Today’s U.S. presidential election is a top stressor for Americans. An American Psychiatric Association survey conducted last month found that nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults are anxious about the election results. With increased stress often comes increased pain, generally experienced...

In January 2022 I listened to the Wellcoaches’ continuing education (CE) class–“The Urgency of Sabbaticals” by DJ DiDonna, founder of the Sabbatical Project. I recall that before I took the class, I had recently talked with an excited client about his sabbatical and was...

What did I do wrong? 

This was the first question I asked myself when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Next, I soon asked, How could this happen to me? I have dedicated my personal and professional life to wellness. I am not supposed to get cancer!

Then came the self-doubt: My career has...

Please enjoy the beginning of Chapter 1 from my book, Winning the Injury Game, available on Amazon. Download the entire chapter.

Your body is wonderfully resilient. It wants to serve you and make possible all the sports and activities you love. However, I know this is hard to hear right now....

Is athletic toughness pushing through the pain and possibly compromising your body for future sports participation to compete in a race?

OR

Is athletic toughness having the integrity to listen to your body, make self-respecting choices and think beyond today’s game? 

Depending on when...

Ah, February. The month of love and hearts. Here in the US, we recently celebrated Valentine’s Day. On this day, we express our affections for others. Of course, this is a wonderful thing to do! But what about giving ourselves love and compassion?

Why does it matter? Well, research has...

“Pain is part of the body's defense system, producing a reflexive retraction from the painful stimulus, and tendencies to protect the affected body part while it heals, and avoid that harmful situation in the future.”

This is the evolutionary and behavioral role of pain as described...

Balloon Letting go is hard. In my experience, it is much more difficult to coach someone to postpone participation in an event than to continue ahead with strenuous training. I've also struggled with this personally. Consider this . . .

July 15, 2011 - It is the day before cross-country...

It's ski season, in some parts of the country anyway, which means Nordic ski racing for me. As I am about to embark on the biggest ski race of my career this weekend, the American Birkebeiner, it is good to remember to keep perspective. Please enjoy this piece I previously wrote on the topic.

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When was the last time you showed appreciation for your body and all it does to support and move you? If you are like many, you've had a ore negative tone during recent conversations with your physical structure. Perhaps you've heard yourself expressing resentment for your pain. Or, you've...

Do you ever feel like you're not enough? That you should be doing and giving more? I do!

Where does this come from? Why do we feel inadequate despite our achievements? Perhaps we have bought into the beliefs spread through our society in the self-sacrifice or self-esteem handbooks... 

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