Episode Summary

In this milestone episode, we celebrate the completion of the book and the upcoming launch, while reflecting on the journey of writing and sharing the pain management strategies. The episode dives into the goal of providing a resource that can help guide readers and patients through the complex world of pain, with a focus on practical tools, professional advice, and ongoing support. There’s a look back at how far the book has come, the exciting future ahead with workshops and online courses, and the importance of community and collaboration in making this work possible.

Key Topics Covered

· The Book is Complete!: Celebrating the completion of the book and the official launch, marking a huge milestone in the journey to help others manage pain.

· The Purpose of the Book: A reminder that the book offers observations, facts, and suggestions as a guide to pain management but doesn’t claim to have all the answers. It encourages individuals to seek personalized, one-on-one professional care.

· Playbook and Interviews with Providers: Highlighting the playbook that accompanies the book, featuring interviews with 16 healthcare professionals who share their unique perspectives on pain care from various clinical specialties.

· Personal Experience with Pain: The host shares their own personal journey with neck pain, offering insights into what works and what doesn’t, and how they manage their own pain triggers—biomechanics, biochemistry, and stress biology.

· The Future: Plans for upcoming online courses, events, and workshops to continue spreading the information in the book and connect with a broader audience. Also, a special invitation to join the Substack community for exclusive bonus content.

· Acknowledging the Community: A heartfelt thank you to the contributors and supporters who made the book possible, emphasizing that this is a community-driven effort.

Preview to Next Episode

With the book launch underway, don’t miss the upcoming online courses, workshops, and community events designed to bring this work to life. We’ll be diving deeper into the methods outlined in the book and exploring real-world applications with special bonus material on Substack—more details coming soon!

Connect and Subscribe

Subscribe to Better Pain Coping on Substack for insights, community discussions, and practical tips to support your body-machine. Claim your free yearlong subscription today!

· Join Better Pain Coping on Substack: For your free yearlong subscription use: dryalingliou.stubstack.com/listener

A community space to share reactions, questions, and experiences.

• Bonus Content & Illustrations: Access exclusive material on Substack to deepen your understanding of the concepts discussed.

Workshop link: https://signup.yalingliou.com/

Keywords

Pain management, book launch, health resources, neck pain, pain relief strategies, stress biology, biochemistry, biomechanics, professional guidance, online courses, workshops, Substack, healthcare providers, personalized pain care.

#PainManagement #BookLaunch #NeckPainRelief #HealthResources #StressBiology #Biochemistry #Biomechanics #SubstackCommunity #PainCareJourney #PainReliefTools

From the book series: The Everyday Pain Guide

• Volume 1: Put Out the Fire

• Volume 2: Fix the Fire Damage

Episode Summary

In today’s episode, we dive into Billie’s experience with disabling neck pain, exploring how stress biology plays a significant role in their recurring symptoms. Despite taking action with various recovery plans, Billie’s ongoing emotional stress and physical symptoms, such as chronic neck tension and headaches, persist. We examine how Billie’s emotional stress, hormonal shifts, and coping mechanisms contribute to their pain and explore steps to regain control and reduce flare-ups over time.

Key Topics Covered

· Workplace Stress and Chronic Pain: Billie’s neck stiffness and headaches have worsened over time, with ongoing workplace stress playing a central role in these flare-ups.

· Headache Management and NSAID Use: Billie’s overuse of ibuprofen for pain relief is contributing to a cycle of rebound headaches. We discuss strategies to break this cycle and alternative pain management.

· Emotional Coping Strategies: Billie’s tendency toward toxic avoidance and difficulty with setting boundaries is amplifying their stress. As they navigate perimenopause, new emotional strategies are needed.

· Sleep Disturbances and Perimenopause: Billie’s difficulty with sleep, hot flashes, and racing thoughts are exacerbated by hormonal changes. The importance of consulting a healthcare provider for possible hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is discussed.

· Grief and Aging Concerns: The recent death of a close friend triggers Billie’s fears about aging and health, contributing to heightened pain perceptions.

· Sensory Memories for Stress Relief: We explore the power of sensory memories from Billie’s carefree past to help counteract anxiety and emotional stress.

Conversation Starter

Do you have any sensory memories from your past that bring back feelings of joy or relaxation? What scents, sounds, or sights could you use to help ease stress and shift your mindset? Share your favorite ways to tap into joyful memories when you’re feeling overwhelmed!

Preview to Next Episode

Next time, we’re wrapping up the entire book with a special afterword. Don’t miss it as we reflect on the journey of healing, growth, and pain management throughout the series!

Connect and Subscribe

Subscribe to Better Pain Coping on Substack for insights, community discussions, and practical tips to support your body-machine. Claim your free yearlong subscription today!

· Join Better Pain Coping on Substack: For your free yearlong subscription use: dryalingliou.stubstack.com/listener

A community space to share reactions, questions, and experiences.

• Bonus Content & Illustrations: Access exclusive material on Substack to deepen your understanding of the concepts discussed.

Keywords

Stress biology, chronic neck pain, emotional stress, headache relief, perimenopause, toxic avoidance, pain management, sleep issues, hormone replacement therapy, grief and pain, sensory memories, musculoskeletal pain, self-care strategies, neck stiffness.

#StressBiology #ChronicPain #NeckPain #PainRelief #Perimenopause #EmotionalHealth #Headaches #SelfCare #HormoneTherapy #GriefAndHealth #SensoryHealing

From the book series: The Everyday Pain Guide

• Volume 1: Put Out the Fire

• Volume 2: Fix the Fire Damage

Episode Summary

In today’s episode, we continue following Charlene’s recovery journey and the role of stress biology in managing her mid-back and chest pain. After implementing strategies from the Body Mechanics and Body Chemistry Action Plans, Charlene still faces new challenges, including muscle tension, anxiety, and the physical toll of caregiving for her aging mother. We explore how her stress biology plays a crucial role in her pain management, and what steps she can take to address underlying issues like emotional stress, poor sleep, and physical tension.

Key Topics Covered

· Charlene’s work with a functional medicine doctor has helped improve her digestion and hydration, leading to less pain and greater stability in her torso.

· Stress biology and autonomic nervous system responses: Charlene experiences symptoms linked to unresolved emotional stress, like rising shoulders, neck tension, and muscle tightness.

· The connection between panic attacks, caffeine, and epinephrine inhalers: How Charlene’s anxiety symptoms are contributing to her physical pain.

· The significance of deep breathing, rest, and self-care: Practical steps Charlene can take to soothe her sympathetic nervous system and reduce her embodied stress.

· The embodied stress response: Charlene’s posture reflects her stress, and understanding this link can help her manage pain better.

· Caregiver stress and role reversal: Charlene’s emotional strain from her mother’s dementia is influencing her physical symptoms, including short-temperedness and difficulty with sleep.

Conversation Starter

How do you handle stress when life feels overwhelming? Are you aware of how your stress might be affecting your body? Share your experiences and let’s discuss how emotional stress can sometimes be the hidden trigger for chronic pain.

Preview to Next Episode

Next time, we’ll dive into Billie’s ongoing battle with neck pain and stiffness, exploring the role of stress biology in her pain patterns and what steps she’s taking to find relief.

Connect and Subscribe

Subscribe to Better Pain Coping on Substack for insights, community discussions, and practical tips to support your body-machine. Claim your free yearlong subscription today!

· Join Better Pain Coping on Substack: For your free yearlong subscription use: dryalingliou.stubstack.com/listener

A community space to share reactions, questions, and experiences.

• Bonus Content & Illustrations: Access exclusive material on Substack to deepen your understanding of the concepts discussed.

Keywords

Stress biology, chronic pain, back pain, stress management, autonomic nervous system, caregiver stress, emotional health, anxiety and pain, self-care, body mechanics, functional medicine, neck tension, muscle tension relief, panic attacks, caregiving support.

#StressBiology #PainRelief #ChronicPain #SelfCare #BodyMechanics #FunctionalMedicine #AnxietyAndPain #BackPain #CaregiverStress #NervousSystemHealing #HealingJourney

From the book series: The Everyday Pain Guide

• Volume 1: Put Out the Fire

• Volume 2: Fix the Fire Damage

Episode Summary

In this powerful installment of our Everyday Pain Stories series, we revisit Ed’s journey through chronic lower back and hip pain—and how a deeper understanding of his stress biology became a game-changer. Through strategic changes to his body chemistry, nervous system support, and emotional healing, Ed not only found physical relief but uncovered critical emotional ties to his pain. His story highlights the often invisible but profound impact of unresolved stress and offers inspiring lessons for anyone on a healing journey.

Key Topics Covered

· Ed’s Progress: How digestive support and nutrition changes dramatically improved his back pain and emotional stability.

· The Science of Blood Sugar and Mood: Why regulating glucose is essential not just for energy, but also for emotional resilience.

· Hidden Trauma Revealed: Ed's childhood experience with home invasion and its lingering impact on his nervous system.

· Acknowledgment and Healing: The physical and emotional release Ed experienced by recognizing the emotional roots of his body tension.

· Financial Stress and Resilience: How Ed buffered against new life stressors and stayed pain-free.

· The Next Healing Step: How small additions of cardiovascular exercise can offer huge protection against future stress build-up.

Conversation Starter

Have you ever noticed a shift in your pain levels after addressing emotional or life stress? Or has physical pain been the thing that finally pushed you to seek emotional support? Share your experiences with us on the Better Pain Coping Substack community—we grow stronger together!

Preview to Next Episode

Next time, we check in with Charlene and explore how personal life changes and emotional stressors have been quietly influencing her pain patterns. Her story reveals the critical intersection between everyday stress and physical healing you won’t want to miss.

Connect and Subscribe

Subscribe to Better Pain Coping on Substack for insights, community discussions, and practical tips to support your body-machine. Claim your free yearlong subscription today!

· Join Better Pain Coping on Substack: For your free yearlong subscription use: dryalingliou.stubstack.com/listener

A community space to share reactions, questions, and experiences.

• Bonus Content & Illustrations: Access exclusive material on Substack to deepen your understanding of the concepts discussed.

Keywords

stress biology chronic pain, emotional trauma and pain, blood sugar mood connection, nervous system healing, everyday pain guide stories, chronic pain stress management, holistic pain recovery, emotional healing back pain, pain relief without medication, healing emotional wounds

#EverydayPainGuide #PainRecoveryJourney #StressBiology #ChronicPainSupport #HealingTrauma #MindBodyHealing #PainFreeLiving #EmotionalWellness #HolisticHealing #EverydayHealingStories

From the book series: The Everyday Pain Guide

• Volume 1: Put Out the Fire

• Volume 2: Fix the Fire Damage

Episode Summary

After mastering the art of releasing and retraining your stress biology, today's episode introduces the powerful third phase: Reinforce. Learn how easing up on yourself, maintaining steady habits, and returning to self-care with kindness can solidify your progress toward a healthier, low-inflammation life. Reinforcing healthier patterns isn't about perfection—it's about persistence, playfulness, and patience. Join me as we explore simple, joyful ways to make lasting change part of your everyday life.

Key Topics Covered

· Ease Up on Yourself: Why self-compassion is a biological advantage.

· Keep It Up: Gentle consistency beats strict perfectionism every time.

· Return to It: How to "begin again" without guilt whenever you falter.

· The Role of Sensory Joy: Using sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste to soothe your nervous system.

· Body Chemistry Reminders: Mindful approaches to food, sleep, movement, and connection.

· Visualization and Healing: Imagining a pain-free future as a tool for real biological change.

· Pain Is Not Forever: You are not alone, and setbacks are part of the journey.

Conversation Starter

Can you start to see a pain-free or stronger future for yourself? After practicing release, retrain, and reinforce strategies, what small but powerful changes have you noticed? Come share your story—and inspire others—over on my Substack, Better Pain Coping.

Preview to Next Episode

Now that you've completed all three phases of the Stress Biology Action Plan, it's time to revisit the journeys of Ed, Charlene, and Billie! In the next episode, we'll pick up with Ed’s story and see how the action steps helped shape his healing path. You won’t want to miss these real-world insights!

Connect and Subscribe

Subscribe to Better Pain Coping on Substack for insights, community discussions, and practical tips to support your body-machine. Claim your free yearlong subscription today!

· Join Better Pain Coping on Substack: For your free yearlong subscription use: dryalingliou.stubstack.com/listener

A community space to share reactions, questions, and experiences.

• Bonus Content & Illustrations: Access exclusive material on Substack to deepen your understanding of the concepts discussed.

Keywords

stress biology healing, pain recovery strategies, reinforce low-stress habits, chronic pain selfcare, nervous system retraining, inflammation and pain relief, self-compassion healing, everyday pain guide, chronic pain mindset, body chemistry wellness

#PainRecovery #HealingJourney #StressRelief #ChronicPainSupport #MindBodyHealing #SelfCompassion #EverydayPainGuide #PainFreeFuture #InflammationRelief #BeginAgain

From the book series: The Everyday Pain Guide

• Volume 1: Put Out the Fire

• Volume 2: Fix the Fire Damage

Episode Summary

Over the past four episodes, we've explored action steps to calm your stress biology and set the stage for healing. Today, we're wrapping up the "Release and Retrain" phase by investigating hidden biases and beliefs about pain, aging, posture, weight, and diagnoses that may be standing between you and real relief. Join me as we learn how reframing these ideas can open the door to better control, greater resilience, and lasting comfort.

Key Topics Covered

· Understanding Bias: How subconscious beliefs can influence pain and healing.

· Pain and Aging: Pain is not an inevitable part of getting older.

· Body Weight Myths: Why fat, not weight, contributes to inflammation—and how strength matters more.

· Posture Misconceptions: The truth about "hunchbacks" and why you should embrace your unique shape.

· Arthritis and Disc Disease Realities: Why X-rays don't always tell the full story.

· Sciatica and Diagnosis Labels: How diagnostic labels can limit—or liberate—your healing journey.

· Power of Mindset: Why challenging your pain beliefs could be your biggest breakthrough yet.

Conversation Starter

What did you learn growing up about pain and aging? Have any of those early beliefs shaped how you experience or manage your pain today? I'd love to hear your reflections—join the discussion over on my Substack, Better Pain Coping!

Preview to Next Episode

You’ve now built the foundation by releasing and retraining — next, it’s time to reinforce the healthier, low-stress biology you’ve been creating. In our next episode, we’ll dive into the third and final action phase to make your progress sustainable and stronger over time. You won't want to miss it!

Connect and Subscribe

Subscribe to Better Pain Coping on Substack for insights, community discussions, and practical tips to support your body-machine. Claim your free yearlong subscription today!

· Join Better Pain Coping on Substack: For your free yearlong subscription use: dryalingliou.stubstack.com/listener

A community space to share reactions, questions, and experiences.

• Bonus Content & Illustrations: Access exclusive material on Substack to deepen your understanding of the concepts discussed.

Keywords

pain myths, pain and aging, body weight and pain, posture and back pain, arthritis misconceptions, disc disease MRI findings, sciatica truth, bias and health, stress biology pain relief, retrain beliefs pain healing

#PainRelief #ChronicPain #MindBodyConnection #HealthMyths #PainAwareness #BiasInMedicine #HealingJourney #EverydayPainGuide #PainMindset #StressBiology

From the book series: The Everyday Pain Guide

• Volume 1: Put Out the Fire

• Volume 2: Fix the Fire Damage

Episode Summary

In this episode of the Everyday Pain Guide, we dive into the subtle yet powerful connection between posture and stress biology. You'll learn how fear postures unconsciously reinforce stress responses—and how consciously shifting your body's alignment toward openness and ease can send calming signals back to your nervous system. Discover practical, science-backed strategies to retrain your body for resilience, starting from how you sit, stand, move... and even sleep!

Key Topics Covered

· Understanding the "Five F" responses: Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn, and Flop

· How fear shapes our everyday posture—even without obvious stress

· The hidden role of fetal positioning in modern tension and pain

· How cardiovascular exercise offers a short-term "reset" for body tension

· Long-term strategies: strengthening muscles that promote an open, safe posture

· Practical exercises like Bird Dog, Superman Isometrics, and Reverse Roman Chair

· How sleep positions influence your stress posture patterns

· Using physical posture as a tool to embody feelings of safety and ease

Conversation Starter

After hearing today’s episode, which fear posture do you recognize in yourself the most—fighter, fleer, freezer, or appeaser? How might you start shifting your daily body language toward safety and ease?

Preview to Next Episode

Next time, we'll take your healing journey one step further by exploring how shifting your ideas and beliefs can profoundly change your pain experience. Get ready to uncover how thought patterns influence suffering—and how you can rewrite them to find greater freedom and resilience.

Connect and Subscribe

Subscribe to Better Pain Coping on Substack for insights, community discussions, and practical tips to support your body-machine. Claim your free yearlong subscription today!

· Join Better Pain Coping on Substack: For your free yearlong subscription use: dryalingliou.stubstack.com/listener

A community space to share reactions, questions, and experiences.

• Bonus Content & Illustrations: Access exclusive material on Substack to deepen your understanding of the concepts discussed.

Keywords

stress posture, fear posture, trauma response body, fetal position stress, nervous system regulation, posture retraining, everyday pain guide, coping with chronic pain, stress biology, body mechanics action plan

#StressBiology #PostureMatters #ChronicPainRelief #EverydayPainGuide #BodyMindConnection #SomaticHealing #PainManagement #FearToFreedom #TraumaRecovery #BetterPainCoping

From the book series: The Everyday Pain Guide

• Volume 1: Put Out the Fire

• Volume 2: Fix the Fire Damage

Episode Summary

In this episode, we unlock the powerful connections between what you eat, how you sleep, the way you play, and the quality of your relationships — and how they silently retrain your glucose metabolism and stress biology every day. Learn practical, actionable strategies to lower inflammation and pain, and find out why even healthy habits can sometimes backfire if you're not careful. Plus, we’ll explore why releasing toxic relationships and redefining joy might be as important as your food choices.

Key Topics Covered

· Food, Sleep, Play, and Relationships: These hidden "fuels" affect your blood sugar, stress levels, and inflammation.

· The Big Three Stress-Triggering Foods: How sugar, processed foods, and caffeine hijack your body chemistry.

· Beyond Elimination: How to build biochemical resilience, not just avoid "bad" foods.

· Sleep Without Stress: Why over-focusing on "perfect" sleep can worsen it — and simple, biology-friendly fixes.

· When Healthy Eating Turns Toxic: A look at orthorexia and why food obsession can harm mental health.

· Joyful Movement: Why forcing yourself through dreaded workouts may spike inflammation instead of helping.

· Toxic Relationships: How social support (or lack of it) can shift your blood glucose and stress hormones.

· Small Changes, Big Impact: How just noticing these influences gives you new power over pain and inflammation.

Conversation Starter

Have you ever thought about how your friendships — not just your food — could be affecting your blood sugar and inflammation? Which part of today's episode made you rethink your daily habits the most?

Preview to Next Episode

Your posture could be silently ramping up your stress biology every day.
In our next episode, we’ll dig into how small subconscious patterns in the way you sit, stand, and move might be fueling hidden inflammation — and simple steps you can take to reset for better pain relief and wellbeing.

Connect and Subscribe

Subscribe to Better Pain Coping on Substack for insights, community discussions, and practical tips to support your body-machine. Claim your free yearlong subscription today!

· Join Better Pain Coping on Substack: For your free yearlong subscription use: dryalingliou.stubstack.com/listener

A community space to share reactions, questions, and experiences.

• Bonus Content & Illustrations: Access exclusive material on Substack to deepen your understanding of the concepts discussed.

Keywords

stress biology, glucose metabolism, inflammation and pain, stress and blood sugar, healthy coping strategies, sleep and stress, processed foods and anxiety, orthorexia, toxic relationships and health, stress reduction strategies, functional medicine, Everyday Pain Guide

#StressBiology #GlucoseMetabolism #PainRelief #FunctionalMedicine #ChronicPain #BetterPainCoping #Inflammation #MentalHealthMatters #SleepHealth #FoodAsMedicine

From the book series: The Everyday Pain Guide

• Volume 1: Put Out the Fire

• Volume 2: Fix the Fire Damage