Mind Body Connection You are probably in this group today because you have tried everything else to cure your pain. It is a normal expectancy to want to be cured. When we are sick or hurt, we go to the doctor and we get “fixed.” For 90% of patients this is a fact. The other 10% is “finally” diagnoses with chronic pain syndrome, failed back syndrome, fatigue syndrome, and several other unhelpful diagnoses. Our culture teaches us that we can control everything. “What if” you were to not controlling your pain? Instead, adjust your mindset to a recovery mindset. What do you have to lose by trying a new way of thinking? There is a lot research about how the brain, body, emotions, and pain are intertwined. I challenge you to consider how much your emotional experience contributes to your pain experience. I challenge you to become more aware of your thoughts and feelings. Once we have an understanding of how our mind works we can begin to accept our new normal and have a new perspective on what we can and cannot control. It will be different for each person. Most of you in the group have more than one diagnosis. I ask that you be willing and teachable and keep an open mind. One of the goals of the group is to become more aware of what we are thinking and feeling. With increased awareness, it becomes clearer to us what is beneficial and what to accept in order to move forward, so that you can minimize the pain. The result is the ability to put pain on the back burner, stop obsessing, and live the life you want to live.