For those with CRPS who decided to give the mindbody healing a try, there are many resources available, a lot of them are free. We are listing our favorite authors, to help you navigate this often confusing world of information:
John E. Sarno, MD
Since 1970es, when Dr. Sarno pioneered his method, thousands of people experienced what he called “knowledge cure”: by simply understanding that their severe pain is a product of an overstressed brain or a deep emotional trauma rather than a structural or systemic damage to their bodies, they immediately started feeling better or even completely healed. Not everybody was lucky to heal instantly, but by gradually learning how to maintain emotional and mental balance, many more succeeded, among them both authors of this website. While Dr. Sarno mostly worked with back pain patients, his method equally applies to CRPS/RSD. Since he published his first book, many other books were written, but his remain at the top of our list.
You can start with watching this segment from the TV show 20/20.
Howard Schubiner, MD
Dr. Schubiner, once Dr. Sarno’s patient, then student, became one of the leading physicians working in the field of mindbody medicine. in addition to his clinical work, Dr. Schubiner is a researcher, a tireless advocate for the chronic pain patients and a frequent speaker on the subject of chronic pain. In 2020, a documentary This Might Hurt about Dr. Schubiner’s work with his patients was released.
Documentary about Dr. Schubiner and his method This Might Hurt
Dr. Schubiner’s talk at the Commonwealth Club of California
Dr. Schubiner’s talk at Google
We highly recommend that you watch This Might Hurt. In addition to being exceptionally helpful as a guidebook to overcoming chronic pain, this film is a very interesting psychological portrait of a group of people who are determined to overcome very difficult life struggles. The film does not sugarcoat the challenges of overcoming chronic pain, but nevertheless it’s message is inspiring and optimistic.
Tamara Gurin
Tamara’s account of a successful recovery from CRPS, with tips and advice on how to replicate her success can be found here: Amazon.com. Proceeds from the book sales pay for the hosting and support of this website.
TMS Roundtable
Two mind-body practitioners, Dr. Tovah Goldfine and Rose Hoey, RN, created a community of chronic pain patients which is focused on helping patients in their healing and recovery. They have a fantastic Facebook page, full of information and advice on how to heal.
Their website is here: http://www.tmsroundtable.com
Their Facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/TMSRoundTable/
Eddy Lindenstein Mind And Fitness Podcast
Eddy Lindenstein recovered from chronic pain and started a podcast dedicated to mind-body healing, fitness and wellness. A remarkable lineup of guests and lighthearted atmosphere makes his podcast stand out. Here is the link: Mind And Fitness Podcast.
Lorimer Moseley, PhD
Neuroscientist Dr. Moseley is one of the leading researchers in the field of chronic pain and a believer in “knowledge cure”, when knowledge and mindfulness helps patients understand the reasons for their pain and heal from it. He also explains the concept in clear and accessible way. This short video explains, in very simple terms, the mechanism of a mind-induced physical pain:
Pain, the brain and your amazing protectometer
Claire Weekes, MD
Dr. Claire Weekes, an Australian doctor, pioneered psychological methods for treating anxiety. Her work proved to be essential for the chronic pain patients, as anxiety is frequently either a source or a consequence of a chronic pain condition. We highly recommend her books and especially audios by Dr. Weekes. Her voice in the audios is nothing short of magical.
Her books and audios can be found on Amazon.com.
Norman Doidge, MD
Dr. Doidge is a Canadian psychiatrist who writes about neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity, which is the ability of the brain to change and adjust, is the driving force behind healing from chronic pain. Norman Doidge’s books can be found on Amazon.com.
Joe Dispenza, DC
Joe Dispenza experienced healing from severe chronic pain first hand, after he was injured as a result of the accident. In his books, he offers very convincing explanations of how chronic pain develops and how re-wiring of the brain helps the patient to stop the pain pattern. Joe Dispenza’s books can be found on Amazon.com.
David Hanscom, MD
Dr. Hanscom is an orthopedic surgeon who performed spinal surgeries for decades, until he realized that mindbody methods work much better on his chronic pain patients than spinal surgeries. He himself suffered from a variety of chronic pain symptoms and fully recovered, thanks to Dr. Sarno’s ideas. His explanation of the mechanism of chronic pain is very scientific and convincing. His website is here: https://backincontrol.com/
Dr. McClanahan’s Library
I recently came across this fantastic website, which has a huge collection of resources for the chronic pain patients. The website belongs to the Center For Insight Medicine lead by, Dr. Matthew McClanahan. Check it out!
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome : Your Path To Healing 