The struggle for control lies at the heart of many chronic pain conditions—but what if letting go could offer more relief than fighting ever could?

When faced with persistent symptoms, our natural instinct pushes us to fight, fix, and control. We've been conditioned to believe that addressing physical problems means actively engaging with them, finding their cause, and eliminating them through sheer determination. Yet for those with neuroplastic pain and symptoms, this approach often backfires, creating a feedback loop of frustration, fear, and worsening symptoms.

Drawing on Mel Robbins' powerful "Let Them" concept, we explore the counterintuitive approach of acceptance and allowing that can transform your relationship with chronic symptoms. This isn't about resignation—it's about recognizing what you genuinely can and cannot control. As Mel wisely states, "Focusing on what you can't control makes you stressed. Focusing on what you can control makes you feel powerful."

Tanner shares a deeply personal story of his longest pain flare after initial recovery, describing how weeks of attempting to control and fix his symptoms led nowhere. The breakthrough came only when he genuinely surrendered the fight, creating space for his nervous system to regulate and his symptoms to naturally subside. This powerful example demonstrates how our attitude toward symptoms can be more influential than any specific technique or practice.

Rather than fighting against pain and illness, we invite you to explore embodiment practices with curiosity and compassion, shift your focus toward meaningful activities aligned with your values, and remind yourself that your body is fundamentally safe and healthy. These approaches create the platform of safety from which true healing can emerge.

Ready to transform your relationship with chronic symptoms? Download our free embodiment practice using the link below, or explore our comprehensive digital course featuring over 60 somatic practices and brain retraining techniques designed to support your healing journey.

Embodiment Practice for Chronic Pain & Illness: https://youtu.be/FuE_XMbWEh4

Tanner Murtagh and Anne Hampson are therapists who treat neuroplastic pain and mind-body symptoms. They are also married! In his 20s, Tanner overcame chronic pain and a fibromyalgia diagnosis by learning his symptoms were occurring due to learned brain pathways and nervous system dysregulation. Post-healing, Tanner and Anne have dedicated their lives to developing effective treatment and education for neuroplastic pain and symptoms. Listen and learn how to assess your own chronic pain and symptoms, gain tools to retrain the brain and nervous system, and make gradual changes in your life and health!

The Mind-Body Couple podcast is owned by Pain Psychotherapy Canada Inc. This podcast is produced by Alex Klassen, who is one of the wonderful therapists at our agency in Calgary, Alberta. https://www.painpsychotherapy.ca/

Tanner, Anne, and Alex also run the MBody Community, which is an in-depth online course that provides step-by-step guidance for assessing, treating, and resolving mind-body pain and symptoms. https://www.mbodycommunity.com

Also check out Tanner's YouTube channel for more free education and practices: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Fl6WaFHnh4ponuexaMbFQ

And follow us for daily education posts on Instagram: @painpsychotherapy

Discl...

Depression and chronic pain create a vicious cycle that can feel impossible to break. If you're caught in this loop, you're not alone – and there's hope for healing both simultaneously.

Many people experience depression as a natural response to living with chronic pain, but few understand how these conditions feed each other through nervous system dysregulation. When your system stays in a heightened state of danger for too long, it can trigger both physical symptoms and a freeze/shutdown response we recognize as depression.

Throughout this episode, we share our personal experiences with this cycle and outline four key strategies to break free. We explore how purposeful action – starting with tiny steps like brief journaling or getting sunlight – can gradually mobilize your nervous system out of shutdown. We discuss true embodiment practices that create safety with all sensations rather than forcing toxic positivity. We highlight the importance of modifying activities instead of complete avoidance, and we provide guidance on creating a depression flare plan for your most difficult days.

The sensitization cycle connecting pain and depression is real and brutal, but understanding this connection is the first step toward healing. Whether you experience exhaustion, low motivation, social withdrawal, or all of these symptoms alongside your chronic pain and illness, your body isn't broken – your nervous system is simply trying to protect you the best way it knows how.

As someone who has personally healed from debilitating chronic pain and depression using these approaches, I can tell you that recovery is possible. Each small step you take creates momentum toward healing both conditions simultaneously. Join us as we explore this crucial mind-body connection and provide practical tools to help you reclaim your life.

Ready to start healing? Check out our free emotion practice video, explore our comprehensive online course, or book a consultation with one of our therapists through the links below.

Free emotion practice: https://youtu.be/CC6wTTaWJaY

Tanner Murtagh and Anne Hampson are therapists who treat neuroplastic pain and mind-body symptoms. They are also married! In his 20s, Tanner overcame chronic pain and a fibromyalgia diagnosis by learning his symptoms were occurring due to learned brain pathways and nervous system dysregulation. Post-healing, Tanner and Anne have dedicated their lives to developing effective treatment and education for neuroplastic pain and symptoms. Listen and learn how to assess your own chronic pain and symptoms, gain tools to retrain the brain and nervous system, and make gradual changes in your life and health!

The Mind-Body Couple podcast is owned by Pain Psychotherapy Canada Inc. This podcast is produced by Alex Klassen, who is one of the wonderful therapists at our agency in Calgary, Alberta. https://www.painpsychotherapy.ca/

Tanner, Anne, and Alex also run the MBody Community, which is an in-depth online course that provides step-by-step guidance for assessing, treating, and resolving mind-body pain and symptoms. https://www.mbodycommunity.com

Also check out Tanner's YouTube channel for more free education and practices: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Fl6WaFHnh4ponuexaMbFQ

And follow us for daily education posts on Instagram: @painpsychotherapy

Discl...

Why do some people recover from chronic pain and illness with seemingly imperfect techniques while others follow every strategy meticulously yet struggle? The answer lies not in what you're doing, but how you're doing it.

The foundation of effective healing isn't mastering complicated strategies—it's cultivating the right mindset. When we approach recovery with intensity, pressure, perfectionism, or fear, we inadvertently signal danger to our nervous systems, perpetuating the very symptoms we're trying to resolve.

True healing begins with creating safety. This means embracing slowness, lightness, and ease in your practices and daily life. It means removing self-imposed healing deadlines and giving yourself permission for days off without guilt. It means slowing your walking pace, speaking more deliberately, and allowing unstructured free time—simple yet powerful ways to signal safety to your nervous system.

Facing fears represents another crucial mindset shift. While strategic avoidance during intense flare-ups makes sense, perpetual avoidance reinforces your brain's perception of danger. Those who recover most successfully gradually expose themselves to feared triggers, sensations, and activities, dismantling their "rule book" of avoidance behaviors one small challenge at a time.

Perhaps most fulfilling is reclaiming purposeful action. Chronic pain often disconnects us from activities that bring joy and meaning. Reconnecting with your values—whether through helping others, enjoying nature, or simply having dinner with friends—regulates your nervous system in ways meditation alone cannot. Start wherever your current capacity allows, extending compassion to yourself throughout the process.

Finally, cultivate genuine hope in your recovery through whatever resonates—understanding the science, hearing success stories, or tracking "healing wins" beyond pain reduction. Notice how you're responding to symptoms with less fear, widening your world, and improving emotional regulation as evidence of your progress.

This week, we challenge you to focus more on your healing mindset than on perfecting techniques. The path forward isn't about trying harder—it's about creating the internal conditions where healing naturally unfolds.

Tanner Murtagh and Anne Hampson are therapists who treat neuroplastic pain and mind-body symptoms. They are also married! In his 20s, Tanner overcame chronic pain and a fibromyalgia diagnosis by learning his symptoms were occurring due to learned brain pathways and nervous system dysregulation. Post-healing, Tanner and Anne have dedicated their lives to developing effective treatment and education for neuroplastic pain and symptoms. Listen and learn how to assess your own chronic pain and symptoms, gain tools to retrain the brain and nervous system, and make gradual changes in your life and health!

The Mind-Body Couple podcast is owned by Pain Psychotherapy Canada Inc. This podcast is produced by Alex Klassen, who is one of the wonderful therapists at our agency in Calgary, Alberta. https://www.painpsychotherapy.ca/

Tanner, Anne, and Alex also run the MBody Community, which is an in-depth online course that provides step-by-step guidance for assessing, treating, and resolving mind-body pain and symptoms. https://www.mbodycommunity.com

Also check out Tanner's YouTube channel for more free education and practices: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Fl6WaFHnh4ponuexaMbFQ

And follow us for daily education posts on Instagram: @painpsychotherapy

Discl...