pain doesn't need to be understood

Hey friend,

Quick question…

When was the last time you actually felt at peace?

Not the “I just finished meditating” kind of peace that lasts for 10 minutes...

But real, lasting peace.

The kind where you're not constantly:

• Scanning for the next problem

• Bracing for bad news

• Feeling that knot in your stomach

If you’re drawing a blank, I get it.

I spent YEARS trying to “think” my way into feeling better:

Countless CBT worksheets. Positive affirmations. Self-help books.

But, here’s what nobody tells you about healing:

You can’t think or talk your way into better living—you have to live your way into better thinking.

[READ ^ AGAIN]

Quick story:

When I was working at a mental health clinic in LA, I had this client—let's call him James.

James was depressed, like legitimately depressed.

He’d seen multiple therapists in the past, but nothing had worked for him. Medication hadn’t worked. Exercise wasn’t cutting it… he even tried psychedelics.

But, something fascinating happened when I told James he didn’t need to talk about his pain with me.

I told him that I used a body-based approach, and…

Unexpectedly, he smiled.

James wasn’t the smiling type so I asked about his reaction (like any good therapist does).

He said:

“I just feel lighter.”

Many people feel an immense amount of pressure when it comes to healing emotional wounds and improving their mental health.

And that pressure shows up big-time in the therapy room, where we’re often forced to face our own shame, performance anxiety, and perfectionism.

For James, something shifted when he realized he didn’t have to perform his pain or explain it away.

Instead, we focused on his body’s reaction to stressful events, past and present.

It ended up unlocking feelings buried so deep, that they barely felt like his own.

The impact was steady…

Within a few weeks, that constant knot in his stomach? Gone. The sense that life was always about survival? It faded.

Please understand this:

The body has to experience peace before the mind can believe in it.

You can’t just “talk it out”—you need to feel it out.

You need to give your body permission to release, unwind, let go, and reset.

So, next time you find yourself feeling the need to explain away your pain...

Remind yourself:

Pain does not need to be understood to be healed.

It simply needs to be embraced, welcomed, and felt.

Let’s do it together.

With love,
Brian Maierhofer