The most supported I’ve felt is when I’ve come across a practitioner who listens and wants to work with me specifically. I mean really take note of what’s going on and want to learn themselves too. Chronic pain is still so difficult to understand, and of course I can’t recommend or even suggest that my experience might be a solution for someone else but I can provide the contact details for ‘team Soula’.

Stage 1: The Search
Dr Harry Crock, retired
Mr Roy Carey, East Melbourne
Professor Michael Quinn The Women’s, The Royal Women’s Hosptial, Parkville
Pond Massage Water Wellness P/L, Collingwood
Pam Frost, Massage therapist, Inspiral Bodywork, Fitzroy

Stage 2: Implant
Dr Kathy Yu, Melbourne Sports Medicine Centre, Melbourne
Pam Frost, Massage therapist, Yoga Healing Centre, Fitzroy
Professor Teddy, Neurosurgeon, Precision Neurosurgery, Melbourne
Marilyn Lock, Knowbody Studios (Holistic physiotherapy), East Melbourne
Pam Frost, Massage therapist, Inspiral Bodywork, Fitzroy

Stage 3: Diagnosis
(All stage 2 practitioners)
Robert Postlethwaite, Psychiatrist, Freemasons Medical Centre, East Melbourne
The Women’s – Anne Florence Plante, Physiotherapist, RWH Physiotherapy department, chronic pelvic pain clinic
Dr Peter Courtney, Melbourne Pain Group, Glen Waverley
Pam Frost, Massage therapist, Inspiral Bodywork, Fitzroy

Stage 4: Treatment
Dr Peter Courtney, Melbourne Pain Group, Glen Waverley
The Women’s – Anne Florence Plante, Physiotherapist, RWH Physiotherapy department, chronic pelvic pain clinic
Raffaele Vavala, Traditional Chinese Medicine, 4a Mitchell Street Northcote
Pam Frost, Massage therapist, Inspiral Bodywork, Fitzroy

Stage 5: Treatment
Dr Nick Christelis, Pain Specialists Australia
Changing life and livelihood (seachange)
Investigating my DNA and applying an anti-inflammatory diet