Somatic Tracking 101: Teach Your Brain “I’m Safe”

Woman relaxing in nature, smiling and at peace

How to blend mindfulness with safety re-appraisal:  Pain Reprocessing Therapy in everyday language
Chronic primary pain (back pain, tension headaches, fibromyalgia, IBS and more) often lingers because the brain keeps mis-labelling normal body messages as threats—like mistaking a garden hose for a rattlesnake. Somatic tracking shows your nervous system—moment by moment—that the signal is uncomfortable but not dangerous. In a landmark clinical trial, two-thirds of participants were pain-free or nearly pain-free four weeks after a Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) program that centered on this skill. (JAMA Network)

The 3-Step “Safety” Version
Time needed: 2–3 minutes, 3–5 times a day. Short & frequent exercises beat long & infrequent.
1  Get curious: Find a comfy position, breathe slowly, and zoom in on the sensation. Label its size, shape, texture, edges. For example: “Golf-ball spot, warm pulse, right of my spine.”
2  Re-appraise for safety: Remind yourself—out loud or silently—why the signal is safe. Ground your words in evidence you trust (clear scan, doctor’s check-up, everyday activities you can still do). For example: “My MRI was clean. Muscles & nerves are healthy. This is just my brain’s false alarm.”
3  Keep it light: Watch what the feeling does—shift, swell, drift—without trying to fix it. Sprinkle in humor, calming imagery or a smile to keep the mood relaxed. For example: “Look at that… it’s floating upward like a soap bubble.”
Notice variability. If the sensation moves or changes intensity, that’s live proof it isn’t stuck tissue damage—celebrate it!

Pro-Tips for Sticking Power

• Evidence first. Review any normal imaging or exams so your safety words feel true.
• Tone > words. A calm, matter-of-fact voice reassures the brain more than pep-talk volume. Let go of criticism and judgment toward self, body, pain sensations.
• Drop the goal. The point is to observe, not to “make pain leave.” Relief often follows once the alarm de-escalates.
• Use micro-sessions. Waiting in line, sitting in traffic, commercial breaks—perfect two-minute practice slots.

Hear & Practice🎧 Podcast guide – Tell Me About Your Pain episode “What Is Somatic Tracking—and How Can It Help My Pain?” offers a free, 15-minute audio you can replay anytime. (Spotify)

Want to Dive Deeper? 
Journal article Ashar YK et al. Effect of Pain Reprocessing Therapy vs Placebo and Usual Care for Patients With Chronic Back Pain. JAMA Psychiatry, 2022. (JAMA Network)
Book Alan Gordon & Alon Ziv. The Way Out: A Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven Approach to Healing Chronic Pain. Penguin Random House, 2021. (PenguinRandomhouse.com)
PodcastTell Me About Your Pain (Curable Health). Start with the episode linked above. (Spotify)

Key Takeaway: Every time you pair curious attention with a clear safety message (and a dash of light-heartedness), you teach your brain, “This hurts, but it isn’t harmful.” Do that often enough and the over-protective alarm quiets down—opening the door to real, lasting relief.

Reach out to Debra for one on one healing from chronic pain with Pain Reprocessing Therapy. 

#PainReprocessingTherapy #ChronicPainRelief #Mindfulness #SafetyReappraisal #SomaticTracking #PainScience #NervousSystemHealing #MindBodyConnection #PainManagement #PRT #ChronicPainSupport #Neuroplasticity  #DebraEngLCSW #TraumaInformedCare

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