Body-Mind Therapy for Chronic Pain
By Richelle Muscroft, SEP™, C-IAYT Yoga Therapist with The Therapy Project
Living with chronic pain is more than just physical pain…
Living with chronic pain is more than just physical pain, it affects all aspects of someone's life emotionally, mentally, spiritually, financially and socially, too. It is largely invisible and therefore those affected can feel disbelieved, misunderstood, marginalized and stigmatized. There are many who are living and struggling greatly with these experiences and it often accompanies other physical and mental health conditions.
Pain becomes considered chronic when it lasts longer than three months with often no clear cause. And for many, they have been suffering with persistent pain for many years. Chronic pain is complex as it is not always from and/or a direct result of tissue damage or physical injury in the body or systemic pain conditions. Pain science is showing that the development of chronic pain or why an initial injury may become chronic can also be a result of stress, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), trauma, sensitization of the nervous system, neural pathway changes, emotions (and suppressed emotions), thoughts and beliefs about pain, systems of oppression and anything else that causes or contributes one to live in a state of fear, isolation and/or poverty. Essentially when someone is living with chronic pain, they live in a body that doesn't feel safe.
As chronic pain is complex, when it comes to care and support, it is important to acknowledge the entirety of the experience. Chronic pain is then best understood within a biopsychosocial framework and therefore an integrative approach to care and healing is needed.
In my work, I help clients reconnect with their bodies in ways that foster a sense of safety, regulation, and resilience. Using yoga-informed practices and Somatic Experiencing®, we gently explore movement, breath, and compassionate awareness to support the nervous system in shifting out of survival mode. These practices are not about “pushing through” pain, but by meeting it with care and curiosity, creating new patterns of ease towards recovery, and building capacity for moments of relief and connection.
Chronic pain may be a part of your story, but it does not have to define it. With the right support, it’s possible to cultivate a new relationship with your body—one that holds space for both your challenges and your potential for healing.
“Let me not seek to escape from what is asking for my attention and love.”
- Pixie Lighthorse
If you're curious to learn more about how Body-Mind Therapy could help with chronic pain, book a free 20min Compatibility Call with Richelle.
