A (fantabulous) Chat with (the fantabulous) Joletta Belton

How I love mycuppajo – the wonderfully beaming human officially known as Joletta Belton.

I was introduced to Joletta’s blog by a mutual friend, Dr John Quintner (pain educator for Arthritis & Osteoporosis WA and retired pain physician). Jo’s experience (science and creativity) makes her documentation about the complex lived experience real, interesting and easy to understand. It’s so easy to relate to Jo.

Jo and I also share the added frustrating experience of being an ‘injured worker’ and having to ‘defend’ our injuries to unjust workers’ compensation systems.

Reading Jo’s blogs and following her tweets makes me feel I’m walking right beside her, sharing in her extraordinary network of advocates, practitioners, professionals, organisations and of course, kindred spirits.

Her advocacy and achievements are extraordinary – she is a force driving change throughout the world of chronic pain.

I’m so happy to be able to chat with Jo and deliver this video to you all. I know it will be inspiring, energising and informing. I also know that much of the way through you will have beaming smiles on your faces. It’s just impossible to speak with Jo and not smile!

Jo provided the below resources which we touch on through the chat. You can (and should!) subscribe to mycuppajo.com and also follow Jo via Twitter @MyCuppaJo

In this video Joletta and chat about:

1:04 Checkpoint – the meaning of (Jo’s) life
3:53 Being the new ‘you‘
5:13 Purpose: the lived experience
7:55 The power of words
11:00 When there are no words
13:25 Patients & Practitioners
17:05 Science speak
21:13 Pain in realistic terms
26:15 Angry with yourself
28:50 Forced to defend
33:43 Livelihood loss
35:41 mycuppajo.com and beyond
43:33 COVID impact
48:02 Changing system-centered care
51:55 Gratitude