“Our painful experiences aren’t a liability - they are a gift. They give us perspective and meaning, an opportunity to find our unique purpose and our strength.”
Edith Eger
Hi, I’m Sarah.
I've been inspired by movement for as long as I can remember. At age six, I found my place in the ballet studio, and from that moment, I spent my childhood and adolescence dedicated to perfecting my love of dance and performance. During my full-time ballet training, I discovered Pilates, and was immediately drawn to its potential as a powerful tool for movement and rehabilitation.
I trained in Australia under the internationally-recognized Stott Pilates Method, and in 2004, I opened Pulse Pilates, one of Christchurch's first Pilates studios.
For over twenty years, Pulse Pilates has been a respected provider of clinical and rehabilitative Pilates, and I have had the privilege of working with a diverse range of clients — from professional athletes and dancers to children and the elderly.
To me, Pilates is not just a form of exercise; it's a way to educate movement, helping individuals regain strength, mobility, and confidence in their bodies
In 2014, I suffered an injury, which turned into chronic pelvic pain. When the pain first started, I did what everyone does when something starts to hurt - went to the doctor. I expected to get a diagnosis, get some treatment and be better. But no one knew what was wrong with me. I spent the next seven years going from doctor to doctor, physiotherapy, osteopaths, acupuncture, pain doctors and more. Each time I went to someone new, I would have the hope that ‘this time’ some one would be able to help me. The crushing realisation that each new modality was not the ‘silver bullet’ left me more and more disillusioned, and beginning to lose all hope.
I eventually received a diagnosis of pudendal neuralgia. I was given huge amounts of medication, nerve blocks and eventually surgery. Although surgery helped, my pain then shifted locations to my tailbone. The only suggestion that was left medically was to remove my tailbone.
Having always been interested in the mind-body connection, I began to research the brain and the way pain is produced. I read work by Dr John Sarno, a pioneering figure in the field of of chronic pain management. From here, I researched anything I could get my hands on about others who had healed from chronic pain. I was of the opinion that if one other person could heal from chronic pain, so could I. The more I learnt about neuroscience, neuroplasticity and the mind-body connection, the more my pain decreased. Over the next three months, I used whatever information I came across that could possibly help my on my journey. Podcasts, journal articles, books, YouTube. It wasn’t any easy path, and there were tough times as I worked to retrain my brain.
I’ve realised that healing isn’t a linear journey. Once I learnt that pain was a protective mechanism that my brain had developed to help keep me safe, I stopped fearing the pain. Because I couldn’t find someone to help me, who really understood how I felt, I had to become that educator for myself.
I’ve had to learn a lot of self-compassion. Give myself space to heal. Be kind to myself. And I’ve become thankful that I was sent this pelvic pain. I certainly never thought I would say that.
I can tell you, from the other side, that you can get better. I’ve changed my understanding of the source of my pain and I am learning to prevent my body from producing pain due to the stresses of everyday life.
There is a way out of chronic pain. It won’t always be perfect, far from it. But you can learn to live your life again. You can break the connection between your mind and your physical pain. And you can start to use your mental energy to overcome your pain and rebuild your life.
No one should have to navigate this journey alone.
Sarah
