RealHealth is a specialised two-week programme that teaches patients with persistent back or neck pain a different way of relating to their pain - so that it becomes less dominant in daily life, and they regain space for what matters to them.
RealHealth treats both patients with persistent back pain and patients with persistent neck pain. Neck pain that will not resolve, radiates to the shoulders or arms, or limits work and daily activities has an impact comparable to that of back pain — and the approach is comparable too: not focusing on eliminating the pain, but on functioning better despite the symptoms.
Participants come from across the Netherlands and stay as residential guests at Landgoed Hotel Holthurnsche Hof in Berg en Dal (near Nijmegen), where treatment takes place on the same premises during the day. Participants are asked not to receive visitors or go out in the evenings during their stay, so they can fully focus on the programme.
The programme teaches patients a different way of living with persistent pain. The goal is not to reduce or eliminate pain, but to help patients function better despite it. During the programme, participants learn:
How pain works in the body and how to respond to it differently
How to regain confidence in their body and move more freely
How to relax — both physically and while moving
How to gradually rebuild energy and daily activity
How to recognise unhelpful patterns of behaviour and thought
How to deal with setbacks and relapse
How to direct attention to what truly matters in their lives
…and much more
The programme is intended for people with persistent back or neck pain who, despite previous treatments, continue to struggle in daily life.
Treatment takes place in a group of approximately 10 participants, all with the same type of complaint. The group setting creates mutual support and allows participants to learn from each other's experiences.
Participants learn to address the biological (physical), psychological and social consequences of persistent pain in an integrated way.
During the two weeks at RealHealth, each participant develops a personal plan with concrete goals for functioning better. After the programme, they continue to apply this plan at home, in charge of their own process. Ongoing support is available whenever questions or difficulties arise.
Participants learn about persistent pain, pain medication, sleep, the anatomy of the spine and neck, postural guidance, and how to build a personal plan for gradually returning to work. This knowledge helps them make informed choices about how to shape their daily lives differently. Read more about pain medication in persistent pain
Persistent back or neck pain is often accompanied by elevated muscle tension, which drains energy and can lead to guarded or compensatory movement. Participants learn how to relax their muscles, move in a more relaxed way, and actively make space for relaxation in daily life.
Participants learn that movement is safe and healthy, and that pain does not have to be a reason to avoid activity. They rediscover their limits and learn to recognise the body's signals when those limits are reached. Over time, this helps them conserve energy and rebuild their activity tolerance, regardless of pain. Read more about load and capacity.
Every participant is assessed by an orthopaedic specialist at the Sint Maartenskliniek, who provides written confirmation that movement is safe — even with pain. Within a safe setting, participants practise activities that may feel daunting, rebuilding confidence in what their body can do within their own limits.
RealHealth addresses the influence of thoughts and feelings on behaviour in the context of pain, using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — a third-wave cognitive behavioural approach. Participants learn to identify which changes in their patterns of behaviour they want to make, so they can function better in the long term. The choice of where to place attention remains with the participant.
When people live with pain for a long time, they tend to listen primarily to the body signals they associate with pain. The RealHealth programme helps participants become aware of other body signals and what those signals are communicating. This opens up a way of moving that feels more relaxed and costs less energy.
Read how participants describe what RealHealth has meant for them.
Approximately one month after the start of the group programme, the first follow-up day takes place. Together with the group and the treatment team, participants share their initial experiences of applying what they learned during the two-week programme. The team offers input, reinforces key information and answers questions.
Approximately one year after the start of the group programme, the second follow-up day takes place. With the group and the treatment team, we reflect on the past year, exchange experiences and bring the programme to a close.
During the two programme weeks, participants stay as residential guests at Landgoed Hotel Holthurnsche Hof in Berg en Dal (near Nijmegen), with the RealHealth treatment facility located on the same grounds.
