The Cure for Chronic Pain with Nicole Sachs, LCSW
The Cure for Chronic Pain with Nicole Sachs, LCSW

The Cure for Chronic Pain with Nicole Sachs, LCSW

Nicole Sachs, LCSW

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Episodes

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Nicole J. Sachs, LCSW is a speaker, writer, and psychotherapist who has dedicated her life and her practice to the treatment of chronic pain and conditions.  She is the author of MIND YOUR BODY, and the creator of the online course: FREEDOM FROM CHRONIC PAIN. Through her personal journey working directly with Dr. John Sarno as well as counseling hundreds of clients, she's shaped and evolved theories which serve to teach those suffering how to heal themselves, completely, with no medication or surgery. Learn more about Nicole's work at: YourBreakAwake.com

Recent Episodes

Neuroplastic Pain, TMS, and the Science of Unlearning Chronic Symptoms with Dr. Howard Schubiner
MAY 29, 2026
Neuroplastic Pain, TMS, and the Science of Unlearning Chronic Symptoms with Dr. Howard Schubiner
Learn how to JournalSpeak ➡️ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/2ph33u2s Of all the conversations we have on this podcast, this one feels especially important because Dr. Howard Schubiner has been standing at the intersection of medicine, neuroscience, research, and mindbody healing for decades. In this episode, Howard shares the personal and professional path that led him from traditional medicine to Dr. Sarno’s work, and eventually to becoming one of the leading voices in neuroplastic chronic pain and illness. We talk about why pain is never “all in your head,” but is always created by the brain, how predictive processing helps explain why symptoms feel so real and so frightening, and why curiosity is often the first crack in the fear that keeps people stuck. Howard also walks us through the growing body of randomized controlled research behind Pain Reprocessing Therapy and Emotion Awareness and Expression Therapy, including why these approaches are showing such meaningful results compared with more traditional coping-based therapies. We talk about chronic pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue, fibromyalgia, migraines, pelvic pain, IBS, and the many symptoms that can arise when the nervous system is operating from fear, learned danger, and unprocessed emotional experience. What I love most about Howard’s work is that it is deeply scientific and deeply compassionate at the same time. His message is not that your suffering is imagined. His message is that your suffering is real, your body is not broken, and there may be a way forward that you have not yet been offered. Joins us! XO n. Where to find Dr. Schubiner: Dr. Schubiner’s website: Unlearn Your Pain Appointments: Cormendi Health New book: Unlearn Your Pain: The Science of Recovering from Chronic Pain, Fatigue, Anxiety and Depression Instagram: @hschubiner ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEW SUBSTACK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! So excited about this one :)) Want your questions answered directly by me? 💛 Receive support, guidance, connection, and direct access to me in our HEAL WITH NICOLE MEMBERSHIP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/y7wadt8d⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠1:1 COACHING WITH TRAINED COACHES SUPERVISED DIRECTLY BY NICOLE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW THE PODCAST HERE TO HELP OTHERS FIND IT!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Producer: Lisa Eisenpresser ~~~~~ SUPPORT: 🟠 Struggling with chronic pain? Check out my Freedom From Chronic Pain course  GET THE FIRST LESSON FREE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/yuxczyba⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🟠 Anxiety disrupting your life? Try my Freedom From an Anxious Life course GET THE FIRST LESSON FREE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/yc3vsy32⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🧠 Learn more about the brain science and clinical experiences in my book  MIND YOUR BODY: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/4fd6bvdc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💛 Receive support, guidance, connection, and direct access to Nicole with MEMBERSHIP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/y7wadt8d⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ~~~~ JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON INSTAGRAM 👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/93pwbp8v ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST 👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/56vvbdcx ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LEARN ABOUT OUR ANNUAL OMEGA RETREAT👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/3vr5j3ux⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Podcast music by the beautiful and talented Danielle Furst: on insta ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@musicfurst⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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66 MIN
Pelvic Pain, Shame, and the Long Road to Freedom with Claire Birnie
MAY 22, 2026
Pelvic Pain, Shame, and the Long Road to Freedom with Claire Birnie
Learn how to JournalSpeak ➡️ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/2ph33u2s In this episode, I’m joined by the wonderful Claire Birnie, whose story is such a powerful reminder that healing does not always arrive in one clean, linear, cinematic moment. Claire lived with chronic pelvic and vaginal pain for more than two decades. After years of medical searching, diagnoses that named the pain but did not resolve it, countless treatments, medications, physical therapies, and the deep loneliness that can come with symptoms people are afraid to talk about, Claire eventually found the work of Dr. Sarno, JournalSpeak, and our mindbody approach. What I love so much about this conversation is Claire’s honesty about the long way around. She talks about researching, resisting, comparing herself to other recovery stories, wondering if she was doing it wrong, and slowly learning that every part of her process belonged. We talk about good-girl conditioning, conflict avoidance, the fear of being seen, the shame of not knowing how to feel, and the way the nervous system can create symptoms in the very places we most want to hide. Claire’s recovery was not about doing this perfectly. It was about becoming safe enough to be herself, to speak up, to take risks, to have her own back, and to stop abandoning herself in the name of being acceptable. Claire has spent years helping hold this work for others — first as an admin of the original JournalSpeak Facebook page, and now as an admin of Nicole Sachs’ Support Circle, where she continues to offer steadiness, wisdom, and lived proof to people who are still finding their way. Her story is also in MIND YOUR BODY! Claire is now the Co-Director of Living Proof, a UK-based, recoveree-led nonprofit devoted to sharing the science and possibility of recovery from chronic pain and other neuroplastic symptoms. Living Proof was founded in 2022 and offers recovery stories, films, blogs, resources, professional education, and a growing community for people who need to know they are not alone. Claire’s own story is featured there as part of her mission to bring this message especially to people in the UK, where many still feel that mindbody and neuroplastic recovery work is happening “somewhere else.” Through Living Proof, she is helping amplify voices, provide credible resources, and offer exactly what she once needed most: hope, connection, and the living evidence that recovery is possible. Join us! XOOX n. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEW SUBSTACK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! So excited about this one :)) Want your questions answered directly by me? 💛 Receive support, guidance, connection, and direct access to me in our HEAL WITH NICOLE MEMBERSHIP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/y7wadt8d⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠1:1 COACHING WITH TRAINED COACHES SUPERVISED DIRECTLY BY NICOLE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW THE PODCAST HERE TO HELP OTHERS FIND IT!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Producer: Lisa Eisenpresser ~~~~~ SUPPORT: 🟠 Struggling with chronic pain? Check out my Freedom From Chronic Pain course  GET THE FIRST LESSON FREE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/yuxczyba⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🟠 Anxiety disrupting your life? Try my Freedom From an Anxious Life course GET THE FIRST LESSON FREE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/yc3vsy32⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🧠 Learn more about the brain science and clinical experiences in my book  MIND YOUR BODY: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/4fd6bvdc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💛 Receive support, guidance, connection, and direct access to Nicole with MEMBERSHIP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/y7wadt8d⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ~~~~ JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON INSTAGRAM 👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/93pwbp8v ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST 👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/56vvbdcx ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LEARN ABOUT OUR ANNUAL OMEGA RETREAT👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/3vr5j3ux⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Podcast music by the beautiful and talented Danielle Furst: on insta ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@musicfurst⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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61 MIN
Michael Porter Jr., Chronic Pain, and the Question Everyone Is Asking
MAY 15, 2026
Michael Porter Jr., Chronic Pain, and the Question Everyone Is Asking
Learn how to JournalSpeak ➡️ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/2ph33u2s In this solo episode, I’m responding to the flood of questions that came in after a viral Instagram reel shared the story of my work with NBA player Michael Porter Jr. Michael’s recovery is extraordinary, but this episode is not just about Michael. It’s about the question his story awakens in so many people: How can someone have a very real diagnosis, very real imaging, very real pain, and still recover when they begin to understand the brain, the nervous system, and the mind-body connection? After three back surgeries, ongoing pain, and a diagnosis of degenerative disc disease, Michael reached out to me because he was willing to consider that there might be another explanation for what was happening in his body. That willingness changed everything. Today, I’m breaking down the larger teaching behind his story through the three legs of the stool in my work: believe, do the work, and patience and kindness for yourself. I explain why chronic pain is not “in your head,” but why the solution is not in the body, even when there are findings on an MRI, blood work, gut testing, or a scary diagnosis on paper. I talk about degenerative disc disease, back pain, migraines, IBS, autoimmune symptoms, long COVID, pelvic pain, inflammation, neuropathy, and the way the nervous system can keep us safe in the unsafest way. Most importantly, I want you to understand this: your pain is real, your symptoms are real, and your body is not broken. When you understand what sustained fight-or-flight is doing, when you learn how to lower the emotional reservoir through JournalSpeak, and when you begin treating yourself with real self-compassion, healing becomes possible in a way many people have never been told to consider. Join us! xoox n. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEW SUBSTACK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! So excited about this one :)) Want your questions answered directly by me? 💛 Receive support, guidance, connection, and direct access to me with MEMBERSHIP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/y7wadt8d⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠1:1 COACHING WITH TRAINED COACHES SUPERVISED DIRECTLY BY NICOLE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW THE PODCAST HERE TO HELP OTHERS FIND IT!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Producer: Lisa Eisenpresser ~~~~~ SUPPORT: 🟠 Struggling with chronic pain? Check out my Freedom From Chronic Pain course  GET THE FIRST LESSON FREE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/yuxczyba⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🟠 Anxiety disrupting your life? Try my Freedom From an Anxious Life course GET THE FIRST LESSON FREE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/yc3vsy32⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🧠 Learn more about the brain science and clinical experiences in my book  MIND YOUR BODY: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/4fd6bvdc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💛 Receive support, guidance, connection, and direct access to Nicole with MEMBERSHIP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/y7wadt8d⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ~~~~ JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON INSTAGRAM 👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/93pwbp8v ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST 👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/56vvbdcx ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LEARN ABOUT OUR ANNUAL OMEGA RETREAT👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/3vr5j3ux⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Podcast music by the beautiful and talented Danielle Furst: on insta ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@musicfurst⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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50 MIN