From Pain Management To Pain Free - by Alec Kassin

COURSE

From Pain Management To Pain Free

With Alec Kassin

This program is not about managing chronic pain - it is about becoming pain-free. Sound too good to be true? Stick with me. I’ll share the very same proven mind-body principles that empowered me, a chronic back pain sufferer of two years, to become pain-free and unrestricted for over a decade. I've guided numerous clients through their own struggles with back, neck, ankle, hip, knee pain, chronic fatigue, migraines, fibromyalgia, and more, helping them reclaim their lives. In this course, we'll explore six powerful mind-body concepts - what I call the ‘SAFETY Roadmap’ - with immersive guided audio exercises, powerful journaling prompts, and practical tools to help you reduce fear of your symptoms, unlock hope for a full recovery, and make a breakthrough. I’ll sprinkle in stories of my learning and those of my clients to guide you. This course is for you if you’ve been suffering from chronic pain and are sick of settling for managing it, and have been limited from the activities you love because of your symptoms. If you’re open to new ideas, ready to take healing into your own hands, and committed to the work, then let's get started.

FearHealth & HappinessPainScienceMovementHappinessStress & AnxietyRecovery & HealingScience

Meet your Teacher

Alec Kassin
San Francisco, CA, USA

Alec Kassin is a certified pain elimination coach who has helped numerous sufferers become pain-free. A former semi-pro cyclist, Alec's career ended in 2011 when he suffered debilitating back pain for two years, originally diagnosed as a ruptured L4-L5 spinal disc. He was in constant pain, partially bedridden, on strong painkillers, depressed, and with suicidal thoughts. After unsuccessfully trying every physical treatment he could find, he turned to a mindbody healing method that empowered him to be pain free. Alec is a Certified OvidDx Neural Circuit Retraining Health Professional and a Certified Mindbody Syndrome (TMS) Practitioner through the MindBodyFood Institute. He is also the Co-Founder of Pain Free Comeback, the first mindbody treatment program for athletes with chronic pain. Alec’s mission is to change the way the world sees and treats chronic pain – from pain management to pain-free. He is a Founding Partner of Changing Work, former Manager at LinkedIn, and a graduate of UC Berkeley. His influences include Dr. John Sarno, Georgie Oldfield, Dr. David Schechter, Dr. Howard Schubiner, Dr. Martin Rossman, Scott Shute, Alan Gordon LCSW, among others.

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9 Days

2.3k students

4.8 stars

16 min / day

Fear

English

Lesson 1

Introduction: From Pain Management To Pain Free

Welcome! This introductory lesson is designed to start to shift your perception from settling for pain management to striving for a pain-free life. You'll be introduced to the concept of neuroplasticity and how the brain can generate symptoms like pain as a danger signal. You'll also learn about the SAFETY roadmap—an innovative framework to eliminate chronic pain that we'll follow in this course. You'll hear about my personal journey of overcoming two years of chronic back pain using these principles, and a dramatic story of a client who overcame decades of pain using this approach.

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Lesson 2

Education (Part 1): Structural 'Abnormalities' Can Be Normal

In this lesson, you're invited to challenge your conventional beliefs about chronic pain by exploring the surprising lack of evidence between structural abnormalities and symptoms. You'll learn about the prevalence of common abnormalities like bulging discs, osteoarthritis, and rotator cuff tears in individuals without pain, and examine the lack of effectiveness of common treatments targeting these physical issues. You're invited to consider that real, physical pain is not always caused by visible structural problems, and that emotional issues and pressure can manifest themselves in physical ways. After completing this lesson, be sure to write down your intention for the course as well as any potential doubts you have so we can monitor them throughout the program.

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Lesson 3

Education (Part 2): Pain Is A Protector

In this lesson, we'll explore how the brain generates pain as a protection mechanism based on perceived danger. Using compelling stories and research, you'll understand the pivotal role that fear plays in chronic pain, and the common personality traits of many chronic pain sufferers. You'll also be introduced to the F.I.T. Criteria - a research-validated tool to differentiate between pain caused by a structural issue and brain-generated chronic pain. By the end of this lesson, you'll view your pain not just as a symptom, but as an interaction between your body and mind, encouraging a profound shift in how you perceive and experience your symptoms. Once you complete this lesson, be sure to listen to the Neural Circuit Testing Exercise on my Insight Timer page. Note: This lesson will briefly mention, among other things, the impact of adverse childhood experiences and traumas on chronic pain. I strive to share this information intentionally, mindfully, and compassionately, through a lens of healing. That said, feel free to skip that section if it causes discomfort. This content is not a substitute for professional help.

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Lesson 4

Your Body Is Herculean (Breaking Limited Beliefs)

Your body is much stronger than you've been conditioned to believe. In this lesson, we'll start to challenge your beliefs of what your body is capable of. You'll learn about the Nocebo Effect (the opposite of the Placebo Effect), how it causes real, physical changes in your body, and explore how you may have been unknowingly 'Nocebo-ing' yourself. You'll also be introduced to two tools to curiously shift your perspective of what your body is capable of to help you start to recognize and harness the innate strength of your body. Once you complete this lesson, be sure to do the Affirmations For Breaking Through Chronic Pain Exercise on my Insight Timer page.

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Lesson 5

Feel Safe In Your Body

Feeling safe in your body is an important aspect of healing from chronic pain, and one that can be intentionally cultivated. In this lesson, you'll learn what your nervous system has to do with chronic pain and how regulating it is critical to eliminating symptoms. You'll explore how to change the way you relate to your symptoms and sensations, and how doing so can have a profound effect on your symptoms themselves. You'll also be introduced to two powerful practices to help you feel safe in your body and reduce fear: Somatic Tracking and Resourcing. Once you complete this lesson, be sure to do the Somatic Tracking and Resourcing Exercises found on my Insight Timer page.

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Lesson 6

Self-Compassion For Chronic Pain

How self-compassionate would you say you are? Chronic pain sufferers tend to be very hard on themselves. But generating self-compassion has been proven to decrease fear and unwind the chronic pain cycle. So in this lesson, we'll cover how to cultivate self-compassion to build resilience and transform our internal and external experience with chronic pain. We'll dive into what self-compassion actually is, and what it looks like within the context of navigating chronic pain. You'll also be introduced to proven techniques to practice self-compassion in your day-to-day life. Once you complete this lesson, be sure to do the Self-Compassion For Chronic Pain Meditation found on my Insight Timer page.

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Lesson 7

Allowing Your Emotions

Allowing space to experience our emotions decreases internal pressure and reduces fear, which helps turn off the danger signal creating pain and symptoms. In this lesson you'll learn how emotional conditioning from childhood can create pain today, how adverse life experiences and not expressing emotions creates chronic pain, and be introduced to two powerful practices to start to safely allow emotions and step into a more powerful sense of self. Once you complete this lesson, be sure to do the Pendulation Meditation For Chronic Pain found on my Insight Timer page. Note: This lesson will cover, among other things, the impact of adverse childhood experiences and traumas on chronic pain. I strive to share this information intentionally, mindfully, and compassionately, through a lens of healing. That said, feel free to skip that section if it causes discomfort. This content is not a substitute for professional help.

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Lesson 8

Transform Your Identity

Chronic pain and other symptoms give you an opportunity to re-assess your current identity, and to courageously grow and change. In this lesson you'll learn how fear-based identities, and an identity as a chronic pain sufferer can keep you trapped in a cycle of chronic pain. You'll explore the difference between doing enough and being enough, and you'll be introduced to two practices to start to challenge your existing identity and step into a new one that is aligned with a symptom-free you: The Imperfectly Safe List and a Pain-Free Visualization. Once you complete this lesson, be sure to do the Chronic Pain-Free Visualization Meditation on my Insight Timer page.

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Lesson 9

Conclusion: Your Onward Journey

Congratulations on completing this course! In this lesson, you'll reflect on how far you've come, circle back to your intention from the beginning of the course, and assess the evolution of any initial doubts of the mindbody healing process. We'll talk about how the tools you've learned can be applied throughout your life - and pay dividends for the rest of it. I have deep gratitude for your choice to join me on this journey, and I wish you nothing but the best in your life and healing.

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Ask your teacher

This course includes 94 community questions and 20 audio replies from Alec Kassin. The community classroom and teacher audio replies are only available via the app.

94

4.8 (186)

Recent Reviews

Sharon

December 11, 2025

I could not relate or see reduction in the chronic pain

Anne

December 5, 2025

Excellent information provided in an easy to understand and compassionate manner. 🙏🏼

TJ

October 29, 2025

🙏

Jo

October 17, 2025

A very useful course that has reaffirmed my interest in the mind body connection and prompted me to take the approach further with back pain. Alec is a very good teacher - many thanks to him for what he does in this field .

Kirsti

October 8, 2025

This course has changed the way I think about my pain and has meaningfully reduced its impact on my life and even my experience of pain. Thank you!

Peter

October 3, 2025

This is priceless go though thr lessons.

Darl

September 22, 2025

This course is truly a gift, can not thank you enough for sharing your own challenges & creating such a transformative life changing course, showing the path to light to so many, with gratitude 🙏🏻💜

Linda

September 17, 2025

And excellent course that I've learned a lot from. I'm going to start it all over again because i really want to sound it down to make the parts that really resound, to become part of my habit patterns. Having read atomic habit, i recognise the importance of repetition. Thank you for this course. As well as helpful i found it very engaging

Elizabeth

September 13, 2025

Well organized, sincerely taught, and clear in explanation of techniques and practices. I now feel I have a bank of skills I can draw on every day and in moments of pain. This course has also taught me to see my pain as a necessary catalyst for changing my relationship with myself.

Susan

September 11, 2025

I very much enjoyed this course. It was delivered with compassion, structure and in a logical manner that made it all feel practical to apply to my daily life. It also helps that all the meditation practices are available so I can do these guided until I feel ready to do them on my own. Thanks so much 🙏

tiff

August 21, 2025

Thankyou!

Laura

August 16, 2025

This has really opened up my eyes to the power of my brain and steps and actions that I can take control over.

Brad

August 16, 2025

Amazing. So grateful for this amazing class. I’ve recommended it at my chronic pain group therapy and will continue to recommend it to others.

Amy

July 18, 2025

I blasted this course to LinkedIn. It’s impactful, timely, and powerful!

Jade

July 6, 2025

I’m excited to say that my mindset has a new path to venture and I’m optimistic for once in a very long time. I am all in and I’m so grateful I found this practice. I will be sharing. 🙏🏼

Angela

June 28, 2025

This has been mind altering and life changing. I’m feeling hopeful for the future. Thank you!

Terri

June 26, 2025

This was an excellent, thought-provoking course. I learned a new way to see my pain and many new ways to help alleviate it. I had a hip replaced over a year ago and have been dismayed that it still hurts so much, especially when walking or sitting a long time. Your course gave me a new perspective on these sensations. I'm still learning, and it's hard at times to differentiate between body and brain pain signals, but I think I'm already seeing some results. Thank you for sharing your story and all the research you've done. It was well worth it to complete this course.

joyful✨

June 25, 2025

🔆Herculean ✅😄

Denise

June 24, 2025

Great course on learning to be pain free! Thank you 🙏

Kelly

June 18, 2025

A fabulous course. I’m a nurse with a master’s degree in nursing ; I’ve been on disability for 7 months. I’m ready to transform my identity, my health, my relationships, and my career. I believe in all you’ve shared, doubts are few, and I want to personally practice to change my life, and I’m even inspired to change others’ experiences with pain and suffering. I once heard a quote that one’s greatest pain is their greatest purpose. I’m inspired, and I have hope. Hoping my medical and psych team will work with me in practicing the mind body connection to heal, as I’m committed to be FREE! Thank you for sharing your knowledge, your personal experience, and inspiration!

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