Resources

What does your pain feel like?

Describe the physical sensations without labeling them as symptoms. What color, texture, or temperature would you give it?

When did it first appear?

What was happening in your life around that time? What emotions were you experiencing? Does it feel old or new?

What makes it better or worse?

Notice patterns. Does it change with stress, weather, relationships, or activities?

What does your pain get in the way of?

What hidden benefits does it give you (attention, rest, protection, avoidance)?

How does it move?

Does it shift places or change in intensity? Are there any patterns you can notice?

If your pain could speak, what would it say?

What message might it be carrying?

If your pain had a voice, what tone would it use?

Is it angry, pleading, sarcastic, scared, demanding, or childlike?

Write a direct dialogue

Pain: "..." You: "..." Let the conversation go as long as it needs — no censoring.

What do you hate most about the pain?

What does it stop you from doing, and how does that make you feel?

What do you love most about the pain?

What does it enable you to do?

What is your pain protecting you from?

If it were gone tomorrow, what might actually feel scary about that?

Write yourself a letter from the perspective of the pain

Explain why it's here and what it's trying to do.

Write your pain a letter

Express your gratitude for it and explain why you don't need it anymore. Keep reading it to yourself until your nervous system is convinced.

Repressed anger creates chronic pain

Write down the names of people in your life and express your anger at them. Use your raw and unfiltered voice.

Write a rage list

Everything you are furious about — from the tiniest daily annoyances to the deepest betrayals. Destroy the list later.

Let yourself grieve

Write about what pain has taken from you. Mourn the time, trust, or experiences you've lost.

Claim responsibility

Write about the ways your mind and body may have created this pain to protect you — and why you are now ready to let it go.

Imagine your life without this pain

What would you do first? How would your life change?

Write a letter from the healed version of you

Give it a date. Read it every day.

Write a day in the life of your healed self

How do you move, speak, feel, and show up in the world? What does your body feel like?

What is something pain has taught you?

That you want to carry into a pain-free life?

Where can you find gratitude?

In the ways the pain has changed you? Come back to this when the pain visits.