The Mind and Fitness Podcast 429 - 15'ish or Less: Less is More with Sara Stein, LCSW
Sara shares her personal journey from navigating a cycle of medical appointments and ER visits to recognizing how the nervous system and hyper-fixation drive physical symptoms. She also explains how letting go of the intense desire to "fix" everything shifted her perspective and transformed her clinical practice.
Key Discussion Points
The Trap of Over-Fixing: Sara details how high achievers and clinicians can fall into rigid, intense protocols—such as treating recovery like an all-consuming project—and why shifting toward gentle curiosity and acceptance is often what breaks the cycle.
Somatic Tracking & "Less is More": Why hour-long meditation isn’t necessary; Sara shares her 90-second approach to lightly checking in with physical sensations using colorful, curious descriptions before simply moving on with the day.
Support vs. Going It Alone: How external coaching, community support (including Alan Gordon’s work and Dan Buglio’s groups), and the Pain Psychology Center helped her let go of the pressure to self-treat.
Living Life First: Why Sara didn’t wait for 100% symptom relief before resuming travel (including trips to Bali and Hawaii) and doing the things that bring joy.
- Morning Mindset with Pain: Her strategy for handling high-symptom mornings—acknowledging the body's sensations, greeting them lightly, and sticking to normal routines without fear.
Find her website here: https://saradeestein.wixsite.com/website
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