Dr. Alicia Batson's Blog

This account is for posts by Alicia Batson, MD, from the blog on her website, www.aliciabatsonmd.com. Posts Dr. batson makes to the blog on her web site are re-posted to this account. Click here to view Dr. Batson's personal account on this forum.

Dr. Batson completed her residency training at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, receiving dual-training in internal medicine and psychiatry. Having always believed that there was no separation between the mind and the body, this was a natural path for her to follow. During her career she has had the opportunity to work in adult primary-care, inpatient psychiatry consult-liaison services, and outpatient community mental health care settings, taking care of those with mental illness.

However, it was not until Dr. Batson herself developed chronic pain that she really began her journey in understanding how the mind interacts with the body in the creation of both pain and healing. With over 20 pain and “pain-equivalent” symptoms from repetitive strain injury, dizziness, hyperacusis, neck, shoulder and knee pain, her 10-year odyssey took her through many conventional and alternative treatment realms with either no or short-term benefits. As she developed new pains, she also developed more fear and anxiety, resulting in a vicious cycle of pain and fear.

On the advice of her physical therapist and in desperation, she found the website, www.unlearnyourpain, Dr. Howard Schubiner’s website about Mind Body Disorders (MBS), also known as Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS), Psychophysiologic Disorders (PPD) or Stress Illness. She knew within a few minutes of reading the pages that she had found what was wrong all this time, and that her healing was just a few steps away. And, in fact, that was true. Within a few months of healing, she completed her first triathlon, a life-long goal and a personal milestone for her recovery.

Dr. Batson is now dedicating the remainder of her career to helping others with chronic pain reclaim their lives. She is the founder and director of the Center for the Treatment of Psychophysiologic Disorders, dedicated to the treatment of those suffering in chronic pain and to the education of the health care community about psychophysiologic disorders, their etiology, manifestations and treatment.

Dr. Batson's personal success story is one of the most viewed on our site if you would like to read her story click here.

Her website is aliciabatsonmd.com. She has completed the TMS Practitioner Survey on this site and is listed in our Find a TMS Doctor or Therapist page, under Tennessee.