The Shift
Your pain is very real. So is your capacity to experience it differently. Learn monthly about the science of pain and mindfulness to start relating to your body in a friendlier way.
Understanding referred pain, and why awareness matters
Pain doesn’t always show up where the problem is.
You might feel it in your hip but the issue is in your spine.In your shoulder but the root is your neck.In your jaw but it’s your heart.
This is the nature of referred pain, and it can make diagnosis, treatment, and healing a long and frustrating ...
Feb 01, 2026
Start 2026 with small steps, big compassion, and a poem to guide you.
Happy New Year! As we move into 2026, most of us feel the pull of big goals, fresh starts, and the urge to be new right now. But real change? It’s rarely dramatic. It’s gentle. It’s consistent.
That’s where the poem “Autobiography in Five Short Chapters” by Portia Nelson comes in. It maps change ...
Jan 01, 2026
What you believe matters to your body, your brain, and your pain.
What if the way you think about your body could literally change how it functions?Not in a magical, manifest-it-and-it-will-come kind of way, but in a biological, measurable, science-backed kind of way.
According to researchers like Alia Crum and Ellen Langer, that’s exactly what happens.
🧠The ...
Dec 01, 2025
Pain isn’t all in your head—but your head is definitely involved.
If you’ve ever been told “it’s all in your head,” you know how invalidating that can feel.Here’s the truth:
Pain is real. And it’s also created by the brain.
This isn’t about imagining pain—it’s about understanding the pain neuromatrix: the complex network of brain regions that process and gene...
Nov 01, 2025
Not everything you think is true. And that’s good news.
Have you ever caught yourself thinking something like:
“If I move like that, I’ll make it worse.”“My body is broken.”“Pain means I’m doing damage.”“I’ll always feel this way.”
These thoughts feel true. They sound like facts.But they’re often just stories—narratives shaped by pain, fear, and pas...
Oct 01, 2025
The Role of Stress and Past Experiences in Shaping Your Pain Threshold
If you live with chronic pain, chances are you’ve been told to “just reduce your stress.”It’s well-meaning advice—but not very helpful.
Why? Because stress and pain aren’t just emotionally linked—they’re physiologically intertwined. When your body is in a state of stress, your nervous system shif...
Sep 01, 2025
Understanding Your Pain Threshold
Have you ever wondered why two people can suffer the same injury but have totally different pain experiences? The answer lies in how pain is processed, not just by the body, but by the brain.
Pain isn’t as simple as “tissue damage equals pain.” Let’s break it down.
Imagine you stub your toe. The ...
Aug 01, 2025
The Shift
