creative—helped her improve her mood, pain, and productivity. The power of belief: It’s not just about coming up with new thoughts; it’s about believing them and taking new actions from that belief. Insights from science: Drawing on Bruce Lipton's Biology of Belief, I explore how our thoughts act like the “medium” in which our cells thrive or fail.