PelvicSense Motivation Toolkit: Overcoming Pelvic Pain Barriers

Self-motivation can be challenging when managing chronic pelvic pain. PelvicSense combines education, guided mind-body exercises, and practical strategies to help you gradually reclaim function and confidence. This toolkit provides research-based methods to boost motivation and engagement.

1. Start Small: Micro-Goals for Big Wins

• Action: Begin with a 5-minute instead of a 30-minute session: read 1 Learn summary, listen to half a Rewire audio with music in bed, or do the first 3 exercises within a Move module.
• Tip: Keep a Pelvic Wellness Journal to note your response to the above, no matter how small.
• Why It Works: Setting small, achievable goals improves motivation and adherence.
  Reference: Goal-Setting Theory

2. Find Your “Why”: Personalize Your Motivation

• Action: Reflect on personal reasons for engaging in PelvicSense, such as the ability to walk comfortably for 20 minutes, noticing a softening of pelvic muscle tension, gentle intimacy with your partner, fewer bathroom trips for voiding, and the ability to meet a good friend at a cafe, plus others that may offer a sense of joy and calm.
• Tip: Write down your reasons in a journal or digital note and revisit them regularly. PelvicSense offers a list of 30+ Meaningful Life Activities.  Notice how your motivation evolves over time and celebrate even small progress toward these goals.
• Why It Works: Journaling about personal goals, values, and experiences improves emotional well-being, reduces stress, and enhances self-efficacy in chronic pain management. It helps you connect with intrinsic motivation and maintain engagement even when progress feels slow.
  References: Positive Writing Interventions in Chronic Pain

3. Understand Your Pain: Knowledge is Power

• Action: Learn about pelvic pain and its management through reliable resources.
• Tip: Recognize that pain does not always equal harm.
• Why It Works: Pain neuroscience education reduces fear, catastrophizing, and disability.
  Reference: Louw et al., 2024

4. Build Consistency: Make It a Habit

• Action: Integrate PelvicSense exercises into your daily routine at a consistent time.
• Tip: Pair exercises with existing habits, like after brushing your teeth, before watching a Netflix show, or as part of your bedtime routine.
• Why It Works: Repetition in a stable context helps create automatic habits.
  Reference: Gardner et al., 2012

5. Seek Support: You're Not Alone

• Action: Join online forums or support groups for individuals with pelvic pain that are more positive in nature, rather than ones that have more scary posts or too many complaints.  
• Tip: Share experiences, challenges, and successes to foster community.
• Why It Works: Social support improves adherence in digital health interventions.
  Reference: Palacios-Ceña et al., 2019

6. Practice Mindfulness: Cultivate Present-Moment Awareness

• Action: Incorporate mindfulness techniques, like deep breathing or body scans, into your routine. PelvicSense includes many evidence-based soothing skills such as Gratitude, Pelvic Relaxation, and Positive Affirmations.  Choose the ones that feel good and are easy to do.  
• Tip: Start with short sessions, or just do one for a while. Gradually increase the variety of items you do for your wellness plan.
• Why It Works: Mindfulness reduces stress and supports chronic pain management.
  Reference: Garland et al., 2014

📊 Research Summary Table

🧰 Additional Tips for Success

• Celebrate Small Wins:
  Acknowledge and reward yourself for completing even the smallest educational read or mind/body exercise. Even a few minutes of practice is progress.
• Be Patient:
  Our brain needs time to create new pathways as we learn to respond differently to pain or physical discomfort. The typical fear responses to feeling pelvic distress, sends “threat” messages to the brain, but practicing PelvicSense's healthier ways to respond to feeling distressful sensations helps rewire towards safety.  Just like learning a new skill—a dance step or a new language—repetition strengthens the connections between brain cells. A minimum of 3–4 months of consistent practice is usually needed, but you can notice small improvements along the way. Avoid the “all-or-none” mindset (e.g., thinking your pain has to reach 0/10 before progress counts). Every step forward matters.
• Stay Connected:
  Engage with healthcare providers or support groups to share experiences, receive encouragement, and maintain motivation.
• Track Your Progress:
  Record exercises, feelings, or small gains in mobility or relaxation. Seeing your progress reinforces commitment.
• Be Flexible:
  If a technique or Move exercise feels too challenging during a planned PelvicSense time slot, you can watch the video or imagine yourself doing the exercise rather than skipping it entirely. By watching a movement, your brain’s sensorimotor cortex (a virtual map of your body on the brain) gets activated.  This is a healthy way to help the brain “see” movement as safe.   Consistency over intensity is key.