Author Archives: Meri Levy

You Can Unlearn Your Pain

What neuroscience is teaching us about chronic pain — and the treatment that’s changing lives.

Many years ago, I went through a two-year period with chronic tendinitis in my wrists. During those years there were countless days when I couldn’t type, garden, cook, or even open doors or jars without excruciating pain. I saw my doctor and went to physical therapy for over a year. I stretched, I rested, I iced, I splinted. Nothing really shifted.

I overcame my wrist symptoms after reading a book called Healing Back Pain by Dr. John Sarno, which convinced me that my wrists weren’t damaged. At the time, that was enough — the pain gradually faded and I moved on.

It wasn’t until I got trained in Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) in 2021 that I looked back and understood the fuller picture.

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The Problem With Problem-Solving

On anxiety, self-compassion, and why your brain keeps looking for problems to solve

The mind, when it’s anxious, will find a problem to solve. It doesn’t matter if the problem is real or imagined, or already over. It just needs something to work on. I was reminded of this the other night, lying awake and anxious after working on my last post too close to bedtime.

There were thoughts about whether I was sharing too much of my personal story in my posts, whether they were overlapping too much in terms of the themes I discussed, and also how people might respond to what I shared about how my first marriage ended. I wondered whether anyone really wanted to hear any of it. I was comparing myself to other writers on Substack who I felt were much more capable writers than I am, and wondering why I had committed to writing a Substack newsletter.

I realized that I was trying to “problem solve” the uncomfortable sensations I was feeling, so I focused my attention just on the bodily sensations and let the thoughts go for now.

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The Need Nobody Talks About in Chronic Pain Recovery

If you’ve struggled with chronic pain or symptoms, there may be a deeper need beneath the surface—one that, when finally met, may be the missing piece in your recovery

I have been working with a client recently who recovered remarkably quickly from disabling pain and other symptoms. She hadn’t been able to work or care for herself for quite a while. She had moved home with a parent and needed help with even small tasks, such as taking a shower, pouring herself a glass of water, or opening doors. She was unable to use her phone because of debilitating pain in her hands.

She was highly motivated to heal, as you can imagine.

She is now living independently, driving herself to work, doing a job that involves lots of work on a laptop, and using her phone too much (like the rest of us!)

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Tied in Knots: Why We Abandon Ourselves

(and How to Stop)

“It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful, and so smart, and it kills me that you don’t think you’re good enough…”

That Barbie monologue spoke to me, as it did to so many women. America Ferrera was speaking for millions of women who’ve tied themselves in knots trying to be everything to everyone—and ended up losing themselves in the process.

I know because I was one of them.

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Testimonials from Former Clients

What former clients have said in response to an anonymous client feedback questionnaire:

(All identifying information has been removed to maintain client confidentiality)

Meri was so kind, warm, asked great probing questions to help me think about my situation differently with real actionable tips and tricks to try between sessions.

I really just can’t say enough about your expertise, professionalism, and caring disposition. You were a great help and I always look back on this time with appreciation and gratitude. Thank you!

I came to Meri at an extremely low time in my life. I was a new mother of two small children, and had been experiencing post partum anxiety for almost a year with no clue that it was even a thing. You hear about post partum depression all the time, but apparently there are other things you can experience that no one tells you about. Day 1 with Meri she let me know I wasn’t alone, she had experienced something similar and specialized in working with women like me. I got on meds and worked through the post partum and quickly realized there was actually a lot in my life that was not going to help me stay well, so we continued work together. She helped me along the way for years. I can’t imagine who I’d be if I never met her at that very vulnerable time in my life. I often wish I could talk to her again and update her on how far I’ve come, and thank her for being a big part of my journey. Thank you Meri.

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The Drama of the Upside-Down Plate: What I Learned About Emotions as a Child

For many years, I thought I was just “too emotional.” I hadn’t learned to allow and to express my feelings. They felt too big because they were stuck inside, and because of what I had been taught was normal.

My feelings often felt too intense, too easily triggered. Everyone else seemed to have it together while I was a mess inside. It never occurred to me that other people might be having the same feelings—they just weren’t showing them. I was comparing my insides to other people’s outsides.

It also didn’t occur to me that burying my emotions might make me sick.

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How I Learned Not To Abandon Myself

(and What a Mispronounced Name Taught Me)

My body had been speaking what I refused to acknowledge: I was abandoning myself to take care of everyone else, and my nervous system wasn’t having it anymore.

While postpartum with my second child, I was hospitalized for severe depression and anxiety after suffering months of chronic dizziness and nausea. I was released from the hospital after twelve days of inpatient treatment. During those days, I kept solid food down for the first time in months, started to have an appetite, and was just beginning to be able to sleep through the night. I was seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

When I got home and was back in the stressful environment I had left, I immediately felt like no recovery had occurred at all. My husband expected me to be back to 100% right away, and every stressful moment, even the sound of my son’s voice (needing something from me!), caused a wave of dread, dizziness and nausea to come right back. Clearly, I hadn’t fully recovered yet. So I got put in a full-day intensive outpatient program for six weeks, so I could ease back into “life on the outside.”

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Handouts for Recovery from Anxiety, Pain or Symptoms

I’m sharing some handouts that I created for my Substack newsletter, Body Wise Parent. I hope you find them helpful!

Somatic Tracking for Chronic Pain/Symptoms

A mindfulness exercise associated with Pain Reprocessing Therapy, for people overcoming chronic pain or symptoms.

Somatic-TrackingDownload

Inner Child/Inner Parent Dialogue Exercise

For people who are learning to improve emotional self-care and overcoming the impact of childhood emotional neglect.

Inner-Child-DialogueDownload

Overcoming Compulsive Caretaking Handout

For people who feel over-responsible for others and are learning not to abandon themselves.

Compulsive-CaregivingDownload

Emotional Awareness & Expression Handout for Anxiety and Pain or Symptoms

For people learning to acknowledge, allow and express emotions as a way of calming their nervous system and diminishing chronic pain or other symptoms.

EAET-PrinciplesDownload

The Good Enough Parent

For those of you learning to overcoming perfectionism in your parenting, so you can be a “good enough parent,” and give your children the benefits of experiencing frustration, advocating for themselves, and can develop a greater sense of their own capabilities.

Good-Enough-ParentDownload

Breaking Free from Perpetual Problem-Solving

For those of you learning to overcoming the habit of “problem-solving mode,” to learn to tolerate uncomfortable physical sensations and difficult emotions and teach your brain that you are safe, to calm your nervous system and overcome anxiety, chronic pain and neuroplastic symptoms.

Overcoming-Problem-SolvingDownload

Safety Reappraisal for Chronic Pain/Symptoms

For people overcoming chronic pain or symptoms by establishing a greater sense of safety in the body.

Safety-ReappraisalDownload
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When My Body Expressed What I Couldn’t Say

How stress manifested as severe physical symptoms

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