Woman with MS Shares the Message “Chronic Illness Doesn't Have to Mean Chronic Unemployment”

Aug. 5, 2007 - PRLog -- For Immediate Release

Woman with MS Speaks at National Conference and Shares the Message “Chronic Illness Doesn't Have to Mean Chronic Unemployment”
Keswick, Ontario, CANADA – August 3, 2007 - Just because you're living with a chronic illness or a disability doesn't mean you can't make a living.  Five years ago Trish Robichaud was unemployed, on a laughable disability pension, feeling no passion in her life and completely directionless. Fast forward to today – she’s running a successful Life and Business Coaching practice, and absolutely loving the lifestyle she’s built with her business. Now, she wants to help others to follow in her footsteps.
Diagnosed with major depression in her early 20’s and multiple sclerosis in her early 30’s, Trish has experienced countless bouts of hopelessness, blindness, thoughts of suicide, mind-numbing fatigue and the inability to walk.  She has been subject to discrimination due to her health and harassment from an employer who just didn’t believe her claims of illness.
Trish later lost her job as a direct result of being diagnosed with MS.   Hence, she learned about the vital need for self-advocacy.  She “wasn’t going to take this lying down”, she says. Her self-esteem and her concept of self-worth had taken a serious beating by then but somewhere deep down inside she knew that if she didn’t do something about this injustice, her life and her confidence would never be the same.
So, this feisty lady filed a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission.  It was a stressful, arduous journey that took 2 years but her complaint was eventually settled in her favour.  This experience vindicated her sense of right and wrong but also proved to her that she was not powerless.
When she felt well enough to return to work 5 years ago, Trish knew that working for someone else wasn’t an option; she vowed never again to feel guilty for being sick.  Therefore, she decided that self-employment was the healthiest choice for her.  This way, she could plan her career around her health and ensure that her bad days would always be accommodated.  She has transformed the focus of her life from illness and disabilities to wellness and abilities.
She’s now spending her good days coaching others on how to transform their lives as well.  As an Internationally-known Motivational Speaker, she has spoken to a vast array of organizations about “The Empowerment of Proactive Living with Chronic Illness”.  Some of those organizations include various chapters and divisions of the MS Society of Canada, the Canadian Hearing Society and the Stroke Recovery Network.
Most recently she delivered her message of hope and inspiration to the National Neutropenia Network in Ann Arbor, Michigan for their Annual Family Conference.  
This is where Trish launched her newest endeavour:  Jump Start To Independence, which is a ground-breaking, one-of-a-kind, virtually unheard-of, business startup program for people living with chronic illness or disability to develop their own business vision and tackle the steps necessary to for it to take flight.
Trish invites anyone who wants to start their own business while accommodating their health, “Join me for a 12-session, 4-month teleconferencing & online program that is a fast-track to getting where it took me almost 2 years to journey. I've packed all I've learned through many, many, many months of trial and error into an easily achievable 120-day program!  With the added bonus of having other new business owners participating as well, you'll benefit from the synergy that comes from working and collaborating with a group of like minded individuals all working towards the same end goal.”  
Her website says that the course will cover everything from defining your product or service and designing healthy work spaces, to setting up record keeping and tracking systems that are simple and effective that won’t challenge your health.  The program will discuss branding and how to tailor marketing strategies to capitalize on your abilities and strengths while ensuring that your health is accommodated.
In the end, Trish guarantees that if you make the most of this program, you'll have a fully developed business vision that will fulfill your wildest dreams for a rich and rewarding future that both honours and accommodates your health challenges.
“I’ve appreciated the value-add feeling with Trish’s approach as she consistently over-delivers with enthusiasm. I know that this is because she loves to help others grow and ‘change their pace’ and because she’s been walking her talk for years.” - Bob Pike, D.C. http://www.PikeChiropractic.com  
Apparently you can live with chronic illness without being chronically unemployed!  Trish Robichaud sure has blown that misconception out of the
water!  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For your Jump Start to Independence visit: http://www.JumpStartToIndependence.com

Trish Robichaud is a Disability Awareness Coach, Maximum Life & Business Coach, Author, Facilitator & Motivational Speaker.  She can be found on the web at http://www.ChangingPaces.com.

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Passionate about inspiring and empowering people to maximize their quality of life, Changing Paces is your lifeline to optimal health, take it!

Website: wwwchangingpaces.com