The pain is real. So is your recovery.I'm Dr. Aaron Donde, a licensed psychologist specializing in mind-body pain therapy. I've lived through years of debilitating chronic pain myself — and I healed without surgery or medication. Now I help clients do the same by understanding what their nervous system is actually trying to communicate.
When conventional medicine failed me, I discovered Dr. John Sarno’s work. That discovery changed my life - and became my life's work.Beyond Structural Explanations
You’ve probably experienced it yourself — butterflies before a big presentation, stomach issues or tension headaches during stressful times. Your mind and body are deeply connected. Pain works the same way. When your nervous system perceives a threat — real or imagined — it can create genuine physical symptoms. Understanding this connection isn’t about saying your pain is fake. It’s about understanding why your nervous system created the pain in the first place — and using that understanding to resolve it.
Most conventional medicine defaults to looking for structural problems — herniated discs, pinched nerves, degenerative joints — to explain pain. But here’s the problem: Dr. John Sarno’s research at the Rusk Institute found that sixty-four percent of completely pain-free individuals had disc abnormalities that would typically be blamed for causing pain. This disconnect reveals something crucial — your nervous system is incredibly intelligent and communicates through physical symptoms in ways that imaging and blood tests can’t explain. Once someone gets a diagnosis — herniated disc, bulging disc, pinched nerve — they anchor to it. It becomes the explanation, and suddenly they’re afraid to move, afraid to live. But the structural abnormality wasn’t causing pain in those asymptomatic people, and it’s often not causing yours either. What I discovered through my own healing — and what research increasingly supports — is that chronic pain often stems from emotional tension, repressed anger, and unresolved stress, not from the structural abnormalities doctors find on scans. This affects far more people than traditional medicine recognizes, and it’s profoundly treatable once you understand what’s actually happening. I know this because I’m living it. I still have the bulging discs, a herniated disc, and spinal stenosis that were documented on my MRI reports. I’ve had no surgery, no medical intervention. Yet I have zero pain and do everything — sitting in any chair, playing golf, lying in any position, camping with a sleeping bag, lifting heavy items overhead. My structural abnormalities never changed. My nervous system did.
Pain-Free Living is Achievable.
Chronic pain doesn’t have a simple fix — and you already know conventional medicine has its limits. My approach is different. As a licensed psychologist who’s healed from severe chronic pain myself, I understand what you’re experiencing from the inside. Together, we’ll explore what your nervous system is actually communicating through pain, and I’ll guide you toward the sustainable healing that’s not about surgery, injections, or medication.
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Your first session is comprehensive. We’ll gather your pain history, understand what you’ve already tried, and explore how your nervous system might be communicating through physical symptoms. I’ll introduce you to the mind-body approach and we’ll determine if this is the right path forward for you. This is where we establish foundation and clarity.
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These are the core sessions where we do the therapeutic work. We’ll explore patterns in your nervous system, practice the mind-body tools, and track your progress. Each session builds on the last, moving you toward freedom from pain and the understanding that sustains it.
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Commitment creates momentum. A ten-session package gives you the continuity needed to understand your nervous system’s patterns, integrate the mind-body tools, and experience real shifts in how you experience pain. By session ten, you’ll have the foundation to sustain your healing on your own — or continue if deeper work feels right. This is where transformation happens.
Please seek a medical evaluation to rule out serious underlying conditions like infections, tumors, or fractures prior to booking.
Take The First Step
Your initial consultation is where clarity begins. Whether you’re exploring if mind-body therapy is right for you, or you’re ready to start healing, I’ll meet you where you are. You’re not just working with a psychologist— you’re working with someone who’s lived with pain and understands what recovery actually looks like.
Get in Touch with Dr. Donde
Have questions or ready to get started? Let’s connect. Inquiries are typically replied to within one business day.