Tell us about yourself and your chronic pain experience.

My journey with chronic pain started at the age of 16. At first, I didn’t think much of it, it mainly affected my hands and as an academically driven student in high school, I thought it was normal to have hand pain from writing all the time. But I remember the day vividly when I realized something was not normal. I was sitting in grade 11 biology class almost in tears, not being able to even hold a pen due to the pain and stiffness.

After a visit to my family doctor, abnormal markers in my blood, and a referral to a rheumatologist, I was quickly diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA).

My life completely changed from this moment. I have always been an active kid, growing up I was never one to sit still. Until the pain became chronic and movement became hard. It became a constant reminder of the pain. I thought I would never find the joy in movement again. It was hard to stay positive, as this chronic pain and illness continued to follow me throughout the years, I would constantly think to myself “Why me?”.

The second chapter of my chronic pain experience started at the age of 26. This time it hit me like a ton of bricks, forcing my life to take a drastic turn after that one vivid day at the gym where I was taken to the hospital on a stretcher. Oh how I had wished this devastating low back injury was one of those flukes that was only going to affect me for a few weeks. Oh how I had wished I was going to be back to lifting heavy in no time. Unfortunately my wishful thinking didn’t take me far.

After an MRI, I was diagnosed with spondylolisthesis/anterolisthesis. The Cleveland Clinic describes “spondylolisthesis as a condition involving spine instability, which means the vertebrae move more than they should. A vertebra slips out of place onto the vertebra below.” Anterolisthesis is the forward slipping of the vertebra.

Again my life completely changed from this moment. At the time, my life revolved around my athleticism, so this injury should have been the worst thing that ever happened to me. I remember people hearing about it saying “Oh that sucks” and for some reason, something inside me never resonated with the negative connotation around the situation.

It took a debilitating back injury at the age of 26 to finally understand “Why me?”. Thanks to adversity I am who I am today. Thanks to adversity I grew resilience, found empathy and ignited my passion. My passion for helping others affected by chronic pain and illness. I dedicate myself today as a Movement Educator and Bowen Therapist to fuel this passion and help others find the joy in movement again.

What treatments did you try? 

I feel like I have tried almost everything – for both RA and low back pain. I’ll share a list for each below.

Even with this exhaustive list of treatments, it is honestly hard to say what worked and what didn’t. I believe each treatment was exactly what I needed for myself at that moment along my journey. A lot of these treatments I personally would never try again but it’s not because it didn’t work.

I believe pain is more complex than simply finding that magic pill. The day I stopped expecting one modality to “fix me” and “get rid of my pain” was the day my pain actually started to change.

Here is a short list of treatments I have tried for RA:

– NSAIDs

– Steroids

– Narcotics

– Immunosuppressants

– Physical Therapy

– Naturopathic Medicine

– Supplements

– Diet and nutritional changes

– Counselling

– Hypnotherapy

– Cannabis

– Breath work

– Reiki

Here is a short list of treatments I have tried for Low Back Pain:

– Physical Therapy

– Osteopathy

– Chiropractic

– Bowen Therapy

– Massage

– Cannabis

– Muscle Relaxants

– Acupuncture

– Myo fascial release

– Stretching

– Lifting weights

– Pilates

– Yoga

What lifestyle changes have you had to make?

As I sit here pondering how to answer this question, I read “you had to make” and this pushes me towards answering with lifestyle changes I was forced into because of my experience with chronic pain. Maybe at another time I will have an opportunity to share the lifestyle changes I chose to make in spite of all this.

In the early days, I was in my late teens/early 20s, my lifestyle consisted of healthy eating, going to the gym, staying social, playing sports and excelling academically. Since the RA mainly affected the joints in my hands, I was forced to make changes to all areas of my life. We don’t realize how much we take our hands for granted until we don’t have the ability to use them.

The lifestyle changes I had to make were cyclical in the first 5 years. There were times I was unable to workout because I couldn’t use my hands to lift up even the lightest weights. Frequently, I didn’t have the energy to even hang out with friends or the capacity to be in a social setting. Plus, there were times I had to completely change how I functioned in school because I couldn’t even hold a pen.

As I stated above, the injury to my low back happened at a time when my life revolved around my athleticism. The lifestyle changes I felt forced into at the time were drastic & devastating. I was made to believe that I would never lift weights again, that I would never enjoy some of my favourite sports & activities again, and that I would have to live a cautious life forever.

It had been 14 years of living with chronic pain, forcing me into lifestyle changes “I had to make”, before I realized I had a choice. I could let pain leave centre stage, focus on getting back to what I love and live a lifestyle I choose to live. Too many people I know with chronic pain have similar stories, where they have felt forced to make certain lifestyle changes. I believe we all have the opportunity to thrive and not let chronic pain dictate our lives.

What are some negative experiences that you have had with medical professionals?

This question is kind of triggering to be honest, but I mean everyone hates the dentist right… lol.

I have had a number of experiences with medical professionals that have left far more than a bad taste in my mouth. I would go as far to say as I have been traumatized by these experiences.

When my first rheumatologist went on maternity leave I was sent to a new one, this was the first horrible experience. This doctor disregarded me or anything I had to say. He told me it was all in my head, that nothing was wrong with me and that should focus on something else. I remember the 2 hour ride home after this appointment felt like a century. My mom was furious and all I could do was freeze. As a 17 year old at the time, already struggling with mental illness, it was safe to say the gas lighting didn’t help.

I think the only saving grace when I was younger was that my mom would come to all of my appointments with me. Unfortunately, the second negative experience happened when I was 24 at an appointment all alone. I had grown so much over the years, I had done so much research and I was really looking forward to seeing this new rheumatologist. It took over 2 hours to even see the actual doctor, she spent a whole 10 minutes with me and had the audacity to laugh at me when I tried to ask any questions. I remember fighting back tears as her residences shuffled me out of the room to move onto the next patient.

What are some positive experiences that you have had with doctors?

As I sit here reflecting on my history with doctors I realize I have actually had more positive experiences than negative ones, unfortunately, the negative ones left deep wounds.

3 of the 5 rheumatologists I have seen over the years have been amazing. They would spend as much time with me as I needed and always took the time to listen.

I have been very lucky growing up, as my family doctor has been in my life since I was born. She has always been a shining light and she played a major role in helping me with both chapters of my chronic pain story.

What advice do you have for healthcare professionals when treating chronic pain patients?

The number one piece of advice I have for healthcare professionals when treating chronic pain patients is awfully simple: just listen.

When you come into an appointment with open ears, mix in some empathy, understanding and a desire to help – you have yourself the best magic potion for treating chronic pain. This allows a safe and nurturing environment for a natural conversation to flow and for your patient to tell you everything.

All treatments, no matter what you believe to be the best, need to be patient oriented. It’s all about how the individual perceives the situation, not about what your textbook or mentor says about it.

Other pieces of advice I would say is to always provide reassurance, co-create a reality with them and offer a plan for long term follow up.

 What advice do you have for others going through chronic pain?

I believe these 5 pieces of advice to be the most important for others who are going through chronic pain:

1) Educate Yourself – We can start to re-conceptualize how we think and feel about pain through education as a therapeutic intervention, it is possible that we can influence positive change via brain to body mechanisms.

2) Nervous System Regulation – The nervous system is a main player in persistent pain as it can become sensitized and it can take less to set off our pain as an alarm system. Incorporating relaxation techniques into your lifestyle can regulate this system and desensitize your alarm to pain or stress.

3) Mindset Shift – Deep seeded fear and unconscious beliefs can play a starring role in our chronic pain stories. When we take the time to reflect, unlearn and relearn, we can ultimately re-write our own stories. It starts with an awareness of how fear and beliefs interact into our experiences.

4) Active Self Management – Oftentimes we search for an expert or therapist to fix us and we neglect our own needs, thoughts and experiences. When you start to take an active role in your pain management you lean into empowerment and you realize you are able to truly make a difference along your journey.

5) A Reliable Support System – This is my favourite piece of advice because I believe who we surround ourselves with will either make the first 4 pieces easy or very difficult. A support system can include family, friends, co-workers, therapists, trainers and doctors. These are people who you can rely on during a flare up, you know they will always offer an open ear and are there when maybe all you need is a hug.

Tell us about Canopy Wellness.

My business partner, Mackenzie Zavitz, and I created Canopy Wellness based on our love for movement and our passion for helping others live healthier lives. Just over 2 years ago, we opened up shop in a small town in Ontario, Canada, where we focused on offering movement classes and a touch therapy called Bowen Therapy. Our focus started to shift towards chronic pain as we noticed many clients coming in with similar complaints. We decided not to settle for “good enough”, so we searched to better ourselves so we could better help our clients. After Mackenzie joined the B2R internship last year we learned the possibilities that education, movement, and an evidence-based approach to pain management could bring to our clients.

Today, we solely work with chronic pain clients virtually, either in private or group settings. Our newest offering is our 6-week ‘Move Out of Pain’ Intensive” with the goal of giving our clients the proper support to actively self-manage their low back pain through movement, education, and lifestyle guidance.

The Intensive follows the Move Well Method, which is a unique system to achieve freedom from low back pain to work hard & play hard. The Move Well Method is a mind-body approach to pain management, focusing on education to change your understanding, mindset & perception around pain.

We base our approach off of the 5 pieces of advice I mentioned above, specifically around offering a reliable support system. Our clients get 24/7 access to both Mackenzie and I, as well as our online community of other Empowered Movers who are committed & motivated to get out of pain.

Can you tell us about any success stories you have had with your clients?

Yes, I have had many success stories working with clients. I thought it would be better to share their words rather than change them into mine. So here is a testimonial from Sara:

“In July of 2021 I had my first real injury ever. Even after years of playing sports growing up and working out for years, I had never had an injury that took me out of being able to do things I wanted to do. I was experiencing low back pain (likely sciatica) and it was difficult to sit, stand, or walk. I had to stop riding my bike to work, which I love to do in the summer. I was struggling to focus at work because I was in pain. I couldn’t even relax at home since I had to swap between sitting and standing to remain comfortable. I reached out to Loren and she gave me some exercises and encouraged me to keep moving, even if it was just going for an easy walk. So I did, and I slowly started to feel better. In November 2021, I started attending ‘Empowered to Move’ [small group class]. My back was better but still not at 100%. I was so excited that I could participate now that Canopy had switched to virtual. Since attending class I have gained so much strength and flexibility as well as tools to help not only protect my back from injury but my whole body. I have had one flare up in my back since joining ‘Empowered to Move’ and instead of months of pain and slowly getting back, I continued to move safely and within a few weeks I had no pain and was better and stronger than before. I feel amazing and I trust Loren and Mackenzie so much! They are both incredibly knowledgeable, creative, accommodating and encouraging. I cannot wait to continue with Canopy and see where these movements take me and my body!”

 What does your quality of life look like right now?

It is safe to say, the quality of my life at this moment is honestly the best it’s ever been. It has been quite the process over the last 15 years to get here. Sure, I have flare-ups once in a while and there are times that pain is a daily occurrence, but choosing to accept where I am at has transformed suffering I couldn’t cope with into pain I can work with. I no longer feel confined or defined by my chronic pain.

I 100% believe I would not be where I am today without my wicked support system which includes my spouse, family, friends, fellow therapists and doctors. I am able to focus on taking an active role in my healing when I feel safe, loved and cared for. I feel safe to focus on my physical, emotional and spiritual well being, which I believe are the perfect trifecta to an amazing life.

 Is there anything that you would like to talk about?

If you are interested in learning how you can “Move Out of Pain” you can book a complimentary discovery call with Loren. https://www.canopywellness.ca/discovery

Learn more about Loren:

About Me Video: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChdUBm1l3d3/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loren.canopywellness/

Learn more about Canopy Wellness:

Website: https://www.canopywellness.ca/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9qTlUsrUOAqBTjmyuhoVIA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canopywellness/

Takeaways:

• Educate yourself

• Learn to regulate your nervous system

• Become aware of how your fears and beliefs impact your experiences

• Take an active role in your pain management and have a reliable support system

• Canopy Wellness is a resource that can be used to manage lower back pain. I highly recommend checking it out.

Thank you so much to Loren for doing this interview with me. She’s an amazing resource and I hope you guys continue to learn from her. Don’t forget to check out her social media and Canopy Wellness. Hang onto hope guys!