How Music Therapy Supports Chronic Pain Relief | Featuring Judith Pinkerton

At Herbal Mana, we believe in empowering you with tools that help you hurt less and live more. While our natural remedies support physical healing, we also know that true relief often involves more than just treating the body. In this episode of the Herbal Mana Podcast, we dive into how music therapy is becoming a powerful ally in the fight for emotional balance and chronic pain relief.

Our guest, Judith Pinkerton, is a licensed music therapist and the founder of Music for Life®. With decades of experience, Judith has helped thousands use personalized music playlists to manage anxiety, process grief, and reduce physical pain. Her work bridges the science of sound with the human need for healing—making music therapy a life-changing tool for anyone living with chronic pain.

Ready to learn more? Watch the full episode or keep reading below! 

Music Therapy and the Mind-Body Connection

We know that pain isn’t just physical—it’s emotional too. When stress, trauma, or anxiety build up, it can actually intensify your perception of pain. Judith has worked with over 11,000 clients and witnessed firsthand how music therapy can calm the nervous system and help the body relax. One powerful story she shares in the episode involves a veteran with PTSD who, after using a prescriptive music protocol, was able to stop taking pain, anxiety, and depression medications in just two months.

Judith explains that many people get stuck in what she calls chronic comfort zones—emotional patterns we reinforce through our music choices. These unconscious habits can unknowingly keep us trapped in anxiety, sadness, or even physical pain. But with the right playlist, we can start to reset those patterns—and experience genuine chronic pain relief.

Tools to Get Started: The Key2Me App

To make this accessible to everyone, Judith developed the Key2Me App, which guides users through an emotional profile quiz and connects them with personalized tools. The app helps you discover which moods are most dominant in your life—and how your music habits are supporting or sabotaging your healing.

By tuning into your emotional patterns, the app helps you build prescriptive playlists designed to guide you out of anxiety or depression and into calm, joyful, or grounded states. This is where music therapy becomes more than a concept—it becomes a daily practice. For many, it’s the first step toward emotional stability and sustainable chronic pain relief.

Real-Life Impact: From ICU to Emotional Recovery

Judith doesn’t just teach this—she’s lived it. In one powerful example, she shares how changing the music in an ICU setting literally helped save her father’s life. That story, and others like it, illustrate that music therapy isn’t just theoretical—it’s practical, immediate, and deeply personal.

From people managing back pain and PTSD to those navigating grief or stress-induced inflammation, the results are clear: when emotions are better managed, the body often follows. For those dealing with chronic pain, that emotional shift can be the key to long-term relief.

A Resource for Everyone

Whether you’re a caregiver, a therapist, or someone living with chronic pain, Judith’s Music Medicine Protocol offers resources for every level of need. From free virtual workshops to her in-depth book Thriving Through Adversity, Judith’s work makes it clear: you don’t have to be a professional to benefit from music therapy.

And perhaps the best part? It’s already in your pocket. Your phone, your playlists, your earbuds—they’re tools waiting to be used with purpose. As Judith puts it, “Within 10 to 15 minutes, you can shift your emotional state—and that shift can make all the difference.”

One More Tool to Help You Hurt Less, Live More

At Herbal Mana, we’re always looking for natural, holistic solutions that support the whole you—body, mind, and spirit. Judith’s approach to music therapy is a reminder that healing often starts from the inside out. And when it comes to managing physical symptoms like inflammation, stiffness, or nerve pain, the right support matters.

That’s why we recommend Royal Warrior Frankincense DMSO Cream as a powerful complement to emotional healing practices like music therapy. This formula combines DMSO, magnesium, and frankincense oils to help soothe joint and nerve pain—while also helping your body release stress and tension naturally.

Whether it starts with a playlist or a jar of cream, healing is personal. And we’re honored to walk this journey with you.

👉 Learn more about Royal Warrior and save $10 today

Sometimes healing starts with a song. Sometimes it starts with a cream. Or maybe a little of both. Either way, we’re here to help you hurt less and live more.