Chronic Pain Therapy Online | Florida & Pennsylvania
You Did Everything Right. So Why Does It Still Hurt?
Does This Sound Like You?
You've tried the treatments. You've followed the protocols. But your body still isn't cooperating—and no one seems to know why.
Your scans and lab works show something (disc bulges, degeneration, inflammation)—but treatments targeting those findings haven't resolved your symptoms
It's been months or years, and while others seem to recover, you're still stuck
You've seen multiple specialists, and each provider may be addressing a different part of the picture — and sometimes the nervous system piece hasn’t been directly targeted
Treatment helps for a while, but you keep flaring when you try to progress—whether that's exercise, diet changes, or returning to normal activities
You've developed new symptoms over time: maybe gut issues, fatigue, sleep problems, or pain that's spread to new areas
You're afraid of another setback—so you've stopped doing things you used to love
There's a reason your body is still stuck — and it's not because you haven't tried hard enough.
Why Chronic Pain Treatment Keeps Falling Short
Many chronic pain treatments appropriately focus on structural or physical factors. And when those approaches haven’t fully resolved symptoms, another layer — the nervous system — may still need attention.
Sometimes the missing piece is the nervous system.
In some forms of chronic pain, the nervous system can begin interpreting normal or safe sensations as threatening, which can keep pain signals active even after tissues have healed.
It's not "in your head." It's in your brain and nervous system. And the good news? What's been learned can be unlearned.
Some chronic pain does involve ongoing structural or medical factors, which is why medical evaluation and interdisciplinary care remain important.
To be clear: I'm not saying your pain isn't real, or that you can just "think it away." Neuroplastic pain is a brain-based phenomenon with measurable changes visible on brain scans—and it responds to specific, evidence-based treatment.
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Research gives helpful context for why so many people stay stuck despite doing everything right.
64% of people with NO back pain have disc abnormalities on MRI.¹ Disc bulges, degeneration, and herniations are often present in pain-free people. They're like gray hair of the spine—common with age, but not necessarily the cause of your pain.
90-95% of chronic back pain is "nonspecific."² That means doctors can't point to a clear structural cause, because often, there isn't one.
This doesn't mean nothing is wrong. It means the source of the pain may not be where the imaging is pointing. When the nervous system is involved, that changes what treatment needs to address.
Research can’t predict your individual outcome — but it helps explain why this approach makes sense for many people who feel stuck.
Does More Than One of These Sound Familiar?
When pain has a neuroplastic component, you often see patterns like these—multiple symptoms, symptoms that shift or spread, and treatments that don't fully work. The more of these you recognize, the more likely this approach can help.
Pain Conditions:
Back, neck, or sciatic pain
Pelvic pain or pelvic floor dysfunction
Fibromyalgia or widespread pain
TMJ or jaw pain
Headaches or migraines
Gut & Digestive:
IBS (constipation, diarrhea, or both)
Acid reflux / GERD
Chronic nausea or bloating
Other Common Patterns:
Chronic fatigue
Insomnia or unrefreshing sleep
Dizziness or vertigo
Tinnitus
Interstitial cystitis / bladder pain
I don't just help you manage pain. I help your nervous system unlearn it—by working with it instead of against it.
How I Help You Change the Pattern
The Approaches I Use
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PRT works by breaking the pain-fear cycle. When your brain stops interpreting sensations as threats, the pain signals quiet down. It's an evidence-based approach specifically designed for pain that has a strong nervous system component.This is the core of my chronic pain work. PRT helps your brain relearn that sensations in your body are safe—not dangerous.
In a landmark study from the University of Colorado:³
98% of participants improved
66% became pain-free or nearly pain-free
Results held at 1-year follow-up
Brain scans showed measurable changes in pain-related regions
Research can’t predict your individual outcome — but it helps explain why this approach makes sense for many people who feel stuck.
When your brain stops interpreting sensations as threats, the pain signals quiet down.
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Sometimes pain is connected to unprocessed experiences—fear memories, trauma, or stuck emotional patterns that keep your nervous system on high alert.
Current research suggests EMDR works by engaging working memory with a dual attention task while you hold a distressing memory or sensation in mind—this reduces its emotional intensity and allows it to be reprocessed in a less distressing form. Multiple randomized controlled trials have shown EMDR is effective for chronic pain conditions, with studies reporting significant improvements in pain intensity that remain stable at 6-month follow-up.⁴ EMDR appears especially effective when psychological trauma or high emotional stress plays a role in maintaining the pain.
I'm trained in both standard EMDR and specialized protocols for chronic pain. This allows us to address:
Fear of movement and re-injury
Traumatic onset of pain (accidents, injuries, medical procedures)
The emotional weight of living with chronic pain
Memories and beliefs that keep you stuck
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Have you ever noticed that part of you wants to push through and exercise, while another part is terrified of making things worse? Or that part of you is determined to "beat this," while another part feels hopeless?
We all have different parts—different aspects of our personality that sometimes conflict with each other. Parts work helps you understand these internal dynamics: the part that guards your body, the part that braces against pain, the part that pushes through when you should rest, the part that avoids movement out of fear.
These parts developed for good reasons. They're trying to protect you. But when they work against each other—or get stuck in overdrive—they can keep you in pain. When these parts feel understood, they can start to relax and let go.
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Pain and sleep problems often feed each other. Research shows that sleeping less than 6 hours per night is associated with increased pain sensitivity—one study found a 120% increase in pain-related brain activity after sleep deprivation.⁵
If sleep issues are contributing to your pain, we can address them as part of our work together using evidence-based approaches.
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Your nervous system doesn't exist in a vacuum. Sleep, nutrition, gut health, and inflammation all affect how your brain processes pain. I'm certified in integrative mental health (CIMHP), which means I look at these connections — not just your thoughts and emotions. In our work together, this might look like discussing how your diet or sleep patterns affect your flares, identifying signs of inflammation or nutrient gaps, or helping you understand lab results. When appropriate, I may suggest labs or supplements to explore with your doctor. I work alongside your medical team, not in place of them.
How These Fit Together
I tailor the approach based on what you need:
Some clients mostly need pain science education and nervous system retraining.
Some need to process fear or trauma.
Some need a bit of both.
We figure out what you need together—it doesn't have to be complicated.
Why This Approach Is Different
I focus on the nervous system piece. Many excellent providers address the structural, muscular, or biochemical aspects of pain. I focus specifically on the nervous system—how it processes signals, generates pain, and can learn to do things differently. This often complements the work you're doing with other providers.
I help you make sense of what's happening. You won't just get exercises or coping strategies. You'll understand why your body is doing what it's doing—and why that understanding is part of what helps it change.
I work with your body's signals, not against them. When your nervous system is stuck in protection mode, pushing through can sometimes backfire. We work with what your body is telling us, not override it.
I've been where you are. I spent 5 years searching for answers to my own chronic pain. I know what it's like to try everything and still be stuck—and I know what it takes to finally get unstuck.
I look at the whole picture. Pain doesn't exist in isolation — sleep, gut health, inflammation, and lifestyle all affect your nervous system. I'm trained to understand these connections and help you address them, coordinating with your other providers when needed.
Is This Approach Right For You?
This Might Be a Good Fit If
Your pain doesn't match your scans, or doctors can't find a clear structural cause
You've tried many treatments and nothing has fully worked—or things helped short-term but you keep flaring
Your pain moves around, changes, or doesn't follow a pattern that makes sense to doctors
You experience fear of movement, fear of flare-ups, or protective bracing
You're open to the idea that your nervous system might be part of the pattern
You're curious about what's driving your pain, not just looking for temporary symptom relief
You're willing to be an active participant in this process—this isn't passive treatment
You want to understand what's actually happening in your body, not just be handed another pill or exercise
This Might Not Be the Right Fit If
These aren’t judgments — just ways to make sure you get the right kind of support.
You have a new injury that hasn't been medically evaluated
You have new or progressive neurological symptoms (sudden weakness, numbness, or changes in bowel/bladder control)—these need urgent medical evaluation first
You're looking for physical rehabilitation or exercise prescription—I'm not a PT, though I can work alongside one
You're not open to considering that pain can exist without structural damage
You're currently struggling with active alcohol or drug use—this work tends to go best when there's a stable foundation, which is why I generally work with clients who have been in recovery for at least a year.
You're currently involved in a legal or disability process related to your pain — we'll discuss together whether the timing and approach are right for this work
Not Sure?
That's what the consultation is for. We'll talk about what you're experiencing and figure out together whether this approach makes sense for you.
What Treatment Looks Like
First, we get a full picture of what's going on.
In our early sessions, I'll do a thorough biopsychosocial assessment—not just your pain history, but your whole picture: stress, sleep, relationships, life circumstances, and any past experiences that might be relevant. We'll map out your pain pattern together, and I'll teach you the neuroscience of chronic pain in plain language so you understand what's happening and why this approach is different.
Then, we tailor the approach to what you need.
Depending on your situation, we might start with learning to relate to pain sensations differently, processing specific fears or memories, or working with the parts of you that are stuck in protection mode. There's no one-size-fits-all protocol—we figure out what you need as we go.
You'll build confidence in your body again.
This isn't about avoiding movement or "accepting" chronic pain. It's about rebuilding trust in your body. Clients often notice they start moving more freely, taking on activities they had given up, and worrying less about flare-ups.
And if you do flare?
You'll have tools to calm it down. A flare doesn't mean failure—it means your nervous system needs a reminder. With practice, flares become shorter and less scary.
What Results Can You Expect?
People who do this work often find
They start moving more freely, without constantly bracing for pain
Flare-ups become shorter and less frightening
They return to activities they had given up
They stop organizing their life around avoiding pain
They trust their body again
And if progress feels slower, that doesn't mean you're failing — it simply means we slow down and adjust together.
I can't promise you'll become completely pain-free—everyone's situation is different. But the goal isn't just "managing" pain. It's changing the pattern so your nervous system stops generating pain signals it doesn't need to send.
What I can promise is that you won't be doing this alone, and you won't be judged for how long it takes.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Standard sessions are 50-55 minutes — we meet weekly or biweekly depending on where you are in the process. I also offer therapy intensives (half-day or full-day) for deeper processing work or when you want to make faster progress. We can discuss what makes sense for you. [Learn more about Therapy Intensives →]
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PRT is an evidence-based treatment that helps your brain stop sending pain signals when there's no tissue damage. It's based on the neuroscience of how pain is generated and maintained — and how those pathways can change. In a randomized study of people whose chronic back pain showed strong neuroplastic characteristics, 66% became pain-free or nearly pain-free.³
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Physical therapy focuses on strengthening, stretching, and movement mechanics — all valuable work. This work focuses specifically on your nervous system — the part that decides whether a sensation is dangerous or safe. Some people need both: the structural work and the nervous system work. These approaches complement each other well, and I'm happy to collaborate with your PT if that's helpful.
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Those approaches help you cope with pain or relate to it differently—valuable skills that can improve quality of life. But they don't specifically aim to reduce or eliminate the pain itself.
This approach is different in two key ways:
First, the goal is treatment, not just coping. PRT actually aims to reduce or eliminate pain by changing how your brain processes signals. It's not about accepting chronic pain—it's about helping your nervous system stop generating pain it doesn't need to generate.
Second, education is a core component, not an add-on. PRT includes extensive pain neuroscience education—helping you understand why your brain creates pain and how that can change. Research consistently shows this matters: systematic reviews have found that pain neuroscience education reduces pain, improves function, decreases fear and catastrophizing, and reduces healthcare utilization⁶. In the Boulder PRT study, participants who had the largest shifts in their beliefs about pain (from "this means damage" to "this is my brain's learned response") had the largest reductions in actual pain.
Understanding what's happening isn't just reassuring—it's part of what changes the pattern.
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There are specific criteria we look at together. Signs that point toward neuroplastic pain include:
Pain that started without a clear injury, or persists long after an injury should have healed
Pain that moves around or spreads to new areas
Symptoms that are inconsistent (better some days, worse others, without clear reason)
Pain that changes with stress, emotions, or when you're distracted
Imaging that doesn't fully explain your level of pain
Multiple pain conditions or other stress-related symptoms (IBS, tension headaches, etc.)
These are some of the key indicators — there are others we'll explore together. The more of these that fit, the more likely a neuroplastic component is involved. We'll go through this carefully together. And if there's any doubt, I'll recommend medical evaluation first.
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Some people have both structural issues AND neuroplastic pain. Even when there's a structural component, the nervous system often amplifies and maintains pain beyond what the physical findings would explain.
We can work on the nervous system piece while you continue working with your medical team on structural concerns. These approaches complement each other well, and I'm happy to coordinate with your key treating providers when that's helpful—we can discuss who that might be in your case.
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It depends on your situation. In the landmark PRT study, participants received 8 sessions over 4 weeks, and 66% became pain-free or nearly pain-free.³ But that study selected for people with clear neuroplastic presentations.
In practice, how long treatment takes depends on how long you've had pain, what else is going on, and how your nervous system responds. Some people see significant shifts quickly; others need considerably more time, especially if trauma or complex patterns are involved. I'd rather be honest about that upfront than promise something I can't guarantee.
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That's often who I work with. Many of my clients have seen multiple specialists and tried many treatments — and those treatments may have been exactly right for what they were designed to address. If none of them specifically targeted the nervous system component, there may still be an important piece that hasn't been addressed yet. That's what this work focuses on.
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It means I look at more than just your thoughts and emotions — I look at how sleep, nutrition, gut health, and inflammation all connect to your pain. I'm certified in integrative mental health (CIMHP), which means I'm trained to understand these connections. I don't prescribe supplements or replace your doctor, but I can help you understand what might be contributing and coordinate with your providers.
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I'm a private-pay practice. Sessions are $200 for 50 minutes. I don't bill insurance directly, but I provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance for potential out-of-network reimbursement — many PPO plans cover a meaningful portion. [See my Investment page for a full breakdown and step-by-step guide →]
Ready to Try a Different Approach?
The first step is a conversation. I offer a free 15-minute consultation call to discuss what you're experiencing and whether this approach might be right for you.
I work with clients throughout Florida — including the Orlando and Tampa Bay areas — and across Pennsylvania, all via telehealth.