A revolution is underway in our understanding of the nature of chronic pain and many related neuroplastic conditions.

Recent innovations in neuroscience have given us a better understanding of how the brain can modify and perpetuate symptoms. More importantly, we now understand how we can modify, reduce, and in many cases eliminate chronic symptoms… even those that have been present for years or decades.
For the layperson, the take-home message is that over 80% of chronic pain and related neuroplastic symptoms can be improved or eliminated using a neuroplasticity approach.

The following are summaries of relevant scientific papers with links for your own further research:

 

A study showing that the vast majority of people with chronic neck and back pain do not have actual structural abnormalities causing the pain, published in the Journal of Pain, 2024   See Article
The Boulder back pain study showing that a majority of people with chronic back pain were able to become pain-free using Pain Reprocessing Therapy, published in JAMA Psychiatry, 2021   See Article
A paper presenting a summary of our Mind Body approach published in Psychosomatic Medicine, 2019.   See Article
A paper discussing how racial discrimination can lead to the generation of pain, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2023.   See Article
A study showing that Emotional Awareness and Expression therapy was more effective than cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic pain in US military veterans, published in Pain Medicine, 2020.   See Article.
Schubiner H. A commentary on: Effect of Pain Reprocessing Therapy vs Placebo and Usual Care for Patients With Chronic Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial.  PracticeUpdate website.
An article by Ron Siegel, Dick Schwartz and Howard Schubiner on Internal Family Systems and pain, Psychotherapy Networker.
Article by Dr. Schubiner written for the magazine, Psychotherapy Networker.
Mark Lumley and Dr. Schubiner published a large RCT on fibromyalgia in the journal, PAIN.
Published Article in, Practical Pain Management.
Recent article published with Mark Lumley in the journal, Psychosomatic Medicine:, Psychological therapy for centralized pain. Integrative assessment and treatment model.
The Harvard back pain study .
Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy, as published in  Pain Medicine & Future Medicine
Review of studies on Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy
Two studies from Sweden: Frontiers in Psychology Interview and Frontiers in Psychology Preliminary Efficacy Trial