What Works for Back Pain Relief?
Back pain affects millions—and has for decades. While treatments like surgery, braces, and medications promise relief, lasting results are often elusive. So what really works?
The answer is education. Empowering people to prevent and manage back pain through self-care is both practical and proven. Yet too many still receive prescriptions instead of guidance.
The Early Days Of The Program
My own back pain began at 26, during a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Princeton. After surgery, I discovered no one had taught me how to move, stretch, or protect myself. I lived in fear of re-injury for six years.
That changed when a physician simply asked, “Has anyone talked to you about your back pain?” With that, I began walking, learning, and reclaiming control—first with a supportive corset, then through self-education in yoga, massage, martial arts, and more.
As a Clinical Psychologist, I knew there had to be a better approach. Pain management wasn’t yet a field, so I helped build one—centered not on passive treatments, but on teaching people to help themselves.
From Innovation To Education
The central problem remains: patients need to know how to fully participate in their recovery. That means eliminating poor movement habits, using proper body mechanics, and practicing techniques like Relaxation Therapy—at home and at work.
To meet this need, I began using what was then considered revolutionary: slide-on sound media, and later, video. These tools became the foundation for Relaxation Therapy (RT), featured in my first publication, Tension Management & Relaxation.
I later collaborated with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Arthur White and physical therapist Bill Mattmiller to develop The Back School and The Portable Back School. These programs taught both doctors and patients how to prevent and manage back pain through education—not just treatment.
Still, many in the medical field resisted. They preferred traditional procedures and prescriptions over patient education. Too often, care was something done to patients, not with them.
But real recovery depends on the patient.
While medical procedures and therapies have their place, the key to long-term success lies in education and empowerment. Patients who understand how to move correctly, strengthen essential muscles, and relax effectively can reclaim control over their well-being.
Freedom From Back Pain Today
Today’s version of Freedom From Stress & Back Pain blends decades of learning with new scientific insights. It integrates:
- Social Learning Theory for motivation and behavior change
- Polyvagal Theory for understanding stress and safety
- In The Zone Skills Training for emotional regulation and physical performance
This modern program focuses on Mind-Body Integration with a Full-Body Attitude—teaching you how to recover and prevent back pain naturally.
Self-Care Tools That Work
We’ve seen results across industries, including at TVA and Queen’s Healthcare. Our method teaches you to:
- Move safely throughout daily life
- Build strength and flexibility
- Use Relaxation Therapy to calm stress and reduce pain
- Identify personal stressors with the PCI
- Improve focus and resilience with performance training
👉 [Explore Relaxation Therapy]
👉 [Try the Personal Concerns Inventory]
👉 [Learn more about In The Zone Skills Training]
The Power Of Education And Teamwork
In this program, the patient is part of the team. Empowered individuals don’t just recover—they thrive.
You can access additional information from trusted sources like the NINDS Back Pain Fact Sheet and the APTA Back Pain Guide.
Take Charge Of Your Recovery
Freedom From Stress & Back Pain reflects more than theory—it’s a life-tested system for recovery and prevention. When you understand your body and how to care for it, you reclaim control and create lasting change.
Start now. The resources are here, the tools are proven—and the results are real.