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...
My 4 favorite self-help tools for pain
These products are for education purposes only and contain affiliate links. The reader accepts full responsibility for the use of these products. Thank you to Abbe Brown at the ST...
Fight, Flight, or FREEZE Response: Health Implications
When I was researching the topic of stress for my book, Diagnosis Dystonia: Navigating the Journey, I came across something very intriguing. Stress experts have now added the word...
Turn on the tunes for better health
If you enjoy listening to music, you already know that turning on the tunes can help calm your nerves, reduce stress, pump you up during a workout, bring back...
Overcoming fear for a better life
Fear is probably the single most damaging, debilitating, detrimental energy we have. It interferes with our well-being in every area of our life. We cannot thrive when we are...
Working through life challenges – Releasing the past
In my last blog, I wrote about the emotional pain of “victim mentality” when faced with a health or other life challenge. In this entry, I will share some ideas...
Overcoming victim mentality
When the pain and muscles contractions from dystonia were at their worst for me (see below), it significantly limited what I could do. For years I characterized dystonia as...
Tips for better sleep
Ahhh… sleep!! It feels so good when we get it. Unfortunately, quality sleep is something that eludes many of us. It seems that more and more of us sleep...
Self-empowerment tips for healthy living
When we are faced with a limiting health issue where performing “simple” everyday activities becomes a challenge, our self-confidence and self-worth can dwindle. This can happen with any health...
Understanding and coping with anxiety
I think most of us would agree that anxiety is quite common among the dystonia population. It is not a feature or symptom of dystonia, but given the major...
Stress Management Tips
As we all know, stress and dystonia (or any other health condition) do not mix. It can have a negative impact on our symptoms, such as increased spasms, twisting,...
Acceptance: The dystonia challenge
“Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation. It means understanding that something is what it is and there’s got to be a way through it.” ~ Michael J. Fox ~ Dystonia can...
After the diagnosis/Self harming thoughts
After being diagnosed with dystonia and learning it is not a temporary problem (or if you have lived with it for years and are feeling fed up), experiencing fear,...
