How to Live Well with Chronic Pain and Illness: A Mindful Guide

As far as I'm concerned, Toni Bernhard authors the BEST books for those of us who live with chronic pain/illness. Rather than wallowing in our misery and suffering every day, Toni offers wonderful suggestions and insights on how we can LIVE better....rather than just EXIST.I run a Facebook group called "Attitude of Gratitude with Chronic Pain" and Toni publishes all of her articles in the group as well as being a guest on my live broadcast. I ALWAYS suggest to my members that they buy and read this book (as well as "How to Be Sick") if they'd like to change the narrative of their life and come to a place of ACCEPTANCE. I promise you that after reading Toni's books, you will look at your suffering VERY differently and realize that life does NOT have to end when we become sick or injured.I cannot rate this highly enough. I live an excellent life today and that is due in HUGE part to Toni's books and articles.

This book is like a soothing cup of tea with a wise friend. The author shares her own experience and learning with warmth and compassion for self and others. It is not more than that. Her POV is not augmented by research studies, medical findings, neuroscience, etc. It like a slow, personable conversation with someone who has given a terrible experience great thought and has some tips to share for others with chronic illness and pain. Might make you feel less alone. Light, light reading. I am going to leave my copy in an infusion room. It could help someone pass the time with some hopeful thoughts. I like the pudding cups the nurses give too :)

This book saved me during a battle for my life.I can't thank the author enough for giving me the tools I needed to recover from a severe depression I experienced after falling ill. While I still struggle with my practice, I know that I can still find compassion and grace with the skills I learned from this book. Thank you, Toni.May you be peaceful.May you find ease of well-being.May you reach the end of suffering, and be free.

I am only partially into this book but already it is presenting practical advice on dealing with pain and illness. the author explores the many very subtle difficulties encountered by those suffering from chronic coditions and how to use mindfulness to cope with them. among the most important is being able to communicate openly so that people can help. self compassion and choosing how to expend one's energy are some of the tools she presents. she is a very good writer and the chapters are short and succinct.

Another gem for the chronically ill from Toni. Her book "How to be Sick" changed my life. I have Fibromyalgia & other health challenges but I have learned to have an honest, full & joyful life. Our bodies seem to adapt more quickly than our brain & emotions to living with the limitations of chronic pain & illness. If you have a chronic illness, love someone with a chronic illness and/or are a caregiver, this is a must read.

As a person with a chronic illness who lives in a more rural area I have had very few opportunities to talk to others with a similar situation. I have read two books by this author and her thoughts and ideas have helped me cope better with the illness with which I deal.

Great book for anyone who suffers from chronic illness. Its especially helpful for individuals who are confined mostly to the home. I've known about mindfulness for years and have tried to put it into practice myself but this book has made it very clear as to where mindfulness will help the most in my day-to-day life.

I bought this book while trying to cope with a life-threatening breathing disease and the lingering shadow of death.I employ mindfulness to cope. I bought this book thinking that it would be helpful.If you are not one of the people seeking to legitimize a "disease" that many doctors think does not actually exist, try another book. It drones on and on and on and on in circles... The book would be helpful in the sense that it made me want to die now rather than keep reading about her imaginary problems and ways to train others to believe in them.

If you feel guilty for not being able to work, participate and contribute because of your illness, if people around you tell you you should be of service to others and do it despite the fact that you physically can't without getting worse, if you have read every self-help book that tells you that if you only think positively enough you will be cured, but no matter how positively you think and how much you try, you are still not improving and therefore end up just feeling worse because it must mean "you're not doing it right", this book is the antidote. It gave me the calm, the comfort, the kind and caring voice that says "It's ok. I believe you. And I believe that you know what is best for you and that is the only thing in the world you need to do or listen to." I've needed to hear every word in this book ever since I got ill. It is like a pink fluffy comfort blanket for both mind and soul when the world around you has made you feel unworthy of living because you have an illness that prevents you from working, participating and contributing like other people. It is a wonderful book that I recommend wholehertedly to anyone who needs peace of mind from the battle that chronic illness, especially an invisible one that those who are still healthy constantly question if it's real or not, can turn into. I cannot thank the author enough. This book saved my sanity and was the beginning of finally allowing myself to relax and stop struggling to try to "fix" the problem and in doing so being able to live a life that feels at least ok, despite all the limitations and other peoples well meaning but unhelpful suggestions, judgement and lack of understanding. Very warmly recommended!

I cannot sing the praises of this book enough. I recommend it to anyone struggling with chronic pain and illness who wants to be happy.I have ME/CFS and I got this book during the scary process of diagnosis. If I hadn't been reading this book while going through that, I am sure I would have become much more hopeless about my health. This book made the journey that much easier to be on.One year on, I still haven't found a book as useful as this one for dealing with ME/CFS. The ideas in the book have made a lot of moments for me easier. I'm more ok with when it's difficult to sleep, and when I'm trapped at home and unable to see my friends, and with pain, because of this book.If you want to see if Toni Bernhard's writing resonates with you, she has some articles on Psychology Today. Her writing is personable, with easy language. She is self aware and isn't afraid to talk about the deep difficult things. She seeks to find the proactive and kind ways of thinking, without ignoring the pain. This is what I strive to be and she demonstrates how it's done through this book.I felt better while I was reading the book. I intend to re-read it soon. There was a lot in there that I knew didn't apply to me at the time but would do in future. Since it's explaining a mindset, which is difficult to hold on to under challenging circumstances, it bears re-reading.If you like meditating you will be familiar with the sort of mindset in the book. If you haven't meditated before, this book might inspire you to start. However, meditation is not necessary to get a lot out of this book, so even if you don't give a fig about meditating, it's still going to be useful to you.

I don't know if I love this book just because I also have ME and so it's so comforting to read a book like this by someone who actually understands my struggles, or whether it doesn't matter because it's written in a gentle and kind manner and no matter what your challenges are this might make you feel a little better. It's written in an easy to read manner. Although some of the ideas aren't new if you've read into mindfulness before, it never felt boring or patronising, and there were some ideas that were new to me and have made a big, positive impact on my life.

Toni's beautifully written words almost bring tears to the eyes. Her wisdom, honesty and compassion are invaluable to the chronically ill person trying to live the best life they can, while coping with the pain, anger and grief that long-term disability can bring.

I really felt like the author was speaking to me, she spoke with such empathy and really understood what it is like to live with a chronic condition. I have read chronic conditions before and you read a load of crap upon how you can be cured with positive thinking etc. However, Toni makes it real and how life really is with a chronic condition. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has a chronic condition of who is a care giver.