If you live with chronic pain, you’ve likely been caught in this frustrating paradox: movement is supposed to help - but every time you try, you flare. The advice is everywhere:

➡️ *"Motion is lotion." ➡️ "Just keep going." ➡️ "You have to push through discomfort."

And yet…

Some days, a gentle walk feels okay. Other days? That same walk leaves you wiped out. So you hesitate. Or you force yourself through it - only to crash, again. And you start to wonder… Can I even trust my body anymore?

Here’s the truth: You’re not failing at movement. You’ve just been taught the wrong framework.

The Problem Isn’t Your Muscles—It’s the Nervous System’s Alarm System

Most conventional advice around movement is rooted in biomechanics: strengthen this, stretch that, stay active. But chronic pain isn’t just a biomechanical problem. It’s a neurobiological one.

When pain becomes chronic, your nervous system becomes hypersensitive. It learns to interpret even safe, non-threatening movement as danger. This is called central sensitization, and it’s a well-documented phenomenon in pain science (Woolf, 2011).

It’s why what used to feel fine - carrying groceries, stretching, going for a walk—now triggers pain or fatigue. The nervous system is doing its job too well. It’s trying to protect you, but in doing so, it overreacts.

So here’s the reframe: Movement isn’t just physical - it’s relational. It’s a relationship between your body, brain, and nervous system. And when that relationship has been damaged by fear, flare-ups, or trauma? You don’t need more force. You need to rebuild trust.

Movement as a Trust Issue (Not a Toughness Test)

Imagine you’re standing in front of a rickety bridge.

You used to walk across it without thinking. But then one day, it cracked. Another day, it shook. And now? Even when someone says, “Just go - it’s fine,” your body hesitates. You analyze every step. You brace. You overthink. Your nervous system screams, *"This is not safe."

That’s what movement feels like for many of my clients. Not because they’re weak - but because their nervous system learned that movement = threat.

So what happens when you push through that fear without addressing the underlying alarm system?

🚨 The alarm gets louder. 🚨 Sensitivity increases. 🚨 Recovery time lengthens.

This is what keeps you stuck in the boom-bust cycle.

To break that cycle, we need a different approach - one that rewires your brain-body relationship. And that’s what the Safety Generation Process is designed to do.

The Safety Generation Process: Three Strategies That Actually Work

These strategies are rooted in neuroscience, pain psychology, and what I’ve seen work for hundreds of high-achieving women navigating complex, persistent pain.

Strategy 1: Understand Where You’re At—Without Judgment

Pain creates uncertainty. You start second-guessing every sensation. Was that normal soreness? A warning sign? A setback?

So the first step is building accurate body literacy. We assess your nervous system’s current capacity - not just your muscles’—and create a baseline that honors that.

Science behind it: Graded exposure and interoceptive training help reduce fear-avoidance and central sensitization (Leeuw et al., 2007).

In fact, one of my clients, a former athlete, had spent years trying to "train" her way out of pain. But once we reframed her movement approach to focus on safety cues instead of performance metrics, she stopped crashing - and started recovering.

Strategy 2: Move at the Pace of Your Nervous System

You’ve probably heard the term "pacing." But true pacing isn’t about doing less - it’s about creating predictable safety for your brain.

When your brain sees movement as safe, it dials down the alarm. When it’s unsure, it cranks it up.

We use micro-movements, rituals, and even visualization to help your brain reinterpret movement as non-threatening.

Science behind it: Research on neuroplasticity shows that safe, repeated exposure to feared stimuli rewires the fear-pain pathway (Moseley & Butler, 2015).

My client Jen used to flare after every yoga class. Once we restructured her approach into short, meaningful movements with nervous system-calming bookends (like breathwork before and after), she could move without crashing - for the first time in years.

Strategy 3: Build Joy and Confidence into Movement Again

Pain recovery isn’t just about symptom reduction. It’s about reclaiming life. That’s why the final pillar is making movement reflect what matters to you.

Not what a PT chart says. Not what an influencer preaches. You.

We rebuild routines that feel good. That create small, positive wins. That reinforce safety and satisfaction.

Science behind it: Studies show that movement tied to personal meaning and values leads to improved outcomes in chronic pain and sustained behavior change (McCracken & Vowles, 2014).

Another one of my clients, Emily, hated exercise plans. But once we built her week around activities she actually enjoyed - dancing with her kids, gardening, walking while listening to her favorite music - movement stopped feeling like punishment, and started feeling like freedom.

From Fear to Freedom

When we stop trying to “push through” and start rebuilding trust, everything changes:

✔️ Movement feels safer ✔️ Flares become less intense ✔️ Confidence grows ✔️ Life opens up

That’s the power of nervous system-informed movement. And it’s what I guide clients through every day inside my Breaking Through Pain Program.

Want to try a gentle step forward?

Your Next Step: Free Tools to Start Rebuilding Safety

Watch the Free Video Guide: Learn the 3-pillar framework I use with clients to reduce pain and restore functionality - without guessing, pushing through, or flare-up roulette.

Grab the Rapid Pain Relief Starter Kit - ONLY $10!: Includes a movement pacing template, calming audio rituals, and science-backed mini-practices to create immediate nervous system relief and support.

💬 Book a Free Pain Recovery Diagnostic Call: Want to talk through what this would look like in your life? I’ll help you find the blind spots in your current plan and see if a tailored strategy is what you need.

Final Thought: You’re Not Broken.

You’re Wired for Protection.

You’ve done what the experts told you. You’ve tried the routines, the rehab, the rest. But your body keeps bracing.

Not because you’re weak - but because your brain is doing its job too well.

The good news? You can rewire it.

Movement isn’t the enemy. It’s the invitation. To reconnect. To rebuild. To reclaim the life you thought you’d lost.

I’d love to show you how.

With care,
Dr. Anna Redmond