b'The myth of Being Strong Therapy and support groups: You dont SocietyoftenpressuresMSpatientsandhavetodothisalone.Psychotherapy caregivers alike with the narrative: Be strong.provides a sacred space to grieve, rage, Stay positive. Fight harder.laugh, cry, and build resilience without But real emotional strength doesnt look liketoxic positivity. Peer support groups can unbreakablepositivity.Itlookslikecryingoffer a powerful reminder: I am not alone when you need to cry, asking for help, andin this. grieving without shame. It is strong to admitHonoring the person, not just the patient you are overwhelmed, to say, I need support.Progressive MS doesnt dene the entirety of It is strong to be real.a person. Beneath the diagnosis, there is still Progressive MS is not a test of character. Itanartist,aparent,apartnerorfriend,a is a profound life-altering experience, and itsdreamer, a warrior. New thinking about MS okay if it breaks your heart some days.must focus on preserving personhood, not just managing symptoms. It means celebrating Therapeutic tools for copingmilestones that others may overlook: with emotional fatigue The courage to get out of bed on a hard day. New thinking means offering fundamental The bravery of showing up to therapy. emotional tools, not just vague encouragement. The strength it takes to love life, even when Here are some therapeutic strategies that canit looks nothing like what you expected. help MS warriors and their caregivers cope:You are not your illness. You are your spirit.Normalize grief and loss: Allow yourselfYou are your resilience. You are your story, and andyourlovedonestogrievewithoutit deserves to be heard, honored, and held. rushing toward forced positivity. Grief isGentle reminders for the heart not weakness. It is a normal response to abnormal loss.Its okay to grieve what MS has taken fromEmotionalvalidation:Practicenamingyou, to be angry, or to have days when getting your emotions without judgment. I feelthrough is the only victory. You are not weak scared. I feel hopeless today. Validationfor struggling. You are human. Healing is not creates emotional space for healing.about going back. Its about becoming. A new era of compassionRadical self-compassion: Living (or caregiving)Letsreimaginehowwethinkabout with MS demands a new relationship withprogressiveMS.Letsmovebeyondstay self-kindness. On hard days, offer yourselfstrongslogans.Letsoffereachotherreal the compassion you would offer a dear friend:support, the kind that says: You dont have to You are doing your best. That is enough.carrythisalone.Youareseen.YouareMindfulnessandpresentanchoring:enough exactly as you are. True healing When the future feels overwhelming,begins when we make space for the whole anchor yourself in the present. What smallhumanexperience:strengthandsorrow; beauty can I notice today? What momentvictories and losses; laughter and grief.of connection can I savor? ProgressiveProgressive MS may change the body. But illnesses steal many things, but cannot stealit can never extinguish the courage that lives the present moment unless we let them.inside you.9 msfocusmagazine.org'