Can you retrain a catastrophizing brain? (Yes, you can. Here's how!)


Hi Reader,

A quick question: Do you have pain or other chronic symptoms?

Does your brain spend a lot of time scanning for what's wrong? Checking symptoms. Bracing for the next flare. Googling at 3 am. Predicting the worst?


If so, you're not alone. Research shows 39% of people with chronic pain or persistent symptoms experience this pattern called catastrophizing. It's when your nervous system gets trained, through repetition, to constantly scan for threats and amplify symptoms.


Most treatment approaches focus on reducing that threat response—reappraising symptoms, interrupting fear patterns, calming the nervous system. And that's important work.

But there's another side of the equation that almost nobody talks about: learning to handle threat by methodically building safety pathways.

That's why I created GLIMMER, a 5-week program that systematically trains your attention to notice the safety signals your brain is currently filtering out.


Whether you're already working with a therapist or coach, using any of the apps, applying a method like PRT or expressive writing, or if you're figuring this out on your own, this is the piece that's usually missing.

GLIMMER is inspired by the LARKSPUR research study, which showed that training one's attention daily on positive events can reduce pain and fatigue. And, I've added something the research didn't have: a targeted somatic integration practice at the end of each day to help imprint learnings on your nervous system.

Here's how it works:


Daily morning prompts Your "lens" for the day (1 minute)
Practice throughout your day
Apply the skill in real-time—no extra time needed, just awareness
Evening reflection & integration (10 minutes)
Journal (7 min) + Somatic audio (3 min) + Track what shifted
✅ Quick weekly tracking to notice patterns in your own experience
✅ 5 weeks of evidence-based neuropositive skills
✅ All via easy app access on your phone

Over 5 weeks, you'll practice these Neuropositive Skills to increase nervous system safety

Week 1: Noticing & Savoring — Finding small moments that matter
Week 2: Strengths & Progress — Building momentum through small wins
Week 3: Mindfulness — Practicing return to the present moment
Week 4: Perspective & Gratitude — Reframing what's hard, recognizing what helps
Week 5: Acts of Kindness — Creating safety through connection


GLIMMER isn't about ignoring your symptoms or forcing positivity. It's about giving your nervous system more complete information—training it to notice the safety signals that exist alongside the threat signals.

Whether you have chronic pain, fatigue, POTS, brain fog, or multiple symptoms—GLIMMER teaches the foundational skills that work across all neuroplastic conditions.


GLIMMER is for you if:

✅ You understand your symptoms are nervous system-driven

✅ You're stuck in threat-scanning and want to train toward more safety

✅ You have 10 minutes a day for 5 weeks

✅ You want structured practice (whether working solo or with support)

✅ You crave more joy in your life, but don't know where to start


I'm inviting the first 15 participants at this early-access price in exchange for honest feedback:

The full 5-week GLIMMER program (your foundation for building safety pathways) + one month of mindbodyJOY community where you'll continue expanding your capacity for joy — all for just $24.

The First Round starts March 8. Enrollment closes March 7 or when we hit 15 people (whichever comes first).

I'm genuinely excited about this. I think it fills a gap that most approaches miss—the neuropositive piece. Whether you're doing structured recovery work or navigating this on your own, building safety pathways is essential. Most people just don't know how to do it systematically.

Let's try it together.

P.S. If you're thinking, "I don't know if I can commit to 5 weeks," I get it. But here's the thing: whether you're working on recovery solo or with support, building safety pathways is foundational. This is 5 weeks that could change how your nervous system processes information.

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mindbodyJOY is a space for people whose nervous systems have been stuck in survival mode for too long. Created by Simone Holderbach, Neuroplasticity & Nervous System Coach and educator, mindbodyJOY combines courses like GLIMMER with the mindbodyJOY community, a daily practice space for building safety, resilience, positive affect, connection, creativity, awe, meaning, and small moments of aliveness. mindbodyJOY is a chronic joy community where we practice micro-doses of positive emotion and connection that are small on purpose, so the nervous system can say yes.

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