What Is Pain Reprocessing Therapy?

03:01

What Is Pain Reprocessing Therapy?

Rated

5

Type

talks

Activity

Meditation

Suitable for

Everyone

Plays

22

Ever wonder if pain can actually be unlearned? Meet Pain Reprocessing Therapy, the approach everyone seems to be talking about. See what the hype's really about, and how it helps a nervous system settle and feel safe.

Pain Awareness Settling Practice Polyvagal Informed Self Regulation Practice Pain Management Therapy Nervous System Somatic Tracking Stress Management Chronic Pain Management Stress And Anxiety Management

Meet your Teacher

Ottawa, ON, Canada

Meet your Teacher

Ottawa, ON, Canada

Transcript

Hi again, Sue Ward here. I work with people living with chronic pain and other symptoms. I also have lived experience with chronic pain, Which is thankfully behind me. Mainly due to pain reprocessing therapy or PRT. As a researcher, Presenter, And advanced practitioner in PRT. This topic is deeply personal and professional for me. In the last video, We talked about how the nervous system can turn up its own sensitivity dial over time. So it starts sending pain signals that are real. But louder than they need to be. So what do we actually do with that? That's where pain reprocessing therapy comes in. PRT is an evidence-based approach, Meaning it's been researched. That helps the brain and nervous system unlearn that overprotective pattern. It's not about ignoring pain or pushing through it. It's actually the opposite. It's about turning toward the sensation with curiosity. So the nervous system has a chance to learn something new. Think of it like retraining that overly cautious friend from the last video. The one who keeps double-checking the locks. You're not telling them to stop caring. You're gently showing them again and again. That the door actually is locked. So eventually they can relax a little and stop asking. PRT draws on a few key ideas. One is understanding that pain generated by a sensitive nervous system is 100% real. Even when there is no ongoing tissue damage causing it. Knowing that alone can lower the alarm for a lot of people. Another is learning to notice sensations with curiosity instead of fear. Which is a skill called somatic tracking. It's one of the main tools inside PRT, And it's exactly what we're going to practice together in the next video. PRT also looks at other things that can turn up the sensitivity dial. Like stress, Difficult emotions. Or old patterns of ignoring what the body is telling us. Part of the work is getting curious about those two. Research on PRT has shown some pretty encouraging results. With many people experiencing meaningful reductions in pain or other symptoms. But honestly, The numbers matter less than this. It offers a different way in. No more pushing. No more bracing. Just steady, Curious relationship with what you're feeling. In the next video, We'll try a short somatic tracking practice together so you can feel what this actually looks like in real time. Thanks for tuning in. And I'll see you in the next video.