Mind Your Body

1. Chronic Pain is Often Mindbody (TMS), Not Structural

The key is to understand that just as we look to the body when trying to explain why you are experiencing these sensations, we must also look to the brain science behind them.

Beyond the physical. Chronic pain and symptoms like back pain, migraines, IBS, anxiety, and autoimmune flares are often not caused by structural abnormalities or physical pathology, but by a dysregulated nervous system reacting to unprocessed emotional experiences. This is known as Tension Myoneural Syndrome (TMS). While medical tests may reveal "normal abnormalities" like bulging discs or inflammation, these findings are frequently asymptomatic in others and not the true source of chronic suffering.

A wider lens. Mindbody medicine recognizes the profound influence of our mental and emotional states on physical health. Instead of solely treating the afflicted body part, this approach seeks to understand how our physical, mental, and emotional systems interact. Real physical symptoms are generated by the brain as a protective mechanism, diverting attention from perceived emotional threats.

Not in your head. It's crucial to understand that TMS symptoms are real physical sensations, not imaginary or "all in your head." The pain pathways activated are neurologically similar to those of physical injury. The difference lies in the origin of the signal: the brain's protective response to emotional distress, not tissue damage.

2. Your Brain Protects You from Repressed Emotions with Pain

Your brain perceives your repressed emotional world and stored trauma as predators.

Primitive protection. The amygdala, the brain's ancient survival center, triggers the fight-or-flight response when it senses danger. While designed for acute physical threats (like saber-toothed tigers), in modern life, it reacts similarly to perceived emotional "predators" – our repressed feelings, unresolved trauma, and daily stressors.

The emotional reservoir. Unprocessed emotions like rage, shame, grief, despair, and terror build up in an "emotional reservoir." When this reservoir threatens to overflow into conscious awareness, the brain perceives this as a threat. To protect you from these "dangerous" feelings, it diverts your attention by creating physical symptoms like pain, inflammation, or anxiety.

Safe in the unsafest way. Chronic illness, while debilitating, is unconsciously perceived by the brain as a safer state than confronting overwhelming emotions. It forces you to slow down, draw boundaries, seek support, and focus on something tangible (the symptom) rather than the intangible emotional "threat." This keeps you stuck in a cycle of pain as a form of misguided protection.

3. Your Perception Shapes Your Physical Reality

Your perception is your body’s reality.

Mindset matters. How you perceive your body, your symptoms, and the world around you directly influences your nervous system's state. If you believe you are broken, incurable, or in danger (even if the danger is emotional), your nervous system will respond as if it's true, maintaining a fight-or-flight state that perpetuates symptoms.

The power of belief. Believing in the Mindbody connection and the possibility of healing sends a message of safety to your nervous system. This is the first leg of the healing stool: Believe. This belief is not about denying your pain but understanding its origin and trusting that addressing the root cause (emotional repression) will lead to physical relief.

Challenging assumptions. We are conditioned by the Western medical model to believe physical problems require physical solutions. To heal TMS, you must challenge this ingrained perception. Recognizing that your pain stems from a misguided brain, not damaged tissue, is a critical mindset shift that empowers you to seek solutions beyond physical interventions.

4. Resistance is Normal; Expect and Overcome It

Denial of the syndrome is part of the syndrome.

The inner saboteur. As you begin Mindbody work, your brain's protective mechanisms will manifest as resistance. This can appear as:

• Excuses ("I don't have time," "It won't work for me")
• Exhaustion (sudden, unexplained fatigue)
• Spikes in pain (an "extinction burst" as the nervous system reacts)
• Giving power to experts (seeking endless opinions/treatments)
• The symptom imperative (symptoms moving or changing)
• Watching the clock (impatience, needing a timeline)

Fear in disguise. Beneath most resistance is fear – fear of feeling difficult emotions, fear of the unknown, fear that healing isn't possible, or fear of losing the "safety" the illness provided. Your inner voice, cunningly using your own thoughts, will try to convince you to stop the work.

Awareness is key. Recognize resistance for what it is: a sign that you are challenging your brain's old patterns. Meet it with compassion but firm resolve. Understand that this discomfort is part of the process, not a sign of failure. By pushing through resistance, you teach your nervous system that confronting emotions is uncomfortable, but not unsafe.

5. JournalSpeak: Your Vehicle for Emotional Excavation

JournalSpeak is a form of targeted self-expression specifically designed to get to the heart of your repressed emotions.

Lowering the reservoir. JournalSpeak is a daily practice of expressive writing aimed at safely releasing the core, often "unacceptable," emotions (rage, shame, despair, grief, terror) stored in your emotional reservoir. This process teaches your nervous system that these feelings are not dangerous and do not require physical symptoms as protection.

Beyond surface feelings. Unlike casual journaling, JournalSpeak requires you to dig deep, moving past surface emotions (irritation, worry) to uncover the raw, visceral truths you've been suppressing. It's a space for your inner child to speak freely, without judgment or filter, using impolite or "inappropriate" language if needed.

The practice. Dedicate 20 minutes daily to JournalSpeak. Start with lists of childhood/past stressors, daily life issues, and personality traits that cause conflict. Pick a topic and write honestly, letting whatever comes up flow onto the page. The goal is not perfect prose but authentic expression. Afterward, destroy or delete what you've written – the release is in the writing, not keeping it.

6. Meditation: Calming the Nervous System for Healing

Sitting for a consistent self-affirming practice allows you to recenter and remember that you are okay.

Integrating the release. After the intense emotional excavation of JournalSpeak, a 10-minute self-affirming meditation practice is crucial. JournalSpeak can stir up difficult feelings, leaving you feeling vulnerable. Meditation helps regulate your nervous system, integrate these emotions, and reinforce a sense of safety and calm.

Rewiring for peace. Meditation is scientifically proven to change brain function, improving mood, sleep, and stress response. It helps shift your nervous system from fight-or-flight to rest-and-repair. This physiological shift makes it easier to process and release the emotions brought to the surface by JournalSpeak.

Simple, not easy. You don't need to be a meditation expert. Any practice that helps you be still and present for 10 minutes will work: guided meditations, focusing on breath, listening to calming music. The key is consistency and using this time to send love and reassurance to yourself, especially the inner child who just expressed difficult truths.

7. The ANSR Framework: A Process for Emotional Processing

As you embrace living within the ANSR, your relationships, self-worth, confidence, ability to handle conflict, and connection to purpose will all start to transform, too.

A roadmap for feelings. The ANSR framework provides a structured way to view and process both old and new emotional experiences, preventing the reservoir from overflowing. It stands for:

• Allow: Be willing to let emotions, memories, and triggers surface without resistance.
• Name: Use JournalSpeak to articulate and express these feelings honestly.
• Stay: Resist the urge to escape or avoid the feelings once named; sit with them compassionately.
• Release: The natural outcome of allowing, naming, and staying; feelings lose their power and dissipate organically.

Beyond the symptoms. While the ANSR is vital for relieving chronic pain by regulating the nervous system, its impact extends far beyond physical health. Consistently applying this framework helps you navigate life's challenges with greater self-awareness, emotional resilience, and authenticity.

Empowerment through presence. Living in the ANSR means actively engaging with your inner world rather than reacting unconsciously. It's about replacing fear with curiosity and trusting that you can handle whatever arises. This intentional presence is key to taking back your power and fostering enduring well-being.

8. Self-Compassion and Acceptance Lower the Emotional Reservoir

Transformation begins with the radical acceptance of what is.

Quieting the inner critic. Self-compassion means treating yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer a friend. Many with TMS have a harsh inner critic, fueled by perfectionism and fear of not being "good enough." This self-judgment constantly adds to the emotional reservoir, perpetuating symptoms.

Acceptance vs. agreement. Acceptance is not about liking or agreeing with a difficult situation, but acknowledging "what is" without fighting it. Resisting reality ("It shouldn't be this way!") creates immense internal conflict and stress, keeping the nervous system dysregulated.

The path of least resistance. Embracing self-compassion and acceptance reduces the internal battle. It sends a message of safety to your nervous system, as you are no longer adding fuel (self-criticism, resistance) to the fire (repressed emotions). This allows the reservoir to lower and the body to move into rest and repair.

9. Inner Child Work Heals Past Wounds and Reduces Triggers

What is a trigger, after all, if not a slingshot from the present moment into an unresolved experience of the past?

Hearing the unheard. Inner child work involves connecting with and listening to the younger parts of yourself who experienced pain, neglect, or trauma and were unable to process their emotions safely. These unhealed wounds often drive adult reactions and contribute to the emotional reservoir.

Witnessing without judgment. The core of this work is allowing your inner child to express their feelings (sadness, anger, fear, shame) through JournalSpeak or meditation, without interruption, correction, or judgment from your adult self. This witnessing validates their experience and begins to heal the original wound of not being heard.

Reducing reactivity. When your inner child feels seen and heard, they stop trying to control your adult life or react explosively to triggers that remind them of past pain. This reduces the frequency and intensity of emotional surges that would otherwise overflow the reservoir and trigger symptoms. It allows your "higher self" to navigate life with greater peace and presence.

10. Your Body Will Be Your Proof of Healing

Your belief in the process will be strengthened when you accept and celebrate the fact that your hard work and consistency created change.

Tangible results. As you consistently apply Mindbody practices, you will begin to notice subtle shifts in your physical symptoms. Pain may lessen, move, or disappear temporarily. Other chronic issues may improve or resolve. These tangible changes are your body providing proof that the work is effective.

Acknowledge the wins. It's crucial to consciously acknowledge and celebrate these improvements, no matter how small or fleeting they seem. Don't dismiss them as coincidence or attribute them to external factors. Intentionally connecting your healing to your Mindbody practice reinforces the message of safety to your brain and strengthens your belief in your own power.

Building momentum. Each instance of your body being your proof builds momentum and confidence. This positive feedback loop encourages continued practice and deepens your trust in the process. Over time, these small shifts accumulate into significant, lasting relief from chronic symptoms.

11. Take Back Your Power and Live Free

You have the capability to free yourself from chronic pain, and you are ready to explore this next level of your personal evolution.

You hold the key. Chronic pain and anxiety can make you feel powerless, trapped, and dependent on external solutions. This book offers a revolutionary truth: the power to heal from TMS lies within you. You are not broken; your system is simply misguided, and you can retrain it.

Unlearn to relearn. Healing requires unlearning ingrained beliefs about pain and health and relearning how to process emotions and regulate your nervous system. It's a journey of self-discovery that replaces fear and dependence with self-awareness, resilience, and personal agency.

A life of possibility. Overcoming chronic pain is often just the beginning. The tools and insights gained through this work open the door to a more authentic, fulfilling life. You gain the ability to handle conflict, set boundaries, improve relationships, and pursue your passions without being limited by physical or emotional distress. Your suffering has led you to this opportunity for profound transformation.

Last updated: June 9, 2025