Marilee Barry and Tammy Sosnowski have both lived with chronic pain for most of their lives. In 2019, they became fast friends after they met at Better Choices, Better Health® – a workshop for people living with chronic conditions.

“The group is your community,” explains Tammy. “These are people who understand you.”

Marilee adds that, “it’s a very well-documented, scientifically based program and it gives you so many practical tools.”

Better Choices, Better Health® is a free Alberta Health Services workshop series for adults who live with or support someone with chronic health conditions such as chronic pain, high blood pressure, arthritis, depression, fibromyalgia, migraines and others. Participants learn techniques to manage symptoms through exercise, tips for healthy eating, methods for dealing with difficult emotions and options for making everyday tasks easier.

For Marilee and Tammy, one of the most important tools the course offers is effective communication. “It’s hard to talk about chronic pain with someone who doesn’t live that life,” says Tammy. “To be able to explain to a friend that you’re cancelling at the last minute because of chronic pain or explain to your doctor exactly what you’re feeling — is a game changer.”

Learn more at ahs.ca/bcbh

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