Two years ago Julie Gorman was having the time of her life when suddenly everything changed and within the space of a couple of weeks she was diagnosed with RRMS (Relapsing/Remitting Multiple Sclerosis). In this interview Julie tells Malin Convery of bCenteredU how she got through the hard times that faced her after her diagnosis.

Sitting opposite me is nothing less than a miracle. If I had not known the background of this young woman I would never have believed that less than 2 years ago she had received news that could have changed her life for the worst forever.

I first met Julie last year and found her to be one of those people that you just cannot help but feel uplifted and energised around. So when I met her again a few months ago she kindly agreed to meet me and talk about her experiences in overcoming her MS and how she wants to highlight the abundant strength that sufferers of various illnesses around Ireland and the world hold.

In July 2008 whilst on a year out in Australia Julie tells me that she was in great form and health when one day, whilst in work, her eyesight suddenly became blurred. At first she put it down to having worked too much at the computer and getting tired. When the blurred vision persisted and also made it hard, if not impossible to walk and get around, and increased headaches and bouts of dizziness prevailed she realised that something was wrong. An appointment with a doctor was arranged and as her doctor suspected the symptoms were those of MS (Multiple Sclerosis) Julie was sent for an urgent MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan.

Within in three days of the diagnosis Julie was given an appointment with a Neurologist who confirmed the symptoms further and prescribed her with steroid medication to reduce the inflammation.

Julie tells me that whilst taking the medication, and dealing with the diagnosis so far from home she started to use the techniques of visualisation, as she experienced and witnessed the powerful impact this had on her during a Feldenkrais class called Awareness through Movement   which she had taken prior to her diagnosis. Through visualisation she went into great detail in self-treating intricate parts of her brain, the lesions - scarring that were inflamed or as Julie refers to them as FF’s (foreign feckers) as they were definitely foreign to her body. Julie explains that she felt a strong need to do something herself and as she knew the rough location of where the lesions (FF’s) were located on her brain from looking at her MRI’s by using visualisation it was the closest she could get to looking at her lesions to reduce the inflammation.


Visualising herself healing the lesions (FF’s) she would close her eyes, open up her brain like opening up a car bonnet and visualize her brain with the FF’s.  She could see each one of the FF’s clearly in her mind and their size.  So the first thing she would do would be to pinch each one with her thumb and her index finger. This would help to reduce the size, similar to letting air out of a tyre.  She would then focus not just on the enhancing lesions but all the FF’s in order to help heal them.  Something which Julie tells me she did on a daily basis, not because she was urged to do it, but because she felt it was her way of dealing with the diagnosis and the situation it had put her into. Julie tells me that this was just one of the techniques that she used.

Six weeks later her vision once again became blurred and she experienced different symptoms so the Neurologist sent her for another two MRI scans, this time to check both brain and spine. The Neurologist found it unusual for having received steroid medication to treat the previous FF’s  that were inflamed six new enhancing legions FF’were found to be active within Julie and there were also multiple FF’s in her spine.. This meant that Julie had to return to the hospital to receive more treatment. It was at this point the Neurologist also advised her to return to Ireland from Australia to receive long term medical treatment. Together with her husband she returned to Ireland and continued to visualise the FF’s reducing in size and numbers and then dying off.  She would repeat her positive affirmations with conviction on a daily basis.  She tells me she really started to really believe that she was free from MS.

In October 2008, upon her return to Ireland, she visited another Neurologist. The Neurologist she tells me was extremely surprised and even asked her to confirm her name twice as the person he had expected to see, would more than likely have arrived to him on crutches or in a wheelchair.  The Neurologist explained to Julie based on the medical reports and MRI’s which he received from Australia he was expecting a different person to come into his office not someone walking into his office on her own and in such great form. Julie explains that she whole heartedly believes that it was her continuous visualisation and positive thinking that made her recovery as successful as it had been up until then.

At this point in Nov 2008 Julie decided to look into alternative treatment as she was strongly recommended to receive medical treatment for the high lesion load and enhancement on the 2 MRI scans. So she went for treatments with a Chiropractor who came highly recommended and treated her brainstem and has had remarkable results. In January 2009, Julie was shocked and frightened by a sudden deterioration of health. She started to experience tremors, and severe pins and needles followed by the right hand side of her face locking. It was at this point her Chiropractor advised her to have her teeth checked, something which she says she would not have thought of herself. It was confirmed that the symptoms Julie had been experiencing was those of Mercury poisoning which, were causing spasms in the connective tissue around the brain stem.


Julie had the filling removed, she went on a detox for two and a half months to cleanse her body of toxins and she felt much better.

Staying positive and receiving chiropractic care Julie stated that this was the only way for her to get through those hard times.  With the endless support of family and friends she kept her mood up and stayed focused on getting healthy.

February 2009, Julie emphasises that this was the turning point in her health and her life. This was when for the first time her brainstem did not move and her symptoms disappeared and have not since returned. Julie explains that up until then everything in her life had been so unreliable and that she had not known what would happen from one day to the next, so no plans or appointments could be made for they were sure to be upheld.

Five months later in July 09, Julie went for two further MRI scans. The medical report said that there was no disease activity in her spine, in Julie’s words the multiple lesions or the FF’s as she referred to them in her spine were healed.  She was thrilled with the news.

Julie exclaims that she is now living the life she wants to live and that having been diagnosed with MS and experiencing the hard times of this illness brought her a new perspective on life and on a different journey for the future, both physically and spiritually.

She still receives Chiropractic care, she persists with her organic diet and continues to be healthy and symptom free since February 2009, which is exactly what she had visualised.

Julie now works passionately with letting people know that visualisation, positive thinking, and taking positive action can really make a positive difference in your life and she runs workshops how you can go about doing so. She also highlights the benefits of going to a Chiropractor.

In November 2009 Julie qualified as a Life Coach (LBCAI), and in April of this year she published her first ever article in MS Ireland Magazine (this can be seen on her website www.coachme.ie). This has been followed by her certification as a licensed registered Heal Your Life™ Practitioner based on the philosophies of Louise Hay and is running powerful workshops and courses designed to motivate and inspire people to lead happy, healthy and successful lives.

Julie Gorman
Heal Your Life™ Practitioner
Life Coach

Phone: + 353 (0)85 273 26 29
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: www.coachme.ie
http://auth-living.blogspot.com