How Somatic Tracking Rewires the Brain for Pain Relief
- Catherine Sophia Cooper
- Jun 30
- 3 min read
Mindfulness can be a valuable tool for managing chronic pain, helping individuals become more present and reduce stress. Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) takes that a bit further. By incorporating somatic tracking, PRT not only fosters awareness but actively retrains the brain to stop perceiving pain as a threat. This is the key to breaking the pain-fear cycle and achieving long-term relief.
What is Somatic Tracking?
Somatic tracking is a structured practice that combines mindfulness with cognitive reappraisal, helping individuals observe pain with curiosity rather than fear. Instead of resisting or bracing against discomfort, somatic tracking encourages an open, neutral approach to bodily sensations, which can rewire the brain’s perception of pain and reduce its intensity.
Many people with chronic pain unknowingly reinforce their symptoms by interpreting them as dangerous. When pain is met with fear, the brain amplifies the danger signal, creating a self-sustaining loop of pain and anxiety. Somatic tracking helps interrupt this loop, signalling safety instead of threat.
The Three Components of Somatic Tracking
Mindfulness: Paying attention to sensations without judgment. Instead of resisting pain, you observe it with curiosity. But this alone isn’t enough—pain can feel threatening, making it hard to stay neutral. This is where the next step comes in.
Safety Reappraisal: Actively reinforcing to yourself that pain is not dangerous. By recalling personal evidence—such as times when stress increased pain, or when movement didn’t actually cause harm—you can convince your brain that it is safe.
Positive Affect Induction: Lightening the mood and shifting into a state of ease. If you approach pain with hyper-focus and tension, your brain stays in alarm mode. Instead, incorporating pleasant memories, humour, or a relaxed focus can help reframe the experience in a way that signals safety.
Why This Works - The Science Behind Somatic Tracking
Pain Neuroscience: Studies show that chronic pain isn’t just about structural damage, it’s also about how the brain interprets sensory input. PRT harnesses neuroplasticity, teaching the brain to downregulate pain signals.
Placebo & Expectation: Research on placebo effects demonstrates that when people expect relief, the brain releases its own pain-relieving chemicals (endorphins and enkephalins). Somatic tracking capitalises on this effect except, instead of a placebo, we’re using real cognitive techniques to change pain perception.
Dubey & Muley (2023) found that mindfulness-based interventions reduce pain intensity and increase pain tolerance, while PRT aims not just for management, but for pain elimination by rewiring the fear-pain response.
Mindfulness vs. Somatic Tracking
Mindfulness meditation is powerful as it can reduce stress, improve sleep, and enhance emotional resilience. But mindfulness alone does not always eliminate pain. It helps you cope, while somatic tracking reprocesses pain signals to create lasting change.
Instead of simply observing pain, somatic tracking teaches the brain to interpret it differently, leading to a true reduction in symptoms rather than just increased tolerance.
How to Start Using Somatic Tracking
Learn About Pain: Understand that chronic pain is often a brain-generated response, not a sign of ongoing damage.
Gather Your Evidence: Identify patterns in your pain that prove your body is safe.
Observe with Curiosity: Instead of fearing pain, watch it like an interesting science experiment.
Shift Your State: Bring in lightness—smile, recall a happy memory, or focus on a comforting sensation.
With repetition and consistency, somatic tracking helps rewire the brain’s response to pain, replacing fear with safety and discomfort with ease.
Final Thoughts
Chronic pain is not just a physical problem, it’s a neurobiological process that can be reshaped. Mindfulness is a great first step, but PRT and somatic tracking go further by actively retraining the brain’s pain response.
If you feel ready to begin shifting from pain management toward pain reprocessing, somatic tracking can be a powerful tool. It’s not the right fit for everyone at every stage, but if the time is right for you, it’s a gentle way to help your brain start to change its response to pain.
😊 A Smile and a Thought 🤔
Retraining my brain for pain relief is basically like trying to get a very stubborn toddler to share their toys. It's possible, but there will be tantrums
“Somatic Tracking is all about exploring your pain with curiosity and without intensity.” - Alan Gordon
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