Mind–body reprogramming therapy: development, theoretical foundation, and clinical application for Long COVID

This paper presents the development and clinical rationale for Mind–Body Reprogramming Therapy (MBRT), a novel, theory-based intervention for patients with Long COVID experiencing persistent symptoms. Rooted in predictive processing, classical and operant conditioning, and Relational Frame Theory (RFT), MBRT targets maladaptive brain-based alarm responses believed to underlie symptoms such as fatigue, pain, and cognitive dysfunction. We argue that the chronicity of these alarms in patients reflects not only inferential biases and conditioned responses, but verbal relational networks that bind symptoms to identity, anticipated futures, and rule-governed avoidance, which become primary targets of treatment. The intervention combines personalized education, stress regulation techniques, and experiential learning delivered by an interdisciplinary team over a 7–10-day hybrid format. We describe the theoretical foundation of MBRT and outline its core components, including psychoeducation, values clarification, interoceptive exposure, and behavior change strategies. A detailed case study illustrates the therapeutic process and potential for recovery. We argue that persistent symptoms in Long COVID may reflect learned brain patterns rather than ongoing physical injury, and that targeted interdisciplinary interventions can help patients reverse these patterns. MBRT is currently under evaluation in a randomized controlled trial.