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Summary
In episode 683 of the 40+ Fitness Podcast, host Coach Allan speaks with Nicole Sachs, a speaker, writer, psychotherapist, retreat leader, and podcaster who has dedicated her work to the treatment of chronic pain and conditions. Sachs is on the faculty at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in New York, is the creator of the online courses Freedom from Chronic Pain, Freedom from an Anxious Life, and the Sarno Sachs Solution Practitioner Training, and is the author of Mind Your Body, a revolutionary program to release chronic pain and anxiety.
Sachs explains that all pain is rooted in brain science: pain is expressed through the body but does not start there. She describes how stored emotions such as rage, shame, sadness, grief, and terror fill an internal emotional reservoir, and when that reservoir overflows, the nervous system perceives danger and fires protective pain signals. She stresses this does not mean the pain is imaginary or the person’s fault, and that mind-body medicine is an addendum to, not a substitute for, being checked out by a medical doctor.
Drawing on her own recovery from severe back pain tied to a diagnosed spinal abnormality (spondylolisthesis), and on the work of Dr. John Sarno, Sachs shares the practical tools she teaches: a writing practice she calls JournalSpeak and a four-step process she calls ANSR (Allow, Name, Stay, Release). She emphasizes patience, consistency, and self-compassion, noting there is no fixed timeline for healing.
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Key Takeaways
- All pain is rooted in brain science; pain is real and expressed through the body, but it does not start in the body, and it is not the sufferer’s fault or a sign they are being hysterical or too sensitive.
- Symptoms like a bad shoulder, migraines, IBS, or a chronic bad knee are like a blaring fire alarm; chasing the alarm (the specific body part) instead of the underlying fire (stored emotion) does not solve the problem.
- Repressed big feelings such as rage, shame, sadness, grief, and terror collect in an internal emotional reservoir; when it overloads, the nervous system perceives danger and fires protective pain signals.
- JournalSpeak is a private, timed writing practice done in an unapologetic, impolite, childlike voice; it need not even be true, and afterward you destroy it (throw it away or flush it), because it is a venting, not a keepsake.
- The ANSR process has four steps: Allow (accept the new brain-science paradigm), Name (uncover what is in the reservoir through JournalSpeak), Stay (remain with uncomfortable feelings, since uncomfortable does not equal unsafe), and Release (pain signals stop once there is no fire).
- Mind-body medicine is an addendum to Western medicine, not a replacement; always get checked out by a medical doctor first, and know that surgery for abnormalities rarely makes pain itself go away.
- There is no fixed timeline for healing; it is a progressive process where the body becomes your proof, and even her 28-day challenge is meant to start a habit, not mark an end date.
- Her three strategies for wellness are an open and willing mind (replacing fear and skepticism with curiosity), taking action while accepting discomfort, and practicing self-compassion.
Another Episode You May Enjoy
Episode 693 – Ballistic movement for pain-free fitness with Henry Abbott
Episode Notes
Podcast: 40+ Fitness
Episode: 683
Published: 2025-02-25
Host: Allan Misner (aka Coach Allan), author of The Wellness Roadmap
Guest(s): Nicole Sachs, a speaker, writer, psychotherapist, retreat leader, and podcaster who has dedicated her work and her practice to the treatment of chronic pain and conditions, Mind Your Body: A Revolutionary Program to Release Chronic Pain and Anxiety
Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · YouTube (audio only)