Today's guest is Michelle Marikos. Michelle shares a powerful story of survival and journey from a frightening and devastating fall from a balcony at the age of 20 resulted in three crushed vertebrae. For ten years Michelle suffered excruciating neck, back and muscle pain throughout her body. She was not consulted in the decision to treat her pain with drugs. A decision that caused a significant dependency on opioids and sedatives, barring her from surgery and other remedies until she was able to taper off pain medication. Michelle’s journey led her to the Mayo Pain Rehabilitation Clinic’s recovery program in Rochester, Minnesota. There she immersed herself in the foundation of pain science for six weeks and learned how to manage her pain more effectively without any dependency on medication. After completing her recovery Michelle returned to Oregon determined to become a Peer Support Specialist and change the patient-provider dynamic. Chronic Pain and opioids pretty much consumed here life for quite a while and ultimately put her in to a deep depression. A second surgery was recommended but because of her opioid use they couldn't do the surgery. Until she discovered the Pain Rehabilitation program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She learned the science of pain, sleep hygiene, occupational therapy, nutrition and many other divisions of managing and understanding chronic pain including how to understand the medication and it's effects on chronic pain. Michelle credits that experience to saving her life and setting her on the path to becoming a Peer Support Specialist. Her first love is agriculture and currently has a Fig farm and feels so blessed to be able to do the physical that she does now to make that a profitable endeavor. What is so profound is Michelle feels that her life started even so tragically with the fall from that Sorority house balcony that lead her to where she is now. OTHER THAN CELEBRITIES, few people have been awarded an Emmy. Known more for building deep connections between patients and their community of providers, employers, and family members than she is for her Emmy Award for Outstanding Educational Programming. Michelle Marikos is the founder of. Moving Through Chronic Pain’s and she knows first-hand how chronic pain can lead to significant depression and other adverse consequences. In May of 2013, she received her certification from the Oregon Health Authority. Within months she founded Moving Through Chronic Pain (MTCP). Michelle personally leads a series of Emmy Award Winning educational workshops geared to providers, clinicians, and their staff, including Chronic Pain Management and Opioid Tapering. To reach out to Michelle you may find her on LinkedIn and her website below: Michelle’s Profilelinkedin.com/in/michelle-marikos Websites movingthroughchronicpain.com/peer-method-provider-education (Other) movingthroughchronicpain.com/ (Company) [email protected] To download my free guide, Reduce Inflammation Without Medication, 5 Powerful Tools for Achieving the Goal of Living Pain-Free Without Medications. This guide is designed to help you understand and implement natural methods that can significantly reduce inflammation and chronic pain. Click the link to download the guide: https://mailchi.mp/f30184bd2d20/inflammation If you have more challenges you want to discuss or address, do not hesitate to reach out to me for a free 15-minute courtesy call at www.mikebeverly.life. Let’s work together to tailor a pain management plan that fits your needs and lifestyle, helping you to achieve better health without reliance on medications.