The Pain Coach

Nature.

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Pain in the Person ~ a short film: https://youtu.be/zidJbZHEGzM

What is Pain Coaching? https://richmondstace.com/what-is-pain-coaching-for-chronic-pain/

My daily deliveries to understand and overcome persistent and chronic pain: https://richmondstace.substack.com/about

…It is the pursuit of the worst in ourselves, the part that tells us nothing we do will ever be good enough….

~ Julia Cameron

Many people I work with are perfectionist.

It creates huge pressure. Stress. Strain.

Biologically inflammatory.

Shaping experiences, including pain.

It must be seen for what it is.

Conditioned thinking.

And can be let go of.

That’s a skill.

We work on to ease the pressure. Ease the suffering.

Skills Sessions.

One of Pain Coaching’s main focuses is helping the person suffering chronic pain learn and develop skills and strategies to follow their path.

Towards their picture of success.

To meet their needs.

It always starts there.

Rather than telling people what they need or need to do.

Start where the person is, focus on what matters to them, then select and share the possible ways forward.

The practicalities and the know how.

How to put it into action in their world in the best way.

Coaching the person to coach themselves.

Pain Coaching is personal to the person in their lived world.

The Skills Sessions for paid subscribers (far less than a coffee a week!), based on my book and the ever-evolving ways of Pain Coaching, they offer the deeper dive into skills and know-how.

Check it out here: https://richmondstace.substack.com/p/skills-sessions-week-7-theme-self

A few more bits:

What is Pain Coaching? https://richmondstace.com/what-is-pain-coaching-for-chronic-pain/

About Richmond: https://richmondstace.com/about/

Richmond’s daily deliveries to understand pain: https://richmondstace.substack.com/about

Richmond’s book: https://amzn.eu/d/hJm0hdG

Pain in the Person ~ a short film: https://youtu.be/zidJbZHEGzM

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Words can soothe pain.

Today’s read: https://richmondstace.substack.com/p/words-can-soothe-pain

Don’t forget to sign up for free daily deliveries or as a paid subscriber for Skills Sessions — deeper dives into the practical ways to overcome chronic pain.

That’s why cultivating awareness and presence are non-negotiables for overcoming chronic pain.

To transform suffering and pain, you have to turn towards them in a non-judgmental way, be aware if what is and allow the transformation to occur.

It is very natural.

A skill you learn and practice.

It can seem like the opposite of what you want to do, which is resist and fight.

Both of these increase and prolong suffering.

There is a way forward. There is hope.

Chronic pain can and does change.

It’s a part of learning.

You keep going.

Often there is a need to sharpen your skills, or add something new.

What got you here won’t get you there.

In Pain Coaching we explore this and look at what you need to keep moving forward.

To get results.

Follow one breath all the way in and all the way out.

You are present.

To transform pain and suffering, which have great energy, you must be here now.

Awareness through presence is the doorway.

Resistance keeps the door shut.

Openness and acceptance open the door.

Acceptance does not mean giving in. It means you are able to say, yes, this is what is actually happening for me right now.

Then you can choose your next best step towards your picture of success.

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Water.

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“You never really understand another person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it”

~ Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird.

The spirit of Pain Coaching for chronic pain.

See my bio link for more on Pain Coaching.

Today’s post.

Read here and sign up for free daily deliveries to understand and overcome chronic pain.

Tips, tools and insights.

https://open.substack.com/pub/richmondstace/p/what-do-you-believe-is-the-reason?r=2zgo3r&utm_medium=ios

Resistance is natural.

You have a belief.

Perhaps tightly held.

Then some new information becomes available.

You don’t feel resistance on purpose.

It just happens.

In one way, it asks you to check your sources.

What is the evidence for your existing beliefs?

Is that an accurate view?

Is it helpful?

Is it delivering the results you want?

Being able to update beliefs is an important part of being healthy.

The landscape is always changing. We need to update our maps.

Otherwise we get lost.

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Journey.

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I have never agreed with the idea, and it is just an idea and not fact, that pain just needs to be managed or coped with or lived with.

Why?

Because things are always changing.

Because we have powerful healing mechanisms to harness.

Because we grow.

How things are now is not how they will be. That’s impossible.

Instead you can choose your picture of success and take steps towards it each day.

You make your life better by reconnecting with what matters.

Pain Coaching works with you so you learn the know-how.

Then you build your confidence and independence.

Making decisions about what you are going to do and how you are going to do it.

Aligned with what we know about pain, human behaviour and ability.

There is always a way forward.

Many ways to make life better, no matter your start point.

There is great hope.

For you.

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See my bio link for daily deliveries to your inbox — insights, tips and tools to understand and overcome chronic pain.

There are no mistakes when you are following your path—your path to overcoming pain.

Some believe the flare up is when things have gone wrong.

What if a flare up is part of getting it right? An inevitable experience on the path.

Just as hitting a bum note is part of learning the music.

Every step is a learning opportunity.

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Pain Coaching is your guide.

See my bio link for resources and more.

Muscle matters: the effects of medically induced weight loss on skeletal muscle

Carla M Prado et al. (2024)

“The importance of skeletal muscle mass is increasingly being recognised in the medical field.1 The crucial roles of skeletal muscle have come to the forefront of public attention due to data on the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists, which are effective for weight loss, but can cause substantial muscle loss. Studies suggest muscle loss with these medications (as indicated by decreases in fat-free mass [FFM]) ranges from 25% to 39% of the total weight lost over 36–72 weeks.2 This substantial muscle loss can be largely attributed to the magnitude of weight loss, rather than by an independent effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists, although this hypothesis must be tested. By comparison, non-pharmacological caloric restriction studies with smaller magnitudes of weight loss result in 10–30% FFM losses.3 In context, on an annual basis, the decline in muscle mass with GLP-1 receptor agonists is several times greater than what would be expected from age-related muscle loss (0·8% per year based on 8% muscle loss per decade from ages 40–70 years). Dismissing the importance of muscle loss can create a disconnect between patients’ increased awareness of muscle and the role it plays in health, and clinicians who downplay these concerns, affecting adherence to and the development of optimised treatment plans.”

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Moving away from the limiting and incorrect view of fixing pain or fixing the person, to a learning process, one of growth and evolving.

Then you’ll see the opportunities.

They come with great hope.

Pain is never the same.

It can get better.

Mine.

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Study conclusion:

“Very low to low certainty evidence suggests that discectomy was superior to non-surgical treatment or epidural steroid injections in reducing leg pain and disability in people with sciatica with a surgical indication, but the benefits declined over time. Discectomy might be an option for people with sciatica who feel that the rapid relief offered by discectomy outweighs the risks and costs associated with surgery.”

** Surgical versus non-surgical treatment for sciatica: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
BMJ 2023; 381 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2022-070730 (Published 19 April 2023) **

You have choices.

Whichever route you decide (it is your decision unless there is a definite medical need), the primary way of getting better is in your day to day living.

This is the bulk of your time.

Skills and strategies to work towards your pictures of success.

That’s Pain Coaching.

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Blue space.

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When you understand this, you know your role.

You give up looking for someone to fix you — because you don’t need fixing.

Then you are on your path to shaping a positive future.

Often with guidance until you know your way.

This you can do, whatever your starting point.

There is great hope.

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See my bio link for more on Pain Coaching.

Signed up yet?

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Paid subscription if you want a deeper dive with the Skills Sessions.

See my bio link.

Seals.

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