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A Patient's Guide To MFR

 

Many patients have an all or nothing attitude when it comes to healing from whatever injury or trauma they are experiencing. Pain can really drive a person to feel desperate for relief. That relief is attainable, but you need to be sensible. Setting unrealistic goals and timelines can lead to self sabotage. 

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Even with setbacks, you can meet your goals! 

Set attainable goals and a realistic timeline for healing. Consider that however long you have been experiencing the injury is usually the minimum amount of weeks/months/years of treatment it will take to be fully healed. That might freak you out to hear, and that is ok. Please evaluate your goals and see if you can find a healthier expectation and timeframe that will not sabotage your ability to heal fully. Usually, the only person in the way of healing is us and our excuses. 

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An example of a real-life client: 

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This client came to me after the birth of her 4th child. 

She was 6 weeks postpartum and for years had experienced difficulty sitting comfortably in the car even for quick trips to the grocery store. She was finding she was unable to do the things she most enjoyed. 

She had a high amount of pain every day and it was getting worse by the day. 

Her first goal was to be able to tolerate sitting for up to 30 minutes. 

Her long-term goal was to be able to ride from Wisconsin to Indiana. Another part of the goal included the ability to enjoy herself when she got to her destination to tolerate the return trip. 

The patient came in with the idea she would meet her end goal within 12 months of weekly treatment. Because her timeline was so reasonable, even with setbacks along the way she was never discouraged as to her ability to heal and to meet her goal. She was able to meet her goal a lot sooner. 

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To help deepen your in person treatment sessions and to expedite the healing process you should participate in self-treatment as much as possible in between sessions. Your therapist will most likely give you suggestions while you are in the office for how you can treat yourself related to your specific condition(s). The more you treat yourself, the better your results will be. You will have a deeper understanding of what is causing or contributing to your pain and will be able to quickly help yourself during a painful flare of symptoms or in times of a healing crisis. Self-treatment gives you a lot of control over your pain. All you must do is follow the tips provided and do your best. You don't have to know a lot about how the body works to efficiently care for yourself. 

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TREATMENT PLANS

 

When you are first starting MFR treatment it might be advised to get more treatment closer together. 

This will help you to get through your first healing crisis which can sometimes feel scary because it is a new experience and will also propel you into your healing journey. 

You can feed back to your therapists right away any new areas of pain or anything else coming up for you during and after treatment. This will lead to more self-treatment sessions. 

Also, with several sessions scheduled close together your therapists can work to help balance your pelvis and any other postural deviations that may be contributing to your pain condition either indirectly or directly. 

So don't be surprised if you need weekly treatments or more for a while. Your therapist will want to get you feeling better as soon as possible and is making decisions based on what they see when you come in for treatment, after they have had their eyes and hands on you to understand the full picture. 

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Why do I feel worse?

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YOU WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND YOU FEEL AWFUL? THIS PAGE WAS WRITTEN JUST FOR YOU 

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Don't panic if you feel worse before you feel better. When you receive MFR treatment you are getting the most effective pain therapy offered. Now that doesn't mean that the journey to a pain free and active lifestyle is going to be without pain, or hard times. 

When you wake up in the morning and feel like a truck backed over you, you will understand what I'm talking about...If this is you, do not panic. This is a healing crisis. 

Healing is not linear and sometimes you have to process and go through a full felt experience to get to the other side. Instead of trying to escape what you are feeling, try to sit with it.

 

Experience it. You are not injured. 

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The injury already occurred, and you survived. But all day long your body and mind doesn't understand this on some level yet, so allow the process to happen. Feel into your pain, and your fear and all the things that come up for you. 

Tell yourself that you survived and feel what that feels like. 

Realize that you are strong and that you are capable of healing. 

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Even if you are in pain. 

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Then go back to some of the self-treatment skills you have picked up and try a few of those things. 

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Then do something else for a while. Don't try to figure things out. 

The more you allow yourself to process this the fast and easier you will start to feel your new normal. 

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Also do not force. Forcing through or over treating is not helpful and can injure. 

So, keep that in mind. Less is more. You already survived. Keep reminding yourself. 

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Sometimes after treatment you may have a felt sense or a reclaimed sense of joy. 

Embrace this and go with it. 

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I've had feedback from clients that they danced down the grocery aisle or danced in their kitchen after treatment, kind of out of the blue, they just felt like moving in a fun way. 

Play around with this. Do you allow yourself moments of joy or play? 

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If you don't, see if you can add that in for a few minutes at a time. 

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Even if it feels weird at first. Have a childlike sense of wonder and experience your world with amazement and joy. See what that feels like. 

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Throughout our lives we lose the ability to play because we are busy being adults and busy living our lives. 

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See what it feels like if you can stop and take the busy out of it, and just experience the things that bring you joy. Remember the feeling? You can enjoy your life. 

 

 

Is MFR For Me?

 

Are you ready to commit to your health and well-being?

 

Are you tired of feeling pain?

 

Are you tired of feeling tired?

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Are you ready to start doing what you love and loving what you do?  Without the pain?

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Do you believe that MFR can help you feel better?  

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Treatment Plans:

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MFR is a modality that will help where other treatments have left off.  MFR is a one-on-one hands-on treatment that focuses on you!  As a therapist I am 100% focused on what your body needs to help you feel better.  That is why I come up with a treatment plan that can help you reach your goals as quickly as possible and return to your active lifestyle.

 

Your role in your healing is important.  There are no quick fixes.  You need to be a willing participant in this journey!  

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What is expected of you first and foremost is to become aware of your body.  I will be asking you a lot of questions about how you feel, where you feel, what you feel and when you feel it. 

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I will be asking you what your goals are!  Specifically!  

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I will be asking you to notice your posture and make some changes in how you stand or sit.  

 

I will be asking you to do some homework.  

 

I will be asking you about when, where and how you feel at different times of the day and what activities create the pain. 

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I will be asking you about your previous experiences and how they worked for you.  

 

I will be asking you how long you have had symptoms.

 

I will be asking you to give MFR a chance.  

 

I will be telling you that your healing is a journey not a destination.

 

Let’s work together!