One of the most common concerns we hear from new patients is:
“What if I’m not sure this will work for me?”
It’s a totally understandable question, especially if you’ve been in pain for a long time or have tried other treatments that didn’t help. But here’s the good news: you don’t have to be 100% convinced that your pain is neuroplastic to start healing.
“Working on changing your pain beliefs is important, it’s pretty much the purpose of the first two steps of treatment, but you don’t have to believe with 100% certainty to recover. In fact, I don’t think you will believe with 100% certainty until you are 100% out of pain.”
Instead of trying to force yourself to believe from the beginning, PRT helps you build it gradually by gaining what we call corrective experiences — moments when you respond to your pain differently and begin to feel a shift.
“Certainty can build over time as you increase evidence and corrective experiences.”
Start Where You Are and Build Evidence
PRT doesn’t require blind faith. Instead, you’ll start gathering your own personalized evidence that your brain is responsible for your symptoms. For example, you might notice your pain shifts depending on your stress level or emotional state.
Something we often do with patients is create evidence lists where they can jot down their observations to authentically remind themselves: “My body is safe, and it is fear that is amplifying my pain.”
This technique helps your rational brain become more confident that symptoms are neuroplastic, not just because someone told you to believe it, but because you’ve started to notice it for yourself.
You’re Allowed to Have Doubts
PRT, like everything else, isn’t about doing everything perfectly, but rather about the energy with which you use the tools. It’s about learning to relate to your symptoms with less fear, even when you’re not yet entirely confident.
Doubt is normal. It only becomes a roadblock when it spirals into fear, and even then, we can work with it.
We’ve seen many patients make significant progress even while carrying some skepticism. Skepticism is actually a good thing — it means you care about yourself! Even with skepticism, when patients continue to practice the tools and have real-time experiences that make them feel safer in their bodies, the doubt begins to soften naturally.
What If You’re Stuck in That Uncertainty?
If you’re not experiencing much progress and aren’t convinced this approach is working, we recommend focusing on curiosity rather than certainty. Shift the goal from “I need to believe” to “Can I gather more information and experiment gently with this?”
Also, be mindful of how you speak to yourself. If your internal tone is something along the lines of, “Ugh, why am I not doing this right?”, it might be beneficial to zoom out and take some pressure off. Belief builds best with proper nurturance, not with force.
Patient Story
As a mental health practitioner in this space, I often encounter patients with strong beliefs about their conditions that shape their experiences of pain and discomfort. One such case that stands out involved a patient who was convinced that a spinal fluid leak was the cause of his headaches, fatigue, and dizziness. I have to admit that at first I was uncertain myself and considered that it might indeed be the sole reason for his pain — especially since he had consulted some of the best doctors in the country who shared that view. Therefore, I didn’t challenge his belief. Instead, I encouraged him to remain open to the possibility that his fear and preoccupation might be amplifying his symptoms, and he agreed.
With low expectations and a commitment to keeping an open mind, he decided to go on an international trip with a group of friends. Admittedly, I was nervous that he would be in pain, which would only reinforce his beliefs that he was broken and incapable of healing.
After his return, we had an appointment wherein he surprisingly told me that during his trip, he had not experienced any pain — a glaring piece of evidence. It was exciting to see how his perspective had suddenly shifted. He spoke about the joy of engaging in activities with his friends, free from the constant burden of pain. Hiking in nature, enjoying meals together, and simply laughing felt liberating. This brief escape from his symptoms allowed him to realize that much of his suffering was rooted in fear and anticipation rather than actual physical limitations. He recognized that there may be a neuroplastic component to his pain, and began to shift from “I will never get better” and “I am broken” to “Maybe I can recover” and “Maybe my body is not as fragile as I once thought.”
The next time he experienced pain, he responded with less fear. He was able to communicate authentic messages of safety. He was now able to remind himself that although he was uncomfortable, it did not mean that he was going to be in pain forever. Thankfully, the pain spike didn’t last as long as it usually did. This was yet another piece of evidence and a corrective experience!
Sometimes, all you need is a bit of openness to experience those “aha” moments. Only then can you start building new neural pathways that help you respond to pain with less fear. Since fear contributes to pain, reducing that fear will naturally decrease the pain, launching you into a positive feedback loop. In this loop, you will continuously have corrective experiences that reinforce new, more positive beliefs.
– Daniella Deutsch, LCSW
Want Support?
Some people recover with just a workbook or group program, while others benefit from one-on-one care. If you’re feeling stuck, you’re not alone — and you don’t have to figure it out all on your own.
Learn about our team at WellBody Psychotherapy