Faculty Profile

In the summer of 2005, a violent, work-related, rollover car accident in Montana’s remote Big Hole Valley caused a C4 spinal cord injury that nearly took Becky’s life. After the fight to stay alive and months of recovery from physical injuries, she began suffering excruciating, burning nerve pain. As the chronic central pain reached its peak two years later, she faced the hopelessness of living the rest of her life in constant, horrific pain. Narcotics soon lost their effectiveness and made coping more difficult. Becky went through a pain clinic where she learned pain was an experience she could improve. She continued to research pain and collaborate with her medical specialists. But she recognized a piece that was missing for most people in pain: ongoing support and learning how to personally manage pain. She developed the program—Take Courage Coaching™—to help people in pain achieve the skills she used. Pain-Management Coaching is an emerging health profession that partners with clients to achieve their chosen goals. It is practiced from a bio-psycho-social perspective, viewing each person as intrinsically whole and the ultimate expert in the healing journey. Becky has presented her coaching case studies and data and the TCC™ program at State and International conferences such as PAINWEEK. Her presentations are sought by physician groups, caregivers, and payer groups; and she has trained groups—including providers at Vanderbilt Dayani Center for Health and Wellness at Vanderbilt Medical Center—to incorporate pain-specific coaching into patient care. Becky is the recipient of the 2016 Workers’ Injury Law & Advocacy Group Beacon Award-- "lighting the way for the rights of injured workers,” and was the 2015 Magna Comp Laude Winner. Fun Fact: Becky and her husband love to hike and backpack in the mountains of Utah.