At the age of 16, Alison Leitheiser was diagnosed with a virus in the spinal cord that left her as a quadriplegic but did not let that define her life. She experienced seizures, fatigue, organ damage, and paralysis. She did not give up, she wanted to be a contributing member of society once again and do what she loved, being active.
As a child, she loved gymnastics and wanted to go to the Olympics. That was her coping mechanism to stress in life, and at the age of 13, she had to give it all up.
She asked God time and time again, “Why did you give me a sidelines body, but not give me a sidelines heart”. She learned to build her body back up as a friend and ally, and love it regardless of the struggles and pain.
She went on to compete in American Ninja Warrior, finishing a triathlon, and other athletic endeavors.
She now helps others heal emotionally, physically, and spiritually through her clinic. She started her road as an alternative health care practitioner in 2002, started her own clinical practice in 2009, and today she loves working with people's health challenges and helping them find their way to wellness. Now she wants to give that experience of feeling better, help others participate in life more, and reclaim your health!
Key Takeaways:
- Not allowing adversities to define your life
- Allison’s strong desire to continue participating in life.
- The power of feeding your faith and starving your fears
- How music can lift up our mood and use as therapy
- How to move from a place of overwhelm to calmness so you can show up and connect with yourself
In this episode:
- How Alison was a gymnast before becoming a quadriplegic
- How she coped with the dark thoughts, including listening to worship music and motivational speakers
- How difficult if was for her when she became a mom because her body was not always consistently there for her
Tweetable moments:
- “I had to be easy on my body and love myself.”
- “Every moment is a choice, and I get to make those choices every day.”
Connect with Alison:
https://home.inner-restoration.com/
Connect with Joseph James:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meetjoejames
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meetjosephjames/
