A clinical program of Energize Occupational Therapy Services
You've tried the ergonomic chair. You've done the exercises. You've been told your scans look fine. The pain is still there.
This program is for people who have already tried the standard solutions. If ergonomic adjustments, strengthening exercises, or posture corrections haven't worked (or have made things worse) there is usually an underlying reason.
I work with the nervous system patterns that standard approaches don't address, using a combination of pain science and seating principles developed from years of chronic pain and seating practice for people with complex physical needs.
Your nervous system is not allowing your body to fully rest.
In chronic pain, the body remains in a persistent state of low-level activation—meaning your nervous system doesn’t allow you to relax, even when sitting. Over time, this can contribute to:
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ongoing pain
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fatigue
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reduced tolerance to daily activities
For many people, chronic pain does not fully disappear—but its impact can be reduced significantly.
Why standard ergonomic advice sometimes fails
Ergonomic strategies focus on posture, movement, or “active sitting.” Other approaches often focus on strengthening, stretching, mindfulness or managing symptoms.
These approaches do not fully address situations where the nervous system is already overactive.
This program uses Pain Neuroscience to:
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regulate nervous system responses
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reduce unnecessary muscular effort
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use support and positioning to balance “working rest” and “active working”
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build sustainable patterns across your workday
A key part of this process is distinguishing between
“working rest” (where your body recovers while you keep working) and
“active working” (where your body actively engages while working), and
how to balance the two without increasing pain.
The Chronic Pain Seating Program
This is a structured, 1-to-1, step-by-step virtual program—not a one-time assessment.
It is available for people living with chronic pain in Ontario and Saskatchewan who experience pain while sitting during their work day.
Over 5 individualized sessions (10–15 weeks), we identify and address the underlying patterns contributing to your pain and build a system that can adapt over time.
Session 1: Identify What’s Driving Your Pain
We assess how your nervous system, movement patterns, and work environment interact, and identify where overactivity or strain is occurring.
Session 2: Reduce Overactivity and Improve Regulation
We focus on reducing persistent activation and improving your ability to achieve true rest.
Session 3: Test How Your Body Responds to Different Positions
We explore how different positions and supports affect your symptoms, and adjust your setup based on your body’s responses.
Session 4: Build a Sustainable Workday Strategy
We apply these principles to your actual tasks, including pacing, positioning, and transitions between activity and rest.
Session 5: Build a Plan You Can Maintain
We build a clear, adaptable strategy to manage symptoms and maintain progress over time.
This program is for people who:
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are unable to get comfortable in typical office chairs
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whose pain builds throughout the day
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whose muscles feel persistently tense or difficult to relax
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symptoms worsen when trying to “sit properly”
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previous ergonomic adjustments or exercises have not helped enough
Program details
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Virtual, 1-to-1 occupational therapy program designed for chronic pain and sitting tolerance
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5 sessions (up to 60 minutes each)
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Completed over 10–15 weeks
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Individualized to your body, work demands, and environment
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Includes guided practice between sessions
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Program fee: $875* for the full 5-session program
_*($850 if paying e-transfer)
By improving how your system regulates effort, support, and recovery,
sitting becomes more tolerable, more stable, and less physically demanding.
I specialize in helping people with chronic pain
who haven't found anything that works.
My focus is on helping your nervous system learn how to
reduce unnecessary effort and tolerate sitting and working again.