What does a mind body approach to rheumatoid arthritis look like? Vanessa’s Story

Vanessa Cameron and Cheryl Crow delve deep into Vanessa's rheumatoid arthritis journey, which includes significant work she's done on examining the mind-body connection and finding balance in her life through daily mindfulness, EFT and other practices.

Cameron discovered her passion for hacking her mind and body amid a debilitating bout with Rheumatoid Arthritis. After learning about the emerging science of Self-Compassion and the benefits of meditation, EFT (tapping) and NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) she began incorporating daily science-backed practices that boosted her health and happiness. Her passion led her to start and earn master level practitioner certification to teach EFT and NLP. 

Cheryl Crow is an occupational therapist who has lived with rheumatoid arthritis for seventeen years. She is passionately dedicated to helping others with rheumatoid arthritis figure out how to successfully navigate daily challenges so they can live a life they love despite health challenges. She formed the educational company Arthritis Life in 2019 after seeing a huge need for more engaging, accessible, and (dare she say) FUN patient education and self-management resources. 

This interview was conducted in December 2019.

Get More Support at:

Rheum to THRIVE, an online course and support program Cheryl created to help people with rheumatic disease go from overwhelmed, confused and alone to confident, supported and connected**.** See all the details and join the program or waitlist now!

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER:

All content found on Arthritis Life public channels was created for generalized informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Links discussed in this episode:

• Vanessa’s Website: www.isparkdaily.com
• Vanessa’s Instagram @isparkdaily
• Integrated Rheumatologist - Dr. Mir https://www.nyir.com/
• “ACEs” study (Adverse Childhood Events)
• 8 week self compassion meditation class at Stanford
• Tara Brach - The RAIN of Self-Compassion 
• ACT - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
• Cheryl’s Facebook group: Arthritis Life Podcast, Practical Tips & Positive, Realistic Support
• Free Handout: Cheryl’s Master Checklist for Managing RA
• This episode is brought to you by the Beginner's Guide to Life with Rheumatoid Arthritis, an intensive 4 week online education and support program Cheryl created to empower people with the tools to confidently manage their social, emotional and physical life with rheumatoid arthritis.
• Medical disclaimer

Detailed episode breakdown:

• 3:00 Beginning signs of RA
• 4:30 - Massive flare up, feeling “stuck” in life overall
• 7:10 - Vanessa experiments with dietary changes and finds a diet that helps her inflammation
• 11:00 - Massive flare up leads to confusion.
• 15:00 - How she found a good fit with her doctor
• 19:00 - How a trusting relationship with Dr. Mir helped Vanessa accept western medications.
• 21:33 - Vanessa’s low point after contacting the flu.
• 22:00 - Recognizing she needs to address emotional scars from her past.
• 26:30- How Vanessa used Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) - Tapping + Journaling to work through her emotional scars (such as being told she’s “too emotional”), and learning to take an energy inventory
• 31:30 - How a daily self-compassion meditation course helped.
• 33:10 - Summary of the lifestyle changes she made to manage her wellness on a daily basis
• 38:14 - How RA struggle now seems like a blessing in disguise
• 39:20 - How joining a Buddhist community sparked resilience.
• 42:19 - Vanessa’s advice to newly diagnosed patients
• 44:17 - How RA affected her experiences in the workplace, how she learned to advocate
• 44:40 - How she explains RA to people who don’t know anything about it
• 46:00 - How both Cheryl & Vanessa learned to say no!
• 49:50 - Lifestyle changes, including saying no and managing energy
• 51:00- Vanessa worked with an autoimmune health coach.
• 52:20 - Learning to see Pain as a messenger
• 53:07 - How EFT helped Vanessa get to the root of her emotions
• 54:30 - Cheryl talks about how ACT helped her manage difficult emotions.
• 56:00 - Discussion of Tara Brach’s “RAIN of self-compassion”
• 59:50   - Concluding thoughts about how Cheryl & Vanessa came to terms with being comfortable sharing their RA and emotional stories.