As teachers, we have the amazing opportunity to create spaces where growth, freedom, safety, and a spirit of play can thrive! Today, we embark on an in-depth exploration of pain as a complex phenomenon. Pain is a manifestation of the intricate processes within the nervous system, which processes information from various sources. Everything, from the minutest detail of ensuring our clients feel safe and cared for to the language we employ and even our grounded presence as instructors, collectively influences how the nervous system perceives stimuli, ultimately determining whether pain is triggered. Today, we are thrilled to introduce you to the first guest on the podcast, Colleen Jorgensen! Colleen is an osteopath, athletic therapist, pain care educator, speaker, and Therapeutic Pilates, Yoga, and somatic teacher. Having endured a decade of pain herself, Colleen possesses firsthand knowledge of its challenges. And, after sensing a void in available resources, she introduced "Dare to Heal," an indispensable online program tailored to teach those in pain to help themselves. Join the conversation as we hear about how a spinal cord compression issue changed her life, why we must understand that pain does not equal damage, why mindful language matters in our teaching, why we should emphasise play in our classes, and so much more! Don’t miss out on this episode, so start listening now! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Colleen highlights what brought her to movement in the very beginning.
• She delves into the evolution, taking the functionality of Pilates and incorporating it into rehab.
• How a spinal cord compression issue changed Colleen’s life.
• Why we as teachers must understand that pain is not the same as damage.
• We dive into the discussion on the narrative of “Pain means damage” and normalising pain.
• Three things to check in with if students or clients have pain during movement. 
• From the teacher’s perspective: two things to understand (and do).
• Colleen explains how the body produces pain and why that is relevant: danger vs. safety.
• The importance of creating a safe space where people are seen, heard, and respected.
• How to change the perception of pain being exclusively viewed as a biomechanical issue.
• She illustrates the power of empowerment when someone feels pain in class.
• We discuss why mindful language matters in our teaching and cues. 
• We emphasise how (and why) play is a key element of creating safety in our classes.
• Colleen shares her best teaching tip.
• Let go of the need to look perfect at the front of the class; let your injuries be seen, teachers! 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Colleen Jorgensen — https://www.colleenjorgensen.org/ 

Colleen Jorgensen Email — [email protected] 

Colleen Jorgensen on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/c/ColleenJorgensenStillnessInMotion 

Colleen Jorgensen on Facebook — https://web.facebook.com/stillnessinmotionwithcolleen/ 

Colleen Jorgensen on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/_stillnessinmotion/  

Interpreting chronic pain science with Colleen Jorgensen — https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/interpreting-chronic-pain-science-with-colleen-jorgensen/id1547693412?i=1000619120800 

Free Ebook – 100 Pilates Class Themes: