Paragon Clinic

Nationally-known Author, Rosalie Devonshire, Joins Paragon

Rosalie Devonshire, MSW, LCSW, has a master's degree in social work from the University of Michigan . She is a counselor who works with children, adolescents, adults and families with a variety of problems including ADHD, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD and panic disorder.   Her book , Taking Charge of Fibromyalgia, is available at our clinic and in bookstores. She is a counselor who works with children, adolescents, adults and families. She counsels patients with a variety of problems, but is especially interested in helping Fibromyalgia patients cope with their illness.

Rosalie was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 1991 following shoulder surgery. She knows from experience how difficult living with the pain, fatigue, sleep problems and other symptoms can be. She has overcome many symptoms of the illness and firmly believes that with the appropriate medical interventions, symptoms can be reduced. She works with patients in a collaborative relationship, teaching specific techniques to improve the quality of life and helping to resolve issues that aggravate symptoms. She will interface with the entire medical team at Paragon to help improve your condition. She believes that the illness has caused problems in your life and that you have not caused the illness, or the problems.Rosalie knows that you, due to your Fibromyalgia, have many issues, concerns, fears, and stressors in your life that can contribute to a feeling of a lack of control over your Fibromyalgia symptoms. Counseling for the treatment of Fibromyalgia is different than traditional psychotherapy! Rosalie will use techniques that have been shown to be effective for treating Fibromyalgia patients and will be tailored to your individual needs.

Your concerns are of the utmost importance. She can help coordinate care with other members of the health care team. We will set goals together for your treatment and help you stay motivated to meet them.

Some of the interventions that may be used are:

  • Education – the more you know about the illness, the better equipped you will be to handle it
  • Problem solving – the symptoms can cause many problems and changes in your life;   we will work together in discovering effective ways to deal with the problems you encounter on a daily basis
  • Teaching coping skills/pain management – pain can keep you from enjoying life; learning effective ways to overcome the pain can improve your life substantially
  • Relaxation training - important for pain management/improved health; learning how to use various relaxation techniques will help reduce your pain levels
  • Stress management skills training – stress makes Fibromyalgia worse; learning how to handle stressors is an important way to manage your symptoms
  • Support – many patients struggle alone with their pain; my goal is to provide support so that you do not feel alone  
  • Emotional management – symptoms can cause patients to become anxious or depressed; some of these feelings are a result of chemical changes in the body caused by the Fibromyalgia illness; many people who suffer with a chronic illness such as heart disease or diabetes become depressed or anxious too, if you do not take care of the depression or anxiety it will make your symptoms worse
  • Family interventions - when a person becomes ill, it affects not only the person with the illness, but those people who are close; family counseling and education can help improve relations; if you have children they will be affected also. Some education and guidance will reduce difficulties encountered by those around you
  • Exercise/Self-Care goals – exercise and self-care training is important once your symptoms get under control; helping to keep you motivated to continue with this part of your treatment plan is necessary for improvement to occur
  • Modifying sleep patterns – since sleep is so disturbed in Fibromyalgia you may need some guidance in proper sleep hygiene
  • Changing thought patterns from negative to positive – harnessing the power of your mind to reduce symptoms can make dramatic changes in the way you feel; we will work together on this very important aspect of improving symptoms

Are you stressed out by Fibromyalgia? 
Here are some tips for you to try:

  • Find out what you can do and enjoy doing!
  • Reduce negative thinking!
  • Change negative thoughts to positive ones
  • Learn diaphragmatic breathing, it reduces stress and pain
  • Listen to relaxing music or relaxation tapes for 20 minutes per day
  • Take a warm bath
  • Do not overdo!
  • It will only flare your symptoms
  • Reduce, eliminate, get rid of stressors in your life
  • Have coping techniques in place for flare-ups, so that when you are in a flare you don't get stressed out worrying about it.
  • All flares do end, eventually

Say to yourself often: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.

Rosalie considers herself to be a fibro-coach! She can help cheer you on to gain control of your symptoms!

Are you confused about how to handle FMS? Do you try to wade through the mountains of information on the internet only to become frustrated and overwhelmed?   Read about FMS in a book written by two health professionals who have overcome the illness.

TAKING CHARGE OF FIBROMYALGIA
EDUCATIONAL BOOK, SEMINAR AND COUNSELING

Rosalie Devonshire, MSW, LCSW, co-author of one of the first books published for Fibromyalgia patients has joined Paragon Clinic as Director of Counseling Services.   Her book, Taking Charge of Fibromyalgia, has helped thousands of patients and health care professionals since 1991 take control of their Fibromyalgia.

Rosalie was diagnosed with FMS in 1990, following shoulder surgery. Prior to that time she was a healthy, active mother and business owner. The symptoms of FMS were so disabling, she had to discontinue most of her activities. At that time, there was not much help or information available for patients. When her physician told her she would have FMS for the rest of her life she became determined to find out everything she could about the illness. Little did she know that this was the beginning of a long journey which would change her life.

With the aid of her co-author Julie Kelly, RN, MS, they started the first support group for patients with FMS in Minneapolis , Minnesota at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in 1991. Rosalie and Julie were also asked to provide an educational class for FMS patients which was taught at the hospital for over a decade. The first edition of Taking Charge of Fibromyalgia grew out of that educational class.

Rosalie and Julie presented their educational class in poster sessions at the American College of Rheumatology in 1991,1993, and 1995. Rosalie has taught classes to patients in the Midwest and the east coast since then. She has been a speaker at numerous patient support group meetings, conferences and to health professionals. She is a past board member of the Fibromyalgia Alliance of America and keeps in contact with national patient organizations as well as keeping current with the newest research on Fibromyalgia.

Rosalie is currently working on the 8 th edition of the book Taking Charge of Fibromyalgia It should be available in the early fall.

Chapters include:

  • History of FMS
  • Diagnosis and Symptoms
  • Medical Conditions Commonly Occurring with FMS
  • Research
  • Sleep Disturbance
  • Medications
  • Physical Therapy
  • Acupuncture
  • Practical Coping Tips
  • Vicious Cycle of Pain
  • Exercise
  • Doctor/Patient Relationship
  • Work-related Issues/Disability
  • Stress Management/Relaxation
  • Coping with Psychological Aspects of FMS
  • Flare –up Management
  • Fibromyalgia in Children
  • Diet and Nutritional Supplements
  • Alternative Treatments
  • Pioneering Treatments
  • Support Group Leaders Section

There are numerous charts, diagrams and pictures in the book to make it easier for the Fibromyalgia patient to understand. Worksheets are included to help aid the patient in tracking their progress in many chapters.

The new edition will include the newest research and medication information, with each chapter expanded and updated. Treatment options, both natural and medical are provided. The book is easy to understand and organized to take the confusion out of educating yourself about Fibromyalgia. It is suitable for patients and health care professionals.

Please go to www.fmsedsys.com to see excerpts from the current edition and more information.

You can order an advance signed copy  through Paragon Clinic.


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