Like Mind, Like Body

Can the simple act of learning about pain actually help you to heal it? The short answer is 'yes.' In this episode, one of the world’s leading experts in Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE), Dr. Adriaan Louw, joins us to explain how and why.

How long can relief from chronic pain and symptoms really last? Is any hope of recovery temporary, or can changes in the brain and nervous system last a lifetime? In this episode, we speak to real people who have recovered from chronic pain and symptoms to find out.

Today’s story comes from Brandon, an engineer whose mysterious hand pains eventually led him into a year-long medical leave. He joins us on the show to share the specific steps he took to get from a daily pain level of 8 to a daily pain level of almost nothing.

What’s more effective at treating chronic back pain: the usual standard of care, a placebo, or psychotherapy? That’s the question Yoni Ashar, PhD, sought to answer in his latest randomized clinical trial. Join us as Dr. Ashar talks through the results of his study and breaks down what it all means for people in pain.

After 10 years of conflicting diagnoses and mysterious flare-ups, Dr. Etrian Lim had no idea whether she’d ever find relief from the litany of symptoms that plagued her. She found herself having to lie down between seeing patients, going to her own medical appointments almost daily, and occasionally using a wheelchair. Join us as Dr. Lim shares what’s happened over the past year that led her to 80% symptom reduction and a quality of life she never thought she could find again.

Have you ever felt that you simply don’t have the time, resources, or emotional bandwidth that it would take to heal? You’re not alone. In fact, according to Dr. Trung Ngo, this is one of the most common barriers to healing success. From his experiences as a refugee from Vietnam to his clinical work with complex, chronic diseases, Dr. Ngo has gained a deep understanding of the process of overcoming hardships. He shares an exciting new tool he’s using with patients to help them create a safe space for healing in their environment, The Weave.

Nathan has struggled with symptoms of back pain, IBS, fatigue, and a laundry list of other ailments since the mid-90s. In this episode, he shares about his experience with John Sarno’s book 'Healing Back Pain', his subsequent discovery of how the science has evolved since the book was written, and his life-changing journey of rewiring and reducing all of his symptoms. Tune in to hear about his routine with the Curable app, experience with Nicole Sachs’s 'Journal Speak' technique, and more.

For 20 years, Stefanie Reyes has navigated life with IBS, migraines, fibromyalgia, panic attacks, anxiety, and depression. Today, she's optimistic that the next 20 years will look very different. After living life at what she calls 30 percent of herself for two decades, Stefanie shares her hopes and plans for a future with less fear, more joy, and radical authenticity.

Millions of children struggle with persistent symptoms. Millions more watch their parents or loved ones struggle. What they see, hear, and experience during these formative years will have a lasting impact on their adult experience of pain. What can we do to make sure the next generation responds to pain in a healthier way than the generations before them? Dr. Joshua Pate joins us to explore possible solutions.

Dr. Les Aria found his love in an unlikely place - a chronic pain clinic. For the past 16 years, Dr. Aria’s passion been helping skeptics to believe that pain psychology can help to reduce their physical symptoms. Dr. Aria serves as the Lead Pain Psychologist at Kaiser Permanente Medical Group in Northern California, and has helped countless patients put doubt in their pocket and open their minds to a new way of thinking about pain. Join us to hear more about his unique approach.