Pain, Trauma, and the Nervous System
Living with pain goes beyond the physical experience. It has real emotional and neurological connections. When working with you we can address:
-
Chronic pain (migraines, tension, fibromyalgia, etc.)
-
Pain linked to trauma, stress, or dysregulation
-
Somatic conditions (body pain) with no clear medical explanation
Using nervous system-based therapies like Brainspotting, I can help you safely access and release stored pain and trauma. This often improves both emotional and physical symptoms—without pathologizing your experience.
Understanding Dirty Pain
In therapy, we differentiate between two kinds of pain:
|
Clean Pain |
The natural emotional pain of loss, grief, fear, or trauma. It is part of being human and can be processed through compassionate support. |
|
Dirty Pain |
The additional suffering we create when we judge or resist our clean pain—for example, shame about being anxious, or anger at ourselves for grieving. |
Dirty pain is the internal criticism, resistance, and avoidance that make pain “stickier.” In therapy, I help clients recognize and release dirty pain so they can move through their experience with greater clarity, grace, and self-trust.
Understanding dirty pain is just one aspect of pain management. Language we use in every day life towards ourselves and actions we take as a result have a big impact. I help to identify where these barriers may exist AND also where cheerleading for yourself can help.