Hello, I am Hannah,

I'm Hannah Masson-Smyth, a therapist specialising in working with people experiencing chronic pain and other persistent chronic symptoms.

My interest in chronic pain has been shaped by both my professional and personal experience. Professionally, I spent almost a decade working in mental health, including as a Mental Health Nurse in the NHS in both hospitals and community settings, and as a Policy Adviser for mental health policy within government.

After years of working in demanding, high-pressure environments, alongside the stress and grief of caring for my mother through dementia, I began to experience chronic pain and a range of other persistent, unexplained symptoms, including persistent back pain, neck pain, chest pain, bladder pain, muscle spasms, and fatigue, alongside debilitating anxiety, leaving me unable to work or function as normal.

Desperate for relief from my symptoms, I eventually came across a coaching programme combining Pain Reprocessing Therapy and other evidence-based modalities for chronic pain recovery. Through this programme, I came to understand how the brain and nervous system can create and maintain pain and other symptoms, even without an ongoing injury or disease. Fortunately, the brain and nervous system can also be retrained to support safety and wellbeing, rather than pain and fear. As I applied the tools and techniques I had learnt, I gradually felt more empowered, positive and was able to live life fully again. My recovery inspired me to train in Pain Reprocessing Therapy and other evidence-based modalities, including clinical hypnotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy.

Today, I combine my professional expertise, personal experience, and a compassionate, collaborative approach to help clients understand their symptoms, reduce fear, create safety in their bodies, and gradually move from survival to thriving.