Managing a chronic illness—diagnosis, symptoms, and treatments—can be both overwhelming and stressful. Juggling the condition(s) often feels like a full-time job, especially when compounded by pain, fatigue, and brain fog.
At each stage of your journey, different obstacles and goals may benefit from Fibromyalgia (Chronic Illness) Empowerment coaching, such as:
Newly diagnosed or awaiting diagnosis: If you're feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to start, coaching can help you make initial progress and self-advocate effectively, enabling a better partnership with your doctors and care team.
Diagnosed but struggling with consistency: You may know what you need to do, but find it challenging to stay consistent and motivated, especially during challenging times and perceived setbacks.
Goal-setting beyond chronic illness: When you're making progress and want to pursue life goals- like re-entering the workplace, launching a business, relocating or traveling- coaching can help you clarify your priorities, and establish lifestyle modifications and a gentle approach to minimize stress and flares.
Let's dive deeper into these obstacles and understand their challenges and opportunities:
Finding medical professionals who are knowledgeable about fibromyalgia can be difficult, as many focus only on medication and maybe general lifestyle advice. Specialists are often expensive or have long wait times—such as the up-to-three-year waitlist for some integrative pain clinics in Canada. This leaves individuals uncertain about the next steps to take in managing their condition.
A study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Pain explored fibromyalgia patients' pain-related healthcare experiences and satisfaction. The study had 1,626 individuals living with fibromyalgia (FM) complete an anonymous online survey about their healthcare experiences. (1)
According to the findings:
It took on average 12.7 years to receive a fibromyalgia diagnosis (other studies have found the average time until a diagnosis to be between 3-10 years)
One-third of patients did not understand the cause of their pain, and about 57% were unsure how to improve.
Only 20% of patients said they received satisfactory information from physicians for getting better
Participants expressed unfulfilled needs from their healthcare providers, including regular follow-up, clear explanations about pain and guidance for managing symptoms.
The most common requests amongst participants were “to be believed, taken seriously and met with understanding and empathy” and “more knowledge about FM among physicians”.
The results indicate that increasing fibromyalgia education for doctors could improve patient care and outcomes. Given that many doctors may not be fully familiar with the condition, it's crucial for people with fibromyalgia to understand their illness and advocate for themselves to ensure they receive the best possible care.
A pilot study assessed the effects of a 12-month health and wellness coaching (HWC) program on women with fibromyalgia. (2) The study concluded that the HWC program as an addition to an individual’s fibromyalgia treatment produced clinically significant improvements in:
Quality of life (measured through the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire- FIQR): improved by 35%
Pain levels (measured through the Brief Pain Inventory- BPI): the severity of their pain decreased by 31% and the interference the pain had on their lives reduced by 44%
Less frequent doctor visits- the total health care utilization declined by 86%
Although small, this study emphasized the advantages of wellness coaching for implementing self-care strategies that improve people’s quality of life.
I believe that both studies underscore the importance of supporting professions, such as coaches, in assisting people with chronic conditions, particularly if they have lived experience with chronic illness.
While research is limited, some studies suggest that life coaching can lead to positive health outcomes. (3) Coaching may help build resilience—the ability to maintain psychological and physical well-being in the face of adversity, including physical illness. Resilience is often linked to qualities like self-efficacy, self-empowerment, acceptance of illness, determination, optimism, hope, and mastery. These are precisely the traits that life coaching can help develop, empowering us to persevere, cultivate joy, and find purpose, ultimately improving our health and helping us achieve our goals.
In coaching sessions, we can address these challenges through a range of topics:
Fibromyalgia education and accessing helpful and reliable resources (e.g. reviewing current research studies)
Self-advocacy so that you can partner with your doctors and navigate the system (e.g. accessing disability services, specialist referrals, organizing health information for appointments etc.)
Identifying your flare triggers to set symptom relief goals (e.g. assessing patterns or specific factors that trigger flares)
Tools for nervous system regulation and stress reduction (e.g. identifying specific stressors and discussing coping strategies for managing or mitigating these triggers).
Strategies for pacing and energy management (e.g. tracking physical and mental activities, prioritization and scheduling)
Exploring complementary therapies and approaches (e.g. exploring new habits and routines)
Effective communication and boundary-setting (e.g. deciding whether to disclose and request accommodations at work)
Fostering self-compassion (e.g. reframing negative self-talk and reflecting on achievements)
Lifestyle adjustments to reduce strain and alleviate pain to explore new or renewed activities (e.g. identifying realistic goals and creating gentle action plans).
Self-management of fibromyalgia can be incredibly challenging due to its complexity. With no one-size-fits-all solution, it often takes a lot of trial and error to find your path to improvement. That’s why having a coach who supports you on your journey and truly understands what you're going through is invaluable (I have a coach myself). I firmly believe that living with fibromyalgia and chronic illness shouldn't mean giving up the things you love; it's about finding new ways to engage with them.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Are you curious about 1:1 coaching through a gentle goal setting approach? I help individuals with chronic illness navigate life and rediscover their joy. Book a complimentary initial call here.
If you’re looking for community support as you work towards your goals, you might be interested in my support group ‘Goal Getters: Thriving with Fibromyalgia & Chronic Illness’.
Meetings will be every Tuesday at 5:30pm EST through Innovia Behaviorial Health.
Innovia offers a wide range of support groups for adults and kids seven days a week that members can also join.
Regular memberships are $79 USD per month AND each membership includes a free one to give to a family member or friend.
Additionally, you can use the promotional code CO20 for 20% off
I’m offering 5 free passes to my support group on a first-come, first-served basis. If you're interested, email me at hello@caitlinoliver.com.
Citations:
Wigers SH, Veierød MB, Mengshoel AM, Forseth KØ, Dahli MP, Juel NG, Natvig B. Healthcare experiences of fibromyalgia patients and their associations with satisfaction and pain relief. A patient survey. Scand J Pain. 2024 Apr 16;24(1). doi: 10.1515/sjpain-2023-0141. PMID: 38625666.
Hackshaw, K. V., Plans-Pujolras, M., Rodriguez-Saona, L. E., Moore, M. A., Jackson, E. K., Sforzo, G. A., & Buffington, C. A. (2016). A pilot study of health and wellness coaching for fibromyalgia. BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 17(1), 457. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-016-1316-0
Ammentorp, J., Uhrenfeldt, L., Angel, F., Ehrensvärd, M., Carlsen, E. B., & Kofoed, P. E. (2013). Can life coaching improve health outcomes?--A systematic review of intervention studies. BMC health services research, 13, 428. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-13-284
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