Remember what it was like to walk, dance, hike or run - without feeling that pain of movement that slows you down and makes you stop?
The good news is that chronic pain can be addressed by a combination of mental and physical exercise - and that\'s the theme of the spring lecture series offered at no charge here in Stony Brook.
On March 29, North Island Physical Therapy begins its Spring Lecture Series, 'Thinking Your Way to Wellness,' with a talk and demonstration by Mark Marino called Focus! Decrease Your Pain by Using Your Brain. The program begins 7:30. Further programs in the series will offer additional ways of developing the mind's ability to alleviate physical pain.
The program is free at the clinic, located at 2500 Nesconset Hwy, 22B in The Stony Brook Medical Park.
Mr. Marino, a Certified Functional Manual Therapist with a master's degree in physical therapy, will offer strategies, both physical and mental, for coping with acute and chronic pain after an injury.
You can improve your emotional state by changing your focus from negative aspects of your life, perhaps those associated with a physical condition, to positive ones, said Mr. Marino, founder of North Island Physical Therapy, and one of only about 150 Certified Functional Manual Therapists in the country. "It's about mental focus. You can make feeling good and being well the norm, not the exception."
He added. "With chronic pain, our mind focuses on pain and we see ourselves as connected with that pain," Mr. Marino said. "Feeling pain becomes normal. The good news is we can reverse this process. We can raise our level of awareness and focus on what we choose."
The mind-body approach reflects Mr. Marino's personal philosophy, following a severe car accident 15 years ago that left him in chronic pain. Recovering from a lumbar spine fracture, a serious head wound and multiple fractures, he supplemented the physical therapy he was receiving with a series of unique mental and physical exercises of his own devising.
" 'Thinking Your Way to Wellness' reflects the mind-body connection that has allowed me to live a pain-free life," Mr. Marino said. "Others can too. The fact is, many people tolerate a level of chronic pain unnecessarily."
Other lectures in the series include 'Time Concepts & Wellness' ,Thursday, April 28; and 'Leverage for Life, Tuesday, May 24.
All events are free and held at the clinic, beginning 7:30. Seating is limited, advance registration is recommended. Call or email
More information is available on the Web at .
Mark Marino
phone: 631 751 7988
email: northislandpt@yahoo.com
northislandpt.com
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