Pain is a powerful signal. It grabs our attention and says something is not right. Sometimes it comes from an injury or illness. Sometimes it lingers long after the body has physically healed. And sometimes it appears in places we cannot explain. But one thing we now understand through neuroscience is that pain is not just in the body. It actually begins in the brain.
Neuroscientists like Dr Lorimer Moseley and Dr David Butler have helped bring this to light. They explain that pain is not always a sign of damage. It is more like the brain’s way of protecting us. If the brain believes we are in danger, it can send pain signals to make us slow down, pull away, or rest. This is called the pain alarm system. But like any alarm, it can become overly sensitive. Especially after trauma or chronic stress, the brain may continue to ring the alarm even when there is no threat present.
What hypnosis does so beautifully is help us work with this system. We are not numbing or ignoring the body. We are tuning in. Hypnotherapy allows us to gently speak to the subconscious, to explore what the body is trying to communicate, and to soothe the parts of the mind that are stuck in protection mode.
There are thousands of years of history behind this. Hypnotherapy for pain relief or pain management has been used since ancient times. In Egypt, Greece, and even through the Middle Ages, trance-like states were used to ease suffering. In more modern times, people have undergone surgeries using hypnotherapy instead of anaesthesia. It is even recognised today by organisations like the American Psychological Association as a valid tool for managing pain.
But here is something important. As a hypnotherapist, I do not believe pain is something to be wiped away without understanding it. Pain is a messenger. It deserves a voice. Sometimes it is pointing to physical imbalance. Other times it is whispering of emotional wounds, old grief, or boundaries that have been crossed.
In a session, we might explore where the pain lives in the body, what it looks like, what it needs. Sometimes we discover it is ready to release. Other times, we uncover a deeper message that brings peace even if the pain remains for a while longer. Either way, you remain in control. Your mind leads the way, and I simply guide you.
Pain is a messenger. And hypnotherapy doesn’t silence it, it listens with compassion. When we work gently with the subconscious, we don’t just say “go away pain.” We ask, “What do you need me to know?” That shift, from resistance to curiosity, is where the magic begins. You can feel more peace, more ease, even in the middle of healing.
So if you are living with pain and feel like it has taken over your life, know that there are gentle ways to explore it. Your body is wise. Your mind is powerful. And together, we can help the alarm quieten down so you can find comfort again.
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