Chronic Pain Archives - Page 4 of 12

Insights on The Road to Healing Book

On July 30, 2020

In Anxiety & Depression, Chronic Pain, Emotional Health, Lifestyle Blog, Physical Health, Spiritual Health, Stress Management

At one time or another, we all have experienced something negative that’s happened in our lives. That’s life. Ups and downs. Healing from traumas, abuse, rejection or any negative experience is essential in moving forward. Working through it and letting go will help you live a productive, healthy, and positive life. This process is by no means easy. It actually takes a lot of work and is not very comfortable at times. So how do you do it then?

The Road to Healing, by Brianna Fitzgerald, details her story of healing and her expertise and training as a licensed therapist. Without giving too much away, I will share some of her insights and my thoughts on the content of the book. If you enjoy learning about ways to help yourself become a better person this may be the next book for you to read.

Think About These Questions

Let me ask you this. Ever feel like you are not good enough? Or feel like you are stuck in old patterns of thinking and can’t move forward? Do you feel sad or consistently negative? Do you find yourself repeating old patterns over and over again? Have you considered that your behaviors and attitudes affect your relationships? If you answered yes to any of these questions, there may be something from your past or present to let go of and heal from. These are the topics covered in The Road to Healing and I want to share some of what stood out to me in this book.

The Road to Healing by Brianna Fitzgerald, LMSW

This book is chock full of simple techniques and methods on how to change your perspective and shift your thinking to heal from trauma or abuse. Brianna offers many tips on how to recover from the damage of a negative experience and turn it into a positive life lesson. She proves it is possible to control your emotions and break free from negativity. In choosing to decide to seek help and change her future, she avoided hanging onto the past trauma experienced as a child. She would not let it destroy her life.

Brianna discusses different ways to break the cycle and how to LET GO. She shares amazing healing affirmations and simple ways to stay ENCOURAGED through the process. A suggestion that resonated with me is how you can add one word when you ask “why” questions to people that will remove all judgment. This will change your perspective! Furthermore, I love the content on the power of journaling and how it can help uncover old patterns and free you of negative thinking.

Knowledge is Powerful

Also, I found several gems of knowledge in the 15 chapters of The Road to Healing. It flows nicely and will only take a couple of hours to read. However, I took my time to soak in all of the helpful advice. I found myself writing notes in the blank pages offered at the end of the book so I could remember what really moved me. There was so much in every chapter that I could identify with. Here are just some of my favorite quotes from the book that helps to explain the magnitude of why it’s so important to start your own healing journey.

My Favorite Quotes from the Book

“Change is the catalyst, which enables us to enter the next phase in life.”

“We are meant to grow and learn and go through the many phases of life to advance to the levels that are open and available to new opportunities.”

“The sooner you can accept changes regardless of how painful they may feel, the sooner you can move forward and receive those blessings that are brought to you.”

“Gratitude is a very high vibration that attracts more of what it is you want in your life.”

“Communicating your needs to others around you is not only vital for your protection and your healing journey; it is vital for your self-love practice.”

And My Favorite…

“Feeling our emotions gives us the empowerment to control them, and to respond instead of reacting to circumstances and things that trigger us.”

My Thoughts on the Book

I have followed Brianna’s blog for a while and have thoroughly enjoyed reading every post. So when I heard that she wrote a book I knew that I just had to read it. This book illustrates a courageous look into her struggles with abuse and neglect as a child and how she bravely overcame it. She sought out the help she needed and turned her life around. Brianna’s personal story is empowering, honest, and inspiring. She gives practical advice that is straight forward and helpful for anyone struggling to heal from something.

Her experience and training as a licensed therapist gives the book even more validity and stands out as a very impressive read for all. The techniques and methods of healing in this book are life-changing. It feels as though you are in the therapy room with her!

Although I have never experienced abuse in my life thankfully, I can relate to having to heal from rejection and other physical and emotional traumas. The Road to Healing is extremely powerful and will give you another perspective on how to change habits and heal from whatever has hurt you.

Take your time reading this book because there is a lot to unpack but it is worth every minute. I will refer back to it for continued inspiration and practical self-help advice.

Grab a copy of The Road to Healing here!

I also suggest subscribing to her blog for more tips and insight on healing and self-help. To read more about Brianna and her blog visit her website https://analytichealer.com/.

Whatever your experience has been in life, there is always a way out. You have the choice to change it. This book may just be the first step in your own healing journey. God always has a better plan but you need to be an active part in making the positive changes you deserve. Much love and blessings to all!

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.

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My To-Do Lists to Stay Motivated

By Jill Ciampi

On March 30, 2020

In Anxiety & Depression, Chronic Pain, Emotional Health, Environmental Health, Getting Organized, Lifestyle Blog, Nutritional Health, Physical Health, Spiritual Health, Stress Management

Do You Write To-Do Lists?

What is so great about writing out to-do lists? In times like these, it is so important to have some kind of plan to stay positive and give yourself a fighting chance to overcome stress and anxiety. Last week, I shared 25 Ways to Survive Stressful Times to help give you ideas on what to do while stuck at home. I have so many different ideas on how to spend my time since I had to shut down my massage therapy office. I miss working on my clients and the feeling of satisfaction when I can provide one hour of stress and pain relief for them.

When I am not working on my blog or coaching business, I like to still keep myself busy and work on my personal growth. One of my passions is to learn new things and find exciting hobbies to keep me busy. For example, I create to-do lists to keep my mind organized so I can remember everything I want to do.

Each day brings new challenges whether it’s helping the kids with their homework, cleaning up after their messes, finding ways to keep them busy, and getting used to the new “normal” of this extra time together.

As an introvert, I need more alone time than the average person to recharge and be able to cope with the stressors of each day. So, every day I try to focus on how I can be a better “bonus” mom and partner so that we can all live in harmony. Some days it is truly exhausting! However, I try to remember the positive and that we are all healthy and blessed with a nice home to live in and have love in our hearts and wonderful friends and family.

Insights on my Daily To-Do List

Each day I wake up and read devotionals from my 2 favorite books that my mom gave me, Jesus Calling and Joyce Meyer’s Starting Your Day Right. Doing this gives me the strength to face the new day with the armor of God. It helps me set the mood of the day and helps lower the anxiety that is always simmering. I am not a morning person at all so I need some extra time before I leave the bedroom to get my head right before interacting with anyone else.

Once I feel ok to start my day, I usually eat breakfast within an hour of waking up. I have been trying to stick to a regular schedule of eating so I don’t go off track and binge. Additionally, I always try to work out in the morning to get it over with. Structure works well for me!

After my morning routine, I check my e-mails and then scroll through my business social media accounts. I have been trying to spread caring and hopeful messages each day on my social media. Then I check my website for any new comments on my posts so I can interact with the people who follow me.

Being a business owner, you really always have to stay connected a large part of the day to stay in touch with clients and followers. I don’t mind doing this because I love connecting with old and new friends!

How I Stay Motivated

Making time to work out and cook healthy meals is also an important part of my day. I try to get work projects done before dinner and then have the rest of the night to spend time with family and unwind.

In the last few weeks of being home, I have had extra time to sort out what needs to be worked on and any other projects that have been held up in the wings. It is important for me to feel somewhat productive each day and I like to be able to check stuff off my list! Here’s some stuff that I do to keep my mind busy and feel productive to ward off anxious thoughts from creeping in.

My Business To-Do List

Develop new online group and DIY coaching programs
Learn about Google Analytics to grow my e-mail list
Take a class on SEO for my website
Update my old blog posts and optimize for SEO
Research new topics for my blog and conduct interviews with health professionals
Update my business books and expenses
Finish my taxes
Stay in touch with my massage therapy clients during the shutdown
Clean up my business social media accounts
Create a media kit for my blogging business on Canva
Use PicMonkey to create photos for my blog
Take a Pinterest class on how to build my following
Clean up my shared drive folders and organize my files
Take the 10K Traffic Challenge course to grow my blog following
Update my website content and try out new themes

My Personal To-Do List

Clean the house over and over again!
Organize the kitchen cabinets
Shop for healthy food and some treats too!
Bring food over to the food pantry
Clean out my car
Find a new personal growth class to take
Read more books. I am currently reading a very inspirational book Tim Tebow’s- This is the Day
Keep up with laundry
Sort through vacation photos and do something with them!
Take off pictures from my phone and upload to the computer
Make a new recipe every few days
Keep posting positive messages daily on social media accounts
Help kids with homework
Stay active every single day and sweat out any toxins
Go outside every day for fresh air
Watch some new Netflix shows – excited for the new season of Ozark!
Watch Mass on Facebook live every Sunday morning
Listen to one guided meditation daily
Play more board games with the kids
Learn about gardening and photography
Check-in with family and friends. My college friends have been doing a Zoom “happy hour” every week and it is so nice to see their faces and vent!
Last but not least- spend quality time with my family and always eat at least dinner together so we can chat. Relationships will surely be tested during this forced time together but praying that it will bring us all closer and stronger!

Write Out Your Goals

Have you been putting something off until a later time to work on?

Now is a great time to start working on your goals. Why not use this time and make progress on becoming a better version of yourself. You may not be a fan of writing to-do lists and that is ok! I am just sharing what helps me. What may help is looking at each of those 5 Aspects of Whole Health that I have shared in older posts– Physical, Emotional, Nutritional, Environmental, and Spiritual™©.

Take a look at how you can improve your life from that perspective and I promise you will come up with lots to keep you busy. What are some things you have been doing at home that have helped you pass the time? Work on your to-do list today! Whatever it is, I hope you are all staying safe and healthy. This too will pass 🙂

xoxo

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.

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25 Ways to Survive Stressful Times

By Jill Ciampi

On March 19, 2020

In Anxiety & Depression, Chronic Pain, Emotional Health, Environmental Health, Getting Organized, Lifestyle Blog, Nutritional Health, Physical Health, Spiritual Health, Stress Management

During really stressful times, our brains sometimes cannot recall what is best to do for ourselves or our families. Being overwhelmed is a symptom of not having the ability to manage stress. Hey- I have been there thousands of times! Some of us with anxiety are just naturally more prone to feeling overwhelmed easily. It’s ok. There is nothing wrong with you for feeling that.

We are living in a world right now that is extremely stressful and uncertain at times. Did you know that anxiety is caused by worry and fear of the future and affects how we feel about our security and safety? Whether you are anxious or not, here are some ways to get your mind off the worries and fears of whatever is going on in your world.

25 Ways to Survive Stressful Times

Stay on track with your routine for yourself and your kids.

Move every day. Take a walk, run, or watch an exercise video online. Some of my favorites are Jessica Smith, Leslie Sansone, PopSugar, and Fitness Blender. I like a good mix of walking, strength, and interval training workouts.

Pray or meditate and read something positive daily. I like the apps Calm and Breethe and I just recently found a Christian app called Abide.

Take a break from electronics. Too much screen time can cause more anxiety. Stop watching the stressful news all day!

Watch a funny show or video. Youtube has a ton of them! Seinfeld and Friends reruns make me happy!

Schedule in some alone time even if it’s only 15 minutes. Find somewhere in the house, even the bathroom, to be alone!

Go outside, explore nature, and get some fresh air. Soak up the sunshine for some extra Vitamin D.

Start a bucket list of places you want to eventually travel to and then go on Pinterest and pin them for future review.

Update your personal and professional goals. It will help you remember your purpose and stay organized.

Get your kids involved in self-care routines like creative play and healthy movement. For example, do a guided meditation with them.

Ten More to Go!

Clean your house one room at a time! Organizing and cleaning are my 2 top ways to fight anxiety.

Get rid of unnecessary clutter and old clothes you don’t wear anymore and donate to a charity.

Play with your pets. We have a dog and he brings so much joy and stress relief to me daily! They need love and exercise too!

Organize your closets. Put your winter clothes away and get out some spring clothes.

Movie night. Netflix and Amazon Prime have great choices for all ages.

Play board games or cards. My new favorites in our house are 20 Questions and Blank Slate.

Do some yard work. Gardening or an outdoor project at your house will keep you busy and outside in the fresh air!

Watch virtual tours online like Virtual Traveler, or visit museums all over the world. My favorite is watching the aquarium webcams!

Sing karaoke! The Echo Show has the option to display the lyrics. I can’t believe how many words to songs I get wrong!

Last But Not Least

Read the latest novel. Check out Amazon’s list of best sellers. I like reading on my Kindle usually but still enjoy actually picking up a real book

Expand your knowledge and take online classes. Udemy has some great options! There are some great apps too for learning a new language like Babbel.

Set up a virtual hangout for friends or family with Zoom or Google Hangouts, or House Party from the comfort of your home! I also like the app, Marco Polo, which allows you to send quick videos to your contacts individually or a group.

Meal preparation. Now that we have more time at home, I am trying to plan and cook more especially to avoid last-minute bad choices! For new recipe ideas, scroll through Pinterest, and watch cooking videos on Tasty or YouTube.

Talk to a professional like a therapist or coach who can offer some extra help on how to manage stress better. Most of them offer telephone or online chats.

Have a Plan

The best way to overcome those stressful days is to acknowledge what you are feeling and then have a self-care plan in place to refer to when needed. You know the quote “have a plan or plan to fail.” I find that having a printed out list works for me and then I can choose what I feel up to doing at that specific time.

Above all, please take care of yourself first so you can be there for your family. I chose to have faith that eventually things will get better. Stay healthy and positive. My prayers and thoughts are with you. Please share what stress management tools work for you!

xoxo

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.

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Essential Oils Guide for Stress Relief

By Jill Ciampi

On March 2, 2020

In Anxiety & Depression, Chronic Pain, Emotional Health, Environmental Health, Lifestyle Blog, Physical Health, Stress Management

Have you heard about the health benefits of essential oils?

There are so many natural ways to lower stress levels and deal with anxiety. Many of my posts are related to self-care and how to overcome stress and anxiety. One of the first posts I wrote was about Five Ways to Fight Anxiety & Depression. There is a light at the end of the tunnel!

I am always looking for new tools to add to my self-care practices. For instance, there is so much information about using essential oils for health reasons. I reached out to a fellow Blogger, Noelle Collins, to chat about her knowledge and experience with essential oils.

Noelle has been using essential oils for about 5 years and explains how they have helped her and her family improve their health and combat anxiety. In addition, she is a Nurse who was introduced to essential oils by a friend and has been hooked ever since.

History of Essential Oils

Essential Oils have been in use for thousands of years. They are a hydrophobic liquid containing chemical compounds derived from specific plants. Evidence of essential oil use can be found in recipes recorded on the walls in Egyptian hieroglyphics and also in ancient Chinese manuscripts. Well-preserved oils were even found in King Tut’s tomb!

– Reference Guide for Essential Oils by Connie and Alan Higley

Benefits of Essential Oils

Antioxidants are powerful nutrients that are known to strengthen the immune system, slow down aging, and prevent diseases.
Aromatic and have the ability to purify the air when diffused.
Promote emotional, physical, and spiritual healing.
They are small in molecular size, so they can quickly penetrate the skin.

Negative Effects of Essential Oils

Be mindful if you are ingesting essential oils because they may affect people who have sensitive stomachs.
Be careful when applying directly to skin and test in a small area first. Use a carrier oil like coconut or olive oil when applying to the skin just in case of sensitivity.
Some may experience detox symptoms from using certain oils.
Be aware of using cheap brands that are not high quality and not made from trusted sources.
Never ingest any essential oil, unless it’s marked on the bottle that it’s safe to do so.

What Essential Oils May Help

Stress Management
Digestive issues
Mental Clarity & Focus
Muscular Tension
Sinus issues
Sleep

How to Use Essential Oils

Topically- apply at the bottom of your feet, inside your wrists, neck, stomach, or sternum. Always dilute, especially for children (1-3 drops of essential oil to 1 Tbsp carrier oil, such as coconut or sesame). Mix in with your favorite lotion. Placing a few drops in the bath helps to unwind and gives it a nice aroma.

Aromatically– using a diffuser or just by inhaling and taking a deep breath in.

Internally – Make sure it says GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe). Never use an oil internally that does not have this designation.

* Noelle’s Tip- Put a few drops of essential oil on a cotton ball or wooden clothespin for a quick refreshing scent in your car

For more tips on the use of Essential Oils from a trusted company click here.

Recommendations

Know the source and research where the oils come from.
Educate yourself and learn the different ways that oils can and should be used.
Make sure your pets can leave the room if needed when diffusing.

The cost varies greatly depending on the specific oil and brand. Generally speaking, the brands you will find at most health-food or general merchandise stores are not pure and contain fillers that will not be as effective and the worst case can make you sick by introducing additional concentrated toxins to your system.

Noelle’s family prefers to use the Young Living brand as they are more transparent about their sources and processes. This brand maintains complete control over the production process to ensure the purity and quality of their products. Young Living uses the Seed to Seal process, and therefore they know where their plants come from and how they are raised and are not exposed to pesticides.

5 Picks for Anxiety

1. Lavender

2. Peace and Calming Blend of Ylang Ylang, Orange, Tangerine, Patchouli, and Blue Tansy

3. Stress Away Blend of Lime, Lavender, and vanilla extract.

4. Orange

5. Cedarwood

Research Links

Click here to see a study on lavender and effects on sleep

Which essential oils can relieve anxiety?

Efficacy and safety of lavender essential oil (Silexan) capsules among patients suffering from anxiety disorders

Visit Noelle Collins at Living and Loving our Best Life (https://livingandlovingourbestlife.com/) and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/livingandlovingourbestlife/. Her email is ourbestlifenc@gmail.com and her Young Living link is http://bit.ly/NoelleYoungLiving. Check out her Blog post about Essential Oils here!

Make sure you know the source of the oils you use. Call the company and ask questions.

What steps do they take to maintain quality control?

Do they participate in third party independent testing to ensure their quality?

Essential oils are not FDA regulated but neither is any other natural supplement on the market so just do your due diligence when researching before using anything.

As always, check with your medical doctor before adding anything to your self-care plan especially if you suffer from mental health or other physical conditions. Tell me about your experiences using essential oils!

xoxo

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.

Subscribe to my Lifestyle Blog!

The Massage & Bodywork Bucket List

By Jill Ciampi

On February 12, 2020

In Anxiety & Depression, Chronic Pain, Emotional Health, Environmental Health, Lifestyle Blog, Physical Health, Spiritual Health, Stress Management

What has been your experience with receiving massages and bodywork? Do you know there are several different types? I never knew the amazing benefits of massage therapy until I actually received it for myself and back then still didn’t know much about the industry. I always assumed that massages were just offered at a spa for relaxation and a special luxury treat when you had some extra money. Well, I was wrong! It wasn’t really my fault. I was never educated about the benefits of bodywork and how many different types of care out there.

Indications of Massage Therapy

There are endless reasons one would go for a massage. Besides just having some quiet time to yourself to unwind and control stress, below is a list of some good reasons to schedule regular massages. Click here to see a more detailed list. I recommend going once per month for wellness visits and more often if you have any chronic pain or injuries.

Chronic Neck, Shoulder and Back Pain
Migraines, Tension, and Sinus Headaches
Central Nervous System Disorders
Orthopedic Problems
Chronic Fatigue
Anxiety and Depression
Stress and Tension-Related Problems
Fibromyalgia
Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

4 Types of Massages to Consider

Swedish Massage utilizes gentle pressure to ease muscle tension, increase circulation and relieve stress on the nervous system. The benefits of this type of bodywork include relief from aches and pains, decreased stress levels, enhanced mental clarity, and greater flexibility. Classic smooth, gliding techniques are used to induce a state of complete relaxation. Choose a Swedish massage if you need to calm down and like a soft and relaxing touch.

Sports Massage is a type of massage designed for highly active people. It enhances athletic performance by helping to prevent injury, reduce pain and swelling in the body, increase flexibility, and dramatically improve recovery rates. Choose a Sports Massage if you are very active in the gym or with a sport, need relief from sore muscles and want to feel more flexible.

Orthopedic Massage is a style of massage therapy focused on treating painful conditions that affect the soft tissues of the body. It involves releasing tense muscles, helping to stretch and lengthen tight muscles and tendons, and decompress rigid joints. Choose an Orthopedic Massage if you suffer from a chronic or acute musculoskeletal condition and need pain relief.

Deep Tissue Massage is a form of bodywork that aims to relieve tension in the deeper layers of tissue in the body. It is a highly effective method for releasing chronic stress areas due to misalignment, repetitive motions, and past lingering injuries. Deep tissue massage works by physically breaking down adhesions to relieve pain and restore normal movement. Choose a Deep Tissue Massage if you have chronically tense areas such as stiff necks, low back tightness, sore shoulders and if you can handle a firmer touch.

2 Must Try Types of Bodywork

Myofascial Therapy is a form of soft tissue therapy intended to eliminate pain, increase range of motion, and rebalance the entire body. This highly specialized stretching technique provides sustained pressure into connective tissue restrictions to eliminate pain and restore motion. Fascia is elastic connective tissue very densely woven, covering and interpenetrating every muscle, bone, nerve, artery and vein, as well as, all of our internal organs including the heart, lungs, liver, brain and spinal cord.

CranioSacral Therapy is a gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the functioning of a physiological body system called the craniosacral system- comprised of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. By complementing the body’s natural healing processes, CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease and is effective for a wide range of medical problems.

Add To Your Bucket List

There are so many other types of massage and bodywork to explore!

Hot Stone, Aromatherapy, Reiki, Reflexology, Trigger Point, Prenatal, Acupressure, Lomi Lomi, Neuromuscular, Chair Massage, Thai, Shiatsu, and several more!

Massage Therapy for Self Care

Adding massage therapy and bodywork to your wellness plan will help you cope with the stresses of life as well as help your body stay active, improve mobility, relieve acute and chronic pain and reduce stress on the body. At one time or another, we all feel muscular tension and stiffness in our muscles and joints. This type of bodywork will help to restore normal movement, prevent injuries and give you a sense of balance in your mind and body. I wish that I discovered massage sooner in my life because it has been a lifesaver for me to deal with Anxiety and several injuries I have had in the past. Most of all I need it every 3 to 4 weeks for pain reduction, mobility and anxiety relief.

Don’t let yourself think it is just for a special occasion or to treat yourself once per year. There is plenty of scientific evidence to prove massage works extremely well for pain and stress management so think about adding it to your wellness plan. It is worth saving up for so value yourself and your health! You would be surprised if you cut out other non-essential expenses you can afford the things you value most.

When you set your health goals, be sure to make your regular massage sessions part of your plan. This is a form of health maintenance that can pay you big benefits in the way you feel and can contribute to improved body function in the future.

Find the Best Therapists

If you need any help finding a qualified practitioner, I suggest looking at the American Massage Therapy Association website to find someone in your area. Just as a gentle reminder…please don’t call us masseuses because it has a negative connotation and that term is associated with massage parlors that are less than desirable. We like to be called Massage Therapists because the majority of us are well educated and licensed (in most states) and we take our profession very seriously. For more information on the benefits of massage therapy and research click here. Tell me about your experience and what your favorite type of massage is!

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.