How to Overcome Negative Thinking about Your Chronic Pain or Illness (Meditation Included)

Ever notice how your thoughts about pain or symptoms seem to make it worse? You're not imagining things—negative thinking patterns actually trigger and intensify chronic pain and symptoms by dysregulating your nervous system.

In this revealing episode, we dive deep into the powerful connection between your thoughts and physical symptoms. Drawing from both professional expertise and personal experience, we share our own recent struggles with anxiety spirals—Anne's obsessive worrying about her horse's health and Tanner's business-related stress—and how we applied therapeutic techniques to break free.

The mind-body connection isn't just theoretical. When caught in patterns of fearful, hopeless, or obsessive thinking, you create a sensitization cycle where pain/symptoms leads to dysregulation, which leads to more symptoms. These thinking habits might have been present before your symptoms developed, but they take on new power when chronic pain/symptoms enters the picture.

We introduce the transformative "3R" technique—Realize, Re-examine, and Restore—a powerful framework for shifting from mind to body and breaking negative thought cycles. This Technique comes from Pain Reprocessing Therapy. The skill works because, as polyvagal theory expert Deb Dana explains, "story follows state." Your nervous system state determines the story your mind creates.

The episode includes a complete guided meditation that walks you through the Three R process, teaching you to observe thoughts non-judgmentally, re-examine their validity, and restore safety by shifting awareness to your body. This practice is especially valuable for anyone caught in pain/symptom-focused thinking or symptom-checking behaviors.

Ready to transform your relationship with chronic pain and illness? Listen now to discover how changing your thinking patterns can create lasting relief—and experience our guided meditation designed specifically for pain reprocessing. Your healing journey begins with understanding the power of your thoughts.

Tanner Murtagh and Anne Hampson are therapists who treat neuroplastic pain and mind-body symptoms. They are also married! In his 20s, Tanner overcame chronic pain and a fibromyalgia diagnosis by learning his symptoms were occurring due to learned brain pathways and nervous system dysregulation. Post-healing, Tanner and Anne have dedicated their lives to developing effective treatment and education for neuroplastic pain and symptoms. Listen and learn how to assess your own chronic pain and symptoms, gain tools to retrain the brain and nervous system, and make gradual changes in your life and health!

The Mind-Body Couple podcast is owned by Pain Psychotherapy Canada Inc. This podcast is produced by Alex Klassen, who is one of the wonderful therapists at our agency in Calgary, Alberta. https://www.painpsychotherapy.ca/

Tanner, Anne, and Alex also run the MBody Community, which is an in-depth online course that provides step-by-step guidance for assessing, treating, and resolving mind-body pain and symptoms. https://www.mbodycommunity.com

Also check out Tanner's YouTube channel for more free education and practices: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Fl6WaFHnh4ponuexaMbFQ

And follow us for daily education posts on Instagram: @painpsychotherapy

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