Three words that feel so right when they roll off my tongue, Thrive, Vibe, Flow. Three words that when I think about what they truly mean give me a sense of lightness, happiness, and something to strive for in my daily life. So what do these three words mean and how do they relate to a nurse coaching/yoga/urology business?
In urology we encounter a variety of conditions; some of them do not have a “fix” but the guidelines recommend lifestyle changes to manage the symptoms. I love when I see conditions and the first line therapy is a lifestyle change! Why do I love that treatment recommendation? Because it means that potentially you have the power to control what is going on with your body and may be able to improve your condition by changing something you are doing. The problem is many of us don’t feel empowered to take control of our health, or find it overwhelming to make the required changes on our own or just don’t know how to get started. As a result, many get placed on medication that may work quite well for some, may have bothersome side effects for others or just don’t work for the rest. Procedures may be an option and sometimes those work well too. However, even with the best medicine, there are those patients that just don’t respond, and go on to have remitting and exacerbating symptoms or even continue on to a chronic pain pattern without significant relief.
Nurse coaching and yoga are my solution to the challenges posed by recommending lifestyle change as a treatment. They are my solution to helping patients regain their voice, encouraging empowerment and giving back a sense of control over the condition and not the condition taking control of the person.
As a clinician who has cared for many patients with chronic bladder pain/interstitial cystitis, pelvic pain, pelvic floor dysfunction and overactive bladder I often times notice there is a lack of awareness regarding how ones’ lifestyle is contributing to symptoms. Among the many teachings of yoga is the practice of turning inward. It is through turning inward that we cultivate self -awareness. When our eyes are opened and we become self-aware we become an active player in our health and that’s when healing occurs. Aside from the awareness aspect, yoga is a powerful tool in aiding pain management as well as stabilizing and strengthening our bodies, especially specialized pelvic floor yoga which can be therapeutic for these various urologic conditions.
Another theme that I have noted to be very prevalent in patients suffering from the above conditions are deficits in what I call the pillars of a thriving life- sleep, diet, and stress management. When these imbalances occur, they compound the primary issue. Nurse coaching solves this dilemma by partnering with the client, evaluating all compounding factors and making a plan to improve all pillars that are exacerbating the primary problem. Working with a nurse coach complements your medical management and puts you on a path to health, further moving you from illness to wellness.
My hope is that when you think of Vibrant Therapeutics you know we have your back! We are a business that will go above and beyond, we are your partner whether on the mat healing through yoga or in a coaching session empowering you to make sustainable change. Health is a journey, lets thrive, vibe and flow through it.
Stephanie NP-C, CUNP, pelvic floor yoga certified is a urologic nurse practitioner and the owner of Vibrant Therapeutics, a nurse coaching and yoga business. Checkout the website Vibrant-therapeutics.com to schedule a coaching session, take a yoga class or sign up for a workshop.