You Are Not Broken

Helping You as a Health Care Professional to
Rewire Your Pain and Reclaim Your Life

Welcome. You are in the right place.

You’re the one others always turn to for help. But what happens when you’re the one in pain??

You're a high-functioning health care professional. You’ve got the credentials, intuition, competence—and a growing list of symptoms that won't go away.

Maybe it's lower back pain. Headaches. Fatigue. Brain fog. Strange nerve sensations. Gut issues that never show up on scans. Or even Long COVID.

You’ve turned to Dr. Google more than you care to admit. You’ve tried medications, physical therapies, diet changes, ergonomic fixes, and especially, a whole lot of pushing through. At best, you've gotten temporary relief—along with side effects, mounting expenses, and a creeping sense of shame that you can't "fix" what feels broken.  
 
Here’s the thing:  You are not broken. (You are actually fabulous.) But you are human.  

And all humans are subject to pain. Just because you are a health care professional, you are not immune to neuroplastic pain.

But you aren't powerless to it. You can rewire it.


Hold on—what is neuroplastic pain?

Over the years, it's been called tension myositis syndrome (TMS), mind-body syndrome, psychophysiologic disorder, neural circuit disorder, or learned neural pathway pain. In more medical circles, you may hear terms like primary pain, central sensitization, or nociplastic pain.  

The terms vary, but they all mean the same thing: pain caused by the brain misinterpreting signals—not by tissue damage. The symptoms are very real, just not rooted in damage.  

All pain is processed by the brain, but not all pain involves damage. And because neuroplastic symptoms are not caused by tissue damage, they are changeable and reversible (without medications, surgery, or other invasive or costly procedures).

If you have ever experienced chronic symptoms—like musculoskeletal pain anywhere in the body, headaches, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, sensitivities, and more—it is very likely that they are neuroplastic symptoms. They really are that common, and just part of being human. But you don't have to take my word for it - the course will teach you how to gather your own evidence.


This course is for you if:

✅ You are a health care professional of any background, struggling with chronic symptoms of your own—and tired of pretending everything’s fine
✅ You feel ashamed that "someone like you” can’t fix this (please believe me when I say, you are not alone, and it isn't your fault—they don't teach this stuff in our training)
✅ You miss the energy and clarity you once had


By the end, you will have: 

⭐️ A new, genuinely helpful understanding of your symptoms, with strategies you can practice today
⭐️ More energy and excitement for your work and life
⭐️ Confidence that you are finally on the right path

Dr. Google no longer needs to be your confidante, because this course isn’t just about "managing" symptoms. It's about rewiring your brain and reclaiming your life, using the science of neuroplasticity in a way that speaks directly to the high-functioning professional you are.


What's included in the course:
(Really, it's less like a course, and more like a "mini-retreat in your ears")

🎧 6 intentionally crafted audio-only modules (4+ hours total)—because none of us needs another powerpoint presentation, or information overload
🎯 Streamlined access to the most important components of recovery from neuroplastic symptoms (see the course modules, below)
🧘 Guided practices to help you relate to your symptoms in a new way
✨ Tools you can even integrate into your own work with clients and patients too (but this is for you, first)

Each lesson is under 15 minutes—perfect for a walk, commute, or quick break. You can even listen while lying down, with your eyes closed, if that is what you need!

Transcripts are included, and all recordings can be downloaded for offline use. You'll also get access to any future course updates.


What makes this course different

This is not another boring lecture. No sitting in front of a computer screen, pretending to pay attention, but actually multi-tasking. (Although, there will be TV and movie references! Which may seem random, but I promise serve a useful purpose.)

This is the latest clinical knowledge about neuroplastic symptoms, intentionally packaged so you can actually apply it to your own life.

Most of all—this isn’t about "mind over matter". This isn't about "stress management" either. 

It’s about mind-body science, and getting your life back, even better than before.  

Pain may be the entry point, but there is so much growth possible beyond reducing pain.

If you’re ready to stop suffering in silence and instead rewire your relationship with pain—and with yourself—this course is for you.


Important disclaimers: 

This course is a self-paced educational experience, designed to support your understanding of chronic pain. It is not intended as a substitute for psychological or medical treatment. While the information is provided by a registered clinical psychologist, participation in this course does not constitute a therapeutic service or relationship. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized assessment and treatment.

While the content in this course is designed to be as helpful as possible and is based on current psychological and neuroplasticity research, outcomes will vary. This course cannot offer any guarantees of symptom reduction or relief. (And you should be skeptical of any course or product that does offer guarantees.)


 "This is a very accessible course that provides down to earth, relatable and easily understood concepts in a lighthearted but professional way. The combination of metaphors, stories, humor and validating language creates an atmosphere of hope, knowledge and the move away from shame and isolation that is often associated with chronic pain."

Course participant

Course Modules

Check out the course contents below by clicking on each module for more details.  Please also feel welcome to listen to the free preview of the first lesson.

Melissa Tiessen

I’m Dr. Melissa Tiessen, a clinical psychologist with over 15 years of experience—and more importantly, a human who has had my own wild ride with neuroplastic pain.  I’ve worked with many high-functioning health professionals like you, and I’ve also lived through symptoms like lower back pain, neck/shoulder pain, tailbone pain, tingling in my hands, and “lightning bolts” in my eye (yes, that was as fun as it sounds). I know how frustrating and defeating this can feel. I also know how liberating it is to understand these symptoms for what they really are—and how to stop fearing them.

You can learn more about me and my approach at: www.drmelissatiessen.ca/  

Course Inclusions

You Are Not Broken

$229 CAD

    • 4+ hours of accessible audio lessons
    • Transcripts and downloadable recordings
    • Key neuroplastic pain recovery concepts
    • Tools you can use today to transform your relationship to pain
Enroll Now

FAQ

Nope. This course is made for smart, capable people like you—but assumes no background in neuroscience or pain science. If you do have a background in the science of neuroplastic pain, this course will be a great overview for you of key concepts, and, will take things further, providing an integrated introduction to not only Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) techniques, but also Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET) and Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy.

You’ll learn how to tell the difference between structural pain and neuroplastic pain and other symptoms. And even if you’re on the fence, the tools you’ll learn are likely to support your overall well-being either way.

Absolutely. No deadlines, no pressure. You’ll have lifetime access to come back anytime. It's actually a good idea to revisit the ideas from time to time.  

Most health professionals are already stuck in front of screens all day. This course was intentionally created in audio format so you can move, rest, or be out in nature while learning. No death-by-powerpoint. No awkward talking heads. Just grounded, digestible information that you can adapt to your daily life. 

You're right—there is a growing library of great free content out there, much of it created by people I highly respect. But I know from personal experience that free often means we don't prioritize something. All of the information that is available online and offline can also feel overwhelming to navigate. This course isn’t just a random collection of information. It’s a carefully curated and clinically informed path, designed specifically for high-functioning professionals who don’t have time to sift through 100 podcasts and YouTube videos (and all their advertisements). You’re getting the same tools and guidance I share with clients over multiple therapy sessions — for less than the cost of a single session. Think of it as a shortcut that saves you hours (and frustration) by focusing on what matters most.

To be honest, if you have read alI the books, this course might not offer much that is new to you!  That said, even for someone with lots of prior knowledge, the course is a great opportunity to consolidate learning, and most importantly, to move beyond information to transformation. I have worked one-on-one with many smart and dedicated clients who have already read various books on neuroplastic symptoms, but are nonetheless looking for more support. And let's be honest, how many times have you read a book but not actually done the exercises or applied the information? (Raises hand.) It's just part of our human nature. What the course content offers is an integration of many resources, so you are getting access to multiple perspectives in one place - pulled from my own reading of dozens of books, learning over multiple in-depth trainings, and application with numerous clients.

Plus, unlike a static book (even an audiobook), with this course you can listen to the short audio lessons on a walk, in the car, or between sessions, without losing the thread, and, can easily re-listen to any lesson or guided practice. You’ll also automatically get access to any future updates and new lessons, so your investment keeps growing over time.

One-on-one therapy can be incredibly helpful—but it’s not always accessible or affordable. More and more individuals are receiving training in how to treat neuroplastic symptoms, but the need is still far greater than the supply of appropriately trained providers. And like many other health professionals, as a psychologist, I can only provide psychological services to the individuals who live in the jurisdiction where I am registered. While this course is not considered a psychological service, if you do decide to access the services of someone trained in neuroplastic recovery methods, this course will give you a great foundation for that work. And of course you can dive into the content at anytime, without waitlists or referral hoops. You’ll get practical tools and insights that many therapists don’t even have training in yet. 

Yes! While the course was created with health care professionals in mind (we have our own unique blend of perfectionism, guilt, and external pressures), the content is relevant for anyone dealing with neuroplastic symptoms. If you’re drawn to this course and resonate with what you’re reading, you are welcome to enroll.

Because this is an online course and you get immediate access, no refunds are possible. The course is designed to provide a new take on both physical symptoms and how we engage more generally in our lives, so my hope is that the course will truly provide value to everyone who registers.  

Nonetheless, feedback is always appreciated. If for any reason you are unhappy with the course contents, please be in touch to share your concerns and we can discuss what might make the material more useful for you, or identify other more suitable resources. Please keep in mind that as this is a self-paced educational course, outcomes will vary from person to person, and will vary from the more in depth experience of one-on-one therapy. 

Please email me at notbroken @ drmelissatiessen.ca and I will do my best to respond to your question (typically during normal weekday business hours).

© 2025 Not Broken