After 6 years of chronic back pain & 4 back surgeries, I was feeling incapacitated by pain & depression. I was in bed more than not. Dr. Jackson introduced me to the upcoming " Relief Retreat" that addressed pain & was to take place in March, 2017 for 2 weeks. Two weeks sounded like an eternity that I could not manage with my pain, I thought. Even though I was skeptical, after much prayer & encouragement from family, I did go. Thankfully!

Granted I was the oldest one, by far, which I noticed immediately. Our group ranged in age from 71 to 29, and it was actually good that way. I learned in a mixed group that pain happens to us all. The first thing I learned at the retreat was we were all in pain. Feeling great sorrow for seeing others hurting, I quickly realized I wasn’t alone, as I was beginning to feel after so many years in pain & on pain meds. We were taught so many ways to help us manage our pain & by the last week, I was a believer of these methods!! I had proven to myself through these teachings that they worked. Proof, as I had been doing them for 2 weeks with such success!

I used to spend almost all day every day in bed; I'm now out of the bed 90% of the time with my bed made by 7am. I'm participating in life again with family & friends. I incorporate many, many methods I did learn at the Retreat to help me work through my pain & not be identified by it! What can I say? All good!!!

I can only give you my testimonial but it is truth. If you're in pain, in any way, I wholeheartedly would encourage you to attend one of the RR, soon! Our group (from March, 2017) stays connected & encourages each other & the coaching, after going home, is invaluable. YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED!

Before the retreat I would constantly be a 8 to 10 on the pain chart, and if I had an 8 (good) day I would push myself to the point of my body freezing up so I couldn’t move. Then it would take 3 to 4 days before I could even think about functioning. I would go and get epidural injections to help, but that would only last a week at the most. My life was always in chaos, constantly a family crisis, and my husband and I could never get on the same page: They all seemed to have forgotten how much pain I was in, because the way they saw me was my norm, and it became theirs as well. I had pain across my lower back radiating down my left leg with drop foot, as well as pain radiating down my right leg. No only did I have this going on, I started having pain all through my body, knots showing up all down my legs in my shoulders and arms, and nothing was helping. I was on some nerve medication, which seemed to keep me moving, but I would still end up in bed or home most of the time. Walking was totally out of the question. I didn’t want to socialize and was restricted on my activities. I no longer felt safe!

My time at Relief Retreat was, in short, life altering. I came back from the retreat feeling for the first time that I could overcome my pain, that I was able to have days without pain. Thinking back on what I learned and the things I gained from this experience brings tears to my eyes, but for the first time in a very long time these are tears of joy. I was asked once about what I was willing to pay in order to have some relief in my daily life. The answer I would give to that question now is whatever would be asked of me. I would gladly spend any sum of money or go into debt for the experience I had and the healing I received. It wasn't just about the topics discussed and the knowledge I gained about my life with chronic pain. I left there with so much more than that. I left with a new family of people who understand. They understand what this pain is like, and how our lives are altered by it every single day. There was true love and compassion felt from every participant and staff member. There wasn't a single moment when I wondered if I should share a struggle or a triumph. It was a safe space and a healing space. Relief Retreat to me is worth everything. It healed my mind so that I can heal my body. I finally feel that I am in charge of my life and not my disease, not my pain. Relief Retreat gave me back my life and for that I am eternally grateful to the people who made that possible. Even though I'm still struggling and have bad days I know that it's possible to have really good ones. And I know I have a family to lean on when I do have days where I am down. That's a gift that you can't put a price tag on.

I had the amazing fortune to attend the first Relief Retreat. Prior to attending the retreat, most of my time was spent in bed due to pain and the depression which often accompanies chronic pain. Day after day would pass without me leaving my bedroom. My family was extremely concerned, but didn't know how to help. I was then referred to Dr. Jackson for participation in the Relief Retreat. This referral was the beginning of a new life for me!

The retreat taught me proven methods to cope with, minimize, and at times possibly alleviate pain without the use of opioids. Many hours were also spent educating us about pain with information it is impossible to receive in the five minute doctor visits that traditionally take place. I was especially excited to learn how new brain pathways can be formed in regards to pain.

Since returning home from the retreat, I no longer spend all day, every day in bed. I've been able to slowly come down from a 50 mcg pain patch to a 12 mcg patch without significant increases in my pain level. I should be completely off the patch very soon. I'm super excited about this!

The health coach provided during the time since the retreat has been extremely helpful. My coach works to help me set goals for continued health improvement. The once a week conversations have been a way to keep me on track with the things I learned at the retreat while helping me continue with forward movement to better health.

One aspect of the retreat I didn't expect was how impactful it was to meet other people living with chronic pain. Spending 13 days in the middle of "nowhere" with 11 other people experiencing chronic pain, health care professionals who had an unreal desire to help make life better for us, and a couple dedicated to providing a safe healthy place, created an amazing bond. It is an experience I will never forget and an extremely important part of my healing process.

I'm on a journey and the retreat gave me a new path to take. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity I was given. I believe it has been a life saver for me.

My experience with the Relief Retreat in March of 2017 was, in a word, life altering. Suffering with daily chronic migraine pain for thirty eight years has been difficult at best, but with the tools I learned from the practitioners on the retreat, I've found new ways to deal with it.

Breathing, meditation, mindfulness, and yoga are all tools I have incorporated into my daily life to make it better. Much better! My life will forever be changed due to Tracy, Tobi, and Julie, and I owe them a debt of gratitude. Also, as of this writing, and thanks to the Relief Retreat, I am opioid free for three weeks and counting!

The commitment of going away to a relief retreat for 14 days was a tough one for me. When you live in daily chronic pain, you feel as though you are alone in your pain and you isolate yourself. You become fragile. Your home (and your bedroom) become your safe haven. The relief retreat offered ways of coping and living with chronic pain and i DESPERATELY needed a new way of coping with my pain. So i enrolled for the retreat.

For those of us living in daily chronic pain, the pain can slowly start to destroy our happiness, our well being and our livelihood. The relief retreat showed me that there are other people that also live daily in pain and that I am not alone. The retreat was located in a quiet place, deep within mother nature which provided a relaxing and peaceful setting. The retreat arranged informative sessions which included discussions with medical doctors, group counseling, nutritional information, physical therapy, and yoga classes. The medical doctors provided a unique insight of the human body and how it reacts to pain. I learned about the different pathways within the body which are constantly exchanging information between the brain and the body and that these pathways can get 'stuck' in the pain mode. The physical therapist showed me ways to exercise, stretch and take better care of my body (amidst the pain). The group counseling sessions taught me that we each have a strong inner self and that our inner self is not part of our pain. I have now learned how to lean on my inner self during my highest level of pain. The therapeutic and restorative yoga taught me many different breathing and relaxation techniques that can be done in the quietness of my own home (or in a yoga studio). Living with daily chronic pain interferes with a person's ability to be able to naturally relax. The retreat taught me how to calm my breathing and allow my body to relax during my pain. The retreat showed me that we can maintain a calm mind and strong body even in our worst moments of pain.

Although pain will always be a part of my life, the relief retreat has shown me that I can still live my life and LIVE through my pain and not live FOR my pain.

The Relief Retreat was a golden opportunity for me to take a step back from my too-busy life and focus on healthier ways to deal with chronic pain. It was a great opportunity to learn a number of strategies for pain management that do not involve opiates ands understand some of the psychological reasons for chronic pain. Most especially it re-humanized me and helped me to realize that the machine-like demands of the modern way we work do not need to negate self care.

It was an honor and a privilege to be chosen as one of the Relief Retreat participants. The professionals at the retreat were kind, loving souls and they taught me many different ways to live with my chronic pain. Everyone at the retreat suffered from chronic pain which allowed us to become one continuous chain of friends that can never be broken. Learning that I was not alone, that I am not broken, and that I do not need to be fixed, was the most empowering and confidence building two weeks of my life. If nothing else, I learned when my pain level gets out of control (10+), it is the catastrophizing about experiences with other people (or bad childhood memories, or maybe just the events of the day), that makes my pain so unmanageable. Until now! I now know I need to find my feet and feel all four corners barefoot on the floor about a foot apart. I slowly taking a cleansing deep breath raising my arms with my palms reaching up to the sky, and when the breath goes out the palms, I am able to push the pain out of my body. I also do finger yoga which works both sides of the brain. I now understand how I can change my own brain with all of my tools so someday my pain will be much less. I am a work in progress, but I’m getting my tenacious life back and this is due to the tireless work of Tracy, Tobi, and Julie.