Lou Coles - Mind-Body Health Solutions

20/06/2025

I’m sure there’s others here that will understand this and others that will get some insight into the invisible lives of many.

The “Great News” is that since Long-COVID there has been some priority on research and treatment and now guidelines are being updated and new treatments being trialed.
Back when I tackled this for the first time in 2010-13 no research could even explain what was going on so it was very hard to get acknowledged, let alone any clear guidance on what to do about it.
Other than learning how to PACE I really had to find my own way with trial and error and learning how to listen to my body and intuition - which explains why tapping became my go-to tool for awareness and decision-making.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1YKYzQBvxu/

A growing body of scientific evidence shows myalgic encephalomyelitis chronic fatigue syndrome – or ME/CFS – is a biological illness, not a psychological one.

23/04/2025

It has been a while hasn’t it?!
My first newsletter in 4 years is about to be sent out - tomorrow morning! 😄

If you would like to stay abreast of developments and contribute to this community as it evolves please make sure you are on my mailing list - You can sign up on any of the pages at www.loucoles.com

You can see here that me and my brains trust🐶🐶 have been toiling away in the background piecing together the next evolution of Lou Coles - Mind-Body Health Solutions. Join us for the ride.

23/04/2025

Well, well, well - It has been a while hasn't it?

It just so happens that me and my brains trust here 🐶🐶 have been toiling away in the background piecing together the next evolution of Lou Coles - Mind-Body Health Solutions.

If you would like to stay abreast of developments and contribute to this community as it develops please make sure you are on my mailing list - You will be presented with opportunities to sign up on any of the pages at www.loucoles.com

25/10/2024

I feel seen! 👀 Thank you Miranda Hart 🙌
So far, in the Prologue and 1st chapter and a half she has described MY life and experience 😲 - Only in a far funnier and more fun way than I ever could 👌👏

For anyone that is interested in:
❤️‍🩹Experiencing, or wanting to understand, the chronic illness life.
😖Reducing stress and anxiety.
🎭Living a more authentic, honest, mask-free life.
🌈Being more comfortable with your own humanness.
🤩Sparking more joy and connection.
💂Loves the British manner and humour.

🎁Enjoy! 🎧📖

https://www.audible.com.au/pd/B0D8R1YNPG?source_code=ASSORAP0511160006&share_location=player_overflow

28/05/2024

Re-sharing this after a conversation today - The Prophet, by Khalil Gibran has so much beautiful wisdom in it. I recommend reading the full text in the post for his prose on Joy and Sorrow ....

We are only able to experience JOY as much as we are able to experience our SORROW.
Often when we shut off our 'negative' emotions we are also shutting off our 'positive' emotions to the same degree.
I don't see emotions as being good or bad, positive or negative - they are just information and feedback - when we can learn how to sit with them and listen to what they are trying to tell us , then we do less of what causes uncomfortable emotions and do more of what causes the enjoyable emotions.
I call this listening to your body.
Lou 💚

Kahlil Gibran puts it beautifully here......

On Joy and Sorrow�:

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.
Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?
And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."
But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
Together they come, and when one sits, alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.
When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

- Kahlil Gibran

21/01/2024

This is all true for adults too…
I also believe that these principles apply to all humans, not only neurodivergent people.
I think the reason it is so pertinent to ND people is that we are already carrying a heavy load by trying to fit and cope and mask to get by in a neurotypical world so we may be working with a narrower window of tolerance due to an already depleted energy supply or more easily dysregulated nervous system.

I feel like most people that have worked with me might recognise the principles here in the counter-intuitive way we often work:

Client: This is my problem/thing I want to change

Me: Okay, so when does that occur? When did it start? What makes it better or worse? What else is going on that is making this problematic for you?
Okay, let’s work on those things and see what happens and then we’ll see how you feel about it.

I’ll be honest. This image was a whole lot friendlier a few hours ago.

The longer I worked on it, the angrier I became.
At this point I’m so annoyed, I’m done.

Here’s my take. This is my opinion.
It will not be the same as everyone else’s opinion.
Opinions never are.

When people talk about teaching our neurodivergent kids resilience, they often mean teaching them to ‘suck it up and get on with it.’ In other words, don’t feel those feelings. Don’t express those feelings. Don’t experience those feelings for longer than 5 seconds. Please ignore the huge sensory overwhelm that you’re currently experiencing. Please don’t make this situation hard for us. Put aside all your needs and pretend to be coping with this.

That is often what is meant.
And that is a huge problem.
I don’t have to explain why, surely?
That is the disgusting main float in the grand ableist parade.
Just no.

No, no, no, no, no.
Let’s set that on fire.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Separately to that- sometimes people talk about teaching resilience and they mean ‘we want you to do this hard thing even though it’s hard for you and we know it.’

Now that, in an of itself, is not inherently a bad goal. We do have hard things come up. That is unavoidable. And perfectionism can absolutely make that even harder.

Instead of focusing on the ‘resilience’ part, though, it makes a whole lot more sense to look at it from a fluctuating capacity point of view. We do well when we can (Dr Ross Greene).

When we aren’t carrying armfuls of heavy crap, we are actually much more able to try and cope with hard stuff. We have more mental capacity to try hard things. We have more emotional resources to cope with disappointment. We are more regulated and so can better access our logic and problem solving skills. All of these things together would look like ‘resilience’.

Writing up a ‘build resilience’ goal is pointless.

Focus on reducing the mental load we’re carrying, and then watch what we can do. Help us to understand our fluctuating capacity, listen to our body, and self advocate for our needs.

And when crap is actually hard and terrible, and we feel every little bit of it- telling us to shove those feelings deep down and ignore them does not help us. We need to feel safety and connection in those moments, not dismissal or gaslighting. Don’t tell our kids that their authentic experiences and challenges are unimportant.

Because hiding out struggles is not resilience.
It’s just seeds for trauma.
Why are we continuing to plant them.

I’m still angry.
I’m going to post this as is.
I don’t plan to engage in arguments with anyone.
I don’t have the capacity.

Em

08/12/2023

You are allowed to love yourself wholly, exactly as you are right now … 👌🙌🤩😍

01/12/2023

For everyone dealing with invisible and overlooked struggles - you might recognise a few of these - you may recognise yourself being dismissive of you’re own experiences and needs sometimes. We have been conditioned afterall.

Well here is here is your reminder that your feelings and experiences are all valid and YOU and your feelings and needs MATTER.

01/11/2023

“Fitting in is the opposite of belonging”
“I belong to myself”

Braving the Wilderness would be one of the books that most recommended to people.

12/10/2023

Please choose kindness, hope and trust when you write your answer in this referendum, as that is the nature in which The Uluru Statement from the Heart was offered to us.

Ask yourself:
If I wake up on Sunday morning and the result is “Yes”, how will that affect me?

And how will it affect Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander people?

And if the result is “No”?
How will it affect me! - I’ll carry on, more of the same, nothing changes.

And how will it affect our First Nations people? - Devastating!

I can only imagine some of the feelings that people might feel …

Disappointment
Frustration
More disempowerment
Despair
Hopelessness
Anger
Betrayed trust
Stuck
Depression
Resignation
Anymore that I missed?

I find it very hard to understand why anyone would vote ‘No’ when we have this opportunity to create a more positive future for all Australians - together.

Vote ‘Yes’ for the hope and potential that through listening we might create more …

Possibility and potential for kindness, compassion and understanding.
Connection
Integration
Improved relationships
Sharing culture and wisdom
Understanding
Acceptance
Feeling valued
Heard
Empowered
Confident
Proud
Anymore that I missed?

Don’t be lead down tangents away from the actual question.
It’s quite simple.
Please don’t let the naysayers overcomplicate this with every negative scare campaign tactic under the sun.
When you see the text and the question on the ballot pepper you’ll realise it’s really not that complicated.
Please choose kindness and compassion 💗

Here is a direct cut and paste from the aec.gov.au website of what you are voting on:

[The question that will be put to voters is whether to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
The Parliament of Australia has agreed to propose adding a new chapter, Chapter IX-Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to the Constitution. The chapter would include a new section 129, which would be as follows:

“129 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice
In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:

i.) there shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;

ii.) the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;

iii.) the Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.”

When you receive a ballot paper at the referendum, you should write 'Yes' if you agree with this proposed change to the Constitution, or you should write 'No' if you do not agree.]

29/07/2023

Exercise to improve brain function - This is something I’m currently experimenting with for myself.
Has anyone got any experience with this you’d like to share?

Exercise can have surprisingly transformative impacts on the brain, according to neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki. It has the power not only to boost mood and focus due to an increase in […]