Somatic Tracking For Chronic Pain - Longer Version

This is a longer version (18 minutes) of the somatic tracking for chronic pain practice, where you will be guided to turn your attention towards painful sensations through a lens of safety. Somatic tracking is an evidence-based approach to retrain the brain to have a different relationship to pain.

This practice is helpful for people who are experiencing pain that may have no clear structural damage explanation or pathology, where the pain is more a result of pain processing errors than any 'issue in the tissues' - often referred to as neuroplastic pain. This practice is based on Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) from the work of Alan Gordon and others.

Transcript

Hi,

It's Mandy here.

Welcome to this longer version of the somatic tracking practice.

I'm so glad you're here.

So just taking some time to settle into whatever posture you've chosen,

You can do this practice sitting,

Lying,

Standing,

It's up to you.

Just whatever allows you to feel alert yet relaxed.

And we'll start by just bringing the attention to the physical sensations of your breath.

Receiving the in-breath,

Letting go on the out-breath,

And just checking in for you wherever you can feel the breath most strongly in the body.

Might be in the chest,

Or the belly,

Or perhaps the nostrils.

So just resting here for a few moments in the natural rhythm of the breath.

And just know too that at any time throughout the rest of this practice,

You can return here.

If you get a bit lost or overwhelmed,

Just return your attention to the sensations of breathing.

So in this practice today,

We're going to be actively exploring sensations in the body.

In particular,

Sensations of discomfort,

Or sensations that are unpleasant.

And we're just going to be allowing them to be exactly as they are.

So paying attention to them through a lens of safety and acceptance,

Rather than fear or avoidance.

This practice can be a bit challenging,

But it comes from the evidence-based pain reprocessing therapy,

Which is a mind-body approach that helps people recover from chronic pain.

And before we even start,

I want to just say,

Your pain is real.

And if you've been experiencing pain for a long time,

And there's been no underlying pathology being detected,

Pain can also be a false alarm.

Your brain and overprotective pain system generates pain even when there is no real threat.

So in this practice of somatic tracking,

We're going to try and change that interpretation.

I'm going to be encouraging you to bring a light,

Curious attention to these sensations.

Exploring them,

While also actively orientating to the fact that they're safe,

Even though they're unpleasant.

And maybe rather than bringing the harsh spotlight of attention to these sensations,

Maybe just as if you're kind of holding a flickering candlelight to them,

Just noticing the sensations with a little bit of wonder.

Ah,

What's this?

What's here?

And seeing if it's possible to bring the intention that whatever's happening right now in this practice is okay,

It's safe,

You're not under threat or in danger.

You can be sore,

But safe.

So as we get ready to turn towards these sensations,

Maybe just keeping in mind that it's best to practice somatic tracking on low to mild sensations,

If possible.

So at the moment,

If you're currently experiencing some really intense pain,

Like an 8,

9,

10 out of 10,

Just use your own coping strategies and perhaps focus on a different part of the body today.

Or you can focus on the sensations from the movements of your breath in the body.

Just taking your own authority here.

I'm just going to be giving the body permission to express itself.

So let's get into it.

Give this somatic tracking a go,

Hey?

Opening your attention wide to take in the whole body resting here.

Your body,

Just as it is in this moment.

And all you need to do is pay attention.

Notice sensations in the body.

No need to get fully immersed in them,

Just keeping a part of you that is observing these sensations at a little distance.

Some people like to use analogies that are helpful for this kind of way that we're paying attention.

It might be like you're snorkelling or scuba diving and observing the ever-changing underwater landscape.

Or perhaps it's kind of like you're on a cruisy,

Long country drive and you're just watching the landscape flow past.

Or it might even be like you're stargazing.

Just looking up,

Following all the twinkling,

Allowing your eyes to wander.

So we're keeping a broad awareness here and just paying attention to sensations that are calling out.

They may be unpleasant sensations of pain,

The heaviness of fatigue.

It might even be sensations of an emotion that's bubbling up.

Where and how do you feel that?

And can you let it just be there?

Observing and noticing it with a sense of interest and curiosity.

You don't need to do anything or make anything happen.

We're just paying attention to sensations.

And with that kindly attention,

What do you notice?

Are the sensations widespread or quite localized?

Do the sensations move around?

Is there a sense of tingling or throbbing,

Pulsing?

Does the intensity of the sensations change,

Increasing or decreasing?

Just using your own words or even images to help describe these sensations as best you can.

And just exploring these sensations in the body.

And as you feel them,

Know that you're safe.

There's no action required for you in this moment.

There's no need to ignore the sensations to try and push them away or make anything different about your experience in this moment.

Just being here,

Acknowledging the sensations with curiosity and open-heartedness.

And seeing if you can get curious about how you describe these sensations.

Perhaps observing them as if you're a scientist and just using some language that explains them.

Don't need to use emotive language because sometimes unhelpful metaphors can come in and they might be words that trigger a sense of danger.

So just noticing the sensations,

Breathing with them,

Remembering that we're observing.

Just keep into the facts.

Just how it is in this moment.

Not stories or judgments or embellishments.

And just continue to explore these really interesting sensations that are in the body right now.

And you don't need to pay attention to them like you would be if you were studying for a test with a sense of scrutiny or intensity.

We're not trying to zone right into them and figure them out,

Like these sensations are some kind of problem to be solved or particularly complicated Sudoku or something.

You're just paying attention with a real sense of effortlessness and ease.

There's nothing to get right.

There's no pressure.

Cut yourself a break and just notice the sensations as they are.

Noticing these perfectly normal,

Natural sensations in the body.

And we're freely allowing these sensations to be there and do their thing.

As best you can,

Letting whatever's happening happen.

No need for resistance or struggling.

You're just exploring sensations.

Seeing if it's possible to have a relationship with them.

Kind of bringing the kind of attention that you might like if you were an explorer.

Maybe Christopher Columbus or Burke and Wills.

Well,

Maybe not Burke and Wills because they died in the desert.

But I don't know,

Just maybe Dora the Explorer.

Seeing if you can bring the kind of attention that you would if you were going through some uncharted territory.

And just looking around,

Checking out the lay of the land.

Ah,

What's this?

What's going on here?

Good.

And just breathing with those sensations.

Keep going with it.

And as you're paying attention to these sensations,

Just watching them with a sense of detached curiosity,

Without any fear or judgment.

Just noticing them.

And you know,

These sensations,

You know how to deal with them.

You're safe.

These sensations are not dangerous.

You just want to rewire the brain to be less on high alert.

Back off a little bit.

Because we're not trying to make these sensations disappear.

If the sensations increase in intensity,

That's okay.

If they decrease in intensity,

That's fine too.

If they move around a bit,

That's perfectly okay.

If they stay the same,

That's fine as well.

Because we're not trying to make the sensations go away.

So whether it goes up or down,

We're just continuing to pay attention.

Knowing we don't need to change it.

Don't need to get rid of the sensations.

In fact,

There's nothing to get rid of.

Your brain is simply misinterpreting signals coming from the body as if they're dangerous.

But these sensations are safe.

And all you have to do is watch.

You're just a passenger in the car watching the landscape slow past.

You're along for the ride.

And what's happening now with these sensations?

Just noticing,

Is there any change?

Any subtle shift in the sensations?

Have they moved?

Changed in shape or texture?

Have the sensations become more intense or subsided?

Maybe you've used different words to describe them now.

Just resting your attention on these sensations in the body.

Letting the body speak and really listening.

What do you notice?

And whatever it is that you're noticing,

Just staying curious,

Maybe a bit playful,

Just keeping it light.

How interesting.

Just exploring the quality of the sensations.

Knowing that the sensations are safe.

They're not dangerous.

Maybe there's some overprotective alarm bells going off.

And maybe you can just keep hitting the snooze button.

Or if you're anything like me,

Maybe when a smoke alarm goes off,

If you've burnt the toast or something,

There's no fire.

You're not in danger.

You might be waving the towel around or trying to hit the alarm at the broom or something,

But no need for your brain to get carried away.

No threat.

These sensations are normal and natural and not dangerous.

So you can lean into these sensations.

Pay attention.

Explore them.

Let your brain know that they're safe.

Free yourself up to explore them.

Watch,

Observe,

And just know you're okay.

This is one of the best ways to teach your brain that you're not in danger.

There's nothing wrong.

You're safe.

This is okay.

And keep going with it.

You're doing well.

Just observing.

And if it's helpful,

Maybe,

You know,

It's just like you're snorkeling or scuba diving.

You're just floating around.

You might see a school of beautiful fish.

You're not trying to chase the fish.

You're not trying to catch the fish.

You're just calmly watching them.

All you have to do is observe.

No matter where these sensations are,

Just softening,

Observing,

Whether the sensations are in your back or your head or your stomach or your legs.

Can you just explore the sensations,

Knowing that they're safe?

Perhaps your brain's just getting a bit carried away,

Being overprotective.

These sensations are normal and not dangerous.

But perhaps just a few more moments,

Keeping going with this,

Breathing with these sensations that you're paying attention to,

Knowing that you're safe,

That you're just exploring,

Knowing that whatever happens to these sensations,

You're okay.

And knowing,

Too,

That you've got the ability to do this anytime in a formal practice like this,

But also throughout the day.

Any moment,

You can just stop and pay attention in this way,

Reminding yourself that these sensations are not dangerous.

And the more you do this,

The more and more practice you get at teaching your brain that these sensations in your body are okay,

That they're safe.

And just knowing that soon this practice is coming to an end,

Perhaps allowing yourself a little moment of gratitude for turning towards your pain and discomfort in this way takes great courage,

And you've been doing some excellent neuroplastic work,

Building up new neural pathways in the brain and helping yourself change your relationship to pain.

Excellent work.

You've done a great job here.

So just bringing this practice to a close,

Checking in with what the body might need right now,

Whether it's a bit of movement or stretching,

A bit of a wriggle.

Thanks.

See you next time.