Karen Ash, ACC

Hi! I'm Karen, and I help people recover from chronic pain and symptoms and get back to living life on thier own terms!

I specialize in supporting those with migraine, and also address the many other persistent neuroplastic symptoms (= no strucutral damage to the body or disease causation) that may come along in life (e.g. digestive issues, pelvic pain, fibromyalgia, most chronic back pains-even with MRI "findings"/common abnormalities, chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression, TMJ, unexplained rash, etc.).

I have lived with migraine for 38 years, and for 34 of those, deeply identified as a migraine sufferer. For the majority of life, I have spent countless time, energy, and resources trying to prevent pain. When it inevitably struck—on average every other day—I would become extremely frustrated, second-guessing every action that might have triggered it. Then, fear and despair would kick in as I desperately tried anything and everything to stop it. I'd stand under a steam shower, use heat pads, ice packs, countless muscle massagers and gels, and rub essential oils on my temples and neck. I worked hard to avoid the next attack - limiting many foods or a second glass of wine, taking supplements, never wearing perfume, going to alternative therapies, and took more medication than I'd ever care to count for prevention and relief of symptoms. My life revolved around preventing and managing pain because I thought that was my only option. At 17, a doctor told me migraine was an incurable disease caused by my hereditary and genetics, and something I'd live with for the rest of my life. I believed him, and so, my mind and body were braced for this threat for three and a half very long decades.

Spoiler alert - he was wrong! It turns out my intense focus on the problem only reinforced it. My brain learned to create pain, just as it learned to walk or ride a bike. My efforts to reduce symptoms all those decades caused my brain to perceive the threat as big danger and reinforced neural pathways that kept the pain cycle alive. Thankfully, with awareness and conscious efforts, this eventually changed.

In 2020, a health crisis, compounded by chronic migraines, forced me on an extended sick leave from work. Eight years prior, I had moved from America to Switzerland and appreciated the Swiss holistic attitude towards life and health. I admired how fit and physically active the Swiss were, well into their 80s - hiking, biking, gardening and living life! I was simply too busy and stressed at work (or suffering in migraine pain) to partake in this "luxury" of living (insert cringe and dramatic music). But truthfully, most weekends or evenings were spent on the couch just trying to survive another day, feeling lifeless and miserable. 

In hindsight, it's clear that the move overseas came with a lot of joy but also stressors.  Overworking served as a great distraction to avoid strong emotions and discomfort (especially the death of a beloved aunt, two dogs, and significant relationship), and Imposter Syndrome that unconsciously kept me on edge trying to prove myself. My seemingly important position gave me an ego boost I needed since childhood, to feel seen, heard, useful, and worthy. My perfectionism and over-thinking gave me a false sense of control. My people pleasing and fear of financial insecurity or failure created an internal pressure to take on more projects and not speak up about my limits or needs until it was too late and my body was forced to scream out for help. Unknowingly, these same personality traits that helped me excel in business had tipped over to being problematic. Coupled with decades long chronic stress and other life concerns, each contributed to the tension and "bracing" felt within my body that actually fuelled the migraine and other symptoms that crept in over time. Chronic fatigue, chest and heart pain, and eventually burnout in June of 2020 - right in the middle of our collective worldwide stress over the covid pandemic and feeling tremendous helplessness over being so far from my family and aging parents back in the US.

My body finally forced me to stop and seek medical help. As I sat in a counselling session, the therapist asked one life changing question that changed my fate.  As I was putting pressure onto my chest that had been hurting for months, moaning about being so stressed, she asked, "What is it going to take to choose YOU?"  I sat there in shock. ME? It was as if a light went on & I burst into tears, knowing enough was enough. The fear of what other's would think or killing my career suddenly became far less important. It had to be my turn now.

During my healing journey, I discovered the mindbody approach at a private clinic in the Swiss Alps that transformed my life. I learned why some people heal while others stay stuck and realized the power I had in my own recovery... IF I believed it could be possible, and IF I learned to listen to and work WITH my body versus against it.

Over the next year, I immersed myself in thousands of hours of research, took several courses in mindbody healing from the top names in the field like Dr. Howard Schubiner, and applied this knowledge to heal myself. I started to see a profound shift as my migraine days decreased (even as I tapered off preventive meds), my chest and heart pain vanished, and the chronic fatigue and burnout that once consumed me were fading. After experiencing firsthand the toll chronic stress took on my body and mind, I knew I couldn’t return to my old work environment. I secured a temporary job rotation with a team focused on Employee Wellness—and this allowed me to deepen my understanding of mindfulness and stress management. I loved it! I connected with online communities where countless others were healing from chronic pain and neuroplastic symptoms of all kinds using similar mindbody approaches and realized my results were not unique. This was intriguing! As I reclaimed my power and built knowledge, it was clear that Pharma was no longer an industry for me. 

Although deeply grateful for my own transformation, it has been frustrating to see this life-changing information remain largely unknown, misunderstood, and often dismissed by many physicians and profit-driven healthcare systems. There is a widespread lack awareness or expertise in Mindbody Medicine, the latest neuroscience behind this evidence-based healing approach, and the third category of pain that happens in the absence of anything physically wrong with the body (nociplastic/neuroplastic) finally recognized in 2017 by IASP (International Association for the Study of Pain). My suffering for over three decades fuels my passion to educate a broader audience and help others break free from unnecessary pain. I feel like my path has been laid out perfectly to lead me here.

Today, I’m free of chronic pain and living fully again.  I left behind the hustle mentality of corporate life that chronically dysregulated my nervous system and founded the brand Migraine Oasis—a single, accessible resource for holistic and mindbody healing focused on the nuances of migraine. 

I am an internationally recognized coach with an ACC (Associate Certified Coach) credential from the International Coaching Federation (ICF). I am a certified Pain Reprocessing Practitioner (PRT) practitioner, and currently training with Dr. Dan Ratner (author of "Crushing Doubt") on his Columns System as a way to help my clients. I am a big believer in continuing education and spend a great deal annually to keep up to date and hone my skills and approach. I attend the annual ATNS (Association for Treatment of Neuroplastic Symptoms) in the US, SIRPA Annual Meeting in London, and other online conferences and trainings as a way to keep up on the latest science.

My goal is to help others fast-track their healing and avoid the confusion and overwhelm I once experienced in my own search for answers. Every detail, from the brand colors to the symbolism of the ginkgo leaf, was chosen to promote ease, flow, support, and transformation, recognizing the profound impact this and community have on the healing journey. 

Migraine is a unique symptom affecting the head and thus limiting one's ability to read, watch video, or participate in certain ways when having a flare up of pain. I'm very conscious of this and tailor my information to accommodate. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or if you'd like support on your healing journey!