Can You Retrain Your Brain to Reduce Chronic Pain? An Intro to Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)
Ever feel like you’ve tried everything for your chronic pain—but it just won’t budge?
Physical therapy. Medications. Foam rollers collecting dust in the corner. Supplements with names you can’t pronounce. And still—the pain lingers.
What if the missing piece isn’t in your muscles, joints, or spine… but in your brain?
In this post, you’ll learn:
Why chronic pain sticks around long after injuries heal
How your brain and nervous system play a key role in chronic pain
What Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) is & how it helps chronic pain relief
Practical steps you can take to break the cycle of pain and improve your quality of life
Why Does Chronic Pain Linger?
Acute pain is your body’s built-in alarm system. Break your ankle? Stub your toe? Pain shows up to tell you something’s wrong.
But for millions of people dealing with chronic pain, that alarm never turns off. Even after the injury heals, the nervous system stays stuck in "danger mode."
This is because your brain can get conditioned to expect pain. It’s not "all in your head," but the brain’s interpretation plays a huge role in keeping pain signals switched on.
Think of it like a fire alarm that keeps blaring long after the smoke clears. Helpful at first, but exhausting when it won’t stop.
If you’re living with chronic pain, understanding the brain’s role is crucial to breaking the pain cycle.
Meet Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT): Retraining Your Brain for Chronic Pain Relief
Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) is an evidence-based approach to chronic pain treatment designed to help the brain turn down the volume on pain.
The key idea? Most chronic pain is "neuroplastic pain"—pain driven by the brain's learned patterns, not ongoing tissue damage.
PRT works by teaching you to:
🔄 Reframe beliefs about chronic pain. Instead of fearing it, you learn to understand it as a brain-based signal that can be changed.
🌧️ Calm the nervous system. Mind-body techniques like deep breathing, mindfulness, and relaxation reduce "danger signals."
🌀 Use somatic tracking for pain relief. You gently bring awareness to sensations without judgment, helping the brain rewire its response to chronic pain.
Does PRT Actually Work for Chronic Pain Treatment?
Great question. Let’s talk science.
In a 2021 randomized controlled trial, researchers tested Pain Reprocessing Therapy with people suffering from chronic back pain. The results?
66% of participants were pain-free or nearly pain-free after just 4 weeks of PRT.
The benefits held up even 1 year later.
Pretty impressive for a chronic pain therapy with no medications, invasive procedures, or side effects, right?
(And no, you don’t need to pretend the pain isn’t real—because it is. But the way your brain processes pain can be changed.)
How I Integrate Pain Reprocessing Therapy Into Chronic Pain Treatment
At Everwell Behavioral Health, I take a mind-body therapy approach to treating chronic pain.
That means:
🔄 Teaching you practical Pain Reprocessing Therapy techniques (like somatic tracking) tailored to your experience
🔄 Helping you identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns around pain
🔄 Supporting you with evidence-based strategies—no fluff, no toxic positivity
Chronic pain may be persistent, but it doesn’t have to rule your life.
Ready to Break the Cycle of Chronic Pain?
If you’ve felt stuck in an endless loop of doctor visits, treatments, and pain that won’t quit, there’s hope.
You can retrain your brain. You can reduce chronic pain. And you don’t have to do it alone.
📅 Schedule your free 15-minute intro call today to learn how Pain Reprocessing Therapy and mind-body strategies can help you feel like yourself again.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chronic Pain & Pain Reprocessing Therapy
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Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) is an evidence-based treatment for chronic pain. It focuses on retraining the brain to interpret pain signals differently by using techniques like cognitive reframing, somatic tracking, and nervous system calming strategies.
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Yes, Pain Reprocessing Therapy has been shown to be highly effective for chronic pain. A 2021 randomized controlled trial found that 66% of participants were pain-free or nearly pain-free after just four weeks of PRT, with results lasting up to a year.
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No, chronic pain is real. However, research shows that the brain and nervous system can play a significant role in maintaining chronic pain. Pain Reprocessing Therapy helps change how the brain processes pain signals, leading to lasting relief.
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Unlike medication or invasive procedures, Pain Reprocessing Therapy focuses on the brain’s role in chronic pain. It teaches patients to reduce fear around pain, calm their nervous system, and rewire their brain's response to pain sensations.
