Pain Reprocessing Therapy: How to Retrain Your Brain and Reduce Chronic Pain
by Taylin D. Ramirez
If you’ve been living with chronic pain, you’ve probably been told that your body is “the problem.” But what if your brain is part of the solution? That’s the idea behind Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) — a groundbreaking approach that teaches you how to retrain your brain’s response to pain so you can live with less fear and more freedom.
What Is Pain Reprocessing Therapy?
Pain Reprocessing Therapy is a mind-body treatment designed to help people recover from primary chronic pain — pain that isn’t caused by ongoing tissue damage but rather by misfiring pain signals in the brain. Your nervous system can get “stuck” in an overprotective mode, interpreting safe signals as dangerous.
PRT helps you identify these false alarms, reduce fear around pain, and replace those responses with safety signals. The goal? Teach your brain that you are safe, so it can dial down the pain messages.
The Science Behind PRT
Research from the University of Colorado Boulder found that 66% of participants were pain-free or nearly pain-free after just four weeks of Pain Reprocessing Therapy. Brain scans even showed reduced activity in pain-related neural pathways.
The theory is based on neuroplasticity — your brain’s ability to change and form new connections. If your brain can learn to “overreact” to pain, it can also learn to calm down.
What Happens in Pain Reprocessing Therapy?
PRT sessions often include:
Education about pain neuroscience – Understanding how pain works reduces fear and anxiety.
Somatic tracking – Gently observing sensations in your body with curiosity rather than fear.
Reframing thoughts about pain – Shifting your mindset from danger to safety.
Engaging in feared movements – Slowly reintroducing activities you’ve avoided to show your brain they are safe.
You might be guided through mindfulness exercises, visualization, or gentle movement while being reminded that your body is capable and safe.
Who Can Benefit from PRT?
PRT is most effective for people with primary chronic pain conditions, such as:
Chronic back pain
Fibromyalgia
Tension headaches or migraines
Neck pain
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
It’s less effective for pain caused by active injury, cancer, or certain degenerative conditions — but can still be a helpful adjunct for coping and reducing fear-based pain responses.
Why PRT Feels Different from Other Pain Treatments
If you’ve tried medications, injections, or endless physical therapy sessions without much change, PRT offers something different: empowerment.
Instead of passively waiting for something to “fix” you, PRT puts you in the driver’s seat. You’re learning skills you can use anywhere, anytime — skills that not only help reduce pain but also lower stress, improve mood, and increase confidence in your body.
How to Get Started
If you’re curious about Pain Reprocessing Therapy, here are a few steps to take:
Find a certified PRT therapist – The Pain Reprocessing Therapy Center has a directory online.
Read and learn – Books like The Way Out by Alan Gordon, LCSW, offer a self-guided introduction. Check out this link for additional resources!
Start practicing safety signals – Incorporate calming cues into your day, like deep breathing, gentle stretching, or reassuring self-talk.
The Bottom Line
Chronic pain can feel like it’s taken over your life, but with the right tools, your brain and body can learn a new way forward. Pain Reprocessing Therapy isn’t about pretending the pain isn’t real — it’s about teaching your brain to stop overprotecting you so you can start living again.
If you’re tired of feeling trapped by pain, reach out today to learn how Pain Reprocessing Therapy can help you retrain your brain and reclaim your life.
