About this episode

Dr. Rachel Zoffness discusses the brain's role in pain perception and offers strategies for women to manage pain effectively.

When you’re in pain, the first question someone asks is “Where does it hurt?” The answer—as anyone with phantom limb pain can tell you—is not always as straightforward as it seems. This week, pain psychologist and author Dr. Rachel Zoffness breaks down the “big fat lie” we’ve been sold about pain: it’s not just a signal from damaged tissue, it’s a brain-driven experience built from a mix of ingredients, including your nerves, thoughts, emotions, memories, and environment. She explains how the same brain regions that process emotions also construct pain, why that matters so much for women—who go through menstruation, childbirth, and menopause and are still disproportionately told their pain is “all in their heads”—and how understanding brain-based biology is the first step in changing how much you hurt. She also shares practical, evidence-backed strategies for active women to retrain their nervous systems, along with tools to help you advocate for care that goes beyond pills and procedures and actually reflects the modern science of hurt. Rachel Zoffness, PhD, is a pain psychologist and thought-leader revolutionizing the way we understand and treat pain. She's an assistant…

More episodes of Hit Play Not Pause

• PCOS to PMOS: Metabolism, Menopause, and GLP‑1s in Active Midlife Women with Carla DiGirolamo, MD, PhD (Episode 282) · July 15, 2026 · 1h 3m
• Frozen Shoulder, Cranky Tendons, and the Musculoskeletal Syndrome of Menopause with Tara Findlay, RMT (Episode 281) · July 8, 2026 · 1h 1m
• Midlife Fueling 101: Essential Sports Nutrition Advice for Peri & Postmenopausal Women with Kristen Arnold, MS, RDN, CSSD (Replay) · July 1, 2026 · 1h 2m
• Build a Strong Body for a Messy Life: Training Through Menopausal Chaos with Hailey Babcock (episode 280) · June 24, 2026 · 1h 4m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Hit Play Not Pause podcast page.