Chronic Pain: A Different Way
Chronic pain is real, complex, and unseen. The suffering from chronic pain is often frustrating, confusing, and discouraging.
When working with me, we’ll use an integrative, Whole Health approach focusing on mind-body techniques.
Together, we use this understanding to help you find relief from suffering.
What is a “Whole Health” approach to pain?
An integrative, whole-health approach takes into account the whole-person, recognizing that pain doesn’t live in a vacuum. There is a feedback system between the body, nervous system, stress, emotions, thoughts, lifestyle factors, and learned brain connections.
My approach integrates:
A whole-person framework that includes physical, emotional, spiritual, and lifestyle factors
Holistic, integrative, and mind-body medicine principles
The neuroscience of chronic pain and the brain-body connection
Techniques and Tools That May Be Integrated:
Care is individualized and may include:
Nutrition and lifestyle factors
Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)
Clinical hypnosis
Cognitive-behavioral approaches (CBT)
EMDR
Mindfulness and meditation
Somatic and nervous system regulation practices
Acupuncture
Ketamine-assisted therapy (when appropriate)
These approaches are often combined in a way that supports your specific experience of pain.
Who Is This For?
This approach can be especially helpful for anyone who has been experiencing persistent pain* or have received diagnoses such as:
Persistent back, neck, or musculoskeletal pain
Fibromyalgia
Central sensitization, pain amplification syndrome, or chronic pain syndrome
Recurrent headaches and migraines
Persistent pain after injury or surgery
Pain with minimal or unclear structural findings
Pain that is worsened or influenced by stress, anxiety, or trauma
AND/OR:
You prefer a gentler, more holistic, less invasive, or natural approach
You prefer to avoid medication use or surgeries
You have done the “standard” route and are ready for something new
*I prefer the term, “persistent pain.” rather than chronic pain. While “chronic” is commonly used, it implies something permanent. “Persistent” acknowledges that pain has been ongoing, while still allowing for the possibility of change.
Why work with Michael Spertus, MD?
Physician + Integrative Pain Specialist: I approach persistent pain through an integrative, Whole Health lens, which is individualized and collaborative. I’m board-certified in Family Medicine, Integrative Medicine, and Lifestyle Medicine, with training in modalities including Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), clinical hypnosis, acupuncture, mindfulness, and integrative mental health.
A whole-person, collaborative approach: Rather than focusing only on symptom suppression, we work together to better understand the broader context of pain, including the roles of the nervous system, stress, trauma, lifestyle, beliefs, and meaning. The goal is not simply to cope better, but to create the conditions for meaningful change and more comfort.
I’ve experienced persistent pain myself: Earlier in my life, I experienced chronic headaches for several years, along with periods of significant stress and burnout. Those experiences deepened my understanding of the mind-body connection and shaped the way I approach healing and pain care today. This work is deeply personal to me.
Leadership and Education Experience: At the Miami VA Healthcare System, I developed and directed a clinic focused on the Whole Health approach to pain, helping veterans explore more comprehensive and personalized pathways to healing. I’ve lectured nationally on integrative and mind-body approaches to chronic pain, including Whole Health, clinical hypnosis, and nervous system-based approaches to healing.
Experience across multiple modalities: I integrate a range of evidence-informed approaches depending on the individual, including mind-body medicine, hypnosis, Pain Reprocessing Therapy, CBT, mindfulness and meditation, acupuncture, nutrition, and ketamine-assisted therapy when appropriate.
A space where you feel heard and supported: Persistent pain can often feel isolating and discouraging. I work with you to create a compassionate, nonjudgmental space where you feel seen as a whole person, not just a diagnosis or symptom.
Integrative Pain Consultation: How It Works
1. Free 15-Minute Discovery Call
We begin with a brief phone conversation to discuss your goals, answer questions, and determine whether this approach feels like a good fit for you. This is also an opportunity to explore whether a mind-body and integrative approach to persistent pain may be helpful in your situation.
2. Comprehensive Integrative Pain Consultation (75–90 minutes)
During the initial consultation session, we explore not only your pain symptoms and medical history, but also the broader context of your health and life, including stress, nervous system patterns, sleep, emotions, lifestyle, relationships, meaning, and previous treatments or experiences.
Together, we begin developing a personalized plan that may integrate mind-body, integrative, and conventional approaches depending on your needs and goals. While medications and supplements may occasionally be discussed as part of a broader treatment plan, my practice emphasizes non-opioid, integrative, and mind-body approaches, and I do not provide ongoing opioid prescribing or opioid management.
3. Ongoing Individual Sessions
Follow-up sessions are individualized and collaborative, with frequency depending on your goals and what we are working on together. Many people meet every 2–4 weeks initially.
Most sessions are conducted via secure video, allowing flexibility and accessibility. In-person sessions are also available in Miami Shores, particularly for:
Acupuncture
Ketamine-assisted therapy
Hypnosis
Select Integrative Pain Consultations or follow up visits upon request when appropriate
Sessions may include education, nervous system and mind-body approaches, hypnosis, Pain Reprocessing Therapy, mindfulness practices, acupuncture, integrative medicine strategies, or supportive coaching depending on your needs.
The goal is to create a thoughtful, personalized process that supports healing, insight, and meaningful change over time.
Note: Integrative Medicine Consults are for individuals living in FL, CA, MA, NH, or NY only.
Other Mind-Body Options for Skills Building and Support
In addition to integrative medical consultations, I also offer educational and coaching-based options focused on developing practical mind-body skills for pain and stress regulation.
Options may include:
Group classes and workshops: Group classes provide an opportunity to learn and practice mind-body skills in a supportive, shared environment. Many people find that combining education, experiential exercises, and community helps reduce isolation, build consistency, and deepen nervous system regulation and healing over time.
Individual pain-focused mind-body skills coaching sessions (below): Time-limited skill-building series focused on learning and practicing specific techniques to reduce pain and improve well-being.
These offerings are designed for those who would like structured support learning approaches such as:
Self-hypnosis
Mindfulness and meditation
Somatic tracking and pain reprocessing techniques
Pain-Focused Mind-Body Skills Coaching Options:
Foundations (4 coaching sessions)
$1350
A shorter series focused on learning and practicing a specific mind-body skill or approach. Sessions provide structured guidance, experiential exercises, and practical tools to help you build confidence using techniques such as mindfulness, self-hypnosis, somatic tracking, or nervous system regulation in everyday life.
Rewire (12 coaching sessions)
$3500
A deeper program focused on helping retrain patterns related to pain, stress, fear, and nervous system reactivity over time. This series allows for deeper practice and more personalized support as you develop sustainable mind-body skills and apply them more consistently in daily life.
Getting Started
All coaching sessions and classes are virtual over video conference
Sessions are flexible and can be used over the course of a year from the date of purchase.
If after the first session it doesn’t feel like the right fit, the remaining sessions are fully refundable.
Why? So you can explore your process with minimal risk. This is meant to be a supportive, low-pressure space. The work is most meaningful when it feels aligned and comfortable.
NOTE: All sessions above (classes and individual coaching) are educational and are intended to support skill development and self-regulation. They are not designed to diagnose or treat medical conditions, other medical treatments are generally not discussed, and they are not considered medical visits (and unfortunately are not insurance-reimbursable). These sessions are available to those residing in any state.
