Mental Health, CHronic Pain AND INVISIBLE disabilities
There is no health without mental health
A study showed 3 of every 4 people who presented to their GP with pain later went on to be diagnosed with depression. 1 in 4 Australians will have an episode of poor mental health every calendar year. The overlap between mental illness and physical symptoms can be overwhelming, but I really enjoy teasing out the finer details of multiple overlapping conditions to come up with real solutions.
Brain health through body health is something I am constantly fascinated by.
Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, Bipolar, Schizophrenia, Borderline, etc...
I have been a patient, clinician and a carer. I understand what it is like to be in your shoes. I live with a number of invisible disabilities, so I have road-tested many of the strategies I recommend. I have been in a psychiatric hospital as an employee and as a patient - there is no symptom, experince or thought too scary.
I get to spend more time with you more regularly, than say your GP. This means I've upskilled in MH triage and safety planning for those days when you're not feeling like yourself.
Neurodivergence - ASD, ADHD
If you can't remember verbal instructions, don't worry! Everything is written down and there are videos to follow along with. It's all digital so you can't lose your piece of paper.
If you're not sure where your sensory sensitivities end and your chronic pain hypervigilance starts - I see you.
Increasing movement and completing regular physical exercise can help to improve symptom burden in addition to regular care.
Neurodivergence shouldn't be a barrier to quality of life.
ME/CFS, MCAS, POTS, EDS, Long COVID, Fibromyalgia
If you don't know these acronyms, congratulations! If you do, I have you sorted. It's a common misbelief that exercise can't help these conditions, but I often find that the wrong type of exercise is prescribed, or prescribed too aggressively. That is, too much too soon after too little for too long.
There are some patients under each diagnostic umbrella whose "post-exertional malaise" should be pushed through, and others whose fatigue definitely shouldn't. The hard part is figuring out which camp you fit in (asterisk - it changes over time!)
Being guided by the evidence is good, but tailoring it to the individual is crucial to avoid over-doing it.
Mitochondrial Disorders
I have learnt so much about mitochondrial disorders from my clients, their supports and the Mito Foundation. There are more than 350 of these rare genetic disorders identified, but the research beyond diagnosis is very limited.
Exercise prescription is key to living well. Fatigue and poor mental health are often defining features of the lived experience, and myopathy can often significantly complicate 'regular' recommendations for exercise.
Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, PCOS and Pelvic Pain
Did you know that the nerve roots that supply the uterus also supply the low back? There is also a network of nerves between some the hip and pelvic muscles and the pelvic organs, before continuing down into the leg. One angry nerve or organ in there means all it's neighbours are cranky by default - awful.
It's part of why monthly low back and pelvic pain, that refers down the legs and makes hip movement difficult, is a common experience.
Not all chronic pelvic pain is purely musculoskeletal, but it can seriously disrupt lives. Menstruating people aren't always aware of the connectedness of their reproductive hormones, distant chronic pain and fluctuation in physical and mental abilities. Finding movement whilst avoiding a flare can be difficult.
Queer Health
LGBTQIA+ People Deserve Equity of Access
Creating a culturally safe environment for all queer, intersex, trasngender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people is something I care deeply about. We are all often lumped together under a Queer or Gay banner, but each group of us have our own healthcare needs, stigma and struggles. This is further 'complicated' by daring to exist as our intersectional and individual selves, with unique gender expression, identity, history and wisdom that we bring to the table.
Queer people are more likely to have poorer physical and mental health
Statistically, queer people have more physical and mental health conditions. There is a chronic, low-grade inflammation caused by the trauma of oppression called 'minority stress', and it's directly connected to things like:
- 3 out of 4 LGBTIQ+ people have experienced a mental illness in their lifetime, compared to 2 in 5 people of the general population
- 39% of LGBTA+ people surveyed reported a disability, compared to 18% of all Australians
Not to mention the societal structure that throws barriers up to looking after ourselves
- LGBTQ+ student community members were 17% less heart-lung and 42% less muscle-building exercise than cis/het/endo peers, but experienced greater pressure to 'look a certain way' in public fitness spaces from within the community, and homophobia and transphobia from outside the community
- LGBTQIA+ people may feel uniquely vulnerable at the physio clinic, a professional centred around the undressing and examination of the physical body. Physiotherapy is a nurturing profession of majority women, but private practice, especially sports physiotherapy, is predominated by middle-aged, white, cis/het/endo men. LGBTQIA+ people may not feel comfortable with the clinicians at their local suburban clinic
Gender expression comes first
Truly gender-affirming healthcare means I would never recommend that you stop binding, but provide information on how to do it safely. I would show you the basics of body-building if you lean masc. I always explain why I'd like you to remove a piece of clothing before asking for consent, and am happy to take no as an answer. If you roll an ankle voguing in pumps for the first time, pumps will be part of your rehab.
You are safe with me - whatever your gender, or lackthereof.
Haywire hormones
Hormonal changes, whether illness, age or medication related, are an adjustment. Some people need a little guidance on the body changes that go with it, regardless of gender.
Androgens (sex hormones) have influence on tissues outside the reproductive organs, and can influence muscle, tendon and ligaments. Changes in the internal balance of hormones may contribute to a change in pain perception, comfortable body movement, and healing from injury or illness.
Workplace training
I often spend time with my rehab colleagues up-skilling them on the lived reality of living as a queer, trans or gender-diverse person. I have a 1 hour professional development presentation that I take on tour upon request.
As a bi+ cis-woman, I have a unique insight into our community and I bring this to my workplace. The responsibility of my relative privilege is to use that platform to create change for others. I ensure that my colleagues are as up-to-date as possible, and the best allies they can be.
Sport and Exercise
Strength Sports
My favourite sports are strength sports: Powerlifting, Olympic lifting, Body Building and Strongman/Strongwoman.
I am also a passionate spectator of women's football, and enjoy women's rugby 15s and 7s.
Strength & Conditioning
One of my favourite things to craft for a client is a gym program that will enhance their performance and make them happy. I enjoy bringing the programming principles of "high-performance sport" to meet you where you are, even if that's housebound, and craft a pathway from there. It's always refreshing to assist someone to discover a new stronger self.
Powerlifting
I have competed in an amateur comp, and it's something I am keen to do again in the coming years. I don't know if I will ever compete sanctioned but never say never!
Physical Activity vs Exercise
Intent is everything. You can be very active but not get enough exercise, or you can exercise a lot and still be sedentary. Each affect your body and mind in different ways, and can be used for different goals.
If you don't "like exercise" that's fine by me. There is no one right way to do it.
No mandatory gym membership, no turning the spare room into a gym, no spending lots of money. You'd be surprised how much you can do at home, in a park or walking around the neighbourhood.