During Starr’s two-hour class, he learned to do a daily 20-minute relaxation exercise with binaural technology. This involves listening daily to a relaxation exercise which contains a subtle tone alternative between each ear. This binaural technology embedded in the relaxation exercise helps to promote relaxation and deepen its positive effects on the nervous system. He also took a pain survey which identifies unhelpful pain thoughts, in which he says, “I scored horribly.”
As the sessions with Amanda progressed, Starr learned other skills such as breathing techniques and meditation. The counseling aspect, which he was able to take part in through video visits, helped him view his pain differently. “I used to describe the pain as a sword sticking in my side,” he says. “I stopped saying that. I don’t describe my pain anymore.”
He says that Empowered Relief class, “retrains your brain on how it processes and responds to pain.”
By the time Starr reached his last session in September 2025, he had met six of the seven goals he set out with, including reducing his use of opioids. He is still working on sleeping through the night and has made good progress. He was especially pleased that he was able to return to Sea Isle in the summer and spent a week on his boat with his son.