Chronic Pelvic Pain: The Power of the Mind/Body Connection

Abstract

This autoethnographic thesis is an account of my journey with chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and endometriosis. The study incorporates current literature that highlights the complexities of these conditions, and the impact that they have on the lives of the individuals who experience them. The literature presented describes what these conditions are, how they are treated and viewed within the medical community, and how they can interfere with intimacy and relationships. Mental health interventions that incorporate a somatic body-centered, trauma, and emotional regulation lens are presented, and a group therapy outline for this population is described. Diet, movement, and lifestyle modifications that can impact these conditions are explained, as well as the importance of a multi-modal approach in treatment. The autoethnographic approach is presented, emphasizing the importance of qualitative research where lived experience and the voice of a survivor is captured. A personal account of living with CPP and endometriosis is presented, focusing on the pathway to diagnosis, as well as treatment modalities that I have found to be helpful in my own healing journey.