About this episode

In this episode, Nicole Sachs discusses navigating the challenging phase of healing known as the 'messy middle' when dealing with chronic pain.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LEARN HOW TO JOURNALSPEAK What happens when you finally understand that your chronic symptoms are rooted in the mind-body connection, but you’re not yet experiencing the freedom you know is possible? The door behind you has closed: you’re no longer endlessly searching for a physical cure to what you now understand is a nervous system problem. But the path ahead still feels uncertain. This uncomfortable, disorienting space is what we call the messy middle. In this episode, I’m sharing a powerful bootcamp Lisa and I led for our BreakAwake community about how to navigate this stage of healing. We explore why the messy middle isn’t evidence that the work isn’t working, but a necessary passage between understanding the solution and learning to live inside it. If you feel like you know too much to go backward but aren’t yet free enough to trust what’s ahead, this conversation is for you. Join us! XOOX n. More for you: THIS WILL SELL OUT SO BOOK SOON!! Lisa and I will be teaching at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Miraval Austin from September 25–27 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for a relaxing, immersive retreat experience rooted in this work. You can learn more by visiting ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.NicoleSachs.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and clicking the Retreats…

People in this episode

Host: Nicole Sachs

Topics covered

• chronic pain
• mind-body connection
• healing
• journalspeak
• messy middle
• nervous system

Keywords

• chronic symptoms
• freedom
• bootcamp
• retreat
• support
• guidance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BreakAwake, NicoleSachs.com

Places: Miraval Austin

More episodes of The Cure for Chronic Pain with Nicole Sachs, LCSW

• From the Vault: REAL TIME HEAL - TMJ, Migraines, Self-Care, and Boundaries with Katie · September 9, 2026 · 57 min
• When Motherhood Overwhelms the Nervous System with Danielle Shugg · September 4, 2026 · 1h 9m
• From the Vault: REAL TIME HEAL - Male Pelvic Pain, Stomach (IBS) and Back Issues with Eric Hissom · September 2, 2026 · 50 min
• From the Vault: Recovery From Debilitating Back Pain with Evie · August 28, 2026 · 60 min
• Trigeminal Neuralgia, MindBody Science, and Radical Acceptance with Patti · August 24, 2026 · 59 min
• From the Vault: Back Pain, Relapse, and Living in the "Messy Middle" with Jacqueline · August 19, 2026 · 53 min

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