Category: Strategies

  • How do you respond to pain-ignorance?

    How do you respond to pain-ignorance?

    Living with chronic pain is painful… der… but I don’t mean just the pain-pain, I mean all the other stuff that goes with it. One of those “things” is the way that other people respond to your situation; the way they do (or don’t) accommodate our special needs, and the…

  • ‘Everyday’ trauma and your pain brain

    ‘Everyday’ trauma and your pain brain

    The other day I was waiting to pick up my daughter from a nighttime school event. It was running late, and I was getting a bit huffy and puffy about having to sit around and wait. It wasn’t that I had to be anywhere else, more that I just didn’t…

  • “Good doggy”

    “Good doggy”

    Ok, so today’s post is a bit odd… but stick with me! I was watching a documentary about the neuroscience of dogs (as you do) and there were so many things that felt relevant to my healing journey… again… stick with me. As the mother of two fur-babies, there were…

  • Compassionate communication

    Compassionate communication

    As the mother of two teenage daughters, I feel like I am perpetually putting my foot in my mouth and messing things up. I love my children without measure and would never mean to hurt them… and yet… even I can say things that are less than all-loving. My eldest…

  • Guest post: “Thirty Years with Migraine” by Celine

    Guest post: “Thirty Years with Migraine” by Celine

    Today’s post is written by someone other than me – Celine, founder of Seesaw Health, outlines her experience of living with migraine, how better breathing helped her heal, AND how she then used that learning to set up a business aimed at reducing people’s chronic pain. It’s a very inspirational…

  • Do ear seeds help migraines?

    Do ear seeds help migraines?

    A little while ago I posted notes from an interview I heard with Dr Berk about migraine facts and fiction (here). During the interview, I heard mention of something completely new (to me): “ear seeds”. When I heard the phrase, my mind did a whole “WTF” backflip… I mean, what…

  • The narrow road of healing

    The narrow road of healing

    Many, many years ago I read “The Narrow Road to the Deep North”* (c. 1702) by the Japanese poet Basho. The way I remember it, it was a travel diary written in Haiku. It covered every part of his journey cross-country, from sore feet to squeaky bed frames, to the…

  • Migraine Fact or Fiction?

    Migraine Fact or Fiction?

    Earlier this year, the Migraine World Summit was held for 2025.  This year there were again, several presentations from a variety of people, mostly doctors and researchers, updating the audience on the latest in migraine understanding.  I confess this year was a little disappointing given so much of the material…

  • Forest bathing and treasure hunting

    Forest bathing and treasure hunting

    There is a lot of talk about “forest bathing” online at the moment.  It refers to the notion that you ‘immerse’ yourself in nature, you ‘soak it up’ and benefit from nature’s relaxing, healing powers.  It’s a wonderful idea – I love it and fully endorse it.  But I also…