Pain Reprocessing Therapy: How to Train the Brain to Unlearn Pain
If you’ve been dealing with chronic pain for what feels like forever, you’ve probably heard it all: “Have you tried yoga?” “Maybe it’s your diet.” “It’s just stress!” Meanwhile, you’re over here thinking, If one more person tells me to meditate, I might just scream.
Chronic pain can be exhausting, frustrating, and downright demoralizing. But what if I told you that your brain might be tricking you into feeling pain—even when there’s no real injury or ongoing damage? Enter Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), a science-backed approach that helps retrain your brain to unlearn pain. Sounds wild, right? Stick with me.
Your Brain: The Ultimate Drama Queen
Our brains are incredible. They keep us alive, help us remember our Netflix passwords, and—unfortunately—sometimes hold onto pain like a bad habit. Chronic pain often starts with an actual injury or illness, but even after the body heals, the brain might keep firing off pain signals like a broken alarm system. It’s like your brain got stuck in “danger mode” and forgot how to turn off the sirens.
Pain Reprocessing Therapy works by teaching your brain that your pain is not a threat—that it’s safe to turn the alarm system off.
How Pain Reprocessing Therapy Works
PRT is built on the idea of neuroplasticity, which is just a fancy way of saying your brain can change. It involves five key steps:
1. Education:
Understanding that your pain is caused by the brain (not ongoing tissue damage) can be a huge relief. Many people report feeling less pain just from learning this!
2. Reframing Pain Sensations:
Instead of panicking when pain flares up, Pain Reprocessing Therapy teaches you to recognize it as a false alarm. Like, “Oh, there goes my brain playing tricks again.”
3. Mindfulness & Reassurance:
Instead of fearing the pain, you learn to approach it with curiosity and calm. “Interesting. My back is hurting again, but I know I’m not in danger.”
4. Graded Exposure:
This means gently reintroducing activities that pain made you avoid. If bending over used to cause a pain flare, you slowly start bending again without fear.
5. Self-Compassion & Emotional Work:
Many people with chronic pain have underlying stress, trauma, or perfectionist tendencies. Pain Reprocessing Therapy helps address these in a gentle, supportive way.
Does It Actually Work?
In one study, 66% of people who tried PRT became pain-free, and most others saw major improvements. That’s huge! Of course, results vary, but PRT has helped countless people regain their lives, sometimes after decades of pain.
But What If My Pain Is Real?
Here’s the kicker: ALL pain is real—whether it’s caused by an injury, inflammation, or a confused brain. PRT isn’t about pretending your pain doesn’t exist; it’s about rewiring your brain so that it stops creating unnecessary pain signals.
Find Hope Through Pain Reprocessing Therapy
If you’ve been stuck in the chronic pain cycle, Pain Reprocessing Therapy might be the missing piece of the puzzle. It’s not about “thinking your pain away” (we all know that doesn’t work). It’s about teaching your brain that it’s safe to let go of pain.
And if your brain’s been a bit dramatic? Well, it’s time to give it a loving but firm talking-to. If you would like to learn more about PRT or would like to start therapy for your chronic pain, give us a call.
About the Author
Elizabeth Beebe, LPC-S, specializes in working with adults who struggle with a variety of life’s challenges. She works with a team of highly trained therapists who understand how to help those struggling with difficult emotions find the relief they are seeking.
Be Inspired Counseling & Consulting’s mission is to inspire hope for change to help individuals move forward and live fully.
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