From reacting to observing: a calm way to relate to pain
Pain has a way of pulling your attention in. Somatic tracking for chronic pain offers a different stance: you practice observing the sensation with curiosity, using simple sensory language, so it feels more workable in the moment. In this article, you’ll learn what somatic tracking is, a guided exercise you can use right away, and practical ways to pace and adjust the practice in daily life.
In the Eye of the Storm
Patience or attention span was always in short supply for me, especially for having patience with myself or paying attention to the things that were going on inside of me.
My first somatic tracking experience was in my physiotherapist’s office. At that point I had read about observing my pain, though I had never tried it. But that day I had to observe the strongest feeling at that moment and where it was in my body. It was fear, and I had it in my gut.
Peeking through a curtain rather than looking straight on, I finally turned my attention toward it. Little by little, I opened my mind and dared more. Man, that sight was scary. A little bag of fear seemed to burst inside my stomach, sending streams of dread running down toward my abdomen. It began to move and modify, increasing and then decreasing in intensity until the experience became a full spectacle.
What was amazing about it all: the realization that I looked it in the eyes and did not flinch or walk away. Only later did I understand what made it possible to look: a sense of safety. Starting the next day, I practiced at home and applied the same techniques to symptoms.
I received advice not to do it during a flare, so I chose a day when the pain was quite bearable. Again, the position of the observer was so much better than just the sufferer’s one. The ache was like a living thing: pulsating, swelling, easing, moving. I was told to give it color, shape. I played a bit and gave it even more. In that first attempt the sensations did not change in intensity, but I was more at peace with it. I felt it more like part of me than an absolute demon from hell that would reduce me to dust if I looked at it.
Since that first time, I have tried it many times. One thing that I got from it is that the surrounding fear decreased. Another is that my focus, unless I have a horrible flare, is how to have a day where I can do stuff while my body is suffering. Mainly because I have no energy left to fight against the pain. My resources are very limited, so the less energy I spend feeding the surrounding frustration, the better. I can say without exaggeration that somatic tracking is a tool that I trust can make a difference.
Sometimes I have stopped the practice if the sensations intensified. But knowing that I also had sessions when it calmed, or simply stayed the same, I tried not to panic. The constant through it all was that the pain was becoming less and less scary.
My physio wanted to do the somatic tracking for emotions again, but to be honest I feel too vulnerable to do it in his presence or in anyone else’s for that matter. I prefer to practice it alone at home. However, somatic tracking for pain is different. I can do it with a professional, in group therapy, or alone. It is easier to observe pain with company than to process feelings for me. So don’t worry if your experience differs from mine, as we respond in unpredictable ways to the same things. Actually, this is the beauty of it.
Once I felt that fear drop, even a little, I wanted to understand what was happening behind the scenes.
Where somatic tracking comes from (and why it’s used in brain retraining)
Somatic tracking didn’t appear out of nowhere. It sits at the crossroads of a few overlapping traditions that all point to the same problem: when the nervous system learns to treat sensations as danger, attention itself can become fuel for the alarm. In modern “brain retraining” and mind-body approaches for chronic symptoms, practitioners use somatic tracking as a corrective experience, not by arguing with pain, but by meeting it directly with a calmer, more neutral stance. You’ll see it most explicitly in pain reprocessing work (often taught as a way to reduce fear around sensations), but the roots are broader: mindfulness-based practices that build non-reactive awareness, and exposure principles that gently teach the brain, through repetition, that a feared signal can be tolerated without catastrophe.
So if you’ve come across programs, apps, or therapists who talk about “retraining,” “neuroplastic symptoms,” or “teaching safety,” somatic tracking is one of the core skills they’re pointing to. The names vary, but the aim is the same: shifting the threat response by changing how you relate to the sensation while it’s happening.
The Science of Safety: Prediction and Neuroplasticity
A key idea in current pain science is prediction: the brain weighs context and decides how strongly to respond. When stress, fear, and repeated episodes stack up, the system can start treating certain signals as top priority, even without a clear fresh injury. This is a hallmark of central sensitization, where the body reacts more intensely to input. You can read my full breakdown of how a sensitized system makes ordinary input feel louder here.
This also connects with the framework of nociplastic pain, maintained by changes in processing and modulation. Researchers found that many people get caught in a loop where a sensation sparks a threat response, keeping the nervous system on high alert.
This is where neuroplasticity fits in: the brain’s ability to update its responses based on new experiences. Somatic tracking is the practical tool for this. It gives the brain new evidence of safety while the sensation is present. By meeting a sensation with curiosity rather than urgency, you are training your brain to de-escalate. Each repetition reinforces a steadier pattern, helping sensations feel less consuming.
Before you start: the mindset that makes somatic tracking work
Somatic tracking is a practice, not a test. The goal is building a steadier relationship with sensation, so keep the dose gentle and the expectations simple. Pick something workable rather than the hardest spot, and treat a calmer reaction as progress. If anything feels like too much, widen your focus to the room, take a breath, and return later.
Let’s make this practical and do a first session together.
First practice: Somatic tracking for chronic pain (guided)
If you like guided practices, press play and follow along.
What You Just Did: The Practice in 7 Steps
1. Set the intention (30 seconds)
Remind yourself that this is not a “pain-killing” exercise; it is a “safety-training” exercise.
- The goal: observe without trying to change anything.
- The mindset: tell yourself, “This is a false alarm. I am safe.”
2. Enter neutral curiosity (1 minute)
Step into the role of the explorer. Instead of reacting to the sensation, you are simply watching it.
- Let your shoulders and jaw soften.
- Acknowledge that there is no “right” way for the sensation to feel.
3. Identify and label neutrally (1 minute)
Find the strongest sensation and strip away the emotional labels (like “awful” or “scary”).
- Use data: is it buzzing, pressure, or warmth?
- Assign a color: visualize the sensation as a physical object rather than a threat.
4. Track the movement (2 minutes)
Watch the sensation like you’re watching a cloud move across the sky.
- Does it have a specific shape?
- Is it pulsing, shifting, or staying still?
- The shrug: if it gets louder, meet it with a mental shrug. You are proving to your brain that an increase in sensation doesn’t mean an increase in danger.
5. Prove your safety (1 minute)
By staying physically relaxed while the sensation is present, you are sending a “safety signal” to your nervous system.
- The realization: “I am feeling this, and I am still okay.”
6. Zoom out/expand (1 minute)
Shift the sensation to the background.
- Find a “neutral” spot in the body (like your ears or toes).
- Experience the sensation and the relaxation of the rest of your body simultaneously.
7. Close and integrate (30 seconds)
End the session with a clear “finish line” to prevent your brain from obsessively checking for results.
- The credit: say to yourself, “I just retrained my brain. That counts.”
- Carry that sense of ease back into your environment.
Dosage: frequency, timing and pacing
This skill grows through consistency. Pick a daily anchor that already exists in your routine: after waking or brushing your teeth, after a walk or before lunch. Keep the practice brief at first, so it stays approachable and doesn’t turn into constant checking. A small daily rep is usually more sustainable than occasional long sessions.
A simple pacing guide
- Beginner: 60-90 seconds once per day, with a clear ending.
- Building: 3-5 minutes once per day, or two short rounds on steadier days.
- High-symptom day: reduce to a short 20-40 second rep with a wider field of attention, then stop; repeat later if it feels workable.
Common traps and gentle adjustments
Somatic tracking can feel simple, which makes it easy to slip into habits that make it feel effortful. When one shows up, try the adjustment below and continue.
- If it feels like a pass/fail task, switch to “I’m practicing observation,” then end the round on purpose.
- If you catch yourself checking for change, return to plain description (pressure, warmth, tingling) and let shifts be a side effect.
- If you go straight to the most intense spot, choose a more workable area (a spot where the pain is milder) today and build confidence there.
- If you stay with it too long, shorten the round and close it cleanly; come back later if it still feels doable.
- If you notice bracing, soften one small area (jaw, hands, belly) and keep the rest steady.
- If tracking spills into all-day monitoring, keep it inside a defined round, then return to what you’re doing (sounds, sights, a task).
When it feels intense or “not working” (gentle troubleshooting)
Some days the practice feels rough. That doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong; it usually means the dose or the target needs adjusting.
Use one of these resets and keep it simple.
The Micro-Version (60-90 seconds)
Use this when your day is busy or symptoms feel loud:
1. Neutral observation (20 seconds). Bring your attention to the sensation. Strip away the “pain” label and see it as pure data. Is it warmth? Is it a pulse? If a color comes to mind, let it.
2. The safety shrug (20-40 seconds). Send a clear signal to your brain. Soften your shoulders or jaw and think: “This sensation is just a misfiring of my nervous system. I am physically safe, even while I feel this.”
3. Zoom out (20 seconds). Immediately shift your focus to the world around you. Feel the weight of your body in your seat and notice two things you can hear.
4. End the practice cleanly. Acknowledge that you just did the work of retraining your brain.
Additional Resets
- Shorten the dose: for tough days, try a single 20-40 second round, then stop on purpose.
- Go wider: anchor in something outside you – three sounds, a spot you can see, the support under your body – then check in briefly.
- Pick an easier entry point: track a neutral sensation (feet on the floor, hands touching fabric, or your ears) where there is no pain at all before returning to symptoms.
- Alternate focus: 10 seconds on sensation, 10 seconds on the room, repeating a few times.
- Add small movements (for some people): gentle walking, rocking, or shifting weight while noticing sensations in motion.
- Mini-check: after the round, do you feel a little more space – even 5% – in your body or your mind? If yes, that’s useful practice. If not, make the next round shorter and wider.
How this fits with chronic pain care
Somatic tracking is a nervous-system skill, not a replacement for the rest of your care. It can sit alongside your existing support system, giving you a way to relate to symptoms in real time:
- Physical support: physiotherapy and pacing.
- Lifestyle support: sleep hygiene and medical guidance.
- Mindset support: cognitive tools and stress management.
Think of it as the missing piece of the puzzle. While other approaches support your physical strength and recovery, somatic tracking helps shift your brain out of “protection mode.” It addresses the root of the invalid signal, making daily life feel more doable even while the body is still catching up.
The smallest next step: a 7 day starter
For the next week, do one minute of practice each day, then end it on purpose.
Pick one moment you naturally repeat, like the first sit-down of the day.
Afterward, write one line: “What did I notice, and what shifted in my response?”
Small reps create momentum, and momentum is how this skill grows.
FAQs
How is somatic tracking different from CBT?
It focuses on your relationship with physical sensations in real-time. While CBT mainly trains thought patterns and interpretations, somatic tracking builds a direct sense of bodily safety. Many people use both: one builds cognitive steadiness, the other builds a calmer nervous system response to the “root” sensations.
Use micro-sessions during natural pauses. You don’t need a 20 minute window. Use 20-40 second reps when sitting down or drinking water. One planned daily session helps, but these short “safety pulses” are what build the long-term habit.
Work with “touch and release.” Briefly notice one jolt with neutral labeling (e.g., “a quick pulse”), add a safety cue, then immediately widen your attention to the room. The quality of your steady response is much more important than how long you focus on the jolt.
No, that can lead to over-monitoring. Use your planned sessions and only use light reminders during the day if you feel your fear levels rising. Trying to respond to every single signal can keep your brain in “monitoring mode,” which keeps the system on alert.
Aim for curiosity instead of perfect neutrality. It’s okay not to like the pain. Use neutral data (buzzing, heavy, warm) and keep your sessions very short. Over time, as you prove the “false alarm” nature of the signal, the alarm response naturally softens.
Somatic tracking treats the “misfiring” signal, not the old scan. Studies show many pain-free people have structural issues on their MRIs. If your pain moves, varies with stress, or is inconsistent, it is likely neuroplastic (learned by the brain). Your brain is using an old “root” injury as a reason to keep the alarm on.
No. Focus on comfort first during a high flare. When pain is severe, the brain is in a high-alert “threat” mode where curiosity feels impossible. somatic tracking is advised when pain is at a low or medium level (a “workable” zone). Return to tracking once the system settles enough for you to feel a sense of safety.
No, it is a corrective experience. Distraction is often an attempt to escape because the pain feels dangerous. Somatic tracking is looking the sensation “in the eye” to prove it is a baseless warning. You aren’t ignoring it; you are teaching your brain that the sensation is safe.
That is a normal part of the process. Sometimes the brain reacts to attention by turning up the volume. This doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong; it just means your system is still protective. Success is measured by your effort to remain safe and curious, not by the immediate disappearance of the sensation.
Check your energy: is it curious or fearful? Monitoring is checking to see if the pain is still there so you can feel “safe” if it’s gone. Tracking is watching the sensation to prove you are safe even while it is there. If you are constantly “checking in” all day, take a break and focus on the world around you.
Yes, the brain uses the same pathways for all neuroplastic symptoms. If a symptom is used as a “danger” signal, the “safety-training” approach remains the same. Describe the tingling or dizziness with neutral data, stay relaxed, and remind your system that these are simply misfiring signals.
Yes, because your brain processes emotional pain and physical pain using many of the same pathways. When you have a heavy emotion, it usually shows up as a physical sensation: movementsa tightness in the chest, a pit in the stomach, or a lump in the throat.
Instead of getting lost in the “story” of why you’re sad or anxious, you can track the physicality of the emotion. By staying curious and relaxed while feeling that “lump” or “tightness,” you’re teaching your brain that the emotion isn’t dangerous. You’re leaning into the discomfort with a sense of safety, which eventually allows the emotion to move through you rather than getting “stuck” as chronic tension or pain.
Resources/Read more
The way out by Allan Gordon, Alon Ziv
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Alina