For Grace Founder Cynthia Toussaint is featured in a recent HealthyWomen article that spotlights the intersection of childhood trauma and chronic pain. In this eye-opening piece, Toussaint bravely shares how early trauma led to her developing Complex Regional Pain Syndrome which derailed her life. Now using trauma-release therapy to help manage her pain,  Cynthia is working to get this critical piece of the illness puzzle front and center so other women in pain can find better wellness.

For Grace leaders and committee members have resumed  planning our virtual 11th Annual Women In Pain Conference that will focus on trauma and "Post-Traumatic Growth." Our target date is late September, and what a program we have to date! We'll divide the day into three parts: Trauma as a driver for pain, trauma release, and post-traumatic growth. We’ll sprinkle in unique pieces of the experience, including an Adverse Childhood Events (ACE) test with real time results, pet therapy and video snippets of how attendees achieved PTG.  Check back as details unfold...

Check out For Grace's Special Two-Part Story of the Month as we continue to spotlight trauma and pain, this time focusing on medical PTSD. Crystal Moody suddenly developed pain and paralysis from a ruptured disc. A surgery fixed the problem for years, but when her pain returned full force it was misdiagnosed (her MRI was read upside down and backwards.) After confirming her disc had indeed re-ruptured, Crystal underwent nine surgeries including one where she was awakened due to a damaged IV line. She woke to her own screams, crying out, "God, save me!" Check back in March to read Crystal's ideas about how to stem the plague of Medical Trauma.

Check out For Grace founder Cynthia Toussaint's latest post on Pain News Network. Coping with the challenges of childhood trauma that lead to chronic pain can become overwhelming, even unreal. Toussaint shares how an unfortunate incident in her teens sparked a lifetime of distorted seeing, hearing and feeling. After getting much-needed help, she learned that "derealization", a form of dissociation, is the mind's way of coping with what is too overwhelming. Today, Toussaint has found appreciation for this former foe that has kept her functioning despite all odds.