Pain Psychotherapy Canada Inc.

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Pain Psychotherapy Canada Inc.

Pain Psychotherapy Canada’s mission is to support clients in greatly reducing their chronic pain.

Website and Social Media Disclaimer: https://www.painpsychotherapy.ca/disclaimer

Disclaimer: The information provided by Pain Psychotherapy Canada Inc., and its director Tanner Murtagh, on this page is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice, psychotherapy, or counselling. Please Read
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08/14/2026

One of the biggest reasons people get stuck during brain retraining for chronic pain and symptoms has nothing to do with whether they're using the right techniques.

It has to do with what their chronic pain or symptoms have taken from them.

When we're living with chronic pain and symptoms and start using a brain-based approach, we naturally focus on reducing fear, changing danger-based thoughts, regulating the nervous system, and returning to activities we've been avoiding. These are all essential parts of healing.

But many people still find themselves overwhelmed whenever symptoms appear.

Why?

Because chronic pain and symptoms don't just create physical suffering. They often create profound loss:

The loss of movement.
The loss of your career.
The loss of relationships.
The loss of hobbies.
The loss of confidence in your body.
The loss of years you can never get back.
The loss of the future you imagined for yourself.

Those losses don't simply disappear because you understand the symptom neuroscience.

At our clinic, we refer to the emotional impact of these experiences as Sensitization Trauma. It's the trauma created by the onset of symptoms, the fear and uncertainty that follows, medical confusion or invalidation, and the lasting impact symptoms have on every part of your life.

When symptoms return, your nervous system may not only be reacting to the physical sensation.

It may also be reacting to everything that sensation represents.

For many people, healing isn't just about retraining the brain to respond differently to symptoms.

It's also about processing the emotional pain of everything those symptoms have taken away.

Has chronic pain or symptoms changed the course of your life? What's one loss you've had to grieve along your healing journey?

08/13/2026

Are you discouraged because your chronic pain, fatigue, dizziness, anxiety, or other symptoms haven't disappeared yet?

One mistake people make during recovery is believing that ongoing symptoms mean they're failing. In reality, healing often includes flare-ups, setbacks, doubt, and periods of nervous system dysregulation.

Every time you respond to your symptoms with less fear, regulate your nervous system, approach difficult sensations with curiosity, allow your emotions, and continue living your life, you're teaching your brain something new.

Safety note: ensure at first you approach symptoms, emotions, and fearful life factors when they are more mild.

Recovery isn't measured by having zero symptoms every day. It's measured by gradually changing how your brain and nervous system respond over time.

Healing is rarely linear, but every small moment of safety compounds.

Keep going. Your brain may be changing more than you realize.

08/12/2026

Many believe brain retraining for chronic pain or symptoms is just about convincing yourself everything is okay or positive.

It isn't.

Brain retraining is not just repeating affirmations, forcing positive thoughts, or pretending your symptoms don't exist.

It's about giving your brain repeated experiences that challenge its prediction of danger.

Every time you respond to your symptoms with a little less fear...
Every time you approach something you've been avoiding...
Every time you stay present with an uncomfortable sensation instead of immediately trying to escape it...
Every time you continue living your life despite uncertainty...

You're teaching your brain something new. You're showing it that you're safe to be with your experience. That's how new neural pathways are built, and chronic neuroplastic symptoms are reduced.

Reminder: You need to go slow and do this work gradually when sensations are mild to moderate to not overwhelm the nervous system.

What is one way you've shown your brain safety this week?

08/11/2026

A pain or symptom flare has a way of making us forget everything we've learned.

One moment we're feeling hopeful, and the next we're asking ourselves:
"What did I do wrong?"
"Why is this happening again?"
"Am I back at square one?"

It's so easy to respond with fear, frustration, or self-criticism. Most of us desperately want the flare to end, so our instinct is to analyze it, fight it, or fix it as quickly as possible.

But what if your nervous system needs something completely different?

Instead of trying to force the flare away, try responding to yourself with compassion.

Remind yourself:
"Flare-ups are a normal part of healing. This doesn't mean I've failed. I am not to blame for this."

Then ask yourself:
"What would help me feel supported right now?"

Maybe it's taking a few slow breaths.
Wrapping yourself in a blanket.
Somatic safety signals.
Calling someone you trust.
Getting your favorite coffee.
Allowing yourself to feel exactly as you do.
Watching a comforting show.
Taking a warm bath.

These small moments of kindness don't make you weak. They remind your nervous system that you're safe, cared for, and not alone during difficult moments.

Sometimes the most healing thing you can do during a flare isn't another strategy. It's choosing compassion over criticism.

08/10/2026

Many people with chronic pain or symptoms have already had the experience of being dismissed.

They've been told they're overreacting, that nothing is wrong, or that their symptoms are “all in their head.”

That kind of response can be deeply invalidating.

A neuroplastic approach is not supposed to deny the reality of your symptoms. The pain is real. The fatigue is real. The dizziness, pressure, burning, tension, or other sensations are real.

What changes is the meaning you assign to them.

Instead of automatically assuming, “This sensation means my body is damaged,” you begin asking whether the brain and nervous system may be generating a protective alarm that no longer matches the actual level of danger.

So yes, in a way, you start challenging your brain.

You might say:

“I know this feels dangerous, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m being harmed.”

“My brain is just trying to protect me, but this sensation is safe.”

That is very different from dismissing your experience.

You are not saying the symptom is fake.

You are questioning the brain’s interpretation of what the symptom means.

And for people with appropriately assessed neuroplastic pain or symptoms, learning to question that danger story can be an important part of recovery.

The goal is not to gaslight yourself.

The goal is to validate the sensation while gently challenging the alarm attached to it.

08/09/2026

Healing your nervous system doesn't always look the way you expect. Most people are waiting for one thing to tell them they're getting better: "Are my symptoms going away?"

While symptom reduction is often the goal, it usually isn't the first sign of healing.
Long before pain, fatigue, anxiety, or other symptoms begin to improve, your nervous system may already be changing.

You might notice you're recovering from stress more quickly.
You become aware of your nervous system earlier.
You pause before reacting.
You stay present with difficult emotions a little longer.
You begin reconnecting with people, hobbies, movement, and life.

These aren't small wins. They're signs that your nervous system is becoming more flexible and resilient.

If you only measure your progress by your symptoms, you may overlook all of the meaningful healing happening beneath the surface.

08/08/2026

Catastrophic thinking can feel incredibly convincing. In the moment, it doesn't feel like you're imagining the worst. It feels like you're preparing for it.

When your nervous system is dysregulated, your brain becomes more focused on detecting danger. It starts overestimating threats and underestimating your ability to cope.

That's why your mind might jump to thoughts like:
"I'm never going to get better."
"Something terrible is happening."
"I can't handle this."

The more we believe these thoughts without questioning them, the more danger our nervous system perceives.

This can create a cycle where dysregulation fuels catastrophic thinking, and catastrophic thinking fuels more dysregulation.

One way to interrupt that cycle is with the ADDS skill.

Ask Why: Notice the catastrophic thought without immediately believing it, and ask why it might be occurring.

Drop-In & Describe: Gently bring your attention to your body. Notice and explore the sensations underneath the thoughts with curiosity instead of resistance.

Safety Signal: Help your nervous system settle with a practice such as slow breathing, grounding through your senses, tapping, visualization, or soothing touch.

You don't have to argue with every catastrophic thought. Often, the most effective approach is helping the nervous system feel safer first.

Reference: Quartana PJ, Campbell CM, Edwards RR. Pain catastrophizing: a critical review. Expert Rev Neurother. 2009.

08/07/2026

We are so excited for Anne Hampson, a co-owner of Pain Psychotherapy Canada amd MBody Community, to speak at the 2026 ATNS conference.

She will speak on how different parenting styles can influence the development of neuroplastic symptoms.

If you're interested in the latest research, practical clinical insights, and connecting with a community dedicated to transforming care for neuroplastic symptoms, you don’t want to miss this conference!

You can sign up here: https://www.symptomatic.me/2026conference

08/06/2026

Many of us begin healing with one goal: to change how we feel as quickly as possible.

We want the symptoms to stop, the emotions to settle, the nervous system to regulate, and life to finally feel manageable again. So we put tremendous effort into practices, strategies, therapy, journaling, brain retraining, and lifestyle changes.

There is nothing wrong with wanting change.

But healing can become another form of self-rejection when every practice carries the message, “Who I am and how I feel right now are unacceptable.”

Acceptance creates a different starting point.

It doesn’t mean giving up on recovery or deciding that your current experience is permanent. It means acknowledging what is here without adding shame, fear, pressure, or self-criticism.

You can accept that you’re experiencing symptoms today while still believing recovery is possible.

You can accept that you feel anxious, angry, sad, or overwhelmed without allowing those emotions to define your future.

You can accept the losses you’ve experienced while slowly rebuilding a meaningful life.

Acceptance doesn’t close the door to change. It often creates the safety, clarity, and self-compassion needed to move forward.

Sometimes the most powerful thing you can say to yourself is “This is where I am today, and I don’t have to fight myself while I heal.”

08/05/2026

One of the most important signs we look for when helping clients self-assess their chronic pain and symptoms as neuroplastic is inconsistency.

If your symptoms are neuroplastic, they often don't behave the way we'd expect ongoing tissue damage to behave.

For example, you might notice:

• The pain moves from one area of your body to another.
• The same activity hurts one day but not the next.
• Your symptoms are worse during periods of stress, pressure, or emotional overwhelm.
• They improve when you're on vacation, deeply engaged in something enjoyable, or feeling relaxed.
• The intensity changes dramatically without any clear physical explanation.

These patterns don't automatically mean your symptoms are neuroplastic, and they don't replace a thorough medical assessment. New, worsening, or unexplained symptoms should always be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.

But once serious structural causes have been ruled out, noticing inconsistency can provide an important sign that the brain and nervous system may be playing a significant role in your symptoms.

This week, become a curious observer.

Instead of only asking, "How bad are my symptoms?"

Also ask, "What patterns do I notice?"

Sometimes the patterns tell us more than the symptoms themselves.

Have you noticed inconsistency in your pain or symptoms? We'd love to hear your experience.

Reference: Alan Gordon & Dr. Howard Schubiner.

Address

PO Box 49003 RPO Ogden
Calgary, AB
T2C3W5

Telephone

+15874387082

Website

https://linktr.ee/painpsychotherapy

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