The Therapist Helping Women Heal Chronic Pain With The Power Of Their Minds
Meet Lauren Garchow, physiotherapist and mind-body coach based in LA.
No, it’s not normal to live in chronic pain forever—even if you’re a busy entrepreneur juggling a million tasks. Chronic pain can feel isolating and overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to run a business and keep up with your personal life. But good news: your mind has more control over your body than you think.
Lauren Garchow is a physiotherapist and mind-body coach based in Los Angeles, dedicated to proving that it is possible to break free from the cycle of chronic pain. With a Master’s degree in Social Work and nearly a decade of experience, she runs a private practice that combines mind-body therapy and coaching. Lauren empowers women to tap into their inner strength and reclaim control over their bodies. As she puts it, “I do mind-body therapy and coaching to help women feel at home in their bodies.”
Recent pain science researches reveal that upwards of 85% of chronic pain is caused by misfiring neural circuits in the brain, rather than structural issues in the body. Just as we can build new neural pathways to learn new skills—like riding a bike—the human brain can develop similar pathways to reverse or significantly decrease many chronic symptoms. This concept is known as “neuroplasticity.”
“What they found with chronic pain is that even after injuries heal, people are still having pain. Or maybe there's no injury to begin with and people are having this chronic pain,” Lauren explains.
How Lauren's Journey Began
For five long years, Lauren experienced chronic back pain that severely limited her daily activities, affecting her quality of life. “I’m talking about not being able to drive, not being able to sit in classes, not being able to dance...So it just really inhibited my life in so many ways and before that, I was young and healthy,” she recalls.
Everything changed when she discovered the Pain Reprocessing Therapy, developed by one of her Master’s professors. This approach helped her overcome her pain, and inspired her to guide others on their healing journeys. “I was able to fully overcome my back pain. I no longer have back pain through the method. So now I'm helping other people do the same.”, she shares.
The Challenges of Running Her Own Practice
Running a private practice has its challenges, especially when you’re used to the stability and reliability of a 9-5 job. “Transitioning into doing my own practice at first really disrupted my sense of stability and safety…but It's been a great learning process and a way to keep believing in myself,” Lauren says.
Fortunately, Lauren found Novo to help streamline her business. Recommended by her supervisor, Novo has simplified her financial management, making it easy to focus on what she loves—helping her clients.
“I really thought I'd stay in the nonprofit space…I knew nothing about business owning so I think that has been a challenge for me is just figuring out the taxes and the admin business side of things”, she adds.
Key features like the Stripe Integration and Reserves have been game-changers, allowing Lauren to spend more time on her clients and less on paperwork. “Business owning can be overwhelming at first. So having Novo just be very simple. And a simple transition was a really helpful part of the process”, she notes.
As she looks to the future, Lauren is excited about incorporating more movement into her therapy practice and hosting group sessions like trainings, seminars, and workshops to make an even bigger impact in her local community.
If you or someone you know is struggling with chronic pain, remember that there’s hope—and help is available.
Stay Connected with Lauren
Lauren is currently accepting new clients. Feel free to reach out to her or schedule a 20-minute free consultation.
