About
My Personal Story with Neuroplastic Pain:
I know what it's like to feel betrayed by your own body.
For years, I lived with diagnoses that felt like life sentences: fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and plantar fasciitis. The pain was real. The limitations were real. And the fear that this was just how my life would be from now on — that was real too.
I know what it's like to feel betrayed by your own body.
For years, I lived with diagnoses that felt like life sentences: fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and plantar fasciitis. The pain was real. The limitations were real. And the fear that this was just how my life would be from now on — that was real too.
When Everything Hurt
At my worst, I couldn't walk barefoot in my own home. The plantar fasciitis made every step on hard floors excruciating, so I shuffled around in supportive shoes even inside my house. It sounds small, but it was a constant reminder that my body wasn't working the way it should.
The fibromyalgia flares were crippling. Pain would radiate through my entire body, and the fatigue that came with chronic fatigue syndrome wasn't just tiredness — it was bone-deep exhaustion that made even simple tasks feel impossible. My social life suffered. My job suffered. I was running on empty all the time.
My sympathetic nervous system was stuck in chronic hypervigilance. I carried so much tension in my body that I didn't even realize how tightly I was holding on until much later. I was always braced for the next wave of pain, the next flare, the next crash.
And then the nerve pain started.
Sharp, burning pain shot down into my hands. I couldn't type without discomfort. I couldn't squeeze my hands — something as simple as wringing out a dishcloth became painful. For someone whose work required typing, this felt like the final straw. My body was failing me in ways I couldn't predict or control.
It got so bad that I hired a home health aide to help me around the house. I needed someone to do the things I simply couldn't manage anymore: cooking, cleaning, the daily tasks that most people take for granted. I felt like I was losing my independence, my capability, my sense of self.
Searching for Answers
I tried everything I could find. Acupuncture helped a little. Chiropractic care provided temporary relief. But nothing addressed the root of what was happening. The symptoms would improve for a while, then come roaring back. I was stuck in a cycle of treatment and relapse, and I couldn't see a way out.
At the time, I had no idea that what I was experiencing could be neuroplastic pain — pain that my brain was generating because it believed I was in danger even when there was no actual tissue damage to justify the intensity of what I felt.
I wasn't aware that my nervous system had learned to amplify pain signals as a protective mechanism and that this pattern could be unlearned.
I didn't know that healing was even possible.
The Turning Point
Everything changed when I discovered Pain Reprocessing Therapy.
PRT taught me that chronic pain isn't always about damage or disease. Sometimes, it's about a nervous system that's stuck in a loop — sending danger signals even when there's no real threat. The brain learns to produce pain as a warning system, and over time, that system becomes hypersensitive.
For the first time, I understood what was happening in my body. My pain wasn't "all in my head" — it was real, physical pain — but it was being generated by faulty nerve firing. My brain thought I was in danger, so it kept the pain turned on.
And if my brain had learned to create this pain, maybe it could learn to turn it off.
I started applying PRT principles on myself. I worked on retraining my brain to understand that I was safe, that the pain signals didn't mean something was wrong. Slowly, my nervous system began to calm down.
But PRT alone wasn't enough. I needed to go deeper.
Healing from the Inside Out
That's when I turned to Parts Work — specifically Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Inner Relationship Focusing. Through these modalities, I learned to connect with the parts of myself that were holding onto the pain. The inner children who had turned the pain signal on in the first place.
These younger parts of me didn't trust that I could handle life without the protective mechanism of pain. They believed that pain was keeping me safe — slowing me down, forcing me to rest, preventing me from being hurt in other ways.
I had to build a relationship with them. I had to show them that I, the adult self, could lead. That I could take care of them without needing pain as a buffer. Strengthening these inner relationships — learning to listen to these parts, reassure them, and earn their trust — made the most profound difference in my healing.
And then there was NLP — Neuro-Linguistic Programming.
NLP gave me tools to change the emotional charge connected to my triggering memories. Certain experiences, certain emotions, certain situations would send my nervous system into overdrive. NLP helped me reprocess those memories so they no longer carried the same weight. The emotional connection shifted. The triggers lost their power.
Together, these three modalities created a complete system:
Pain Reprocessing Therapy helped me understand that the pain was neuroplastic and that my brain's safety signals could be retained.
Parts Work helped me build trust with the inner parts holding the pain so they could finally let go.
NLP helped me neutralize the emotional charge of the memories that were fueling the danger response.
Where I Am Now
I don't take any pills for pain. I work full time. I type every day without discomfort. I cook for myself. I walk barefoot in my home.
The fibromyalgia flares that once felt crippling? They've improved exponentially. The chronic fatigue that affected every part of my life? Manageable.
I'm still amazed when I think about it. All of those symptoms — the pain, the fatigue, the nerve issues — were the result of faulty nerve firing, my brain stuck in a state of perceived danger. And once I addressed that root cause, everything shifted.
I no longer need a home health aide. I no longer feel debilitated. I have my life back.
Why I Do This Work
I became certified in Pain Reprocessing Therapy, NLP, and trained in Parts Work because I know, firsthand, how isolating and hopeless chronic pain can feel. I know what it's like to be told "this is just something you'll have to live with." I know what it's like to try everything and still hurt.
And I also know that healing is possible.
I work with clients virtually, combining these three powerful modalities to help people recover from chronic pain conditions that conventional medicine often can't fully address. We work together to retrain the brain, heal the inner relationships that hold pain in place, and release the emotional charge of triggering memories.
This isn't about masking symptoms. It's about getting to the root — the nervous system's belief that it's not safe — and changing that belief from the inside out.
If you're reading this and you recognize yourself in my story, I want you to know: you don't have to stay stuck. Your brain is more powerful than you think. And sometimes, the most profound healing happens when we stop trying to fix the body and start listening to what it's trying to tell us.
Professional Background:
Ilona Yukov, MA, OTR/L, founded Holistic Wellness NY to help people achieve lasting relief from chronic pain and reclaim their lives. With over 20 years of experience working with clients across diverse backgrounds and conditions, she brings a unique integration of traditional healthcare training and cutting-edge mind-body approaches.
Education & Credentials
Additional Training & Techniques
Ilona's experience as an occupational therapist in hospital, nursing home, and school settings gave her the clinical foundation to work effectively with people of all ages and health conditions. She now specializes in helping adults recover from chronic pain and improve emotional well-being through virtual sessions available throughout the United States.
Areas of Specialty:
She looks forward to supporting you in your healing journey!
At my worst, I couldn't walk barefoot in my own home. The plantar fasciitis made every step on hard floors excruciating, so I shuffled around in supportive shoes even inside my house. It sounds small, but it was a constant reminder that my body wasn't working the way it should.
The fibromyalgia flares were crippling. Pain would radiate through my entire body, and the fatigue that came with chronic fatigue syndrome wasn't just tiredness — it was bone-deep exhaustion that made even simple tasks feel impossible. My social life suffered. My job suffered. I was running on empty all the time.
My sympathetic nervous system was stuck in chronic hypervigilance. I carried so much tension in my body that I didn't even realize how tightly I was holding on until much later. I was always braced for the next wave of pain, the next flare, the next crash.
And then the nerve pain started.
Sharp, burning pain shot down into my hands. I couldn't type without discomfort. I couldn't squeeze my hands — something as simple as wringing out a dishcloth became painful. For someone whose work required typing, this felt like the final straw. My body was failing me in ways I couldn't predict or control.
It got so bad that I hired a home health aide to help me around the house. I needed someone to do the things I simply couldn't manage anymore: cooking, cleaning, the daily tasks that most people take for granted. I felt like I was losing my independence, my capability, my sense of self.
Searching for Answers
I tried everything I could find. Acupuncture helped a little. Chiropractic care provided temporary relief. But nothing addressed the root of what was happening. The symptoms would improve for a while, then come roaring back. I was stuck in a cycle of treatment and relapse, and I couldn't see a way out.
At the time, I had no idea that what I was experiencing could be neuroplastic pain — pain that my brain was generating because it believed I was in danger even when there was no actual tissue damage to justify the intensity of what I felt.
I wasn't aware that my nervous system had learned to amplify pain signals as a protective mechanism and that this pattern could be unlearned.
I didn't know that healing was even possible.
The Turning Point
Everything changed when I discovered Pain Reprocessing Therapy.
PRT taught me that chronic pain isn't always about damage or disease. Sometimes, it's about a nervous system that's stuck in a loop — sending danger signals even when there's no real threat. The brain learns to produce pain as a warning system, and over time, that system becomes hypersensitive.
For the first time, I understood what was happening in my body. My pain wasn't "all in my head" — it was real, physical pain — but it was being generated by faulty nerve firing. My brain thought I was in danger, so it kept the pain turned on.
And if my brain had learned to create this pain, maybe it could learn to turn it off.
I started applying PRT principles on myself. I worked on retraining my brain to understand that I was safe, that the pain signals didn't mean something was wrong. Slowly, my nervous system began to calm down.
But PRT alone wasn't enough. I needed to go deeper.
Healing from the Inside Out
That's when I turned to Parts Work — specifically Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Inner Relationship Focusing. Through these modalities, I learned to connect with the parts of myself that were holding onto the pain. The inner children who had turned the pain signal on in the first place.
These younger parts of me didn't trust that I could handle life without the protective mechanism of pain. They believed that pain was keeping me safe — slowing me down, forcing me to rest, preventing me from being hurt in other ways.
I had to build a relationship with them. I had to show them that I, the adult self, could lead. That I could take care of them without needing pain as a buffer. Strengthening these inner relationships — learning to listen to these parts, reassure them, and earn their trust — made the most profound difference in my healing.
And then there was NLP — Neuro-Linguistic Programming.
NLP gave me tools to change the emotional charge connected to my triggering memories. Certain experiences, certain emotions, certain situations would send my nervous system into overdrive. NLP helped me reprocess those memories so they no longer carried the same weight. The emotional connection shifted. The triggers lost their power.
Together, these three modalities created a complete system:
Pain Reprocessing Therapy helped me understand that the pain was neuroplastic and that my brain's safety signals could be retained.
Parts Work helped me build trust with the inner parts holding the pain so they could finally let go.
NLP helped me neutralize the emotional charge of the memories that were fueling the danger response.
Where I Am Now
I don't take any pills for pain. I work full time. I type every day without discomfort. I cook for myself. I walk barefoot in my home.
The fibromyalgia flares that once felt crippling? They've improved exponentially. The chronic fatigue that affected every part of my life? Manageable.
I'm still amazed when I think about it. All of those symptoms — the pain, the fatigue, the nerve issues — were the result of faulty nerve firing, my brain stuck in a state of perceived danger. And once I addressed that root cause, everything shifted.
I no longer need a home health aide. I no longer feel debilitated. I have my life back.
Why I Do This Work
I became certified in Pain Reprocessing Therapy, NLP, and trained in Parts Work because I know, firsthand, how isolating and hopeless chronic pain can feel. I know what it's like to be told "this is just something you'll have to live with." I know what it's like to try everything and still hurt.
And I also know that healing is possible.
I work with clients virtually, combining these three powerful modalities to help people recover from chronic pain conditions that conventional medicine often can't fully address. We work together to retrain the brain, heal the inner relationships that hold pain in place, and release the emotional charge of triggering memories.
This isn't about masking symptoms. It's about getting to the root — the nervous system's belief that it's not safe — and changing that belief from the inside out.
If you're reading this and you recognize yourself in my story, I want you to know: you don't have to stay stuck. Your brain is more powerful than you think. And sometimes, the most profound healing happens when we stop trying to fix the body and start listening to what it's trying to tell us.
Professional Background:
Ilona Yukov, MA, OTR/L, founded Holistic Wellness NY to help people achieve lasting relief from chronic pain and reclaim their lives. With over 20 years of experience working with clients across diverse backgrounds and conditions, she brings a unique integration of traditional healthcare training and cutting-edge mind-body approaches.
Education & Credentials
- Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy, New York University (1998)
- Certified Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) Practitioner
- Certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner, International Center for Positive Change & Hypnosis
- Trained in Integrative Hypnosis with Melissa Tiers, The Center for Integrative Hypnosis
- Holistic Health Coach, Institute for Integrative Nutrition (2003)
- Trained in Parts Work modalities including Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Inner Relationship Focusing
Additional Training & Techniques
- Mindfulness Meditation
- Qi Gong
- Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
- Vagus Nerve Toning
Ilona's experience as an occupational therapist in hospital, nursing home, and school settings gave her the clinical foundation to work effectively with people of all ages and health conditions. She now specializes in helping adults recover from chronic pain and improve emotional well-being through virtual sessions available throughout the United States.
Areas of Specialty:
- Chronic Pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Weight Loss
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Emotional Issues (fear, anxiety, anger, sadness, etc.)
- Stress Management
- Sleep Issues/Insomnia
She looks forward to supporting you in your healing journey!
Are you ready to start feeling better than ever? Schedule a free initial consultation today!
Remote sessions are available so distance is not an issue!
Remote sessions are available so distance is not an issue!