Meet Susanne Murtha

Certified Pain Management Coach

I’ve seen how easy it is to focus on what’s wrong and not realize what can be done to feel better. You can live well with pain!

—Susanne Murtha, CPMC

About Living Well Coaching

What is a health coach?

I am a National Board Certified Coach trained in evidence-based approaches in behavior change and positive psychology. My roles as your coach include active listener, advocate, resource, observer, and guide. You are the expert of yourself and your situation. I hold an unwavering belief in your ability to tap into your own wisdom, resourcefulness, and creativity to make sustainable changes in your health through self-understanding, behavior, and well-being.

How can a health coach help me?

I’ve coached hundreds of people managing their pain. I’ve seen how easy it is to focus on what’s wrong and not realize what can be done to feel better. Take active, progressive steps to engage in your life more fully and dial down your pain to get back to doing what you enjoy.

What inspired you to coach people around pain?

Although I manage my own intermittent headaches and low back pain, my primary motivation was seeing my mother suffer in silence with persistent pain while caring for my father with dementia. When I learned the new evidence for understanding pain, I knew that I could have helped her. I can help you!

Why have you added support for people experiencing chronic insomnia?

Insomnia is a major challenge for many people who are dealing with chronic pain. Difficulty sleeping can be frustrating and make it harder to have the energy to exercise, manage stress and make healthy food choices with a tendency for our system to crave carbohydrates. For those trying to function well while managing pain, insomnia can increase pain severity and duration, inactivity and fatigue can affect mood and relationships. It's common to think that pain must be reduced first, yet research shows that improving sleep can reduce pain symptoms. Focusing on rebalancing the sleep cycle can also be resolved in a shorter amount of time and create positivity and empowerment!

Our work together can help you:

Gain the courage to break the cycle of pain with sensitivity and commitment to dial down your pain naturally.
Leverage the same mechanisms that contribute to pain to meet symptoms in a new way that balances your system and deconditions your pain response.
Move toward your vision of success of living with pain using your natural strengths and personal values to create lasting change.
Address pain upticks and create strategies to be proactive with the challenges of fluctuations in pain and energy.
Regain your desired level of performance, productivity, confidence and feel able to maximize your time with family, friends, activities and projects.

Get Started!

Learn More!

Health Perspectives: Western Science and Eastern Wisdom

My education includes a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion and thousands of hours studying, learning and practicing yoga, Ayurveda, and iRest meditation. My interests span from gentle, yet powerful Eastern practices to a genuine love of anatomy and Western research. Your story and preferences are key to which strategies can meet your needs.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science: Health Promotion from SUNY, Empire State College

 EXPERIENCE

7 years of professional coaching and educating on health topics in hospital, manufacturing, corporate and remote digital settings.
4 years exclusively coaching people managing joint pain
8 months coaching women’s pelvic health including pelvic pain.
Founder of Yoga In The Adirondacks. Created and taught more than 25 themed workshops and class series in 5 rural communities. Over 25 years facilitating others to have healthier, happier lives.
2020 Keynote Speaker at the Caregiver Conference for the Center for Neurobehavioral Health at SUNY Plattsburgh
Program Director for Creative Healing Connections serving women with chronic illness and caregivers.

CERTIFICATIONS

National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach
Pain Coach Academy Advanced Pain Management Coach
Wellcoaches Core and Professional Health & Wellness Coach Certification
Certified Yoga Therapist, International Association of Yoga Therapists and Integrative Yoga Therapy
ACE Personal Trainer and NASM Specialization In Women’s Fitness
Integrative Restoration Institute (iRest) Meditation Facilitator
Kripalu Yoga Teacher Professional Level, Kripalu School of Ayurveda

COMPLIMENTARY TRAINING

Pain Reprocessing Therapy
Institute of Coaching Mental Health Literacy for Coaches
University of Arizona College of Medicine Integrative Approaches to Pelvic Pain In Women
Tufts University School of Medicine Integrative Approaches to Pain Management
Lorimer Moseley Masterclass by San Diego Pain Science Summit
Integrative Pain Science Institute Trauma Informed Pain Care
Reconciling Biometrics with Pain Science with Greg Lehman
Motivational Interviewing in Health Care with Stephen Rollnick
The Harvard Medical School Lifestyle Medicine for Weight Management
UMass Chan Medical School Tobacco Treatment Specialist
Trauma-Informed Yoga Therapy and Overcoming Anxiety Training

Professional Memberships: NBC-HWC, Wellcoaches, CPMC, ACE, IAYT, Yoga Alliance, NAMA