From Surviving to Living: Juliette’s Journey Through Chronic Pain

Member Story

Raised in a close, supportive family, Juliette was used to being the reliable one. She excelled as an early childhood educator and was pursuing an advanced degree. At home, she shared a strong and supportive relationship with her husband of 10 years. Hiking, exploring new places, and being constantly on the move were part of who they were.

Everything changed one ordinary day in her preschool classroom. As she stood up from the floor, a sharp pain shot through her back. She assumed it would fade but instead marked the beginning of a two-year struggle with chronic pain, specialist visits, injections, nerve blocks, and ultimately surgery. Nothing brought lasting relief.

As months stretched into years, Juliette’s world shrank. She continued working but relied on a standing desk and went straight home afterward, exhausted and discouraged. She stopped seeing friends, worried about discomfort or explaining her symptoms. Travel and hiking became distant memories. She even worried that physical intimacy with her husband could worsen her pain. “It felt like my life was getting smaller one decision at a time,” Juliette reflects. “I didn’t recognize myself anymore.”

Everything shifted when her chiropractor recommended Rezenity Health, whose clinicians specialize in chronic pain and chronic health conditions, and helping people recover from the emotional impact. Rezenity’s care model is intentionally different. It focuses on the whole person, is collaborative, and grounded in the belief that meaning and joy can exist even when pain does not fully disappear.

“At Rezenity Health, we understand that life altering health conditions, such as chronic pain, can impact mood, relationships, and your sense of identity,” says Dr. Donna Kreher, Founder of Rezenity Health. “Our experienced clinicians are dedicated to providing the tools necessary to live a meaningful life, even when pain and other symptoms persist.”

For Juliette, that message clicked instantly. She soon connected with a therapist who helped her channel the same determination she once brought to every adventure into caring for herself. Together, they explored how pain had taken over her life and worked to help her reconnect with her core values. She practiced staying present, taking each day as it came, and noticing small moments of relief or joy.

As her confidence grew, so did her world. She began spending time with friends again and felt comfortable being honest about her pain. She also reconnected with her husband, relieved to learn that intimacy didn’t make her symptoms worse.

Her turning point came just three months into Rezenity’s program, when she finally felt ready to travel again, taking her first trip in a year and enjoying gentler hikes that reminded her of who she was before pain took center stage.

“I finally felt like myself again,” Juliette says, “not because the pain was gone, but because it no longer controlled my life.”

Today, Juliette knows the road isn’t perfect, but it is hers again with support tailored to her needs, provided by the specialists at Rezenity Health.