Meet Netta Hart

After five years as a Social Worker, I became very interested in fitness. I remember changing in front of a mirror one morning and was shocked to see that I had gained weight, lost muscle tone and looked older than my thirty years. I couldn’t believe my eyes. How did this happen without my notice?

At that moment, I vowed that I would join a gym to get back in shape – that I would stick with a conditioning program for a year whether I enjoyed it or not.

After a few months of aerobic exercise and lifting weights, I became acutely aware that I needed to change my lifestyle and diet. As I made these changes, I noticed major improvement in not only my appearance but in my general health, physical strength, self esteem and emotional well being. My circle of friends changed and my approach to life became more peaceful and accepting.

A few years later, I was teaching aerobics and women’s bodybuilding classes in local fitness clubs and at the University of New Hampshire. I enrolled in classes again and began thinking about a new career in Exercise Physiology. I was very fit, happy and knew what I wanted to do with my life.

The Universe however, had other plans for me. A Semi truck traveling on the wrong side of the road broadsided my Subaru. Despite my seat belt, the impact sent me lurching from my seat. I thought I was OK. I wasn’t.

This event began 15 years of pain and emotional, physical and financial devastation. I felt that a major door had been slammed in my face. During that time, I spent months lying in bed or hobbling around on crutches, looking for that cure that I knew must be out there for me. Several surgeons told me I would never walk again without the aid of crutches.

A friend suggested that I see her acupuncturist. She had been treating for a chronic asthma condition and was encouraged with her progress. I apprehensively made an appointment – needles sounded painful and I was sick of pain.

To my surprise and relief, the treatment was painless. Most remarkably, it was the first time in over a year that I did not feel pain!

I experienced an epiphany during that first treatment session. It occurred to me that “I should do this”. My days as an athlete were clearly over but that period of time had introduced me to health and wellness. I wanted to learn more and I wanted to help others find a non-toxic way to recovery.

It’s been a long road to healing but I have arrived. I had been determined not to accept a life of pain and disability. It was essential that I remain open to any treatment modality that might help which included acupuncture, surgery, cranial sacral therapy, yoga and more acupuncture.  I realize now that every step took me closer to healing – even those that seemed like dead ends.

I learned to never give up on myself and as a result, I don’t give up on my patients.

The hardest thing for any sufferer to accept is that suffering excuses oneself from very little and never has enough currency to restore the individual. To think otherwise is to prolong the suffering. 

Unknown author