Combatting chronic pain so you can show up confidently and effortlessly YOU w/ Cassie Parker

 Let's start with a few rapid-fire questions!

Q1: What was the first thing you did when you woke up this morning?
A1: My 3 year old woke me up this morning :) 

Q2: Does your car have a name?
A2: No, but I've had it since high school.

Q3: If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A3: Pizza or pancakes!

Now let's dive into Cassie's story. She owns her own practice - Resilient Wellness and Physical Therapy and she's been a physical therapist for almost 8 years, working mostly with women.

When Cassie was 15 years old she was in a car accident that left her with daily pain. This led her to physical therapy and sparked her interest in working with patients with a neurological diagnosis. She really started to focus on her thoughts and stressors that played a role in her own pain and that allowed her to break through her chronic pain.

Chronic pain is pain that lasts more than 3 months and impacts your life in various ways - you might start to see yourself pull back from the things you love or have to eliminate everyday tasks. Once healed there can also still be a fear around the pain returning and that means the pain is still in control.

Cassie explains how chronic pain can be related to other bodily responses and we don't always link it to the pain. She wants women to feel empowered that they are in control and can support themselves.

Tracking the pain can be really helpful - especially if you can track it back to what you were doing and identify the emotional state you were in.  Breathwork is another great way to regulate the things going on in your body - even just 5 minutes a day can make a huge impact. 

Cassie has her patients start by making a list of things that make them feel good - activities, songs, medication, etc. This helps reduce the fear of the pain coming back. When you have 5 minutes try to incorporate something on your list. You can also envision what a healthy person does that feels good - stretching, drinking water, getting fresh air, etc. and this helps you to start taking steps towards being that person.

After having her daughter, Cassie's pain was at its worst and she was driven to incorporate the work she does to help herself heal. She's worked hard on receiving help and not feeling guilty.

She reminds us to share our experiences. The power is within you and it's important to quiet the noise and listen to your body!

Connect with Cassie:
www.resilientwellnesspt.com
IG: @resilient.wellness.pt
Facebook: www.facebook.com/resilientwellness

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