What Is Central Sensitization—and How Pain Reprocessing Therapy Can Help
If you're living with persistent pain that doesn’t seem to respond to treatment—and medical tests keep coming back “normal”—you may be experiencing central sensitization. This condition is a leading cause of chronic pain in Canada, but it’s often misunderstood or misdiagnosed.
The good news is that help is available. A growing number of people across Canada are finding relief through a cutting-edge, evidence-based approach called Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT). This therapy works with the brain and nervous system to retrain how your body experiences pain—offering new hope for long-term healing.
What Is Central Sensitization?
Central sensitization occurs when the brain and spinal cord become hypersensitive to pain signals, even in the absence of actual tissue damage. It’s as though the body’s “pain alarm” is stuck in the “on” position—causing pain to persist, spread, or worsen over time.
Common symptoms of central sensitization include:
Pain that lingers long after an injury has healed
Pain that moves or changes location
Heightened sensitivity to touch, pressure, or temperature
Flares without an obvious trigger
Fatigue, anxiety, or brain fog
Conditions like fibromyalgia, IBS, migraines, and chronic back or neck pain
This type of pain is very real, even if no structural damage is found on scans or tests. The problem isn’t in your imagination—it’s in how the brain and nervous system are processing signals.
Why Does Central Sensitization Happen?
The nervous system is designed to protect us. When we’re injured or under threat, pain is a signal that keeps us safe. But with central sensitization, that system becomes overprotective—continuing to send pain signals long after the original danger has passed.
This can be triggered by:
Physical injuries or surgeries
Ongoing stress or anxiety
Past trauma (emotional or physical)
Repeated fear or focus on pain
Over time, this creates a pain loop in the brain that becomes hard to break—especially without the right tools and support.
What Is Pain Reprocessing Therapy?
Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) is a neuroscience-based approach that helps people change the way their brain interprets pain signals. It’s designed specifically to treat chronic pain caused by central sensitization and neuroplastic pain (pain created by the brain’s learned patterns).
PRT has been shown in clinical studies (such as the Boulder Back Pain Study) to significantly reduce or even eliminate chronic pain in many participants.
How Pain Reprocessing Therapy Works:
Education – Understanding that chronic pain can be generated by the brain—not by damage—helps reduce fear and begin the healing process.
Somatic Tracking – This gentle mindfulness technique helps you observe your pain without reacting to it, which signals safety to the nervous system.
Emotional Awareness – PRT offers tools to explore and release suppressed emotions (like fear, anger, or grief) that may be fueling your pain loop.
Neural Rewiring – By practicing new, safe responses to pain, you begin to create new neural pathways—helping the brain “unlearn” chronic pain patterns.
Pain Reprocessing Therapy Available Online Across Canada
Whether you're in Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, or a remote community—you can access Pain Reprocessing Therapy from anywhere in Canada.
I offer:
Individual PRT sessions online, tailored to your unique pain experience
Online group PRT programs, where you can learn tools for healing in a supportive community setting
All sessions are delivered virtually, so you can receive expert support from the comfort and privacy of your home—no matter where you are in the country.
Why Choose PRT for Chronic Pain?
PRT is ideal for people who are:
Struggling with fibromyalgia, chronic back or neck pain, pelvic pain, migraines, or unexplained symptoms
Exhausted by years of treatment with little to no relief
Looking for a gentle, non-invasive, brain-based approach to healing
Ready to explore the emotional and neurological roots of pain in a safe, supportive environment
You’re Not Broken—You’re Just Stuck in a Pain Loop
Pain caused by central sensitization doesn’t mean something is structurally wrong—it means your nervous system is stuck in protection mode. But the brain can change, and so can your experience of pain.
With Pain Reprocessing Therapy, we work together to gently retrain the brain, reduce fear, and create the safety your body needs to heal.
Ready to Get Started?
If you’re living with chronic pain and want to explore a science-backed alternative to medication or surgery, I invite you to book a consultation. I work with clients across Canada, offering both one-on-one support and group Pain Reprocessing Therapy programs—all online.
You don’t have to live in pain forever. Relief is possible. Let’s take the next step together.