ABOUT ELISA
Hello, and thank you for visiting.
My name is Elisa Friedlander and I have indulged in the pleasure of writing since I was eight years old. In my early adulthood I found a diary entry from about the same age where I wrote that I wanted to be a therapist. Gratefully, that childhood fantasy led me to a fantastic career as a psychotherapist for children and adults. I specialized in pain and disability, which were familiar areas of focus since, as a young adult, I began managing pain due to a genetic spine disease.
As a result of complicated spine surgeries in my mid-forties I developed RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy), also known as CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome). This is a condition involving the central nervous system, autonomic nervous system and immune system; it causes intractable burning nerve pain and multiple other symptoms. Alas, my private practice is on hold--for now. My life, however, is not. In a sacred moment, a friend said to me, “You’re still helping people, it’s who you are.” Same goes for writing, so it seemed only natural to merge these two parts of myself. Voila, another blog is birthed.
Some things that sweeten life: My rescue dog, nature, unabashed laughter, a good read, true connection, learning, being married to my best friend, hot tea, voice recognition software, inspiration, music, elephants, Ellen Degeneres, intentional Netflix binging, vanilla cupcakes, and possibility.