Mind-Body Medicine | David Schechter, MD | West Los Angeles| Neuroplastic Recovery Programs

At its essence, mind-body medicine is the understanding that our experiences — our traumas, our joys, and our sorrows — affect the body. You could call it brain-body medicine, or psycho-physiologic medicine. When we are stressed or traumatized, that stress usually goes somewhere: it can show up as a headache, back pain, anxiety, jaw pain, pelvic pain, fatigue, or a dozen other symptoms. The split between mind and body is artificial and false. Mind-body medicine brings these parts back together into the unified whole that is far more consistent with modern science — and with our actual experience of living.

Neuroplasticity is the way the nervous system rewires itself. Our current understanding of TMS is that neural circuits can learn and retain pain, and that in some cases the brain generates pain through these pathways even when there’s no ongoing structural damage. The good news is that, precisely because these circuits are learned, there are effective treatments to change them.

Inspired by Dr. John Sarno

My mentor in this field was John Sarno, M.D., a true pioneer who first inspired me as a medical student at NYU many years ago. Dr. Sarno was a unique thinker who wrote four popular books linking chronic back pain to emotional tension. His diagnosis of TMS (tension myositis, or tension myoneural, syndrome) shaped the direction of my career. Dr. Sarno died in 2017 after a long and fruitful life, and I’ve spent decades continuing and building on this work — through a clinical program, written materials, a workbook, an online course, an audio program, and research conducted over several years.

The terminology has evolved over time. What Dr. Sarno called TMS is today often described as neuroplastic pain or neuroplastic symptoms, and related terms include psycho-physiologic disorder (PPD), nociplastic pain, and neural circuit pain. The names differ, but the core idea is the same: real, physical symptoms generated or amplified by the brain and nervous system, which can be treated.

“Is the Pain Real?” — Yes

One of the first things patients want to know is whether this means the pain is “all in their head.” It is not. Neuroplastic pain is real, physical pain. The difference is in the cause: rather than arising from ongoing tissue damage, the pain is produced and sustained by learned neural pathways. Understanding that distinction isn’t dismissive — it’s the doorway to recovery, because a learned pattern can be unlearned.

Diagnosis Comes First

This work begins with a careful medical diagnosis. Before attributing symptoms to a neuroplastic cause, it’s essential to exclude serious structural and biochemical problems — the conditions that genuinely require medical or surgical treatment. As a board-certified physician, I review your history, examination, and any imaging, and I help distinguish structural issues from neuroplastic ones. Only once serious causes are appropriately ruled out do we turn to the mind-body pathway with confidence. Skipping this step is a mistake; doing it properly is what makes the approach safe and effective.

Conditions a Mind-Body Approach Can Help

Chronic pain is a major focus of this work, but many other symptoms can have a stress-related, neuroplastic component, including:

• Chronic back, neck, and widespread body pain
• Tension headaches and migraines
• Repetitive-strain and unexplained limb pain
• Jaw and facial pain
• Pelvic pain
• Chronic fatigue
• Anxiety and stress-related symptoms
• Certain digestive and other functional symptoms

Regardless of your specific problem, having a physician who understands the mind-body link is a real advantage.

What Treatment Involves

Treatment is education-based and empowering. It typically combines an accurate diagnosis, education about how the brain generates pain, therapeutic journaling and self-reflection, referral to psychotherapy when helpful, and gradual return to normal activity. The goal is independence, not dependence — helping you understand your symptoms well enough that you need fewer visits over time, not more. I can help you benefit from the mind-body connection, and also understand how it may have contributed to your becoming unwell in the first place.

Books, Courses, and Resources

Over the years I’ve created a range of materials to support this work, including my books Think Away Your Pain and The MindBody Workbook, an online course, and an audio program. I also helped establish the national nonprofit now known as the Association for the Treatment of Neuroplastic Symptoms (ATNS). For much more detail on these concepts, visit my dedicated site at mindbodymedicine.com. Reading, studying, online videos, courses, and podcasts all play a role — but starting with a diagnosis from a physician who knows how to exclude serious issues is the crucial first step.

Schedule an Appointment

If you’re dealing with chronic pain or symptoms you suspect may be stress-related, I’d be glad to help. Call (310) 836-2225 or use our contact page to schedule an evaluation at our West LA office. You can also learn how this work connects with my family medicine and sports medicine practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is mind-body medicine? Mind-body medicine is the understanding that our thoughts, emotions, stresses, and life experiences directly affect the body — and that many physical symptoms are influenced by the nervous system. It treats the person as a unified whole rather than separating “mind” problems from “body” problems.

What is TMS or neuroplastic pain? TMS (tension myoneural syndrome) is a term coined by Dr. John Sarno for real, physical pain generated by the brain and nervous system rather than by ongoing structural damage. Today it’s more often called neuroplastic pain or neuroplastic symptoms. Because these pain pathways are learned, they can also be unlearned with the right treatment.

Is the pain real, or is it “all in my head”? It’s real. Neuroplastic pain is genuine, physical pain — you truly feel it. What differs is the cause: learned neural pathways rather than tissue damage. Recognizing this isn’t dismissive; it’s the key that makes recovery possible.

How is this different from ordinary pain management? Conventional pain management often focuses on managing symptoms indefinitely with medications and procedures. A mind-body approach aims at the root cause through education, self-reflection, and retraining the nervous system — with the goal of lasting improvement and fewer visits over time, rather than ongoing dependence.

Do I need a medical diagnosis first? Yes, and this is essential. Serious structural and biochemical conditions must be appropriately ruled out before symptoms are attributed to a neuroplastic cause. As a board-certified physician, I make that assessment carefully before we proceed.

What conditions can this approach help? Chronic pain is the main focus, but neuroplastic mechanisms can contribute to headaches, back and neck pain, jaw and pelvic pain, certain digestive symptoms, fatigue, and stress-related anxiety, among others.

Who was Dr. John Sarno? Dr. John Sarno was a pioneering physician at NYU who linked chronic back pain to emotional tension and developed the TMS diagnosis. He was my mentor and inspiration, and much of my work continues and builds on his.

Can I learn about this if I’m not local to Los Angeles? Yes. In addition to in-person care at my West LA office, I’ve created books, an online course, and an audio program, and there’s extensive information at mindbodymedicine.com. That said, an accurate diagnosis from a qualified physician remains an important starting point.

Updated July 2026

Pain Management Program

Mind-Body Website

A website I created to teach people about mind-body concepts relevant to physical illness and pain, especially TMS.