Chronic Pain Therapy in New Jersey: How Psychotherapy Helps You Break the Pain-Fear Cycle

Introduction

If you are living with chronic pain that has not responded to medical treatments, injections, or surgery — you are not imagining it, and you are not alone. Approximately 50 million adults in the United States live with chronic pain. What many people do not realize is that a significant portion of chronic pain is not purely structural — it is neuroplastic. It is real, physical pain that is generated or amplified by the brain’s neural pathways in response to psychological stress, unprocessed trauma, or emotional conflict.

At Light Street Psychotherapy in Short Hills, NJ, our team of licensed therapists specializes in chronic pain therapy in New Jersey. Using an integrated, mind-body approach — including Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), EMDR, IFS, CBT, Mindfulness, and Yoga Psychology — we help clients understand the connection between their emotional world and their physical pain, retrain the brain’s response to pain signals, and reclaim their lives.

Our chronic pain therapy is led by two of our most experienced and highly trained therapists — Randi Gelfand, LCSW and Meredith Strauss, LCSW — each bringing a unique and deeply complementary approach to this complex area of care.

📞 Call us today: (973) 544-8617
✔️ In-person and telehealth sessions available
✔️ Free consultation available
✔️ Serving New Jersey and Florida

What Is Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists for three months or longer — often well beyond the point at which an injury or medical condition would be expected to have healed. It can affect any part of the body and can range from a constant dull ache to sharp, debilitating episodes that interfere with every area of daily life.

Chronic pain can include:

Persistent back pain, neck pain, or joint pain
Migraines and chronic headaches
Fibromyalgia and widespread musculoskeletal pain
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and gastrointestinal pain
Pelvic pain or chronic nerve pain
Pain following surgery, injury, or medical trauma
Medically unexplained physical symptoms
Pain that flares during periods of emotional stress or life transitions

If you have sought medical help and still cannot find relief, the answer may lie not in your body alone — but in the powerful connection between your brain, your nervous system, and your emotional life.

Understanding Neuroplastic Pain — The Mind-Body Connection

Pain is the brain’s danger signal. It is designed to protect you — warning you when something is physically wrong. But sometimes, the brain misinterprets emotional distress, past trauma, or suppressed feelings as a physical threat — and generates real, physical pain in response.

This is called neuroplastic pain — and it works like this:

An injury, illness, or traumatic experience creates pain
The pain creates fear and hypervigilance around the body
That fear sends a signal to the brain that there is ongoing danger
The brain reinforces the neural pain pathways to protect you
The pain becomes chronic — even after the original cause has healed

The good news is that just as the brain can learn pain, it can also unlearn it. With targeted therapeutic intervention, it is possible to retrain the brain’s response to pain signals, break the pain-fear cycle, and experience lasting relief.

Research has consistently shown a strong link between traumatic life experiences — including childhood trauma, PTSD, suppressed emotions, and ongoing stress — and persistent physical symptoms. Psychological treatment for these symptoms has clear, measurable benefits. At Light Street Psychotherapy, this is the foundation of our approach to chronic pain therapy.

Who Can Benefit from Chronic Pain Therapy?

You may benefit from chronic pain therapy at Light Street Psychotherapy if you:

Have persistent pain that has not responded to traditional medical treatments, injections, or surgery
Notice your pain gets worse during periods of high emotional stress or major life transitions
Have a history of trauma, PTSD, or childhood adverse experiences alongside your physical symptoms
Struggle with anxiety, depression, or hopelessness related to your chronic pain
Feel fearful of movement, activity, or situations that you associate with pain
Have been told by medical professionals that there is no clear structural cause for your pain
Feel like your pain controls your life — your relationships, your work, your sense of self

Meet Our Chronic Pain Therapists at Light Street Psychotherapy

Randi Gelfand, LCSW — Pain Reprocessing Therapy Specialist

Randi Gelfand, LCSW is the primary chronic pain specialist at Light Street Psychotherapy and one of the few therapists in New Jersey trained in Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) — the most cutting-edge, evidence-based treatment available for neuroplastic pain.

Randi earned her Masters in Social Work from Rutgers University and brings extensive experience helping adults navigate a wide range of mental and emotional health challenges — including chronic pain, anxiety, grief, life transitions, and psychological trauma. Her approach is deeply integrative, drawing on multiple evidence-based modalities to address the whole person — not just the pain.

Randi’s approach to chronic pain includes:

Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) — a structured, evidence-based approach that helps the brain reinterpret pain signals safely, breaking the neural pathways that maintain chronic pain and providing lasting relief
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — identifying and changing the thought patterns, fear responses, and behavioral avoidance that keep chronic pain locked in place
Psychodynamic Therapy — exploring the deeper emotional conflicts, childhood experiences, and unconscious patterns that may be contributing to physical symptoms
Interpersonal Therapy — addressing how chronic pain affects and is affected by relationships, communication, and social connection
Mindfulness-Based Approaches — helping clients develop a new, calmer relationship with their body and their pain — replacing fear with curiosity and acceptance

Randi believes in the power of a warm, supportive, and non-judgmental therapeutic relationship to facilitate genuine healing. She is committed to a personalized treatment approach that honors each client’s unique pain history, emotional landscape, and personal goals.

📞 Contact Randi: (973) 544-8617

Meredith Strauss, LCSW — Founder, Trauma and Mind-Body Specialist

Meredith Strauss, LCSW is the Founder of Light Street Psychotherapy and one of the most highly trained trauma and mind-body therapists in New Jersey. As an IFS Level Three Certified and EMDR Level Three Certified therapist, Meredith brings exceptional depth of expertise to the treatment of chronic pain — particularly when pain is rooted in unresolved trauma, suppressed emotions, or childhood adverse experiences.

Meredith’s integrative, holistic approach merges eastern psychotherapy traditions with evidence-based western psychology — creating a treatment experience that addresses the body, the mind, and the emotional world simultaneously. She is listed among the Best Therapists in Short Hills, NJ and has been recognized as one of the top providers of trauma therapy in the region.

Meredith’s approach to chronic pain includes:

EMDR Therapy — processing the traumatic memories, medical trauma, and adverse experiences that may be driving neuroplastic pain at a deep neurological level
Internal Family Systems (IFS) — helping clients understand and work with the inner parts of themselves — including the parts that carry pain, fear, or suppressed emotion — with compassion and curiosity
Yoga Psychology — integrating body-based, somatic awareness into the therapeutic process, helping clients reconnect with their bodies and regulate their nervous systems in a gentle, sustainable way
Mindfulness-Based Therapy — developing present-moment awareness and a non-reactive relationship with physical sensations and pain
Psycho-Education — helping clients understand the neuroscience of pain, the mind-body connection, and why their pain is real even when it has a psychological component
Trauma-Informed Care — ensuring that all treatment is delivered with deep awareness of how trauma affects the nervous system, the body, and the lived experience of pain

Meredith offers both in-person sessions in Short Hills, NJ and telehealth sessions for residents of New Jersey and Florida.

📞 Contact Meredith: (973) 544-8617

Our Clinical Approach to Chronic Pain Therapy

At Light Street Psychotherapy, our approach to chronic pain is never one-size-fits-all. Every client’s pain has its own history, triggers, and emotional landscape — and our treatment reflects that. Randi and Meredith draw from a rich toolkit of evidence-based modalities to create a fully personalized treatment plan for each individual.

Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)

Pain Reprocessing Therapy is one of the most exciting and evidence-backed developments in chronic pain treatment. Developed by Alan Gordon, PRT is specifically designed to address neuroplastic pain — helping clients reinterpret pain signals in the brain as safe rather than dangerous. Through a combination of psycho-education, somatic tracking, and cognitive reframing, PRT helps break the pain-fear cycle at its neurological root. Clinical trials have shown that PRT produces significant, lasting pain reduction for many people with chronic back pain and other neuroplastic pain conditions. Randi Gelfand, LCSW is our primary PRT-trained therapist and one of very few practitioners offering this treatment in New Jersey.

EMDR for Chronic Pain

EMDR therapy is widely known as a treatment for PTSD and trauma — but it is also remarkably effective for chronic pain that has a traumatic origin. EMDR helps the brain reprocess the memories, medical experiences, and emotional conflicts that are maintaining the neural pain pathways. Meredith Strauss, LCSW is EMDR Level Three Certified and uses this powerful modality with clients whose chronic pain is linked to past trauma, medical events, or adverse childhood experiences.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) for Chronic Pain

IFS recognizes that chronic pain often has a protective function — it is a part of us trying to communicate something important. IFS-informed therapy helps clients develop a compassionate, curious relationship with the parts of themselves that carry pain, fear, or suppressed emotion — reducing the internal conflict that often perpetuates physical symptoms. Meredith Strauss is IFS Level Three Certified and brings deep expertise in applying this model to somatic and pain-related presentations.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Pain

CBT helps clients identify and change the unhelpful thought patterns — catastrophizing, fear-avoidance, all-or-nothing thinking — that amplify pain and reduce functioning. Randi Gelfand uses CBT alongside PRT to help clients gradually reclaim a fuller, more active life by shifting the mental patterns that keep pain at the center of daily experience.

Yoga Psychology and Somatic Approaches

Light Street Psychotherapy’s integration of Yoga Psychology into clinical treatment — developed by Meredith Strauss — is a unique and powerful component of chronic pain therapy. Yoga Psychology uses breath awareness, body-based mindfulness, and somatic attunement to help clients reconnect with their bodies in a safe, non-threatening way — reducing nervous system dysregulation and building a foundation for healing from the inside out.

Mindfulness-Based Approaches

Mindfulness is at the heart of our chronic pain work. By learning to observe physical sensations with curiosity rather than fear, clients can begin to change their relationship with pain — reducing its emotional charge and gradually diminishing its hold on daily life. Both Randi and Meredith incorporate mindfulness throughout their work with chronic pain clients.

The Emotional Toll of Chronic Pain

Living with chronic pain is exhausting — not just physically, but emotionally. It affects your relationships, your work, your identity, and your sense of hope. Many people living with chronic pain also experience:

Depression and feelings of hopelessness or helplessness
Anxiety and hypervigilance around physical sensations
Social isolation and withdrawal from activities they once loved
Grief for the life, body, or capabilities they had before pain
Relationship strain and communication difficulties with partners and family
Loss of identity and sense of purpose
Sleep disruption and fatigue that compounds everything else

Both Randi and Meredith address all of these dimensions of the chronic pain experience — not just the pain itself, but the full emotional, relational, and psychological impact it has on your life. You will not be treated as a set of symptoms. You will be seen as a whole person.

Why Choose Light Street Psychotherapy for Chronic Pain Treatment in New Jersey?

One of the only practices in New Jersey offering Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)
Randi Gelfand, LCSW — trained in PRT, CBT, psychodynamic, interpersonal, and mindfulness-based therapy for chronic pain
Meredith Strauss, LCSW — IFS Level Three Certified and EMDR Level Three Certified Founder
Unique integration of Yoga Psychology and somatic mind-body approaches
Listed among the Best Therapists in Short Hills, NJ
Collaborative, personalized treatment plans tailored to each individual
In-person sessions in Short Hills, NJ
Telehealth available throughout New Jersey and Florida
Free consultation available

Start Your Healing Journey Today

Chronic pain does not have to be permanent. With the right support, it is possible to retrain your brain, break the pain-fear cycle, and reclaim your life. You deserve to feel well — in your body and in your mind.

If you are searching for:

Chronic pain therapist in New Jersey
Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) in New Jersey
EMDR therapy for chronic pain near Short Hills NJ
Mind-body therapy for neuroplastic pain NJ
IFS therapy for chronic pain New Jersey
CBT for chronic pain near Millburn or Morristown NJ
Trauma-informed chronic pain therapy New Jersey
Telehealth chronic pain therapist New Jersey or Florida

👉 Contact Light Street Psychotherapy today and take the first step toward lasting relief.

📞 (973) 544-8617
🌐 www.lightstreetpsychotherapy.com
✔️ Free Consultation Available
✔️ In-Person and Telehealth | New Jersey and Florida

Areas We Serve — Chronic Pain Therapist Near You

Randi Gelfand, LCSW and Meredith Strauss, LCSW at Light Street Psychotherapy provide chronic pain therapy, Pain Reprocessing Therapy, EMDR, IFS, CBT, and mind-body treatment in-person and via telehealth throughout New Jersey and Florida. We proudly serve the following communities:

In-Person Chronic Pain Therapy — New Jersey

Chronic Pain Therapist Short Hills NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy Short Hills NJ | EMDR Chronic Pain Short Hills NJ | Mind-Body Therapy Short Hills NJ | IFS Therapy Short Hills NJ
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Chronic Pain Therapist Springfield NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy Springfield NJ | Mind-Body Therapy Springfield NJ | CBT Chronic Pain Springfield NJ | IFS Therapy Springfield NJ
Chronic Pain Therapist Maplewood NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy Maplewood NJ | EMDR Chronic Pain Maplewood NJ | Trauma-Informed Pain Therapy Maplewood NJ | Mindfulness Therapy Maplewood NJ
Chronic Pain Therapist South Orange NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy South Orange NJ | CBT Chronic Pain South Orange NJ | IFS Therapy South Orange NJ | Mind-Body Therapy South Orange NJ
Chronic Pain Therapist Summit NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy Summit NJ | EMDR Chronic Pain Summit NJ | Trauma-Informed Pain Therapy Summit NJ | CBT Therapy Summit NJ
Chronic Pain Therapist Madison NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy Madison NJ | Mind-Body Therapy Madison NJ | IFS Therapy Madison NJ | Mindfulness Chronic Pain Madison NJ
Chronic Pain Therapist Chatham NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy Chatham NJ | EMDR Chronic Pain Chatham NJ | CBT Therapy Chatham NJ | Trauma-Informed Pain Therapy Chatham NJ
Chronic Pain Therapist Livingston NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy Livingston NJ | Mind-Body Therapy Livingston NJ | IFS Therapy Livingston NJ | EMDR Chronic Pain Livingston NJ
Chronic Pain Therapist Florham Park NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy Florham Park NJ | CBT Chronic Pain Florham Park NJ | Mindfulness Therapy Florham Park NJ | Trauma-Informed Pain Florham Park NJ
Chronic Pain Therapist Westfield NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy Westfield NJ | EMDR Chronic Pain Westfield NJ | IFS Therapy Westfield NJ | Mind-Body Therapy Westfield NJ
Chronic Pain Therapist Cranford NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy Cranford NJ | CBT Chronic Pain Cranford NJ | Trauma-Informed Pain Therapy Cranford NJ | Mindfulness Therapy Cranford NJ
Chronic Pain Therapist Whippany NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy Whippany NJ | Mind-Body Therapy Whippany NJ | EMDR Chronic Pain Whippany NJ | IFS Therapy Whippany NJ
Chronic Pain Therapist Berkeley Heights NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy Berkeley Heights NJ | CBT Therapy Berkeley Heights NJ | Trauma-Informed Pain Therapy Berkeley Heights NJ | Mindfulness Therapy Berkeley Heights NJ
Chronic Pain Therapist Union NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy Union NJ | EMDR Chronic Pain Union NJ | IFS Therapy Union NJ | Mind-Body Therapy Union NJ
Chronic Pain Therapist Scotch Plains NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy Scotch Plains NJ | CBT Chronic Pain Scotch Plains NJ | Mindfulness Therapy Scotch Plains NJ | Trauma-Informed Pain Scotch Plains NJ
Chronic Pain Therapist Morristown NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy Morristown NJ | EMDR Chronic Pain Morristown NJ | IFS Therapy Morristown NJ | Mind-Body Therapy Morristown NJ
Chronic Pain Therapist New Providence NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy New Providence NJ | CBT Chronic Pain New Providence NJ | Trauma-Informed Pain Therapy New Providence NJ | Mindfulness Therapy New Providence NJ
Chronic Pain Therapist Mountainside NJ | Pain Reprocessing Therapy Mountainside NJ | EMDR Chronic Pain Mountainside NJ | Mind-Body Therapy Mountainside NJ | IFS Therapy Mountainside NJ

Telehealth Chronic Pain Therapy — New Jersey and Florida

Online Chronic Pain Therapist New Jersey | Telehealth Pain Reprocessing Therapy NJ | Virtual EMDR Chronic Pain New Jersey | Online CBT Chronic Pain NJ | Remote Mind-Body Therapy New Jersey
Telehealth Chronic Pain Therapist Florida | Online Pain Reprocessing Therapy Florida | Virtual EMDR Chronic Pain Florida | Online IFS Therapy Florida | Remote Trauma-Informed Pain Therapy Florida