Welcome to the Living Proof Blog
Living Proof is inviting a series of guest bloggers to share some of their favourite thoughts and ideas on neuroplastic conditions, speaking from their own experience, either as people who have recovered, or as healthcare professionals using this approach to successfully treat their patients.
Vanessa’s Journey: From Chronic Illness to Recovery and Transformation
January 2025
Our first blog of 2025 comes from Vanessa Wilhelm who used the neuroplastic (mind-body) approach to recover from long covid and a long list of chronic debilitating symptoms. She kindly shared her inspiring story of recovery with Living Proof – along with her top tips for approaching the healing journey.
How It All Began
Looking back, my health journey truly began in late 2016, during a challenging period at university. I was under immense pressure to excel academically and was recovering from a narcissistic relationship. Furthermore, I was adjusting to a whirlwind of relocations — from my native Germany to the UK, then to Hong Kong, and back again. Amidst all this, I was working part-time caring for children and fell ill with glandular fever (mononucleosis), which left me battling chronic fatigue for over a year.
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Life eventually settled down, or so I thought. I rebuilt a sense of normalcy, even diving into competitive weightlifting and starting my post-university career in public affairs. But everything changed in January 2021. After contracting COVID-19 and losing my beloved grandmother while isolating in the UK, I faced one of the most challenging chapters of my life.
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The Onset of Long-COVID
Though my initial COVID infection wasn’t severe enough to suggest long-term damage, the aftermath appeared to tell a different story. Weeks after recovering, I felt as though a switch had been flipped in my brain, ushering in a period of debilitating symptoms. My life came to a halt as I became bedbound, grappling with over fifty symptoms — primarily neurological.
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I experienced intense brain fog, chronic fatigue, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), and mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). Panic attacks became a daily reality, as did an overwhelming sense of fear. Sleepless nights stretched into days, punctuated only by brief moments of collapse. A non-epileptic (dissociative) seizure triggered severe derealisation and detachment from reality, leaving me unable to recognise myself in the mirror. My nervous system had reached its breaking point, and the resulting PTSD-like symptoms only compounded the ordeal.
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As MCAS worsened, my diet shrank to just fifteen foods, and medications caused significant weight gain. I lost my vibrant, active life, replaced by endless research and desperate attempts to find solutions. From supplements and heavy-duty medications to neurofeedback, specialists to alternative therapies, I tried everything, exhausting my life savings in the process.
The Path to Recovery
In mid-2021, I discovered the mind-body connection and began a brain retraining course. While this approach works for many, its rigid methods only heightened my anxiety. Feeling defeated, I sought help from a coach (Hi Karden, I hope you are reading this!) who introduced me to the mind-body world in a more compassionate, tailored way. Despite his incredible support, my panic and hypervigilance were insurmountable at the time, and I reverted to a medical approach.
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Over the next two years, I made gradual progress, but every day remained a struggle. Then, in December 2023, after a particularly severe MCAS flare, I reached a breaking point. By chance, I discovered Nicole Sachs’ podcast and Dan Buglio’s YouTube channel. Their stories resonated deeply. I recognised patterns in my life: unresolved childhood trauma, anxious attachment, perfectionism, chronic overwork, and people-pleasing tendencies. My nervous system had been on overdrive for years, and it was time to change.
Building a New Foundation
I began journalling daily, using it as a tool to confront my fears and rewire my beliefs. With the guidance of a SIRPA-trained psychotherapist (Hi Liz, I am so thankful for your help!), I started tackling the root emotional issues keeping me stuck. Step by step, I built a belief system centred on safety, resilience, and recovery.
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In addition to journalling, I adopted nervous system-regulating techniques like yoga nidra [1], meditation, emotional freedom technique (EFT – tapping) [2], and somatic tracking [3]. Developing a healing mindset was crucial. Even on tough days, I refused to doubt my recovery. Over time, my symptoms diminished, and I regained trust in my body’s ability to heal.
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2024 wasn’t linear - progress often felt like one step forward, two steps back. But by the latter half of the year, my trajectory was unmistakably upward. Today, I consider myself largely (90%) recovered.
Life Now
I’ve reclaimed my life. Though my nervous system remains sensitive, chronic symptoms no longer dictate my days. When challenges arise, I face them with tools and perspective, and they quickly pass.
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I’m thrilled to be starting a new job in February 2025, pursuing career goals I once thought were out of reach. I’m travelling, exercising, and embracing a full life once again. Earlier this year, I fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a dog mum to Maple, my adorable cavapoo puppy who has brought endless joy and motivation to my journey.
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Beyond my personal recovery, I’ve started supporting others. I run a small WhatsApp group focused on peer support and positivity, and I’m a Group Expert in Nicole Sachs’ Facebook community, helping others navigate their own healing journeys. I’m also planning to train as a coach to assist more people in reclaiming their lives.
Vanessa and Maple
The Silver Linings
This journey has been about more than just physical recovery. It’s been a path to emotional healing and self-discovery. I’ve confronted trauma, learned to set boundaries, and embraced my sensitive, authentic self. Mindfulness and spirituality, once foreign concepts, are now integral to my life.
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While I’m not yet ready to thank chronic illness, I recognise it as the catalyst for profound transformation. Step by step, I’m becoming the person I’ve always wanted to be, and that fills me with gratitude and hope.
Vanessa’s Top Tips for Recovery
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Don’t compare your journey to others - everyone’s path is unique.
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Find activities that bring you joy and prioritise them.
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There are plenty of free/low-cost resources available and recovery through self-coaching is entirely possible. However, don’t be shy to seek help from a therapist or coach if you feel overwhelmed (and if this is within your budget).
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View symptom flares as opportunities to practise resilience and wear them loosely.
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Stop making your symptoms the sole focus in your life. For my own recovery, I had to stop talking about or researching my symptoms 24/7.​
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Recovery is possible. It’s not a straight path, but with patience, belief, and the right support, a full life awaits. My journey isn’t just about surviving — it’s about thriving.
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References:
[1] https://www.ekhartyoga.com/articles/practice/what-is-yoga-nidra
[2] https://eftinternational.org/discover-eft-tapping/what-is-eft-tapping/
[3] https://www.curablehealth.com/podcast/what-is-somatic-tracking
A Doctor’s Story of Recovery from Long Covid
December 2024
Our blog this month comes from Dr Sarah Gawthorpe who shared her story of recovery from long covid along with the neuroplastic (mind-body) tools she used to heal, in the hope that it might help someone find that missing piece to their own unique recovery puzzle. Whilst Dr Sarah is a GP, her blog does not constitute medical advice.
My story
In 2021, life changed drastically. I started the year leading a full, active life ‘in my prime’. I had a part-time job as a doctor, which I loved, whilst also caring for my 3-year-old son. I enjoyed sports, the outdoors, and seeing friends.
Fast forward two covid infections; I developed disabling fatigue to the extent I was housebound; brain fog so severe I couldn’t construct sentences or do simple maths sums; unable to care for my child for more than half an hour, and unable to go to work.
It was an isolating, scary place - having this new mystery illness with no idea if I would recover, and no medical treatments in sight. I found myself at times being gaslit by medical peers, with a condition that was largely misunderstood by friends/family/ employers and the wider community. I did not understand it either. The symptoms seemed so strange and didn’t fit neatly into any ‘box’ that I’d learnt at medical school.
My Long Covid Symptoms
​Alongside severe fatigue and brain fog, my symptoms included extreme hypersensitivity to sound, light and temperature; tinnitus; hypothermia; poor digestion; blood sugar irregularities; dizziness with very low blood pressure and low pulse rate. It also plunged me into peri-menopause and triggered an autoimmune inflammatory gut disorder.
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​The Impact of my Long Covid Symptoms
Due to the severity of these symptoms, I was unable to work and socialise, which impacted me psychologically, emotionally and financially. I lost a sense of purpose. But what felt the most crushing was that I was unable to look after my son. I didn’t even have the energy to put him to bed, let alone attend to the rest of his day-to-day care. On my worst days, my narrative was that ‘I couldn’t even be a mum’ (my most important job in the world); this was felt deeply.
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Initially I felt embarrassed or ‘weak’ that I had long covid. Believing my symptoms were caused directly by the virus, questions like ‘Why am I not strong enough to cope with this virus when others are?’ would play on my mind. But then I realised that coping daily with disabling symptoms meant I must have deep inner strength – I hope you can feel that too. Realising how strong we must be, I find empowering and can provide a base on which to build recovery and maintain the belief/hope that recovery is possible.
My Road to Recovery: Five Pillars to Wellness
The 2.5 years from my worst to my full recovery were an undulating journey, gradually improving over that time. Recovery wasn’t linear - more of a ‘2 steps forward, 1 step back’ journey, so please don’t lose heart if you have some good days followed by some harder ones.
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The tools and techniques that I used to heal can be gathered into five themes or ‘pillars’, which make up my ‘recovery blueprint’.
Initially I focused on nervous system regulation (pillar 1), which was central to my recovery and is a focus of this blog. Pillars 2 and 3 (ensuring good nutrition and microbiome support - and restorative sleep) supported my nervous system work. Pacing myself to return to activity (pillar 4) and adopting a healing mindset were also key (pillar 5).
The Importance of Nervous System Regulation
Firstly, I felt I needed to calm my whole nervous system to allow my body to start to heal. My aim was to reduce the Sympathetic Nervous System response or ‘fight/flight/freeze’ and spend more time in ‘rest and digest’ (Parasympathetic Nervous System).
I used lots of different tools to do this including relaxing music (using the Sensate app); vagus nerve stimulation (e.g. humming and massaging the nerve); long covid-specific yoga classes (gentle and restorative); regular mindfulness meditations (using the Insight Timer or Calm app); self-compassion meditations; diaphragmatic breathing exercises; being in nature - and connection with a supportive long covid community. There are lots of long covid groups on Facebook, but finding a supportive, gentle, hopeful group felt nourishing whilst also counteracting the isolation. I removed myself from any that were ‘scaremonger’ territory.
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Exercise/Movement and Pacing Myself
At the beginning of my recovery journey, doing too much meant I’d be bedbound for 48 hours, not able to interact. Therefore, pacing myself, both physically and mentally, was key. Six months later, I was ready to do a bit more, but the conditioning and caution I had received from the long covid clinic about pacing caused a slight fear of overdoing things.
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Initially I used a smartwatch to monitor my exercise, but this meant that my eyes would be glued to my device in case I went over a ‘dreaded threshold’ of steps or heart rate (limitations based on conditioned thinking) as I increased my activity levels. This kept the anxiety of doing too much and bringing on a crash upfront in my mind – rather than the joy of doing more.
I changed tack, therefore, and would play uplifting meditations or music whilst doing short walks in nature and listened to my body/intuition on when to stop. This approach alongside being in nature helped me forget the fear and keep it a wholly positive experience. Gentle yoga was also helpful here (lots of restorative poses initially, progressing to more active ones with time).
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Another tool I found to help with triggering fatigue/fear of long covid symptoms, was my own version of somatic tracking*. Whenever I felt fearful that my fatigue or other symptoms may get triggered/worse, I felt into the sensation that the thoughts caused in my body. Perhaps it was a knot in my chest, pressure in my jaw, deep pain in the chest. Then I would stay with the sensations, calmly breathing into it and letting it be there (without any mind involvement). Paradoxically, the longer I stayed with these sensations, the less they became. Then the next time I found myself in a situation I would have previously felt triggered in, (e.g. worrying about having enough energy to work), I found I was much less triggered.
Healing Mindset
After 6-9 months, when my brain fog and fatigue had improved enough to manage it, I started reading more widely about holistic ways of recovering from illnesses including learning about the mind-body connection. I remember a quote that struck me: “Where focus goes, energy flows”. It made me wonder if what I focused on was more likely to come true. Perhaps the way I viewed my recovery would make a difference to my health. I read the neuroscience behind this perspective and related it to epigenetics.
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I had already heard of positive mental attitude, but I felt it was unrealistic and abnormal to be positive all the time (especially tricky when one has a severe illness). So I looked for tools/techniques that felt more sincere. Tools that could still validate the feelings of grief and loss from losing so many facets of my life through long covid but also ended in an uplifting way that was helpful for recovery. Some tools felt like they fitted better some days than others, so I developed an arsenal…
This included my gratitude practice. Some days it felt difficult to find things to be grateful for, so I often used a guided meditation to get my mind into the right space. I realised that there were small, simple things I could be grateful for, like a cosy blanket or stroking my dog. Listening to gratitude meditations in nature provided a ‘double hit’ of feeling uplifted. Other people write gratitude lists or text a friend three things they are grateful for each day.
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Tapping was also helpful if I was feeling ‘stuck’ in a negative space/thought pattern. Tapping basically involves saying affirmations whilst tapping on acupressure points and is surprisingly well-researched and evidenced**. I would listen to whatever track on the ‘Tapping Solutions' app spoke to me at the time. If I was feeling anxious, I would tap along to ‘help me stop overthinking’, or ‘releasing anxiety in the body’ or ‘release stress’ tracks. I liked how each meditation started with acknowledging the negative feelings you may be experiencing before then opening to the possibility of more healing, positive thoughts.
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I prioritised doing things that brought joy if I could. This is different for everyone, perhaps it’s art or music or poetry or gardening or being in nature or hobbies, etc.
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I also worked on identifying self-limiting beliefs - and changing my internal narrative to more positive/helpful thought patterns, learning from coaches like Phil Parker and Joe Dispenza via Youtube. Sometimes I used visualisation to support me in achieving my recovery goals. I created a list and visualised myself with those attributes: an agile brain, a deep well of energy, resilience, strength, freedom, self-belief, faith in my body. I also visualised how my world would look when I had my health back: playing with my child, running along the beach, my brain working hard at work, partying with friends, climbing a mountain, etc. Depending on my mood, some days felt harder to visualise - guided visualisations with the above coaches were helpful as they lead you step-by-step.
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Other areas I worked on included learning to prioritise myself more and to foster self-compassion and forgiveness (of myself and others), following the work of Gabor Mate, Kristen Neff and Tara Brach.
Full Recovery
After a year of using these tools and techniques, I was about 60% improved. The end of the second year took me to 90%. By continuing to use my tools, I got to 100% at 2.5 years.
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I’m pleased to say I’m back to regular jogs with the dog, working in the job I love, badminton, yoga, socialising and fully caring for my young child. I sincerely hope you can get to full recovery too.
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When I was most unwell, I promised myself I would climb a mountain when I was better... so, in spring 2024, I climbed Snowdon on a particularly rainy, windy day! The achievement I felt of getting to that summit was immense – it felt like I had conquered long covid, as well as a mountain.
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Lessons from Healing
There have been some silver linings/learnings from my long covid journey. I have learnt about my inner strength, priorities and what’s important in life; to take pauses more often; to be grateful for both big and small things in my life and not take my health for granted - along with the importance of balance; of doing activities that bring me peace, joy and wellbeing, and of putting my needs first.
Dr Sarah celebrating being active once again
I have also developed a passion for helping others with long covid: I have been on the radio raising awareness, visiting long covid clinics in the UK, on the ‘Long Covid Podcast’ sharing my story, and have an Instagram page with helpful tips for recovery (@drsarahlongcovidrecovery).
I am also part of a wider movement of doctors with extra specialism in lifestyle medicine (British Society of Lifestle Medicine), I am undergoing training courses with SIRPA and am part of a UK-wide mind-body medicine doctors group, who hope to further disseminate these ideas amongst the medical community.
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I plan to continue living by my five pillars of wellness. In this fast-paced, modern world we live in, they seem like a good antidote to stress. Perhaps others may benefit from living in this way, whether you have long covid, chronic fatigue, another chronic illness, or just want to keep healthy.
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Good luck with your recovery.
Sarah x ​
Dr Sarah Gawthorpe at a
British Society of Lifestyle Medicine event
References:
*Somatic tracking is a mindfulness practice that allows people to be aware of sensations in the body through a lens of safety and compassionate curiosity (rather than fear which can fuel the fire of chronic symptoms).
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** Tapping research:
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.951451/full
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Anxiety – A Mind-body Perspective for Recovery
November 2024
Our blog this month comes from Lynne Sutherland, physiotherapist and coach, who used a neuroplastic (or mind-body*) approach to recover from decades of anxiety symptoms.
My history with anxiety
If I am being entirely honest, I had probably been living with anxiety and periods of depression throughout my life starting in my teenage years. I had my first “diagnosis” of anxiety and depression around age 19, and was given medication and a DVD on depression to watch. This repeating cycle continued on and off throughout my adult life and no matter what I was achieving on the outside with a career and happy family life, I would keep returning to periods of anxiety. I learned to live with this mainly by keeping my world smaller and I was an expert at hiding how I was feeling. I firmly believed there was something wrong with me that needed to be fixed. This stole a lot of joy from my life.
Living with anxiety – and trying to resolve it using conventional medical approaches
Much like chronic pain, anxiety can be such a horrible feeling to live with, one that you just want rid of or someone else to fix. For me, it would show up as a fast heart rate, sensations of panic and dread, and I used to describe my thoughts as being stuck on a hamster wheel of negative loops of thinking.
I tried various treatment approaches that were available at the time – counselling, psychology, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and eventually at age 35, a well-meaning GP told me I would just always feel this way and to keep taking anti-depressants. I remember feeling so much despair at hearing this and also hope being extinguished. But, I do have a stubborn streak in me and now I am very grateful to my GP as this allowed me to I finally hear a little voice inside that knew there must be a different way, that I didn’t want to be stuck like this forever.
A different way to view and treat anxiety
I started to explore, firstly, mindfulness and meditation and then coaching using a mind-body approach. I learned that there was nothing broken. I understood that the anxious thoughts and sensations were a nervous system response that I had learned over many years based on old experiences. My body had responded in a really wise way at the time. Anxiety and fear is a brilliant response when we are actually in danger – our body’s way of surviving under threat. However, in the present moment, there wasn’t any danger and although I knew that logically, my body still liked to follow these old responses coupled with a lot of unhelpful thinking and beliefs.
Using a mind-body perspective allowed my body and mind to respond to life differently, to access places of safety and calm within my own nervous system. I also learned that beliefs are just thoughts we have had over and over again and we definitely don’t need to keep trusting them as true.
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I realised that after all these years of believing there was something wrong with me, that in fact there was nothing “wrong” with me and nothing to fix. My “alarm system” had learned to respond to life experiences through a lens of fear creating a loop of fight/flight and freeze within my body. I had always looked outside of myself to “fix” what I believed was causing these anxious sensations in my body instead of working WITH my body to re-connect to a feeling of safety and well-being.
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Using a blend of somatic practices, an exploration of old beliefs and experiences and Compassionate Inquiry*, I started to notice how differently I was experiencing life, and my world started to open up again. Along with understanding myself at a much deeper level including honouring the impact of my life experiences, I slowly started to expand my world again. Returning to a place of well-being within our bodies takes time, patience and trust but it is entirely possible.
Reflections on my healing journey
I reflect back, now age 50, and am very grateful to the part of me that “knew” instinctively to look in a different direction. I know now how important it is to take the time to ask someone who is experiencing any kind of chronic symptoms what has been happening in their life both currently and in the past. To understand that the body is often sending us little signals to look in a different direction.
How is my life today?
My life now looks very different both on the outside but, most importantly, on the inside. My career as a physiotherapist has expanded to becoming a mind-body coach and creating my own business to help others who are also stuck in cycles of anxiety or chronic pain. Something that my younger self would never have believed possible! I have a much deeper connection to myself, my family and my friends, life is lighter and I can experience so much more that life has to offer without fear of anxiety running my life. ​
Hope is such an important part of recovery. You may not know exactly how the journey ahead is going to look but if you have that spark of curiosity and belief that things can change, that’s all you need to take the first step forward.
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*Various terminology is used to talk about chronic symptoms that are rooted in nervous system dysfunction & stress. Often the term 'mind-body' is used. At Living Proof, we like to refer to 'neurophysiological symptoms' acknowledging the interconnection between the brain/nervous system and the body. We also talk about the 'neuroplastic' approach to recovery, which harnesses the power of the nervous system to learn and adapt - meaning symptoms can change; they can be unlearnt.
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**Compassionate Inquiry is a therapeutic model developed by Dr Gabor Maté. It helps people to explore the unconscious thoughts and beliefs that influence their behaviour and thinking (and ultimately their life) – and to break free from these.
Mindbody Book Review – Emotions and Stuff: How I Released 15 Years of Chronic Pain and Returned to Fitness by Daniel Hindsley
September 2024
On the blog this month, Living Proof volunteer, Claire Birnie reviews Dan Hindsley's recently published book on his recovery from chronic back pain and degenerative disc disease using a neuroplastic (or mind-body) approach.
It is positive news that there is now a growing number of books about mind-body healing, and Living Proof Ambassador Dan Hindsley’s new book, Emotions and Stuff: How I Released 15 Years of Chronic Pain and Returned to Fitness, is an excellent addition. Dan gives an open, honest, vulnerable and compelling account of his healing journey, whilst providing a great overview of the brain science, and practical actionable steps. This would be an excellent introduction to the topic for anyone new to mind-body work. It is an inspiring success story and has great suggestions for how to return to exercise, sport and activities that you love, after years of suffering in chronic pain.
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Dan’s Health Story
Dan was young, fit and active when he started to notice glute pain playing football. The symptoms grew, spreading to his back and legs and stopping him from participating in the sports he enjoyed, always in fear that he was causing more damage. Rounds of medical visits followed over the years, culminating in the diagnosis of degenerative disc disease, and the devastating news delivered by a surgeon that recovery was not an option. After 13 years of suffering, Dan stumbled over the mind-body approach on the internet. He was intrigued that the latest brain science was suggesting that the cause of his pain could be something other than structural damage: chronic stress, thoughts and repressed emotions. Though the science resonated, he was sceptical at first, and he reassures the reader that it is OK to feel that way. Ultimately it took him two years to fully resolve his symptoms and return to an active life.
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A New Healing Tool
The main tool that Dan used in his recovery was exploring his thoughts, feelings and physical sensations through journalling. But he didn’t care for it at first: "admitting, even privately to ourselves, that we get stressed, and can feel down, anxious and afraid at times can be tough". But he persisted, having understood that there was a growing body of evidence that the brain creates physical reactions in the body as a survival mechanism, and the body can become stuck in fight, flight or freeze mode.
Dan goes on to explore and explain how our bodies are designed to handle the experience of acute or short-term stress when the body senses danger, reacts to protect us (with physical symptoms designed to act like an alarm) and then returns us to a state of homeostasis when the danger has passed. But the problem comes when the stressors are long term or chronic and the danger can become our perception of that threat, and the thoughts and emotions that surround it. This is when symptoms can become chronic.​​
Neuroplasticity Provides Hope
Modern science has shown that the brain continues to change throughout or lives. It can learn pain and build strong neural pathways, but importantly it can also unlearn those pathways - this is neuroplasticity. Dan explains these concepts brilliantly, and illustrates them with meaningful examples from modern life and his own life, such as the fear we can feel when we receive an email from our boss, and the beliefs that we hold about ourselves.
Personal Insights
Looking back, Dan can see how competitive and driven he was, how his fast-paced sales job and family responsibilities weighed heavily, but he put on a brave face, considering showing emotions to be a weakness. Journalling proved to be an effective and private way for Dan to bring all these feelings to conscious awareness without judgment and to shine a light on areas of life that needed to change. He emphasises that it was not enough to understand the mind-body theory; he had to put it into practice.
Practical Advice and Tools for the Reader
Dan offers some simple journalling exercises throughout for the reader to try out, and has advice on how to get started, empathising with how much resistance we may feel: “The next step for the courageous, is to begin the work of identifying life events that might have created emotions that we have repressed… for some people this will be too emotionally painful, and they will avoid this step in the process. It seems that some wait until the physical pain is greater than their fear of emotions."
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Dan’s Recovery
Over time as the pain dissipated, Dan managed to re-introduce all movement, with a return to running being the last on the list and hardest to overcome. He is now an amateur triathlete and tells us he is fitter and stronger in his forties than ever before.
Dan continues to live by mind-body principles, and now five years on from recovery, he loves journalling as a means not only to explore all his thoughts and feelings, but weigh up decisions. Not only is he free of chronic pain and able to do any physical activity, he feels his way of seeing life – and health - is transformed.
Final Thoughts
There are just so many great nuggets, metaphors and insights in Dan’s account, I highly recommend it. I love the title, and can see this appealing in particular to men who may be wary about approaching emotional work.
Dan points out that this is a low-cost approach, available to everyone, that they can simply try out - an idea that is at the core of Living Proof.
The Impact of Our Ways of Being on Our Chronic Symptoms
August, 2024
Our blog this month comes from Carole Randell who used the neuroplastic approach to recover from years of chronic pain and fatigue, which led her to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia. In her blog, Carole writes about our ways of being that can unintentionally trigger the nervous system and contribute to our chronic symptoms.
Introduction
In our fast-paced, demanding world, it's no secret that our health is affected by various factors, and many of these are related to stress and our mind-body connection. Modern neuroscience is now showing us the strong connection between nervous system dysregulation and chronic symptoms, such as persistent pain. The nervous system can and does get stuck in survival mode, constantly searching for threats within our inner and outer environment, which can prompt our bodies to respond with physical symptoms to alert us of potential dangers. These threats are not only physical but can also include emotional and psychological challenges, often related to our experiences - and the ways in which we respond to them and conduct ourselves in our daily lives.
Our ways of being in the world
Our ways of being can contribute to this high level of hypervigilance. Perfectionism, people-pleasing, self-pressure, and overly critical thoughts and expectations can create an immense amount of pressure, triggering the brain and nervous system to respond with symptoms that act as a warning sign. In essence, these symptoms are alerting us that something is out of balance, and it’s often a sign of not honouring our own needs and wants, such as for rest, play, space, and connection.
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How do these ways of being come to be?
Oftentimes, we face a conflict between our inner sense of self and the way we portray ourselves to the world. This conflict arises from our beliefs, expectations, self-judgment, inherited or learned personality traits, and the roles and responsibilities we assume as we try to adapt to life. All these contribute to a state of being that may lead us to live inauthentically, and it can be a major stressor. This misalignment between what our inner selves believe is right and the actions we take ultimately causes stress that is damaging to both our mind and body.
Using this knowledge in my own recovery
In 2007, I was diagnosed with the chronic conditions of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (more commonly known as ME or CFS). As a mum to four boys, a wife, a carer for my in-laws, and with a demanding job in the NHS, I became just too exhausted to cope. My mind said, “you have to keep going,” but my body very firmly said, “that is enough!”. Coming to terms with the fact that I wasn’t superwoman was a very humbling experience. Quite simply, I didn’t know who I was anymore.
Using a mind-body approach I learnt about the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and how we can get stuck in a state of hypervigilance as a way of coping with painful emotions.
As I looked more deeply into the correlation between my physical symptoms and emotional issues, my triggers, and my self-defeating behaviour patterns such as self-criticism and the pressures I put on myself, I learnt to reframe the meaning of pain and symptoms. I now understand that my symptoms reflected my unexpressed emotional pain. This all led me to realise the importance of combatting personal neglect, particularly in a society where external responsibilities tend to overshadow our inner selves. Embracing my inner child, understanding my beliefs and values, and redefining inherited beliefs based on my true values have been life-altering steps for me.
Living life authentically
By doing so, I have begun to live my life authentically, without prejudice, and unapologetically true to myself. The freedom and fulfilment I’ve found in this authenticity are beyond what I ever imagined, and it’s something I fervently wish for anyone who is on their own path of mind-body recovery.
How can you support your own recovery by working with your own ways of being?
Recovery begins from within. Cultivating an inner resilience, acknowledging when we feel upset, frustrated, or emotionally pained, and using journalling can help to identify patterns that create inner tension. Engaging in meditative practices like yoga nidra can help make a connection to our inner selves as can something as simple as putting in small pockets of peace during the day using a little practice such as pause-breathe-feel, which releases stress and tension in the body, heart and mind enabling us to become more fully present and relaxed in life. By nurturing our inner selves, we can lead a life that is fulfilling, meaningful, and authentic, regardless of the external pressures.
Changing habits of a lifetime takes time, patience and lots of self-compassion. We often need to start small, taking little but consistent steps in a new direction. This is not an easy task as these ways of being are not our fault, merely a defence mechanism to our own life experiences that create inner tension, which then shows up as physical symptoms when we are unable to (through no fault of our own) to deal with our emotions.
Our ways of being can change, it's time to take that first step and become your true self, unapologetically and authentically. Making these kinds of changes directly supports nervous system regulation and recovery as well as enriching our enjoyment of life.
Let’s embark on this journey to self-discovery and inner peace and encourage others to do the same.
My long covid journey
June 2024
'Being told there was nothing wrong structurally and that my illness was considered fully reversible was incredibly reassuring.'
It's wonderful to feature a recovery story on the blog this month. It comes to us from Karen Vincent, who used the neuroplastic approach to recover from long covid. Karen's chronic symptoms following covid left her relatively housebound and using a wheelchair. Having recovered, she is now delighted to be building her business as a personal trainer, yoga instructor and trainee health coach.
Long covid took me by surprise
In September 2022, I caught COVID-19 for the second time. I had brain fog and incredibly low energy, although I did eventually have cold-like symptoms and tested positive for 10 days. My energy was so low I remember saying flippantly to my manager I could do with about 6 months off, which I came to regret quite quickly! I thought I knew what I was dealing with - after the infection I’d need to take it easy for a few weeks, allow myself time to recover and I’d be fine, like the first time around. Of course, I then went straight into two busy weeks at work, trying to meet the commitments in place before I was sick!
I didn’t make it through those two weeks. I was standing at the sink washing up at work when my legs started to feel weak. I didn’t think I was going to fall but I wasn’t completely sure so I left work early. Over the next few weeks, the weakness left me unable to stand or walk and it spread up my body into my chest and arms. I started to experience extreme physical fatigue, pain in my joints, muscles and from the clothes on my skin, swelling in my joints, hands and feet, covid toes (or chilblains!) and dissociation in my legs - the feeling that they didn’t belong to me. My GP suggested part-time hours for a few weeks, but by the end of those weeks I was also experiencing crushing brain fog, which made working impossible. My GP ran a whole battery of tests - neurological, blood markers, blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation. All came back normal and I was diagnosed with long covid. By early December, I was signed off work for three months, housebound, furniture-cruising from bed to sofa, unable to look after myself and using a wheelchair outside the house. It was a huge shock to become so unwell so quickly.
Karen using a wheelchair as she struggled with long covid symptoms
The slow snail of recovery
I think I was lucky that I had a relatively solid foundation of health before I got long covid. I was active as a part-time personal trainer and yoga instructor, and had healthy habits around sleep, nutrition and meditation, all of which I think supported my recovery. With rest, I saw some gradual improvement in my symptoms over the next few months.
I started my return to work on 1-2 hours a day in February 2023 and started working with the Cambridge and Peterborough Foundation Trust post-covid service the following month. Through this service, I accessed an 8-week virtual programme where I learnt about pacing, prioritising and planning my activities and tips to manage my symptoms. I also accessed peer-to-peer support, occupational therapy and later, when I was on the way to recovery, a return-to-exercise programme through the clinic.
2023 was a huge struggle. I was trying to build up my work hours, manage my symptoms and post-exertional malaise (PEM; where symptoms flare 12-72 hours after activity so it's not always clear what’s causing it) and have a life. Honestly, it was overwhelming, exhausting and lonely. I felt like I was barely surviving, let alone living! One year in, I took the difficult decision to resign from my job and focus on my health. I was still experiencing extreme fatigue, PEM, brain fog, pain and dissociation in my legs. I was dependent on my partner, relatively housebound and unable to stand for 10 minutes or walk for more than 20. ​
Hope and the missing ingredient
I’d hoped that stopping work would help me recover. Instead I spent months in boom and bust activity cycles and almost gave up hope completely. The techniques I’d learnt had only got me from 10 to 30% capacity, which was not enough to live normally and I couldn’t see a way out. In November 2023, I missed a weekend away with friends and it was the last straw. Something had to change. I wanted my life back!
That weekend, I started to watch recovery stories of people with long covid or illnesses that seem similar like ME/CFS, and it gave me a tiny ray of hope. The next week I saw the specialist long covid GP for the first time. He checked me thoroughly and then gave me an explanation for my symptoms that changed everything. He said that there was nothing detectibly wrong with my body’s hardware - its structure or tissues - instead it seemed that it was my body’s programming or software that was going wrong. Our brains are very good at keeping us alive and my danger system was hyperactivated. My subconscious was seeing danger everywhere and giving me debilitating symptoms to stop me from doing activities it thought was dangerous in a misguided attempt to keep me safe. The long covid doctor explained that I had a 'functional disorder' (also known as a neurophysiological or mind-body condition*).
I’d never heard the term functional disorder before, but it was an explanation that made sense to me given my symptoms. I remembered from my biochemistry degree that fatigue is not generated by a virus, instead it’s part of your body’s own response to the virus to encourage you to rest in order to aid recovery. In this case my subconscious brain was just getting it wrong! I was given information about functional disorders and the neuroplastic approach, including access to a mind-body app called Curable. Curable is designed for chronic pain but can help with any chronic symptoms with no obvious underlying physical cause (other resources are available!).
I started immediately and worked my way through the materials. Being told there was nothing wrong structurally and that my illness was considered fully reversible was incredibly reassuring. It was empowering to finally feel that I could treat the root cause of my illness rather than just manage its symptoms and impact. The mind-body techniques I learnt fell into four areas: education, brain training, expressive writing and meditation or visualisation. Education helped me understand how my brain worked and how my symptoms were generated. Brain training taught me how to retrain my brain by consciously influencing my subconscious. I learnt how to send my body signals of safety through exercises such as word swaps**, pep talks, somatic tracking*** and creating a safe sensory home base. Expressive writing supported emotional release and helped me understand my thought and behaviour patterns so I could shift them. I also kept an evidence sheet of what I could do that didn’t trigger my symptoms and added to it over time. Meditation and visualisation helped to calm my nervous system and embody my brain training, new thoughts and behaviours. Throughout it all, I continued to watch recovery stories!
Amazing results
Four weeks later, on New Year's Day 2024, I walked for 4.5 miles along a beach in Norfolk to see seal pups . Given I’d been walking for only 20 minutes at a time before discovering the mind-body approach, it was amazing! Don’t get me wrong, it was hard work, I had many breaks and I had some fatigue afterwards, although not as much as I expected. I’ve continued to improve since then by practising the mind-body techniques. I’m now back at around 90-95% capacity and am able to live my life again. That little ray of hope has become a beaming sun and I’m confident I’ll see a full recovery in time.
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We are delighted to share this recent photo of Karen, practising yoga and enjoying good health. Thank you to Karen for sharing her personal photos and story to inspire hope in others on the recovery road.
* There is differing terminology used to refer to chronic symptoms and conditions rooted in nervous system dysfunction, including 'mind-body' and 'functional'. At Living Proof we tend to use 'neurophysiological conditions' and the 'neuroplastic approach'.
** Word swaps involve swapping our everyday word use for another that has a more positive impact on our brain and therefore our body. For example, I swapped “crash” or “flare” to describe an increase in my symptoms for “bounce”, which makes me think that I’ll rebound higher than before in my recovery. I also swapped “I’m in pain” for “I’m slightly less comfortable” today. Just saying the word "comfortable" can make our brain and body feel more comfortable!
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*** Somatic tracking involves observing sensations within our bodies while we’re sending our brains signals of safety. These safety signals are often sent through lying down in a calm state focusing on the breath. It can be uncomfortable to start with to notice the sensations but the aim is not to judge them or worry about them, simply to observe what’s happening. Over time, this can reprogramme the brain to associate those sensations with safety rather than danger.
Journalling can relieve pain and other symptoms
May 2024
This month, we are honoured to have author, Elizabeth Reilly blogging for us. In her book, 'Back in Charge - How I healed from chronic pain', Elizabeth charts her road to recovery from severe chronic pain using a neuroplastic approach. Elizabeth's blog discusses one of the techniques she used to support her recovery - journalling.
Stress causes chronic pain and symptoms
Study after study is now demonstrating that chronic pain is caused by learned neural pathways in the brain, which is not at all the same as saying “It’s all in your head.” The pain – as all pain sufferers know – is very real and can be excruciating. It is now also recognised that such pain and other chronic symptoms can be caused by stress, especially historical stress from one’s childhood. People who have suffered in their early years – perhaps from abuse, neglect, bullying, parental conflict, divorce, bereavement and other such traumas – can develop different neural pathways from those with less stressful lives.
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Or maybe your stress is current, caused by trying to juggle the impossible in our permanently switched-on lives – relationship difficulties, career pressures, the demands of small children, truculent teenagers, aging parents – or maybe all of these.
You might also have certain personality traits such as perfectionism, being a people pleaser, having a strong inner critic, being hypervigilant – all known causes of anxiety and therefore stress.
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Whatever the cause, parental and societal expectations often force us to repress our “difficult” emotions, to the extent that our minds can’t cope and our bodies create physical symptoms instead. Getting in touch with these repressed emotions is incredibly freeing and will help to reduce chronic symptoms. And one way to do that is by journalling.
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Journalling
Journalling, as its name implies, means keeping a journal or diary, which could of course mean virtually anything, but with regard to health and wellness what is usually implied is “therapeutic journalling”, also sometimes called “expressive writing.” The idea behind it is to tap into one’s unconscious and to try to access one’s repressed emotions.
Free writing
One of the most successful and frequently advocated techniques is that of “free writing.” You simply take an issue in your life that you think might have led to repressed emotions or stress, and you write about it as quickly as you can, ignoring all typos and grammatical mistakes, correcting nothing, but just letting the words pour out onto the page. It is stream-of-consciousness writing – I call it “psychotherapy without the therapist” – and I have been astonished by what has come up when I really let rip. Be as free as possible, try to write the raw, unfiltered truth with no holds barred. Get in touch with your “inner child” – we all have one, no matter how old we are – and throw a real verbal tantrum onto the page. Think about topics that you have been actively avoiding – in fact the more you’ve been avoiding them, the more important it is to get at them. But don’t overthink before you start. Choose a subject – such as “my relationship with my siblings” or “how I was bullied at school” – and begin. And if a subject feels too difficult to write about at any time, don’t. You might be able to come back to it at a later date.
Destroy your writing
Don’t hold on to your writing – bin it. A Japanese study, published in Scientific Reports for Nature on 9th April 2024, and quoted in The Guardian, The Times and The Telegraph among others, has found that writing down your reaction to a negative incident on a piece of paper and then shredding it, or scrunching it into a ball and throwing it in the bin, gets rid of anger. “We expected that our method would suppress anger to some extent,” said Nobuyuki Kawai, lead researcher of the study at Nagoya University. “However, we were amazed that anger was eliminated almost entirely.”
If you prefer to write on the computer – and personally I do, as I find touch typing much quicker than handwriting and therefore easier to get down the fast flow of thoughts – you can simply delete the words when you’ve finished. Or you could print your page out and then, without reading it, rip it into shreds which can be enormously satisfying. You don’t want to stir up the emotions again, or perhaps tinker with the writing and think, “Well, that’s a bit strong, I didn’t really mean it.” Yes, you did mean it, and you will feel all the better for getting it out.
Structure your writing
Although the actual writing is as free as you can make it, it is important to structure the subject areas you are going to write about before you start. Psychotherapist Nicole Sachs, who calls her approach “JournalSpeak” and has written extensively on the subject, suggests that you write down three lists of possible stressors: “past stressors,” “current stressors,” and “personality traits,” and then choose one topic from one of the lists and write about it for twenty minutes. Any less and you won’t have given your unconscious much of a chance; any longer and you might begin to ramble, although it’s certainly not necessary to stop if you are in full flow.
Structuring your writing also means taking into account how, when and where you write as well as what you write. Set aside a quiet time and space where you will be undisturbed. It is not ideal to bring up childhood traumas just before going into an important business meeting! Or just before bedtime.
Other writing techniques
Dr Howard Schubiner, in his book Unlearn your Pain, suggests that in addition to “free writing” you can also try writing an unsent letter to someone or creating a dialogue with them. Another method that some people have found useful is writing in the third person. However you approach it, the idea is to get at the uncomfortable, unconscious feelings. Trust where your writing takes you, so long as it is emotionally important.
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Afterwards
There is no getting away from the fact that journalling can be emotionally difficult and painful, but the benefits can be enormous, so learn to trust the process. A calming meditation afterwards can be really helpful. After emptying out all the difficult stuff, fill yourself up with self-compassion and love. Think positive thoughts and find peace. Or maybe practise gratitude. Perhaps start a different sort of journal – a gratitude journal – which can be wonderful for stress-reduction, and for unlocking your “inner pharmacy.” The value of this cannot be over-emphasised.
The benefits of journalling
James Pennebaker, professor emeritus at the University of Texas at Austin and one of the pioneers of writing therapy, has listed in his book 'Expressive Writing – Words that Heal' the many benefits that can accrue from what he terms “emotional writing.” These include, among other things, a reduction in stress, fewer visits to the doctor, lower blood pressure and heart rates, improvement of working memory, better sleep, enhanced immune function, improvement in the quality of people’s social lives, reduction in symptoms for sufferers of chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and cancer – and reduction in chronic pain. Quite an impressive list! Personally, through journalling, I felt an enormous reduction in physical tension and pain, because, as Dr David Clarke, President of the Psychophysiologic Disorders Association and Medical Advisor for Living Proof said in his podcast for the Curable app: “The more you put your repressed emotions into words, the less they need to go into the body and that is what results in the relief of symptoms.” You will be amazed at how much lighter and freer you feel from your writing, in your physical body as well as in your mind. You will also gain a greater perspective on your life and a deeper understanding of yourself.
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A word of caution
Having said all of that, some people on a healing journey may feel they are not ready to engage with a process that could be emotionally challenging and that is fine too. Techniques such as brain-training exercises, somatic tracking and mindfulness meditation are equally important, and in many cases are sufficient for recovery. You might feel like writing at a later stage in your journey, or maybe not at all. Whilst I have personally found journalling very therapeutic, there are many paths to healing and all of them are of equal validity.
Overcoming fear when returning to running
April 2024
This month's blog was penned by Dan Hindsley, amateur triathlete and Ambassador for Living Proof. Dan talks us through the mental script he used when trying to return to running - in the hope that this will help others who are adopting a neuroplastic approach to recovery from chronic pain but struggling with returning to sport.
For 15 years I had believed that I was unable to run due to a diagnosis of degenerative disc disease. I had already experienced a lot of success with the neuroplastic approach, however when it came to running, there was always a lingering doubt, a thought that continued to arise saying, “what if you’re wrong, what if you are going to cause yourself irreversible damage?”
At this point in my recovery journey the space between pain ‘flare-ups’ had drastically reduced. Most of the time I was enjoying a pain-free life. Occasionally there would be a painful episode, however I could normally link these to stressful life situations and calm the symptoms with a combination of breathing techniques, meditation and journalling.
Despite all the success, when running, that niggling doubt kept returning. I would set off running and my overly alert brain, trying its best to protect me, would be scanning the body looking for any sensations that would confirm an underlying fear that I was doing damage.
Any tension was over-analysed, and my body would become even more taut in a negative feedback loop that would often result in me hobbling home with my lower back as stiff as a board.
I was convinced that this pain was a neuroplastic symptom, yet I couldn’t stop it from happening!
A breakthrough...
I tried to push on through the pain, but that didn’t work. I tried telling the pain to go, but that didn’t work. I tried getting angry with the pain, and that didn’t work.
Things began to improve when I decided to work with the pain. If the brain was trying to protect me then I needed to find a way to re-assure it that no damage was being done.
Through lots of trial and error, I landed on a mental script that seemed to both provide my brain with the logical information it needed to be re-assured whilst cultivating mindfulness.
Whilst running, whenever I felt tension in the body, I ran through this script and before long I was enjoying pain free runs! I wanted to take the opportunity to share it in the hope that it might work for someone else.
The script goes as follows...
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Have I given my body chance to warm up with a walk/jog? Yes
Have I had an impact to cause structural damage? No
Have I twisted or landed awkwardly? No
Have I over-extended? No
Have I run too fast or too far? (building distance by 10% a week should not cause any pain.) No
OK – In which case, this is just tension in my body caused by fear.
Therefore, I need to relax and return to the present moment.
I would then repeat this affirmation: My body is designed to run, it has evolved over millions of years to do just this!
I would smile, look around at the scenery and focus on slowing and deepening my breath.
I would continue to repeat this exercise over and over until it became almost automatic.
The path to pain-free running was not immediate but I believe that the continued repetition of this script helped re-wire those old stubborn neural pathways.
The practicalities...
On a practical level, I built the distances very slowly. For example, at the start of the process I would walk for 10mins, jog for 5 mins and walk for 10 mins. I would do this on a treadmill three times per week.
I gradually increased mileage by extending the jogging sections (aiming at roughly a 10% increase per week).
I began to join the local 5k park runs which I loved. I continued to build the distances and completed several half marathons. I found a love of fell running and started to include sprints and hill repeats into my training sessions.
Finally, I completed an Ironman 70.3 distance triathlon to sign myself off as ‘recovered’.
Covid put a stop to my full distance Ironman but not before I ran a back-pain free marathon in training.
I hope that this little mental script can also help someone else on the mind-body recovery journey to overcome their fear and return to running!
Bringing Mindfulness to Our Thoughts about Our Health
March 2024
Our blog this month comes from Sarah Howarth, mindfulness teacher and Ambassador for Living Proof.
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When we experience chronic pain and symptoms, it’s very natural to respond with fearful thinking. We often wake up consumed with thoughts about how our symptoms will be today – and how they will impact our lives. So much of our mental energy goes into trying to make sense of our symptoms and what causes them - and into seeking solutions.
In his book, Unlearn Your Pain, Dr Howard Schubiner neatly summarises these thought patterns as falling within the ‘6 Fs’: fear, focus, frustration, figuring out, fixing and fighting. If the 6Fs resonate with you, I empathise strongly. The 6Fs dominated my thinking during my decade-long struggle with chronic bladder pain – and this is completely understandable, completely human. Chronic symptoms are a challenging experience – and we naturally want to bring an end to our suffering.
The problem with fearful thought patterns
The problem is, though, that responding to symptoms with fearful thinking and intense focus sends a powerful message to the brain: that something is terribly wrong. That we are in danger and need protection. Neuroscience explains that when the brain perceives danger, it can generate symptoms to alert us. Fear-based thinking can, therefore, fuel the fire of chronic symptoms. We can unintentionally prolong and intensify our pain.
Once we understand the neuroscience, we see clearly that a radically different response is needed: we need to train our brain away from fearful thinking and focus on symptoms.
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Mindfulness and thought patterns
We can begin to retrain our brain by bringing mindfulness to our thoughts. During a mindfulness practice, when we notice the mind has wandered off into thought, we acknowledge this and then re-route our attention back to the breath or other focus.
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Being mindful about our thinking patterns is not about self-judgement: try to avoid criticising yourself for very natural and normal thoughts.
Instead you might consider your fearful thoughts as visitors – greet them with compassion but refrain from inviting the thoughts in to set up residence in your mind. Remember that the more often you think a thought, the more entrenched the neural circuit in the brain for that thought becomes. The brain will believe the messages it receives most often and so it’s important to be intentional about the thinking patterns and self-talk we cultivate.
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Combining mindfulness with brain training
Once we become aware that our thoughts have drifted towards fear and preoccupation with symptoms, we can begin to train the brain towards a more helpful focus. For example, you might re-route yourself to:
1. Healthier thoughts backed by neuroscience
Remember that thoughts, even our most repetitive ones, are not necessarily true. We can challenge our thoughts with a reminder of an alternative, science-based perspective. For example, if you notice a fearful thought like “I’ll never be able to recover”, you might remind yourself that “this pain is caused by learnt neural circuits – and thanks to neuroplasticity, I can unlearn them”.
This is not simply telling yourself to ‘think positively’. Negative thoughts and doubts will always arise: we are only human. But as Alan Gordon (LSCW), expert on pain reprocessing, advises, we don’t have to ‘buy into’ every negative thought; we can question and challenge it by considering other perspectives.
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2. Your evidence list for neuroplasticity
Once you have compiled a list of all the reasons your symptoms are likely neuroplastic*, this list is an excellent place to re-direct yourself to whenever fearful thinking creeps in.
Evidence is powerful. It is reassuring. We can weaken and break down negative thought patterns when we dwell on counter-evidence.
3. Your emotional landscape
Try to catch yourself whenever you are ‘thinking physical’ (trying to figure out the physical causes of symptoms) – and engage in ‘thinking emotional’. This means exploring whether stress, emotions or other psychological processes might be signalling danger to your nervous system and what steps you might take to relieve some internal pressure. This helps to break the link in your mind between symptoms and physical causes.
4. A safety mantra
Many of us use safety messaging whenever we notice our thoughts becoming fearful. This is a message of reassurance used repeatedly to calm the brain and the nervous system. For example, I often used to say silently to myself, “I see you, pain. I know you are here to protect me because my brain senses danger. But actually I am safe.”
5. Leaning into the body
It’s so easy to get lost in the thinking mind, following thoughts down a rabbit warren of fear. We can interrupt this habit by dropping into the sensing body. We might tune into our senses and note sights, smells and sounds around us. We could feel the sturdy, reassuring support of the ground below us. Or we might focus on the sensations of the breath and use breathing patterns that promote relaxation such as an extended exhale. You can also shake, do a little dance – anything to interrupt your fearful thoughts.
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6. A pleasant or positive distraction
You can counteract negative thinking by directing yourself towards an activity or thought or sensation you find pleasant or engaging. For example, when I woke up thinking about my pain, I would deliberately lean into the pleasant feeling of my bedsheets against my skin. Or I might pick up a word puzzle. Or think through a fun interior-design project. These were some of my favourite distractions but find what works for you. Re-discover what brings you joy and ease and signals safety to your brain.
At first it may feel unnatural to seek out and dwell on pleasant and positive experiences as chronic symptoms can make us gravitate towards the negative. So, we have to be very intentional and practice this way of being until it becomes more habitual.
Making mindfulness and brain-training work for you
Whichever re-direction method you use, notice how it feels to shift away from fearful thinking towards a more hopeful perspective. Does it bring any sense of relief, ease, safety – even just a little?
If not, that’s ok. Neuroplastic practices take time and patience. Consistency is key: stick with the process of catching and re-directing your thoughts. With repetition, consistency and a heap of self-compassion, overtime we can change our thinking patterns to support our recovery.
(*If you haven’t yet created your own evidence list for neuroplasticity, you might like to check out this podcast by Betsy Jensen, Physiotherapist and Somatic Coach. Betsy explains what an ‘evidence file’ is – and how to create one for collating all the evidence for your symptoms being neuroplastic.)
The Power of Leaning into Sensations
February 2024
Our February blog comes from Charli, one of our Ambassadors and the 'star' of our first film on chronic pain, released in 2021.
As you may have experienced by now, fear and attention to symptoms can often be the fuel to the fire. Much of recovery from neuroplastic pain involves paying LESS attention to your symptoms, or at least not worrying about them so much. This allows the brain to stop freaking out and helps to calm the nervous system.
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However, sometimes leaning into sensations and paying close attention to them can be the secret to unlocking your recovery. A growing body of research has shown that somatic tracking, as part of pain reprocessing therapy (PRT), the treatment approach developed by Alan Gordon, is beneficial in reducing chronic symptoms. I myself used this during my recovery and it brought me huge breakthrough moments.
What is somatic tracking?
Somatic tracking is a mindfulness-based practice that involves paying close attention to bodily sensations and using them as a guide for self-awareness. Unlike conventional pain management techniques that aim to distract from discomfort, somatic tracking encourages individuals to lean into sensations, exploring them with curiosity and without judgement. The aim is to observe these sensations through a lens of safety.
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Leaning into pain: A counter-intuitive approach
At first glance the idea of leaning into pain might seem counter-intuitive. However, research suggests that somatic tracking can reshape the way we perceive and respond to chronic pain. Alan Gordon has successfully used this in his practice and treatment for hundreds of patients. By leaning into sensations we teach our brains that these are not really dangerous. As you allow yourself to explore sensations without judgement, the nervous system quite literally turns down the volume and calms down.
Image credit: Alan Gordon, LCSW
The science behind somatic tracking and PRT
A 2021 study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that participants who engaged in Pain Reprocessing Therapy, (which included somatic tracking alongside cognitive and exposure-based approaches) experienced significant reductions in pain intensity and improved overall well-being compared to placebo and to those who underwent usual care, with gains largely maintained after 12 months.
I learnt the techniques of somatic tracking near the start of my pain recovery journey and used them throughout to support my recovery from not only my hip and back pain, but also chronic jaw pain and even IBS.
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How to start somatic tracking
To try out somatic tracking doesn't require specialised training; anyone can begin with simple mindfulness exercises. Start by finding a quiet space, close your eyes, and bring your attention to your breath. Gradually, shift your focus to a part of your body, notice the sensations in that part of your body. If discomfort arises, resist the urge to pull away; instead breathe into the sensation and observe how it evolves.
Image credit: Alan Gordon, LCSW
I like to give the sensations an image with detailed characteristics. What shape is it? Does it have a colour? What texture is the edges? What size is this shape? Is it moving? Once you have a clear picture in your mind of the sensation, simple observe it. Remember you are not trying to change it, you are just observing and watching what it does. Remind yourself you are safe and you aren’t doing anything harmful to your body right now. As you do this you may notice the characteristics of the image begin to change. If they don’t, that’s ok. Perhaps you can see if you can use your brain to change the image of this object. Do you want to make it smaller? Wider? Change its movement pattern perhaps?
Resources for further exploration
If you would like to delve deeper into somatic tracking and its potential benefits there are several reputable resources available. Alan Gordon demonstrates somatic tracking on Youtube and also speaks on the topic on the Curable podcast. There are many more resources out there, use the words ‘somatic tracking’ and ‘pain reprocessing’. Additionally, mindfulness meditation apps and online platforms often feature guided somatic tracking exercises.
Five Exercises for Mindful Running
January 2024
This month's guest blog comes from Living Proof Ambassador and amateur triathlete Dan Hindsley, and is aimed at people adopting a neuroplastic approach to recovery from chronic pain and illness. You can read more of Dan's articles on his Medium page.
As you begin to recognise the link between thoughts, emotions and physical reactions and your symptoms are subsiding - the time may come where you want to re-introduce activities that have long been avoided, such as running!
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If you have been cleared to undertake general exercise by a medical professional, perhaps you could try these 5 mindfulness exercises that I introduced when returning to running following a 15-year break due to chronic lower back pain.
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The thought of running used to fill me with fear and anxiety, however, practices such as these really helped to develop a mind-body awareness that I believe was an essential part of my recovery.
Dan completing his first triathlon in 2019, post-recovery from 15 years of debilitating back pain.
In my experience, these mindfulness exercises are ideally suited to gentle runs, where the objective is to keep your heart rate low and to run with as little effort as possible.
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Noticing the quality of your breath
As you run, bring the attention to the breath and notice its quality. Are you breathing through the nose or the mouth? Is the breath short and sharp or long and smooth? Can you gradually slow the outbreath as you run? Notice any thoughts or feelings that arise without judgement and then bring your attention back to the breath.
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Noticing your body alignment
As you run, experiment with your body alignment. See how it feels to lean your upper body forwards for a few steps, and then backwards for a few steps. See how it feels to raise your right shoulder and then the left. Hold your arms higher and then lower. After each little experiment return to a neutral position. Try to feel how these changes impact your overall running posture. Notice any thoughts or feelings that arise without judgement and then bring your attention back to the breath.
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Noticing your connection with the ground
As you run, notice how your feet connect to the ground. Notice if you land on your front foot, midfoot or heel. Notice how far apart your footsteps are and then experiment with making your stride shorter and longer, wider and narrower. Do you push away from the ground with equal force on both sides? Can you run with more efficiency and less effort? Notice any thoughts or feelings that arise without judgement and then bring your attention back to the breath.
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Body scan
As you run, slowly use your awareness to scan from head to toe and notice if there is any tension in the body. If there is tension in the body, try and outline it and notice its shape. What colour would you give this area of tension? Can you change its colour? Can you change its size and shape? Allow the tension to be there and smile. Then practice shifting your awareness to parts of the body that are free from tension, such as your hands, face, scalp or feet. Notice any thoughts or feelings that arise without judgement and then bring your attention back to the breath.
Noticing your environment
As you run, notice what you can see, hear and smell. Notice the space between sounds. Can you take your awareness to the horizon? Can you feel the air on your skin? Can you become aware of the air surrounding your body? Can you zoom out and picture yourself running on this tiny rock spinning in space? Notice any thoughts or feelings that arise without judgement and then bring your attention back to the breath.
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Finally, as you cool down from your run and return to a walk, be grateful for whatever movement your body has allowed and smile!
Harmful Myths about Neuroplastic Disorders (formerly known as Psychosomatic Symptoms)
December 2023
Our inaugural blog post comes from one of Living Proof's medical advisors, Dr Dave Clarke MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology Emeritus & President of the Psychophysiologic Disorders Association in the US.
There are many myths and misconceptions about neuroplastic pain or illness that are believed not only by the public but by most health care professionals, too. Recent studies have revealed the truth about these which supports a new and far more effective approach to this condition.
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Myth: Psychosomatic symptoms are “all in your head” and are not real.
Truth: Pain or illness not caused by disease or injury are generated by changes in nerve circuits in the brain and are just as real as any other form of illness. For this reason, the new term for this condition is neuroplastic pain (or illness). This term means that nerve circuits are capable of change caused by a blend of psychology and physiology. Neuroplastic pain can happen to anyone. (Psychophysiologic Disorders (PPD), mindbody syndrome, or Tension Myoneural Syndrome (TMS) are other terms that you will see for this condition.)
Myth: Neuroplastic symptoms have no definite cause.
Truth: Neuroplastic pain or illness is caused by past or present psychosocial stress that often is not fully recognised by the patient. This stress can be diagnosed as successfully as any other form of illness.
Myth: Neuroplastic pain or illness does not respond well to treatment so the best that can be hoped for is living with the condition.
Truth: The past or present psychosocial stress that causes neuroplastic pain or illness can be treated at least as successfully as other forms of illness.
Myth: Neuroplastic pain or illness is milder than other forms of illness.
Truth: Neuroplastic pain or illness can be just as severe as any other form of illness. Neuroplastic Pain can lead to hospitalisation, can persist for decades, and can cause dozens of symptoms simultaneously.
Myth: People with neuroplastic pain are psychologically weak or mentally ill and cannot manage normal levels of stress.
Truth: People with neuroplastic pain are psychologically strong but are coping with much higher levels of stress than they recognise. Once the stresses are uncovered and treated, the many strengths of these patients become clear.
Myth: Either you have a disease or injury, or you have neuroplastic pain.
Truth: Neuroplastic pain can contribute to pain or illness that is caused by disease or injury. Both can be present simultaneously. The best way to determine if there is a contribution to symptoms from the brain is to identify and treat past or present psychosocial stresses and observe the response. Many who have done this have been pleasantly surprised by their improvement.
Myth: Focusing on psychosocial stress is a distraction that can hinder recovery from disease or injury.
Truth: There is no contradiction and no harm from working on stress and on possible disease or injury at the same time. If significant psychosocial stresses are present, they deserve attention for their own sake.
Myth: Neuroplastic pain is uncommon compared to most other diseases.
Truth: Neuroplastic pain is very common and responsible for symptoms in about 20% of adults and 40% of people who see a primary care physician. Neuroplastic pain is nearly twice as prevalent as diabetes.
To summarise: Disease Or Injury Are Not The Only Causes Of Pain Or Illness.
The brain can generate real symptoms when high levels of stress are not fully recognised. This occurs in many people with strong, healthy minds, affecting one in five adults and two in five primary care patients.
How does the brain do this? Research shows changes in the nerve pathways in the brain (neuroplasticity). These occur in people with stress, trauma, and repressed emotions that often are linked to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
Fortunately, new research shows Pain Relief Psychology achieves far better relief of pain and illness than older approaches.