About

At the age of twelve I started to experience chronic pain. I had injury after injury which did not heal, or so I believed at the time. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 2012, and was told that this was an incurable condition by multiple doctors. I also had food intolerances, ear pain and bladder pain among other symptoms with no medical explanations. I carried on my life as best as I could, luckily still able to work but unable to do sports that I enjoyed and living with limitations due to the pain and other symptoms.

In 2020 I got Long Covid, which after a year and a half I was also diagnosed as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). I had been working in the National Health Service in the UK, helping people with their mental health for the previous six years. In 2021 I could no longer continue working, the fatigue had become severe and I was unable to leave the house. I had to move to Dublin so that my parents could care for me. I spent a year in my bedroom, too unwell to speak to friends on the phone, read for more than a few minutes or go down stairs.

I tried so many different treatments, including medication, supplements, online programmes, devices, meditation, breathing exercises, therapy and different diets. In 2022 my condition had improved; I could go for twenty minute walk but my life was still mostly housebound and very limited.

In late 2022, I read Dr. John Sarno’s book ‘The Mindbody Prescription’. Whilst I was previously aware that emotions can impact health, I had not come across Dr. Sarno’s main idea which was that repressed emotions, which you can be completely unaware of, can cause chronic physical symptoms.

I learned how to become better aware of emotions and began reframing my thinking about the nature of my symptoms. I read books on the Internal Family Systems Therapy approach, which helped me develop a way to become aware of these emotions, acknowledge them and process them in a healthier way. My symptoms reduced and I began living a fuller, more balanced life again.

Not only did this mind body approach help me overcome Long Covid/CFS, it also helped me learn how to manage pain which had affected me for years. I started running again after not running for over ten years due to foot and ankle pain. I never imagined that I would be able to live this fully again, I am so grateful. My experience inspired me to help others in similar situations.