Pain Reprocessing Therapy

Pain is meant to be a helpful signal, your body’s way of protecting you from potential harm. But sometimes, the nervous system can become overly sensitive, and pain can persist even when there is little or no evidence of ongoing tissue damage. This is sometimes described as nociplastic or neuroplastic pain. In these cases, the brain and nervous system can continue to interpret otherwise safe sensations as threatening, reinforcing patterns of pain, fear, and protection.

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Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) is a psychological approach that helps people develop a different understanding of persistent pain and the brain’s role in producing and maintaining it. Through education, cognitive strategies, and exercises that build a greater sense of safety, PRT aims to reduce fear and threat associated with pain and help the brain learn that certain sensations are not necessarily signs of danger.

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The goal isn't to suggest that your pain is “all in your head.” Pain is real, and it is influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. Rather, PRT offers another way of understanding chronic pain and, for some people, may help reduce pain and improve their relationship with painful sensations.