Let go of worry and trust yourself more
I recently spoke with a client who was struggling with trusting her ability to manage the physical and emotional ramifications of trauma and stress. She was filled with worry...
Screw this pain! I choose better!
None of us are immune to the challenges of life. At some time or another we all endure tough experiences. Nothing ever prepared me for dystonia and chronic, persistent...
Nature’s Resilience After a Hurricane: A Metaphor for Life Challenges
I live in North Carolina in the United States where we were recently hit with a very powerful hurricane that caused a lot of damage. Many trees fell on...
If you’re in pain, don’t “be positive.” Be honest.
I often hear people with pain and other chronic health conditions say the following: “I am trying to be positive, but it is so hard!” Other people see us...
Please don’t ever take your health for granted
The other day I ran into my oldest niece who will be 28 in a few months. It made me reflect on my life around the same age, which...
Dystonia, chronic pain and the highly sensitive person
This is an update to a blog I wrote a while ago about a personality trait called “Highly Sensitive Person.” It often comes up as a popular topic due...
Using the Brain to Reduce Pain
I have lived with dystonia and chronic pain for nearly 20 years. In addition to many treatments I have used over that time, I constantly work to naturally increase...
When anxiety attacks
If you suffer with anxiety, you know just how crippling it can be. Anxiety is actually a natural response to our environment that is designed to protect us from...
Adapting to Adversity
How one deals with adversity is very unique to the situation and the individual. I have faced great adversity at different times in my life, some of which I...
The Impact of Chronic Pain on Social Life
Chronic pain has a sinister way of impacting practically every aspect of our lives. One major area is our social life. Since chronic pain is often misunderstood by others...
The real impact of pain that people cannot see
Pain is one of the most intrusive things we can experience because it impacts nearly every aspect of our lives, especially if it is chronic. As Bonnie Prudden said,...
We have to stop beating ourselves up
Dystonia and chronic pain remind me of bullies that pick on kids in the schoolyard every day. Like the bully, dystonia and chronic pain do not follow any rules and after...
What is dystonia and what does it feel like?
It is often very difficult to explain to others what life with dystonia is like, so I want to provide some information about what it is and how it feels. Please...
