Why Brain Retraining with Christ Heals Chronic Illness
Over the course of four years, I’ve coached hundreds of amazing people on how to use brain retraining tools with Christ to heal the mind and body. Some of the transformations have been nothing short of miraculous. People who were once bedbound and sick are now living full, vibrant, energetic lives. Myself included!
But this idea that the brain controls health is not always accepted in the mainstream school of thought. I field a lot of questions from people wondering what brain retraining is and will it work for their specific conditions. So let’s go back to the basics, take a look at the brain, its function, how the mind can cause disease and how rewiring the brain with Christ heals us.
(And please, check out my YouTube channel where I unpack this a lot more.)
How does the brain and nervous system work?
As the control center of the central nervous system , your brain constantly receives, processes and responds to signals from the outside world (either consciously or subconsciously). When your brain reacts to stimuli, neurons fire to send signals to your body in the form of hormones and biochemicals. In return, your body sends feedback back to your brain. There’s a constant check back and forth to make sure you’re okay.
For example, if you feel the warmth of a cozy fireplace in your living room, your brain will send signals that you’re comfortable, safe and well. This is the parasympathetic nervous system. It regulates circulation, breathing, digestion, and the immune system. When you’re operating in the parasympathetic mode, that’s called “rest and digest.” In this state, your body will heal.
However, if you’re in the jungle staring down a tiger, your brain will fire neurons telling your body you’re not okay—you need to either run, fight or stand still. In this scenario, the brain is sending out stress chemicals like cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine (CAN). This is the sympathetic nervous system in action. It’s a good thing. We need to run from tigers in the jungle!
But sometimes, the sympathetic response can get stuck in the “on'' position. When this happens, the brain will perceive non harmful stimuli as life-threatening. This causes the body to pump out stress chemicals, making your body feel uncomfortable and therefore reinforcing to the brain that you’re not okay. Talk about a vicious cycle!
How does the brain’s stress response cause illness?
Everything you experience and feel in life comes through your nervous systems. This includes light, dark, hot, cold, smell, touch, taste and your emotions (yes, emotions are physical things, too!). When you have a thought in your mind, that creates a cascade of neurochemicals which in turn produces feelings. If you’re in the parasympathetic mode of rest and digest, then your thoughts are most likely positive, peaceful, joyful and optimistic. If you’re stuck in fight-or-flight, then you will have negative, fear-based thoughts creating stress hormones in your body.
It’s important to understand that your brain is connected to every facet of your life. No matter how big or small the stimulus, your brain processes every single bit of your human experiences. As you go about our life, trauma and negative experiences affect your subconscious memories which create internalized patterns of thinking and behaving.
Trauma, negative life experiences and fearful subconscious programming of the sympathetic nervous system dampens the immune system, increases inflammation and even affects gene expression. Yes, thoughts alone can turn genes on and off. Amazing!
What is brain retraining?
Brain retraining—sometimes called brain rewiring or self-guided or applied neuroplasticity—is a process of changing the structure and function of the brain. With brain retraining, we use a set of tools and techniques that change the firing pattern of the brain. By doing that, we can change the messages the brain sends to the body.
If your brain is stuck in fight-or-flight, then you can teach it to calm down and enter the parasympathetic mode of rest and digest. As you do this, the body will repair itself and heal.
What kinds of illnesses respond to brain retraining?
Just about every kind of symptom and illness can be improved or completely healed with brain rewiring. Here’s a list of common symptoms and diagnoses I’ve seen be healed through brain retraining in my coaching practice:
How long does brain retraining take?
The brain is a pattern recognition organ. That means it seeks out patterns and then internalizes those in order to be efficient and conserve energy. To unlearn the old neural pathways causing illness and symptoms, it takes considerable repetition. You have to use the tools over and over and over again until the brain automatically uses the new neural pathways as the go-to route.
Scientists say it takes at least six months for these new pathways to become permanent. In my own journey, I had to learn to not fixate on how long the process took but instead focus on God’s faithfulness.
How do I do brain retraining?
When you embark on rewiring your brain, it’s important to do a structured program. This isn’t something you want to wing. In order to fully recover, you’ll need to use all the tools of self-guided neuroplasticity every day on your journey. This isn’t positive thinking your way through an issue. You’re using science-based brain therapies to change the structure and function of your brain.
Where does God fit into all of this?
Sometimes people wonder if brain retraining is voodoo medicine or New Age. Or is it purely science? Does it go against God? Where is God in brain retraining? The answer: God is at the very center! See, God designed your brain to experience life, and Jesus came so you could be in communion with God, experiencing Him with your mind and body every moment of every day.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
How can you start to heal?
I’m so glad you asked! First and foremost, you need to complete a neuroplasticity program. Then you put the program into practice every day until you are recovered.
The truth is an internet search will provide a broad list of brain retraining programs available. Most are grounded in the brain science we discussed here, and they teach a variety of tools that may or may not be effective at rewiring your brain (if I’m being totally honest).
But many times on this journey, people come to me asking how to bring Jesus into their brain retraining. They know God is a big part of who they are in this world, and that He is essential to their healing. They want to know how to connect the brain science and the Bible together. They see that I have learned to hold the two together without turning brain retraining into a God-less self-healing process or a purely spiritual matter lacking the practical principles of neuroscience.
If you’re wondering those same things, then I encourage you to start Gateway to Healing. This is a comprehensive science- and faith-based brain retraining program that teaches you everything you need to know about how to rewire your brain with Christ.
True, lasting healing with brain retraining with Jesus is possible, my friend! I pray you would take your next steps toward healing today.
Sometimes the idea of taking a program feels overwhelming if you're in the thick of symptoms. If that’s the case, then please reach out for one-to-one coaching. You don’t need to push through your suffering. God wants you well, and He has made a way for you to live a life of freedom, joy and hope.