There is always hope! Do not get stuck in a “fixed mindset.” Be open to learning, growing and changing. It may not be exactly how you imagined it, but improving limitations due to pain IS possible.

Believing in yourself is key, next trust the process, and lastly be open to adapting your goals so you don’t feel stuck.

  1. “I’ve tried everything. Nothing works.”  Not all therapy is created equal-same is true for every medical practitioner. I like to say the kind of therapist you become is formed by life after college. How a medical practitioner treats you (the patient), their approach to helping you achieve your goals is based on their continuing education throughout their career. If you are not seeing results, if you are not feeling heard, I promise you their is someone out there that can help. But, it may not come in the form of help you expect. So be open to the unexpected. Be  empowered, fight to find the right medical team for you. Are you seeking a balanced approach? Healing pain needs an “all systems” approach. Your physcial health is only one part of the picture. Your mental and physical health are intertwined.
  2. “I have to learn to live with it.”  Resentment and self-doubt is inherited with chronic pain and illness. Recognizing this is the first step to creating healthy change. If left unexplored this can lead to hopelessness-and that’s not “living,” that is not thriving. Learning to LIVE and THRIVE with pain is possible with realistic goals, a supportive system of friends, family, and medical providers. This statement implies you are alone and therefore you carry this burden of pain and struggle alone. You are not alone, you do not carry this burden alone. Fight to find the right resources for you to the find YOUR team. You can adapt and thrive, with the right support.
  3. “I don’t need therapy I had surgery.” When your body experiences trauma (such as a fall, surgery, or pregnancy) that experience forces your body to adapt and change the way it moves. Your physical body learns to adapt-your motor or movement patterns change. For example, when you slipped off the curb and twisted your ankle, you walked funny for a week. Every time you walked it created pain messages to the brain, so your brain told your nerves to tell your muscles to move differently so as to avoid the pain. If the pain continues, over a long period of time, your brain learns to anticipate pain with certain movement-further altering how you move, sit or stand. So, now, movements that may require 10 different muscles to step off that curb, your body has learn to use only 5 of them. Compensating how you move to avoid pain (real or imagined) weakens you-strong muscles stay strong (but overworked) and weak muscles get, or stay. weaker. Surgery will not retrain your brain and movement patterns-it is only part of the bigger picture on your journey toward thriving.
  4. “I’m weak. I just need to get stronger.” How strong do you have to be in order to be pain free? Muscles that are overworked can still be stronger-but have little endurance to help stabilize your core throughout your entire day. Flexibility is a key to strength. Muscle fibers need to lengthen and shorten, gliding in and out to move your joints. If you only ever shorten or tighten your hip muscles because you are told that is the key to back health, then you haven’t “tried everything.” Tissue health approaches are imperative to add into your Selfcare routine if you are going to thrive in a body learning to walking hand-in-hand with chronic pain and illness.
  5. “There is no hope.” I googled “words that mean hope” and found “motivate.” That is the heart of this clinic, how “Motivate” Therapy, was founded. There is always hope. Changing your mental dialogue, is an essential place to start when learning how to adapt and thrive, even in the face of chronic pain and illness. Try this: Close your eyes and see a chalkboard in front of you. See the words “Nothing is possible” written in chalk. See your hand reach out and erase those words.” Now see yourself writing, “All things are possible.” Take a few moments to SEE those words. Now bring it back to your day. Write that phrase, “All things are possible,” on a sticky note, read and re-read it every day. Start your day reminding yourself of this truth, use it to fuel you on your health and wellness journey.

All Things Are Possible. Find the right team for you. You deserve the best support, the right support, for you.