In this episode, we explore how “thinking less” and feeling safer in the present can quiet the nervous system and ease chronic symptoms. Dr. Becca Kennedy, a board-certified family medicine physician who treats neuroplastic conditions, joins John to unpack medical invalidation, loneliness in chronic pain, and why learning to access anger, compassion, and play can unlock recovery. You’ll also hear a real coaching segment with “Sarah,” navigating vulvodynia, fear, and uncertainty with step-by-step emotional work and somatic tracking.

What you’ll learn

Why certainty isn’t required for recovery—and how to “negotiate” with the brain’s demand for it.

A gentle, repeatable way to sit with fear and sadness so safety messages can finally land.

How practicing anger expression (safely) restores agency after medical gaslighting.

Somatic tracking: Relaxing bracing and signaling “nothing to protect”.

Re-introducing play and joy as evidence to your brain that you’re safe—even while symptoms are present.

Rough timeline

0:00 Intro — symptoms fade when we feel safer, not when we solve everything

2:00 Disclaimer & PRT training mention

3:00 Meet Dr. Becca Kennedy; path to neuroplastic care

6:00 Vulvodynia labels: validation vs. harm

7:00 Sarah’s story: yeast infection → persistent pelvic pain, despair, isolation

14:00 Processing the emotions of being in pain (not just past trauma)

20:00 Guided exercise: feeling fear/helplessness with compassion in the “life raft”

29:00 Accessing frustration/anger and why it’s protective to express it

37:00 Living with uncertainty; safety in the now vs. promises about later

43:00 Safety visualization and re-introducing play

50:00 Fun as medicine; nature, joy, and daily moments of ease

51:00 Parting encouragement & hope

Guest
Dr. Becca Kennedy — Resilience Healthcare (neuroplastic conditions, long COVID, chronic pain)

Mentioned/Concepts
Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), somatic tracking, Emotional Awareness & Expression Therapy (EAET), nervous system regulation, medical trauma, safety signals.

Resources and Additional Links

• Learn More About Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)
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