,
Tired of suffering and hiding your pain? ("I'm fine.")

Tired of living in fear that you'll never get better? Or that you'll get worse?

Tired of taking toxic medications?  

Yes, so was I.  I was tired of not being able to work, to socialize, to exercise, and do all the other fabulous things that make life worth living. 

I get it. I suffered from chronic pain for years. I know what it's like to live with limitations, to feel isolated and depressed and to lose your identity. Just like you, I went from doctor to doctor, and to specialist and therapists. I had MRIs, scans, surgeries, and blocks. 

It didn't work. 

Sue Ann Stelfox - National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach

Pain Management Coach - Take Courage Coaching University  *  Holistic Health Coach - Institute for Integrative Nutrition * Preventing Chronic Pain: A Human Systems Approach - University of Minnesota

 I'm a wife and mom, a dog lover, a hiker and a former pastry chef, and there's one thing I know for sure...
 
Chronic pain can rob you of your life. My chronic pain started many years ago when my son was about a year old. When I went to lift him up, I felt a stabbing pain in my upper arm. Soon after, tremendous headaches and the numbing in my fingers began. I lived with chronic migraines and neck pain for over ten years due to herniated discs in my neck. Or so I thought.
 
The question was never if I had a headache, but how intense it was. I was always searching for something to fix the pain.
Then I was diagnosed with severe brain inflammation. Read the rest of my story HERE.

 
After I healed my own pain...
In 2013 I attended the Institute of Integrative Nutrition to become a Holistic Nutritionist. I began individual coaching as well as teaching workshops on nutrition, health and wellness. I am also a Certified Pastry Chef with over 20 years experience in the food industry, so I began teaching cooking courses on science-based nutrition and showing people how to incorporate healthier foods into their lives.

In 2014  I enrolled in the Take Courage Coaching  (TCC) Program. First as a participant and then I graduated from the Take Courage Coaching University (TCCU) as a Pain Management Coach. 

In 2017 I became a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC.) This certification is the highest designation in the field, National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, administered by the National Board of Medical Examiners and the International Consortium of Health and Wellness Coaching.

I maintain my certification through rigorous continuing education with a variety of programs, including the American Council of Exercise, Embody Change Coaching, and the Duke Integrative Medicine Health Coaching Program.

What Is Pain Management Coaching?
When most people hear that I work with people who live with chronic pain or chronic illness, I usually get these questions: What exactly is a pain management coach?” 

Living with chronic pain or a chronic illness is both complex and overwhelming. So, as a pain management coach, I'm specifically trained to understand the unique challenges that a person with pain faces. Healing from chronic pain happens on many levels, and pain coaching use the latest in pain science & pain physiology to educate our clients on how chronic pain affects the brain and the whole body. 

But, pain management coaching is much more than just providing information. It empower you to become active participants in managing your own pain. We provide the tools you need, the structure and the support every step of the way. We teach how to reverse your pain through brain retraining techniques, movement, nutrition and stress reduction and relaxation techniques. We also use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy practices to address your mental, emotional, and social health as well. This is called The Biopsychosocial Approach to pain management.

Summary: A Health Coach is someone who:
  • Act as a mentor, and builds a one-on-one relationship.
  • Brings in a new mindset.
  • Provides education, tools and solutions.
  • Inspires YOU to find the motivation within.
  • Provides support and guidance to make behavioral changes – From a positive light – NOT from a problem-based perspective.
  • Celebrates your successes!
My Mission: To heal chronic pain from the inside out. To educate, support and empower people living with chronic illness to move from fear to a place of courage so they can take control of their health and take charge of their lives. 

My Vision: A world where there is no complex pain.  

My Coaching Philosophy:
My philosophy is based on the belief that you have within yourself the ability to grow and heal, and that you are the expert in your own pain. As a coach and program leader, my role is to help you gain insight and understanding into yourself and your pain condition so that you can discover your own solutions. It takes courage and determination to defeat chronic pain. I offer the necessary training, knowledge, skills, strategies and support that is needed to reverse your pain and begin your journey to a life with more joy and freedom. I'll be walking right beside you.

Coaching Services: One-on-One
I work with the majority of my clients on the phone because it's more convenient and we can work from anywhere. It’s just you and me, working together to help you reverse your pain. 

Your first step is a Complimentary Discovery Session where we will discuss your unique situation in depth and explore how I can help and how we might be able to partner together.