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The Pain Relief Secret: How to Retrain Your Nervous System, Heal Your Body, and Overcome Chronic Pain
You Can Heal from Chronic Pain We’ve been sold a The world tells us that pain is inevitable, that our bodies must break down as we age, and that there’s nothing we can do about it. Researchers develop new drugs to manage our pain; surgeons dream up new techniques to repair worn-out joints. But we never truly feel better. Here’s the shocking The vast majority of the pain that plagues our aging bodies is self-inflicted. It’s caused by the way we use our bodies every day—the way we sit, the way we stand, the way we walk and run. But with simple exercises, anybody can learn to heal their chronic musculoskeletal pain, and prevent future pain, injury, and joint problems from developing. The Pain Relief Secret explores the fascinating science of pain, and instructs readers in Clinical Somatics, a method of neuromuscular education that relieves chronic muscle tightness, restores natural posture and movement, and eliminates pain—all without medication or surgery. Students of Clinical Somatics have healed from chronic back pain, joint and nerve pain, scoliosis, and many other common pain conditions—all without medication or surgery. Best of all, Clinical Somatics puts the power in your hands. You don’t need special training or expensive repeat visits to a physical therapist. Clinical Somatics exercises are practiced on your own and in your very own home. This is The Pain Relief Secret—your key to taking back your body from a lifetime of pain. This book is great for anyone who has tried chiropractic treatments, naturopathy, yoga, physiotherapy, or massage therapy and still experiences chronic pain. You will love this book if you are interested
255 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2019
463 people are currently reading
387 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Warren
1 book6 followersSarah Warren is a Certified Clinical Somatic Educator and owner of Somatic Movement Center. She has helped people with chronic muscle and joint pain, back pain, sciatica, scoliosis, and many other painful musculoskeletal conditions become pain-free by practicing Thomas Hanna’s groundbreaking method of Clinical Somatic Education.
Clinical Somatics exercises are a highly effective, long-lasting alternative to traditional methods of pain management. Sarah is passionate about teaching her students how to take care of themselves and helping them through their journey toward lasting health.
Clinical Somatics exercises are a highly effective, long-lasting alternative to traditional methods of pain management. Sarah is passionate about teaching her students how to take care of themselves and helping them through their journey toward lasting health.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 28, 2019
I had never heard of Clinical Somatics before but now that I know about it, I can’t believe it’s not regular practice or study for all doctors.
The book gets a little technical at times but I’m so glad for what I learned from reading the book about how muscles and joints work, what muscle memory really is and why we have it, and how our everyday movements can cause chronic pain conditions. The author doesn’t claim all chronic pain is the result of learned movements but a lot of it is.
The book includes grey scale photos and diagrams throughout to help you understand what is being taught. Although I’m not sure I understood 100% everything that was being taught, I learned enough to recognize all the unhealthy movements I do throughout my day such as scrunching up my shoulders, learning to one side or twisting my back. No wonder I’m in pain!
The book includes specific exercises to help but instead of trying to explain the, you are given a URL to go to, to watch a video demonstration. This makes a lot more sense so you can see it being done properly before you try it. Then you can put the video on again and just close your eyes and do the movements as you hear the instructions.
A few free exercises are included in with book purchase but if you want a full somatic education you can purchase one.
The thing is, this is not just some new idea someone came up with that might or might not work. The book includes the history of somatics and you might be surprised to find out it was being learned about and practiced in the late 1800s! But it is still not widely known which is unfortunate. Many real cases are described (and included in the references) of somatics working.
If you suffer from a chronic pain condition that is not the result (or might not be the result) of an infection, activity level, diet, disease, genetic makeup or immune or metabolic system function this book can help you overcome your pain.
The book gets a little technical at times but I’m so glad for what I learned from reading the book about how muscles and joints work, what muscle memory really is and why we have it, and how our everyday movements can cause chronic pain conditions. The author doesn’t claim all chronic pain is the result of learned movements but a lot of it is.
The book includes grey scale photos and diagrams throughout to help you understand what is being taught. Although I’m not sure I understood 100% everything that was being taught, I learned enough to recognize all the unhealthy movements I do throughout my day such as scrunching up my shoulders, learning to one side or twisting my back. No wonder I’m in pain!
The book includes specific exercises to help but instead of trying to explain the, you are given a URL to go to, to watch a video demonstration. This makes a lot more sense so you can see it being done properly before you try it. Then you can put the video on again and just close your eyes and do the movements as you hear the instructions.
A few free exercises are included in with book purchase but if you want a full somatic education you can purchase one.
The thing is, this is not just some new idea someone came up with that might or might not work. The book includes the history of somatics and you might be surprised to find out it was being learned about and practiced in the late 1800s! But it is still not widely known which is unfortunate. Many real cases are described (and included in the references) of somatics working.
If you suffer from a chronic pain condition that is not the result (or might not be the result) of an infection, activity level, diet, disease, genetic makeup or immune or metabolic system function this book can help you overcome your pain.
August 31, 2023
I found this book on Kindle Unlimited after searching for a couple different things. I've suffered from chronic pain my entire life (I'm 67), have had hip replacement in my much younger years due to a tumor, then 3 revisions and a couple other surgeries besides, all on the right hip, so to say there is pain there is putting it mildly, in addition to leading a sedentary life at a computer since age 16, and never being overly fond of exercise (my enjoyment comes from reading! LOL), this old body has definitely seen better days. Recently I've had a serious exacerbation of my pain, and I have a dog who apparently is very sensitive to my moods, which are crap due to pain; because of his reaction I have sought out animal communicators, and a couple different ones pointed me toward The Emotion Code and Hanna Somatics, so I picked up books on those topics. I do wish the title included "Hanna Somatics" somewhere. I have a medical background, so most of the "meat" of the book was repetition for me - discussion of muscle and neural pathways, why our muscles react as they do, etc., but I did appreciate the in-depth discussion of the "whys" of chronic pain and how important it is to retrain muscles. As another reviewer noted, all the actual exercises on linked to the author's website and aren't actually IN the book. I've highlighted all the exercises to save, and hopefully this weekend will be able to delve into them a bit; my rating of *3* may go up after I've done some of the actual exercises. Starting my journey to feel better, if possible!
October 29, 2019
There are no actual exercises in the book! This is supposed to explain how to retrain your nervous system, but to learn how to do any of the exercises you have to watch a video on the author's website. They are decent videos (though I had a hard time getting them to play on certain browsers). But other authors are able to present rehab exercises in print through text and pictures; surely the same would be possible for this material. It ended up feeling like an ad to purchase her online courses if I really want to learn the method.
June 26, 2020
This is a well written book. It reads like an essay, explaining basic anatomy and physiology of muscles in a way that’s easy to understand. The author also takes some time to explain the history behind somatic therapy and the importance of it when it comes to chronic pain.
There are plenty of ways that a person can attempt to get over their chronic pain, and this book helps to outline a number of them.
There are exercises at the end designed to help. They’re easy to follow. I have a lot of back pain so when I was offered a copy of this book, I leapt at the opportunity. Although I haven’t personally tried any of these exercises yet, I plan to in the future.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
There are plenty of ways that a person can attempt to get over their chronic pain, and this book helps to outline a number of them.
There are exercises at the end designed to help. They’re easy to follow. I have a lot of back pain so when I was offered a copy of this book, I leapt at the opportunity. Although I haven’t personally tried any of these exercises yet, I plan to in the future.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
April 15, 2020
I have, unfortunately, suffered from chronic pain in my lower back and neck for many years. Doctors have diagnosed my condition, prescribed medication, and referred me to physical therapists. While that has helped to some extent in the short term, I still suffer from pain on most days.
This book has helped me to understand what I already know. That is, I know that there are underlying causes for my pain and that somehow, they can probably be corrected, even without surgery. But it’s always been easier to just live with the pain and soreness than to take charge of my own health.
The author of this book, a certified Clinical Somatic Educator, does a great job in presenting methods to correct pain-causing issues through neuromuscular education. The beginning of the book builds the case for why traditional approaches like medication, physical therapy, chiropractic care, etc. don’t really provide long-term solutions. Included is how the somatic processes began and evolved through the years.
Some parts of the text get a little technical with the use of a lot of medical terminology but is still easily followed. It’s important to understand the foundation in order to understand the exercises and techniques that come later and how they will positively affect things like proper posture and movement. Note that the actual demos of the exercises are provided via a link to a free website but having watched most of them, I think that’s really the only way to do it. It’s much more effective to demonstrate techniques through video and sound vs. pictures and diagrams. Besides, this way you can follow along and do the exercises just as if an instructor were in the same room with you.
The book is well-balanced and informative without being too large and intimidating. Chapters include gray-scale diagrams, x-ray examples, etc. but the real power of the book is in the message and the approach to long-term health described by the author.
The author stresses that changes won’t happen overnight. I can’t speak to the results of the exercises presented since I have just started, but I can honestly say that just by making some minor changes in my daily life, posture, and natural movement as described in the book, I feel better already. I am sufficiently impressed and motivated by the material presented here to go ahead and stop merely managing my pain and instead commit to changing my underlying motor movements, the real root cause of the problem.
Highly recommended.
This book has helped me to understand what I already know. That is, I know that there are underlying causes for my pain and that somehow, they can probably be corrected, even without surgery. But it’s always been easier to just live with the pain and soreness than to take charge of my own health.
The author of this book, a certified Clinical Somatic Educator, does a great job in presenting methods to correct pain-causing issues through neuromuscular education. The beginning of the book builds the case for why traditional approaches like medication, physical therapy, chiropractic care, etc. don’t really provide long-term solutions. Included is how the somatic processes began and evolved through the years.
Some parts of the text get a little technical with the use of a lot of medical terminology but is still easily followed. It’s important to understand the foundation in order to understand the exercises and techniques that come later and how they will positively affect things like proper posture and movement. Note that the actual demos of the exercises are provided via a link to a free website but having watched most of them, I think that’s really the only way to do it. It’s much more effective to demonstrate techniques through video and sound vs. pictures and diagrams. Besides, this way you can follow along and do the exercises just as if an instructor were in the same room with you.
The book is well-balanced and informative without being too large and intimidating. Chapters include gray-scale diagrams, x-ray examples, etc. but the real power of the book is in the message and the approach to long-term health described by the author.
The author stresses that changes won’t happen overnight. I can’t speak to the results of the exercises presented since I have just started, but I can honestly say that just by making some minor changes in my daily life, posture, and natural movement as described in the book, I feel better already. I am sufficiently impressed and motivated by the material presented here to go ahead and stop merely managing my pain and instead commit to changing my underlying motor movements, the real root cause of the problem.
Highly recommended.
December 23, 2020
Rating 4.5
Who isn’t looking for some pain relief? In today’s world as we age, don’t we all have something outta whack?
The author, Sarah Warren, is a Certified Clinical Somatic Educator, so if you’re familiar with Clinical Somatics then you will be ahead of me. This may help:
"The movement techniques used in Clinical Somatics teach the nervous system how to release chronic muscle tension and stand and move in natural, efficient ways so that you aren’t putting yourself in pain or doing damage to your body."
Interesting, isn’t it? And it makes perfect sense. But if you’re looking for an immediate cure-all recipe for pain, this may not be it. Most likely your pain didn’t come on overnight, and it will no doubt take some time to get back on track to pain-free. Or at least pain…better.
The book begins by taking you on a journey of information, which at times might feel too clinical, but I found myself enjoying it. And as you read, you will find this information offers reasons that traditional pain methods don’t provide long-term solutions.
As Clinical Somatics is approached there is back history and reasons why it could provide lasting help for conditions that are not the result of infection, activity level, disease, genetics, etc. This type of help is directed to pain that is more neuromuscular.
The more I read the more excited I became. Our lifestyle and posture has to contribute to pain. Things such as crunching up shoulders, rolling shoulders in, tilting lower back and hips, are things many of us are guilty of. Can correcting these things help?
If you’re willing to give this a try, you will find some easy to follow video URLs included. My first thought was, huh? The exercises aren’t in the book? But after opening up these examples I saw that it was so much easier to watch the whole exercise rather than see a sketch in a book.
What Concerned Me
I think it’s important to realize upfront that the exercises need to be accessed online.
Some may be concerned with the fact that there is so much information leading up to Clinical Somatics and the exercises.
What I Liked Most
I did enjoy the front part of the book and felt it was necessary to an understanding of pain and Clinical Somatics.
As a chronic pain sufferer who is currently using medication to help with pain, I’m definitely going to try these methods. Some of my pain can’t be helped due to several back surgeries. But I feel Clinical Somatics will certainly offer some relief.
My reason for that conclusion? Common sense. Correcting such things as poor posture, overtaxing certain areas of the body, etc. can only help.
My thanks to TCK Publishing for a copy of this book. I appreciate the fact that they encourage me to post my honest thoughts regarding any of their books.
June 4, 2024
A lot of detail here about what causes chronic pain, as well as what not to do as a treatment.
Very little on what to do to correct your issue.
There are no descriptions in the book as to what exercises or stretches that would be useful.
The book refers to "video lessons that come free with this book". All of those links are now dead.
Hence if you buy this book looking for help - there is none.
The website that is active will certainly allow you to pay for online lessons, but the promised free lessons do not exist. No contact on the website to complain about this - though it is certainly easy to sign up for paid lessons.
It appears the author is now more interested in cashing in on her book than actually helping people with chronic pain.
Very little on what to do to correct your issue.
There are no descriptions in the book as to what exercises or stretches that would be useful.
The book refers to "video lessons that come free with this book". All of those links are now dead.
Hence if you buy this book looking for help - there is none.
The website that is active will certainly allow you to pay for online lessons, but the promised free lessons do not exist. No contact on the website to complain about this - though it is certainly easy to sign up for paid lessons.
It appears the author is now more interested in cashing in on her book than actually helping people with chronic pain.
May 3, 2021
This is a great tool for anyone trying to maintain a body. Sometimes you need to slow down and get back to basics to fix a problem. Filled with good information which is presented in a reader friendly format, I recommend this as a place to start when addressing muscle pain. I read the book then took the online course. The exercises were easy to learn and are simple to incorporate into my day. Pain areas have gradually improved. Healing takes time but so did the disease process.
April 28, 2025
It was interesting to read about the history and theoratical / scientific side of somatics. I have been doing Sarah's course that is available online for a few weeks and seen massive improvements in the level of pain and my limping has reduced. Hoping this will completely disappear in time. This is the most I have got from any approach (numerous physios, orthopaedic consultants and their exercises didn't help at all). I'm surprised that somatics is not used more widely.
September 14, 2022
Excellent educational book.
Thank you for including so many free videos demonstrating techniques! I purchased course 1 &2 after doing a few. I have chronic hip pain and you certainly have helped. I am a retired massage therapist and would think about getting trained in this as it is such a passive way too bring about healing.
Thanks Joe.
Thank you for including so many free videos demonstrating techniques! I purchased course 1 &2 after doing a few. I have chronic hip pain and you certainly have helped. I am a retired massage therapist and would think about getting trained in this as it is such a passive way too bring about healing.
Thanks Joe.
July 20, 2021
I was disappointed at first - no exercises in the text - but it was well-written and once I disciplined myself to read a few chapters a day it really helped me to understand. It rings true to what I have observed. Now to do it!
September 19, 2022
A well written overview of pain and treatment with emphasis on Alexander technique and similar near the end of the book. It reads like a candid review of the problems one can find with chronic pain and how it can be hard to rid of them.
I have not tried the techniques…
I have not tried the techniques…
March 5, 2024
Interesting to read a different perspective on why we experience pain and how to alleviate it. Many references were given to the Somatics website, which has more information and exercises: Somaticmovementcenter.com
December 9, 2024
I expected more
The book covers a lot of theory on somatic movement therapy, but I wanted more practical advice and exercises. To be fair, Sarah provides links to 12 of her online exercises, and to her paid courses, but I expected more from a How To book.
The book covers a lot of theory on somatic movement therapy, but I wanted more practical advice and exercises. To be fair, Sarah provides links to 12 of her online exercises, and to her paid courses, but I expected more from a How To book.
October 14, 2021
fantastic
Everything written in this book makes sense. I suffer from a back injury and cannot wait to try this out.
Everything written in this book makes sense. I suffer from a back injury and cannot wait to try this out.
January 15, 2022
All the stars for this enlightening book!!
Read
March 8, 2022Lots of good information but I was looking to learn and practice some of the exercises as I was reading.
January 8, 2023
An eye opener and great intro book on somatic movement
April 5, 2023
Fantastic. On every level.
February 27, 2024
Excellent
A very good explanation of exercises to help control and finish pain. I recommend this book to anyone dealing with chronic pain.
A very good explanation of exercises to help control and finish pain. I recommend this book to anyone dealing with chronic pain.
May 13, 2025
Super informative but does seem like an advertisement for the clinical somatics movement program.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews