P.A.I.N. Model; Transforming Pain into Progress

Feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or stuck due to pain or lack of motivation?  As a healthcare professional, I often encounter stories like this.  If you are dealing with daily pain or stiffness, chronic overwhelm, or a sense of dis-ease in your life, would you like to learn a way to shift these less-than-optimal states of being into healthier ones?

If you are nodding YES, I have something for you: a simple yet potent model rooted in neuroplasticity.  This hefty word implies that we humans, regardless of our age, can change our bodies and our brains, for better or for worse.  Would you like to choose better?  If you are interested in choosing a better path to greater vitality and freedom in your movement, in your body, and in daily life?  Keep reading. 

Whether it’s in a Therapeutic Movement class, a private lesson, or in a workshop setting, participants are introduced the P.A.I.N. Model™, a simple, systematic approach to improving health. I will break it down so that you, too, can try out this process during your daily routines. From personal experience and witnessing the power of this practice in others, I can confidently say that if you try it out, your body, mind, and maybe even those around you, will thank you. 

Why P.A.I.N.? Aside from it capturing a simple process as an acronym, when we experience pain—whether physical, emotional, or mental—those experiences ‘speak’ to us. This process will help you listen to what your body is telling you.

P.A.I.N. Model™ :  This model can be used when you experience any ‘pain’ point such as angst, physical pain, anger, or sudden fear or exhaustion, just to name a few. This can also be used on a regular, proactive basis.

P  for Pause: When faced with a pain point or discomfort, stop what you are doing, if it is safe to do so.   Be present in the moment.

A  for Awareness:  In this pause, what are you aware of? Take notice, especially, of any sensation, tightness, or guarding in your body. What are you noticing in the environment?  With this awareness, you now have a choice.

I   for Impulse: Follow your body’s impulse to implement a change Based on what you notice, make a change or adjustment or do an exercise that is aligned with your intention to feel better or do even be with or ‘feel’ the experince you are in..

N for New habits for a New Pathway:   Through the repetition of these steps, you will build new neural pathways to support your well-being.  Neurons that fire together wire together.  This is the nature of neuroplasticity.

Let’s walk through an example of these steps:

P:  While doing dishes, I notice racing thoughts and a feeling of being unsettled. I put the dish down and pause.

A:  I become aware of my racing heart and tight jaw.  Observing my environment, I notice the sink, the kitchen, and a mess around me.

I:   Realizing that I am in a safe space, I can focus on addressing the sensations within my body. It feels like ‘anxiety’. I know that the sensations that I have described are a part of the sympathetic nervous system (the fight/flight) or high energy.  Following my impulse to address the energy that wants to come out,  I choose to stomp around my house and make sounds. This action helps to release both the energy and the tightness in my jaw.  Side note: there are so many ways to respond to a pain point or triggered moment - sometimes we may need to use a resource to settle ourselves. However, if we are looking to work through or heal the pain or trigger, then we may need to lean in to the experience. This requires care and sometimes support of professionals.

N:  After burning off some steam, my body feels softer, ­­and I notice my breathe feels more free.  With repetition, the steps become familiar and easier which reinforces the practice.   

This does take practice.  It can be helpful to participate in body-mind classes, especially classes that allow you to follow your impulse and listen to the cues of your body.  It could also be helpful to seek professionals who understand the biology of stress and nervous system health.  These body-mind practitioners can help you add exercises, incorporate movement, and/or offer bodywork.  This type of support complements the P.A.I.N. Model™ by reminding us to navigate the tougher moments slowly and with care. In my work, I call this titration. Titration is adding little bits of learning and action at a time. I have clients that focus on the ‘P’- the pause, for a period of time. This can be a great start.

As a Therapeutic Movement coach, I offer small group classes, workshops, and private lessons of curated movements, exercises, and relaxation to support the process of listening and learning.   I also offer hands-on bodywork, Myofascial Release Therapy, which is a supportive modality to connect with one’s body through gentle guidance of a practitioner.  My coaching style meets clients where they are in all areas of life. With small, consistent steps, clients move from chaos to calm, from pain to ease, or from fixity to flow within their daily routines. Try this model out.  Repeat often.  I would love to know how it goes for you.  You can set up a discovery call with me to learn more.  If you are local to Lancaster, PA, I offer weekly classes, monthly workshops, and private lessons that will always encourage this practice.   I am a trauma-informed physical therapist with education and practical experience in various disciplines of holistic health including the area of stress biology and nervous system health, which, to me, is crucial for mental health and trauma care.