Why We Hurt and How to Heal

The Surprising New Science of Pain and Recovery

Contributors

By Rachel Zoffness, Ph.D

Formats and Prices

On Sale
Feb 3, 2026
Page Count
320 pages
ISBN-13
9781538758144

Price

$30.00

Price

$40.00 CAD

What if everything you thought you knew about pain was wrong?

We are in the middle of a pain epidemic. Yet for decades, we’ve misunderstood what pain actually is. The result? Millions stuck in a cycle of suffering. But what if we’ve been asking the wrong questions?

In this provocative, paradigm-shifting book, pain psychologist Dr. Rachel Zoffness radically reframes the way we understand pain. Drawing on fascinating case studies from her own practice, she explains why pain isn’t simply a symptom of injury — it’s shaped by your thoughts, your past, your stress levels, your relationships, even your expectations. With cutting-edge neuroscience, psychology, and game-changing concepts, Dr. Zoffness demonstrates that pain is not simply a sign of damage; it’s a protective mechanism designed by your brain. And this is good news: because if the brain can change, pain can change.

Whether you live with chronic pain or know someone who does, this book offers more than insight — it offers a way forward. Smart, readable, and refreshingly empowering, this is the pain book we’ve been waiting for.

Rachel Zoffness, Ph.D

About the Author

Dr. Rachel Zoffness MS, PhD is a leading global pain expert, pain psychologist, speaker, author, disruptor and thought-leader in pain medicine. She’s faculty at the UCSF School of Medicine, former pain education faculty at Dartmouth, and winner of the prestigious Mayday Fellowship. 

Learn more about this author