Chest Pain (Doctor Said Not a Heart Attack)

Few things are scarier than feeling chest pain. The first thought most people have is: Is this a heart attack? And when your doctor runs tests and reassures you that your heart is fine, relief is quickly followed by confusion: So why am I still feeling this pain?

You’re not alone. Many people experience chest tightness, pressure, or pain that isn’t related to heart disease. Instead, it often comes from stress, trauma, or the way the body holds onto unprocessed emotions.

Why Chest Pain Can Happen Without a Heart Problem

The body and mind are deeply connected. Stressful experiences, anxiety, or unresolved trauma can cause the nervous system to stay on high alert. Over time, this can lead to:

• Muscle tension in the chest or ribcage

• Shallow breathing or breath-holding

• Increased sensitivity to normal body sensations

• A sense of heaviness, pressure, or constriction

This doesn’t mean the pain is “all in your head.” It’s very real—but it’s rooted in the way the nervous system responds to overwhelm.

Dissociation and Chest Pain

Sometimes chest pain is linked to dissociation. When life feels overwhelming, the body may go into protective patterns—numbing, shutting down, or tightening. The chest, being so close to the heart and lungs, often becomes a holding place for unprocessed emotions like grief, fear, or anxiety. This is why the sensation can feel so intense, even when medical tests show nothing is wrong.

How Brainspotting Can Help

If your doctor has ruled out a heart condition, Brainspotting therapy offers a way to address the emotional and somatic (body-based) roots of chest pain.

With Brainspotting, you don’t need to talk endlessly about your symptoms. Instead, Diana helps you notice where the discomfort shows up in your body, and together you access the underlying brain and nervous system patterns that are keeping the tension in place. This gentle process allows your system to release the stored pain—often leading to easier breathing, less tightness, and a greater sense of calm.

For many clients, the chest begins to feel lighter, more open, and more spacious after just a few sessions.

Diana’s Approach

As a trained Brainspotting practitioner and somatic coach, Diana works with clients who struggle with physical symptoms that have no clear medical cause. Through Brainspotting and Bodyspotting, she helps you explore the connection between your body sensations and your emotional world. The result is often not just relief from pain, but a deeper sense of safety and freedom in your own body.