What Does It Mean to Choose Surgery?

I recently came across a post from someone with scoliosis that said she “rejected spinal surgery and became a yoga teacher instead.” I don’t know her specific situation—especially the degree of her curve(s) but the idea that this is a choice that people with scoliosis can make feels dangerous to me. I know that many …

Good Pain Vs. Bad Pain

I think most people with chronic pain are familiar with this concept, but maybe you haven’t articulated it. When I started doing Pilates and experimenting with different types of bodywork, like acupuncture, chiropractic work, cupping, electrical stem, gua sha, etc., I started to really clarify this point for myself and my practitioners and trainers. Good …

Cupping: A luxury?

Today I got cupping done. It hurt and I knew it would make things better so it was really worth it. I saw a medical massage therapist who does cupping. This is a real thing in case you don’t know: if you need a massage or bodywork done and you have a chronic condition or …

“My” Anxiety

Do you use identity-first or disability-first language? This is a continual negotiation for people with disabilities or disabled people (depending on which language you use). Our diagnoses and conditions shape our identity and we shape how we relate to them with our language. One way we also do this is by being possessive of our …