The Cure for Chronic Pain with Nicole Sachs, LCSW

From an early age we are stuck in an impossible conflict: Do we express ourselves fully and with reckless abandon, or self-regulate per society's wishes and repress hella emotions in the process. Today on the pod we discuss this inevitable and necessary human dilemma, and the ways in which we can live in the solution - even when there are so many emotions that the mind/body wishes to express! Spoi...

Dani is my best friend and trusted sister, and also - as life would have it - a person who needed JournalSpeak really badly. Born highly sensitive and raised with a great deal of childhood trauma, Dani found herself with many TMS symptoms that ranged from irritating to scary. I feel privileged to have affected Dani's life in such a profound way, as she continues to affect mine. As a composer and m...

So often I am asked about self-love. "How can I love myself, Nicole? It feels so hard." I get it. Self-love can seem so elusive. In my opinion, the route to self-love runs through the river of self-acceptance. There are natural, human barriers to self-acceptance that I think we don't often consider. Today, we discuss it all. And... the lovely Charlotte Sachs makes a return visit with her eukellele...

Trigger Warning: THIS REAL TIME HEAL WILL DISCUSS CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE. Crystal is an incredible, brave, and insightful soul. When she was five, she suffered abuse at the hand of a friend's father and her life was never the same. After living with the remnants of that experience for her teen years, she married young into an abusive relationship. Now, years later and finally in a partnership that...

So often we walk through life reacting and responding to situations, with no idea that it's not just "the way we are". Trauma responses are ways of behaving that are created and informed by the trauma we experienced as we grew. It's important to note that trauma need not be only Capital T Trauma like severe abuse and neglect. Children sustain trauma by not being heard or seen, by being criticized...

I met Hannah Matluck of The V Hive (formerly The Women's Pelvic Pain Podcast) somewhat randomly a couple years ago when she wanted me to speak as an expert on her podcast. Little did either of us know how much that one interview would change her life. Hannah transformed her entire message to a mindbody approach, healed after years of suffering, and is even going back to school for an MSW to become...

I have been in the grips of physical and mental "control addiction" for a lifetime. Well, for most of a lifetime. Through loving, patient, and consistent work on myself, I have been able to let it go to a large extent. Control begins as a kind defense mechanism allowing us to perceive "fake safety" as a way to get through life. But when we become aware of the fact that it's hurting us more than it...

Anyone who knows my story from the beginning has heard the name Janette Barber. Janette was Rosie O'Donnell's producer in the 90's, when Rosie's show was topping the ratings. She was also in a motorized wheelchair as a result of pain that no one could cure or understand. Through sheer desperation, Janette agreed to let Rosie put her on the air, pleading with the public to "Fix Janette." When my mo...

I have a complicated relationship with the word "miracle". Although I balk at any religious connotation, or implication that a "miracle" implies something bestowed upon us (rather than created BY us), I can't deny the miraculous quality of the healing I've experienced and seen in my work. Today I indulge in a juicy miracle story of my own about my experience with having ocular migraines, and the w...

Liz grew up in a religious home with very few choices on what she could think, feel, or do. Her journey led her to uncover some deception which opened her to a new path, and also a lot of chronic conditions. Gratefully, Liz came upon this work and is finding her way. Today we got together to discuss it all, and so much beautiful truth was revealed. Join us for another impactful real time heal. Muc...

Wow, did I get a response from my Instagram Community when I posted a video on fawning! Like me, so many of us fall into the pattern of this trauma-responsive people pleasing behavior in order to keep ourselves from further trauma. Unfortunately, without awareness, this fawning response is stealing our self-worth, and requiring us to repress many emotions. As we know from doing this work, when we...

Who doesn't love a success story?? This one made me smile from ear to ear. I swear my face hurt. Ann has a beautiful understanding and respect for this work, and was so brave and patient as her sweet MindBody system allowed the pain and symptoms to work through her. It's such a privilege to see my work give someone their life back, or perhaps give them their life for the first time! I know that's...

There is a difference between fear (and other big feelings) that are meant to alert us to real distress, and those that are simply sent by the Nervous System as a result of the *perception* of danger. Today, we parse out which is which, how to know, and what to do in the moment to transform uncomfortable feelings and physical sensations into peace. It's a powerful practice. Join us! MY OMEGA RETRE...

Another beautiful REAL TIME HEAL. Sophia is only 28, but her body has felt much older. Join us for a poignant and healing conversation about childhood struggles, debilitating back and hip pain, and panic attacks that changed the course of Sophia's journey. Today she is on her way in the right direction, but wanted a little clarification and support. I am honored to help her on her path. She's goin...

Every moment is an opportunity to manifest fear and stress, or peace and presence. We just don't always know how to do this, as we are stuck in the small boxes of our own perception. This can be further exacerbated by fear and frustration, depending on the situation and our mindset. So much of this predicament can be transformed in the power of the pause, and the reframing of our mindset from fear...

Lisa and I sit down for another epic conversation about the magic of this work. We named this episode "What Happens After the After Picture". As a society, we are obsessed with the before and after, the makeover... the result. But what happens when human life doesn't have a result? What happens when the human condition is a lifelong experience? This is the truth for all of us, and Lisa's observati...

You may have heard the story of JournalSpeak before, but probably not like this. Today I dig deep and tell you the emotional story of JournalSpeak's birth, as well as explain more details in order to help you to go deeper into your own practice. This is not about motherhood, or even about me. It'd about all of us: how we suffer, and how we learn to survive. There is nothing more important to me th...

Amazing. Incredible. Moving. Authentic. I could go on. I freaking love Real Time Heals. It is such a privilege to sit with a brave soul and allow some capital T Truth to come out and be honored. This conversation is one for the books. Kimberly has been through quite the journey, and shows up here for you totally present, and willing to heal. Once she tackled her 24-hour-a-daily debilitating IC, sh...

So often as human beings, we are hard wired to go go go. We want to achieve, to be "done", to check the box and get the A. Even if you aren't that kind of a driven person, most of us are still pretty desperate - when we are feeling bad - to feel better. We want to be well. We want a finish line. The problem with this very natural human posture is that it sends a signal of fear to the Brain and Ner...

The moment I heard the symptoms and description of what has come to be known as "Covid Long Haul", I knew it was TMS. I have been treating brain fog, chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, burning throat and mouth, and myriad other related symptoms for years. As soon as people align themselves with the belief that all of these ailments are being generated by an exaggerated "fight or flight" res...

Today on the pod we tackle one of the biggest obstacles to human personal peace - pre-grieving. Pre-grieving is when we worry about future events (and the pain and suffering connected to them) to such an extent that we steal our ability to be present in the moment, and actually enjoy our lives. It is a problem to some extent for all people, but especially for those of us who are prone to overthink...

Year ago when I met Dr. Sarno, he explained to me why he no longer prescribed Physical Therapy. He said that when people focused so much on a "physical solution" for an issue that has an emotional genesis, they would be blocked from healing. I agree with him, when we look at it like this. And, over years of practice, I have realized that there is a place for things like PT, Therapeutic Massage, Ac...

Hello loves. Today on the pod we talk about the essential work of boundary awareness, setting, and enforcing (holding). This is not just true of physical and mental boundaries. Setting emotional boundaries within ourselves (figuring out what is ours and what is someone else's) is imperative for mind/body health. Join me as we discuss this complex and life-saving work! XOOX n. MY OMEGA RETREAT IS L...

What a lovely Real Time Heal this was. Shannon has dealt with TMS her whole life - she just didn't know it. Headaches for days, chronic strep throat, and more. She was just always sick. Then when she was 14 she was diagnosed with Plaque Psoriacis, and it's plagued her for a lifetime. No treatment worked, and she tried everything. Nothing worked, that is, until she found JouralSpeak and Mindbody wo...

Pema Chodron says, “Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.” Today on the podcast, I share with you my thoughts on compassion, why it's important, and the ways in which I feel we need t...