One of my clients, Laura, was someone who had great trouble believing that Mindbody work could do what dozens of doctors had been unable to accomplish. She came to me out of desperation, riddled with several debilitating chronic concerns. She was in such fear—and in so much pain—that she was unable to accede that this work might benefit her. She was just too scared. All the prescriptions and procedures that had promised so much had done so little. To help her move past her fear, I got out a stack of index cards.

Together, we wrote the name of each of her chronic diagnoses down on a single card. I then handed the cards back to her.

“These are yours. You do not have to give them away. You can hold on to them for as long as you feel that you need to,” I assured her. “But as you are ready, and as you are comfortable, you can let me hold them for you. I will keep them safe. I will make sure they don’t get lost. I know that all of these symptoms come from the same place—a dysregulated nervous system—and I will cradle them gently for you. You don’t have to worry; I am not afraid of them.”

For far too long, Laura had felt safety within her diagnoses. I know this sounds odd—but think about it: After she was diagnosed with chronic migraine, she had a clear path of what she “needed” to do. She had to fill her prescription, take the pills, and rest. She had permission to cancel her plans and close the shades. She was allowed to draw boundaries and say no to her overbearing mother. It was a similar story with her gastrointestinal issues before that. After her Crohn’s diagnosis, she’d taken the meds and changed her diet. She’d reduced her food variety again and again, even when the pain persisted. In some small way these actions had made her feel safe, in control. However, Laura was bereft. This was no way to live, and she was still in daily enervating pain. To shift her path, Laura had to decide that she wasn’t defined by these conditions. She needed to access the belief that she could get better, despite so many setbacks.

At first, Laura just looked at the cards. She honestly wasn’t sure which ones she could hand over. These labels sheltered her; they gave her a sense of agency and identity. “That’s a hard thing to let go of,” I comforted her. “Take your time, look each card over, and ask yourself if you might be willing to let me take care of it for a while.”

Lovely Laura was hesitant, and I know sometimes it helps to lighten things up. “Don’t fret! My work comes with a one hundred percent misery‑back guarantee,” I told her. “You can have any of these conditions—and all of the things connected to it—back whenever you want. But to do the work and have it change you, you’ll need to relinquish them for long enough to watch yourself transform.”

Laura paused for a moment more, and then haltingly handed me the card that read multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS). She had been diagnosed with this condition because it was believed that certain smells would trigger migraines for her. Yet when I asked her to borrow my belief, she realized that smelling cleaning products didn’t always result in pain.

“Sometimes I smell that floor cleaner we use and it does nothing to me. Sometimes I get a whiff and have a migraine for three days,” she said. “Maybe MCS isn’t the reason I’m sick.” Yes. This is the inflection point I’m talking about. This was the beginning of freedom for Laura.

Little by little over the next few months, Laura handed me all of her cards. Once in a while she would sheepishly grab one back with a half grin, and I gave it to her willingly. After all, I had told her it would take as long as it took, and I was in no rush. By the end of our time together, Laura walked out of my office symptom‑free. She no longer associated herself with the myriad diagnoses she’d been assigned for years, and she was living a life that exceeded anything she’d imagined. By borrowing my belief, Laura had found her own.

You can borrow my belief, too. Like I said, I’m as certain as they come. And I am as patient with you as I was with Laura, all the while knowing that belief is the key to starting this effort in earnest. When you falter, remember that confidence in the process greatly reduces the reflex of your nervous system to launch into fight or flight. It changes your perception of your body and your symptoms. It transforms the way you respond to all the things that happen in your life.

Excerpted from Mind Your Body: A Revolutionary Program to Release Chronic Pain and Anxiety, by Nicole J. Sachs. Avery (February 4, 2025)

Click here to learn about Nicole’s upcoming event on Wed, Feb 5, 2025, 7:30 pm ET in New York, and here to learn about her event on February 13th at 6:30pm in Brentwood, CA.

Author(s)

  • Nicole J. Sachs, LCSW, is a speaker, writer, psychotherapist, retreat leader, and podcaster who has dedicated her work and her practice to the treatment of chronic pain. She is the author of The Meaning of Truth and creator of the online courses “Freedom from Chronic Pain,” “Freedom From an Anxious Life,” and “The Sarno x Sachs Solution” practitioner training. Her brands, BreakAwake and The Cure for Chronic Pain, include a website, podcast, YouTube channel, membership community, and newsletter. Sachs is on faculty at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in New York.