What is Pain Reprocessing Therapy?
Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) was developed by Alan Gordon, the Founder of The Pain Reprocessing Center in Los Angeles and the author of the book “The Way Out”
Pain Reprocessing Therapy is a system of psychological and somatic techniques that retrain the brain to interpret and respond to signals from the body properly, subsequently breaking the cycle of chronic pain.
Pain Reprocessing Therapy has five main components:
1) education about the brain origins and reversibility of pain
2) gathering and reinforcing personalized evidence for the brain origins and reversibility of pain
3) attending to and appraising pain sensations through a lens of safety
4) addressing other emotional threats
5) gravitating to positive feelings and sensation
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A randomized controlled trial at the University of Colorado Boulder validated Pain Reprocessing Therapy as the most effective current treatment for chronic pain. In the study, there were 150 chronic back pain patients. 50 patients received PRT twice a week for four weeks, 50 patients received treatment as usual, and 50 patients received an open-label placebo injection. In the PRT group, 98% of patients improved and 66% of patients were pain-free or nearly pain-free at the end of treatment. These outcomes were largely maintained one year later. Read the study in JAMA Psychiatry here.
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I'm certified in Pain Reprocessing Therapy and utilize these techniques,
as well as other coaching techniques to help people overcome their chronic symptoms and reclaim their life and vitality.
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All treatment timelines vary for each person, but it's typical to see results after 8-12 sessions.
- I recommend meeting weekly during the initial phase of treatment and then revisiting session prequency as you progress.
- Sessions are offered virtually and in-person for the Portland/Vancouver metro.
- The first step is to schedule a complimentary 30 minute introductory call to determine if PRT is right for you.
Sometimes people may experience a combination of structural and neuroplastic pain. In those cases, total elimination of symptoms is unlikely, however, learning new ways to respond to your symptoms
can help to significantly turn down the volume on your pain.
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