Living with chronic pain can be a debilitating experience for many individuals. Maří Bartos, a 39-year-old architect living in Dubai, struggled with lower back pain for years. Initially, she sought traditional medical treatment, but doctors were unable to pinpoint a specific cause for her pain. The constant use of painkillers only added to her suffering, leading to anxiety and despair. It wasn’t until she discovered pain psychotherapy that her healing journey began with the help of a pain psychologist in Dubai, Anna Marków, who specializes in exploring the mind-body connection.
Marków explains that chronic pain can be a result of physical trauma that leads to emotional suffering as the body heals. On the other hand, emotional suffering can also cause physical pain without any physical damage to the body. This often occurs when the nervous system suppresses emotions due to past experiences, resulting in unaddressed trauma that eventually manifests as physical pain symptoms. Unfortunately, many individuals with chronic pain rooted in unaddressed trauma face challenges in receiving proper care and understanding from traditional healthcare systems.
Through Somatic Experiencing® therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and integrative mind-body strategies, Marków helps her patients unroot the cause of emotional trauma and begin the healing process. Bartos, who underwent therapy to address the emotional issues triggering her back pain, discovered that her perfectionism and fear of abandonment were driving factors behind her physical symptoms. Through therapy, she learned to challenge these ingrained beliefs, cultivate self-compassion, and ultimately free herself from the shackles of perfectionism, allowing her body to heal.
For many individuals like Bartos, chronic pain can significantly impact their quality of life, mood, and ability to engage in daily activities. Depression and anxiety disorders are often closely linked with chronic pain, leaving many patients feeling excluded from life. With the right approach to addressing the underlying emotional trauma, individuals experiencing chronic pain can find relief and begin the journey towards healing. By acknowledging the mind-body connection and seeking out alternative treatments such as pain psychotherapy, individuals can uncover the root causes of their physical symptoms and work towards a healthier, pain-free life.
