Gill's story

“Attending a course makes you realise it’s ok to be you – you are more than the pain or the long-term condition you have.”

Gill
Godalming, Surrey

I was diagnosed with a chronic pain syndrome and coccydynia after a minor accident in September 2004. I had damaged my coccyx and sacrum, and numerous medical interventions to relieve the pain had failed.

Having coccydynia means it is difficult to sit for a long period, which sounds like a small thing but it has quite an impact on daily life – sitting to eat a meal, driving, going to the theatre, using a computer – the list is endless! As a mum of two small children I was made acutely aware of my physical limitations.  I also had to deal with fatigue, misguided advice from well-meaning friends and relatives along with the frustrations of simply not being able to do anything spontaneously.

Since I am unusually sensitive to all medications, the standard ‘drug route’ to pain management was not an option for me.  In fact, one clinical procedure did not have the expected outcome and I was referred to a clinical psychologist. My self-efficacy prompted him to suggest I found out more about EPP, so I did! I realised that I really believed in its core principles and contacted EPP directly (via the internet) for more information.

I attended a course in Woking in September/October 2008. It was not so much the academic content of the course but the delivery and empathy of the tutors that benefitted me the most. Most of the course content simply consolidated or affirmed what I already knew but the benefits of the group process along with the compassion and empathy of the tutors was inspiring and supportive. I feel that the power of the course comes from the fact there is no ‘them and us’, no ‘listen to me because I know best’; it is a situation of mutual respect for whatever experience each is bringing to the session.

Attending a course makes you realise that is ok to be you and that you are not just the pain or the long-term condition you have – something which often gets lost as you endure seemingly endless rounds of consultant visits and medical tests.

I still use the tools and techniques I learnt on the course in everyday life. After the course I decided to train to become a volunteer tutor and I hope to start my tutor training soon. I am also a volunteer on the Service User Mentorship (SUM) pilot project. This is a two-year pilot EPP CIC are involved in along with the University of Southampton, Thames Valley University and South Central Health Authority. People living with long-term health conditions are trained to be mentors for students studying for their Health and Social Care foundation degree. The aim is to help students get a greater understanding of what it is like to live with a long-term health condition and to promote understanding of self-management.

If you are living with a long-term health condition, attend an EPP course and see how it can benefit you. You will only be giving up one morning or afternoon a week and you never know, it may just change your perspective on life!