Recreation Therapy for Chronic Pain + Stress: Leisure Coping, Fibromyalgia, and Living Well Within Real Limits

Living with chronic pain and chronic stress requires more than willpower — it requires compassion, adaptation, and nervous system–informed support.

In this episode, Katherine Winkles, CTRS-BH, explores how recreation therapy supports people living with chronic pain conditions, with a special focus on fibromyalgia. Drawing from pain science, therapeutic recreation principles, and real-world practice, this conversation reframes leisure as a health behavior — not a luxury.

You’ll learn:
 🌿 Why chronic pain is often rooted in nervous system sensitization
 🌿 How stress and pain reinforce one another
 🌿 What leisure coping actually means — and why it works
🌿 Why pacing matters more than pushing through
🌿 Accessible, pain-aware leisure strategies for daily life
🌿 How to rebuild meaning, joy, and identity within real limits

This episode includes a guided pain-aware check-in and practical tools designed for fluctuating energy, sensory sensitivity, and post-exertional flare cycles.

🎁 Listener Resource + Discount

To support you further, listeners can download the Pacing + Gentle Day Kit (4 documents) for just $1.99!

👉 Use code TRWP2026 at checkout for $10 off
👉 Available at: https://www.rootedwildretreats.com/shop/p/pacing-gentle-days-kit 
👉 Designed for chronic pain, fatigue, and stress-sensitive nervous systems

This kit includes pacing tools, gentle activity planning support, and low-demand coping strategies to help you build sustainable days without burnout, all in a reusable, print-ready digital format.

Whether you’re newly navigating chronic pain or seeking gentler ways to live well alongside it, this episode offers validation, science, and realistic support.

Chapters

• 1:31 Understanding Chronic Pain + Stress Differently
• 2:51 Why Traditional Advice Often Fails
• 3:41 What Recreation Therapy Actually Does For Chronic Pain
• 4:26 Leisure Coping: A Core Concept
• 5:13 Fibromyalgia-Specific Considerations
• 6:03 5 Accessible Leisure Coping Strategies
• 8:35 Reframing Rest + Productivity
• 9:14 Guided Pain-Aware Check-In
• 10:25 Closing + Special Promo