Somatic Tracking 101: A Gentle Practice for Calming Chronic Pain
If you live with chronic pain, you might spend a lot of time monitoring, bracing, and trying to avoid symptoms. It makes sense—pain feels like danger.
Somatic tracking offers a different way.
It’s a core skill in Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) that helps the brain experience sensations as safe rather than threatening, so pain can gradually turn down.(1)
What Is Somatic Tracking?
Somatic tracking is a gentle form of mindful awareness where you:
- Turn your attention toward a sensation
- Observe it with curiosity instead of fear
- Remind your brain that you’re safe in this moment
The goal is not to force pain away. The goal is to teach your nervous system safety.
Why Somatic Tracking Helps with Neuroplastic Pain
In neuroplastic pain, the brain has learned to associate certain sensations, movements, or situations with danger.
Somatic tracking gives the brain corrective experiences:
- “I can feel this sensation and nothing bad happens.”
- “I can move a little and be okay.”
- “I can be curious instead of panicked.”
Over time, these new experiences can help rewire the alarm system, especially when combined with education and emotional support. (1)
What Somatic Tracking Is Not
To avoid frustration, it’s important to be clear about what somatic tracking isn’t:
- It’s not a relaxation technique you use to “make pain go away now.”
- It’s not a test to see whether you’re doing PRT “well enough.”
- It’s not about gritting your teeth and tolerating misery.
Instead, it’s about changing your relationship to sensations over time.
A Simple Somatic Tracking Practice (No Perfection Required)
Important note: This is general education, not medical advice. Always check with your healthcare providers before experimenting if you have conditions where focusing on symptoms feels unsafe.
Here’s a simple version you might explore with support from a practitioner:
Step 1 – Choose a Moment When You Feel Safe Enough
Pick a time when you’re:
- Not in the middle of a crisis
- In a relatively quiet, safe space
- Able to stop if it becomes overwhelming
Step 2 – Gently Notice a Sensation
Bring your awareness to a manageable sensation. It might be:
- Mild to moderate pain
- Tightness, pressure, pulling
- A related feeling like buzzing or heat
Ask yourself:
- “Where exactly do I feel this?”
- “Is it spread out or in one spot?”
- “Does it have a shape, texture, or movement?”
Step 3 – Bring in a Lens of Safety
Quietly remind your brain:
- “This is uncomfortable, but I’m safe right now.”
- “My body has been checked. There’s no emergency here.”
- “This might be my nervous system staying on high alert.”
You’re not trying to argue with your pain—just offering gentle reassurance.
Step 4 – Watch What Happens (Without Needing a Result)
Notice whether the sensation:
- Gets stronger
- Softens
- Moves or changes shape
- Stays the same
Whatever happens is okay. The goal is not to “pass a test.” The goal is to show your brain: “I can be with this and still be safe.”
Step 5 – Come Back to Neutral
After a minute or two, let your attention move to something neutral or pleasant:
- Your breath
- The feeling of your feet on the floor
- A comforting object nearby
Thank yourself for experimenting, even if it felt awkward or hard.
When Somatic Tracking Feels Too Hard
For some people—especially after trauma, medical anxiety, or very intense symptoms—turning toward sensations alone can feel overwhelming.
That’s okay. It doesn’t mean you’re failing.
In these cases, it can help to:
- Work with a trained PRT practitioner or therapist
- Start with very short, gentle practices
Focus first on external sensations (sounds, textures) before going inward.
Somatic Tracking in Your Daily Life
Over time, somatic tracking can weave into everyday moments:
- Noticing a tension flare while sitting at your desk
- Checking in gently during a walk
- Bringing curiosity when pain pops up doing chores or errands around Minneapolis or St. Paul
You don’t have to do it perfectly. Every small moment of curious, kind attention is a step toward teaching your brain that you’re safer than it thinks.
Sources
- Painreprocessingtherapy.com. Treatment Outline for Pain Reprocessing Therapy
