About Michael
My outlook on life is this….. live life to the full, no matter what.
My outlook on life has changed over the years. Whereas I used to think I was ten foot tall and bulletproof, I now know that life has a way of throwing challenges at you (and at any age), but the trick is riding the ups and downs and making the very best out of every day. Each day is a blessing, so make the most of all that you have. And if you need a little help and support along the way, I'll be at your side.
My background is in pain management training and support. I have worked with both individuals and groups of up to several hundred people. It is an area I am extremely passionate about, because I know first hand the challenges and daily obstacles of living with pain. Since 2016, I have been co-running Pain Management programs with the NHS Bristol Pain Clinic. These are generally group sessions of between 8 and 16 patients. 2017 - 2019, I was heavily involved in all stages of a research program that looked into the benefits of ‘follow on’ groups for patients who have completed the Pain Management group programs. In 2019, I was on the planning committee for the 2019 PMP SIG Conference held in Bristol, England. I also co-ran a workshop at the PMP SIG Conference on the benefits of using patient volunteers and ‘lived’ experiences in Pain Management programmes.
I was also a member of the ‘final’ panel of the 2019 PMP SIG Conference alongside Dr Patrick Hill, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, and Chris Main, Professor of Clinical Psychology (Pain Management). 2018 - 2019 I assisted Dr Patrick Hill, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, and Dr Nick Ambler, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, in talking to final year Clinical Psychology students at universities on how to help long term pain sufferers. I am an active member of the Bristol Chronic Pain HIT. The Chronic Pain Health Integration Team (Chronic Pain HIT) is a team of clinicians, researchers, commissioners and patients, working together to provide a fully integrated, multidisciplinary, lifespan clinical service for chronic pain. The Chronic Pain HIT was previously known as the Integrated Pain Management (IPM) HIT. This is an area I am heavily involved in, and again one I am very passionate about.
Everyday life and stressors have more of an impact on the body than most of us realize
Everyday life and stressors have more of an impact on the body than most of us realize, but once we identify what those stressors are, we can begin to work with them, and eventually ease the state of pain that they may be causing. When we work together, we’ll look at what triggers your pain, what your stressors are, what you may need to do to adjust your lifestyle. We’ll go on a journey together, and I’ll be with you every step of the way, sharing some of my techniques and learnings on how to live with pain.