When Pain Persists: How Hypnosis and Mind-Body Work Can Help You Find Relief
When Pain Persists: How Hypnosis and Mind-Body Work Can Help You Find Relief
If you’ve lived with pain that just won’t go away even after rest, treatment, or scans that “look normal”, you’re not imagining it. Pain is real, but it’s also influenced by how the brain and body communicate.
That’s what drew me to two new trainings this year: Clinical Hypnosis (Hypnosis BC) and the Freedom from Chronic Pain program by Dr. Howard Schubiner and Hal Greenham. Both emphasize how the nervous system can get “stuck” in protective patterns that keep pain alive long after tissues have healed.
1️⃣ First, rule out structural causes
Always start with your primary care provider to ensure there’s no infection, fracture, inflammation, or tumor. Once those are ruled out, conditions such as migraines, IBS, fibromyalgia, chronic neck/back pain, pelvic pain, or tingling sensations are often neural pathway disorders, meaning the brain continues to generate pain signals even though the body is structurally sound.
2️⃣ Then, get curious about patterns
Functional: They don’t match a clear injury or appear after healing.
Inconsistent: They shift location or intensity depending on mood, time of day, or stress.
Triggered: They flare with harmless cues like weather, screens, or anticipation of stress.
Here are a few reflective questions to explore:
Does my pain fluctuate with my emotional state?
Do I notice improvement when I feel safe, supported, or joyful?
Have I had other unexplained symptoms in the past?
If these resonate, your brain may simply need help learning that you’re safe again.
3️⃣ How hypnosis and mind-body work help
Hypnosis is a natural state of focused awareness that allows the subconscious mind to rewire old protective responses. In sessions, I guide clients through gentle breath, movement, and visualization practices that calm the danger response, regulate the nervous system, and retrain the brain’s interpretation of pain signals.
4️⃣ Learn more and find hope
To understand these ideas further, I highly recommend Dr. Howard Schubiner’s free video series:
▶Freedom from Chronic Pain YouTube Playlist
Your body is designed to heal. Sometimes it just needs help remembering how.
If you’d like support exploring whether a mind-body approach could help you, in person or virtually, you can email ([email protected]) or request a complimentary consult at www.charlottemah.com
Disclaimer: I am not a dietitian or nutritionist. This recipe is based on general knowledge of brain-healthy foods and is intended for informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional for personalized dietary advice.
For more drills and fun updates delivered right to your inbox, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter!
