Greetings, Reader! Today's winter tale has a happy ending, even though the middle was a bit hairy! Last night, my wife and I were driving into town for a holiday concert, and we were almost t-boned by an SUV speeding through a stop sign. Thanks to some quick thinking on her part, and some divine intervention, she swerved just enough for the SUV to pass by without hitting us, but it was a close call. From the passenger seat, it looked like the SUV was heading right towards Faith in the...
11 days ago • 3 min read
Greetings, Reader! 'Tis the season of gratitude and giving, and I want to start by thanking you for supporting my small business and enabling me to do this sacred work of building safety, connection, and nervous system resilience. I know there are a lot of things competing for your attention, and I'm so grateful to you for inviting me into your inbox each week. As a thank you for being part of this community, today's message includes a free gift, and an invitation to receive more gifts by...
17 days ago • 2 min read
Greetings, Reader! I was walking in my neighborhood the other day and out of the corner of my eye I saw a big, scary dog come charging through a neighbor's yard barking up a storm. A person walking with a little dog on a leash had just passed that home, and the dog in the yard was making it very clear that the dog on the leash was not a welcome visitor. The dog on the leash naturally started barking back and trying to run, but he was thwarted by the human on the other end of the leash....
24 days ago • 4 min read
Greetings, Reader! I used to know someone who smoked half a cigarette and drank half a glass of wine everyday to maintain her tolerance to both. The Princess Bride While I'm not sure how great that strategy was for her overall health and longevity, she was on to something from the perspective of resilience. If we try to eliminate all of the stressors from our life, we will, paradoxically, become much less tolerant of stress. A resilient nervous system is able to respond to challenges by being...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Greetings, Reader! As a chronic pain specialist, I spend a lot of time thinking about nervous system safety, because PAIN = SENSATION + FEAR. We spend the first half of my pain course learning practices that help the nervous system feel safe, and part of that process is making sure that we get enough rest and nourishment. The nervous system thrives on rhythm and predictability, which builds trust and promotes safety. If you want your nervous system to feel safe, it is so important to get a...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Greetings, Reader! Did you know that some companies spend $1,000,000 per day on advertising leading up to Black Friday? That number has been swirling in my head all week, along with the song If I had $1,000,000 by the Barenaked Ladies. If only I actually had a million dollars, not for myself, and not to convince people to buy my products, but to feel less helpless in the face of the vast suffering in the world. Close to 42 million people in this country are facing life-threatening food...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Greetings, Reader! Pain is scary, especially if you fear that something is really wrong. Even though I study pain, I'm not immune to this fear. A while back, I started developing frozen shoulder [thank you, perimenopause]. It was a real bummer, especially since it was affecting my "good" arm. I was managing okay for a while until I had a scary experience that ramped up my fear response. I don't usually walk in my neighborhood at night because there aren't any side walks or street lights. One...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Greetings, Reader! We have a lot of idioms in the English language that describe the tipping point between something that is manageable and the moment it becomes too much, such as, "the last straw," or "the straw that broke the camel's back." I was listening to an interview with Brene Brown on the 10% Happier podcast, and she was talking about the Above the Line/Below the Line concept. This framework is based on the premise that the nervous system is hardwired to monitor for threat, and when...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Greetings, Reader! On the eve of the first real frost this week, I was at the Intervale Community Farm picking the last of the peppers, tomatoes, and flowers of the season and I was flooded with unexpected grief. I've loved this weekly ritual, and it has brought me great joy this summer to fill my home with freshly picked flowers that I lovingly arrange into whimsical bouquets each week. As much as I embrace the seasonal transitions and have been looking forward to the stillness of winter,...
2 months ago • 3 min read