The Pain Relief Secret: How to Retrain Your Nervous System, Heal Your Body, and Overcome Chronic Pain

The Pain Relief Secret is for anyone experiencing pain and wanting to do something about it. I take Sarah Warren’s online classes on somatics and have been reading her blogs for the last year so I expected this book to be thorough and clear and it did not disappoint. Ms. Warren is a natural teacher and healer—she knows a lot, knows how to communicate it and is generous and patient in what she shares. The book begins with a great explanation of how the pain networks in our bodies work—a great read for someone in pain, an athlete, a coach or a bodyworker—then the author details various approaches to solving pain, and then zooms in on the modality that has changed her life, mine, and probably everyone who has taken the time to give it a shot. That modality is somatics. Warren gives a thorough explanation of how and why somatics works, the history of its development and then proceeds to discuss specific pain issues—tension headaches, temporal mandibular joint syndrome (TMJ) frozen shoulder, sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, to name just a few, and gives links to a set of somatic exercises to relieve and sometimes to eliminate those issues. She then goes on to offer suggestions for how to alter habits that are contributing to these problems, usually related to posture and body mechanics. You cannot read this book or take her classes without becoming more aware of your body and how you use it and that is a key to a much healthier and happier life. The exercises are simple and gentle. The hardest thing about them for me is to resist competing with myself or pushing mself beyond what my body can do at the moment and to not let my mind wander—the way these exercises do their magic is that they reeducate your brain and that can only happen if you are doing the exercises slowly and with full attention. Properly done they become a kind of moving meditation. The book’s explanation of the how and why of pain is worth the price of the book. The links to somatic exercises that target specific body aches is worth the price of the book, times three, and the section on paying attention to how you use your body every day is right up there with eat your greens and ditch the sugar.

I am savoring every syllable of this book, and I am not exaggerating when I say that this is among the best written and most deftly edited books on any subject that I have ever encountered. So fine is the writing, here, that the reader quickly gets the clear sense that its author is driven by a powerful sense of purpose that she understands can only be served by exceptionally high-quality messaging. And the authorś purpose is nothing less than banishing all the misunderstandings and fallacies that have stood, for too long, in the way of lasting relief for the untold numbers of humans who today live (or at least try to) with unrelenting chronic pain. I have read a sizable collection of manuals offered as self-help guides for chronic pain sufferers, including books on the specific therapeutic explained and advocated here (applied somatics), and even among the other works that attempt to educate readers about somatics, none comes close to this book in the ways in which it enlightens the reader. I am therefore now setting aside all these other tomes and plan to make this book my North Star as I move forward in my journey to end the pain.

Good information, well presented. I've read a half dozen books with related information from other authors, but I feel like Sarah Warren's book gave me a better grasp and helped me to apply the movements better than other books on this subject. These ideas have been around for a while. I think it is information that is evolving and getting better. To me, it is similar to what many people in Physical Therapy are referring to as Neural Flossing, but no matter what you call this type of gentle exercise for pain relief, I am becoming a believer. When yoga and stretching take you in the opposite direction, actually increasing pain and decreasing your flexibility, the principals in this book may help. I have found relief from lower back pain even though I have only done the movements in a half-hearted manner. The relief I get makes me think if I slowed down and really followed Sarah's directions more carefully, I might receive even more relief.

This is a very important book to read if you have pain that does not respond to "standard" treatments. Sarah's explanations of what causes most muscle and joint pain is very understandable. Reading her words on how and why we feel pain was eye-opening. She systematically explains what makes pain worse, and how our life-long habits create sensory muscle amnesia. It's not our muscles that are weak, but our nervous system's inability to communicate with our muscles. Her descriptions of how each individual has the ability to prevent, alleviate and eliminate many pain conditions by retraining the nervous system is enlightening. I couldn't put the book down. It seemed that she had x-ray vision into my life. I recognized so many of the specifics she described, from having years of pain that I did not understand, to going through a series of doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists and massage therapists--all to no avail. All the experts said exercise and "stretch"-- both only increased my pain. Immediately upon finishing her book, I signed up for her Level One Online Course at Somatic Movement.com. The cost was less than one massage. My pain is melting away. The exercises are slow and gentle and feel good. Finally, I feel I am making progress in alleviating my pain.

I have endured various degrees of pan in different parts of the body throughout life, and have naturally tried a taste of most of is out there to try relieving it..! Of course none had any significant and lasting effect. Just concluded reading Sarah’s book: it all makes so much sense and i am now quite eager to put clinical somatic exercises into my daily routine.The book is well written with scientific language put in a way for everybody to understand.I live in Brazil, it’s amazing how nobody I come across in related fields have never heard of clinical somatic exercises….!

Everyone should buy and tead this book and follow the instructions especially if they are in constant pain. Very well written and easy to understand because Sarah Warren explains everything so clearly. A must buy and also giftable. Excellent writing.

ME ENCANTÓ EL LIBRO. MUY AMENA FORMA DE APROXIMAR EL TEMA DEL DOLOR Y EN ALGÚN MOMENTO DEL TEXTO LA APROXIMACIÓN PRÁCTICA MEDIANTE EJERCICIOS SENCILLOS PARA REEDUCAR AL SISTEMA NERVIOSO

Gives all somatics basics

One month on from my original review when I was half way through the book. Now I have finished - I intend to read it again to benefit further from the advice and guidance; it is very motivating and encourages a positive attitude to your own health - you do not need to accept that getting older inevitably means becoming less healthy with poorer posture and movement. My next ambition I think will be to do the Level two course; with the Covid 19 lockdown in place for a while yet it would be a great way to use the extra time available.I am currently studying Hanna Somatics using Sarah Warren`s Somatic Movement Centre Website, and spend an hour a day on the Level One daily exercises, in addition to Pilates. The exercises are excellently presented through the website and effective. For some odd reason, I was not expecting the book to be something I would like. I was so wrong! It is very interesting, informative and really helpful on its own and as a supplement to following the exercises and explains in a very clear way the whole process of re-educating the movement patterns of your muscles. I have, many years ago studied anatomy and physiology at undergraduate level during my degree in dentistry training but have learned a whole lot more through this book.Recommended reading for all.