When I was first diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy, I was told to rest and “wait and see.” The doctors explained that after two years, however much recovery I’d made would likely be as good as it gets. That was one of the most sobering and disempowering things I’d ever heard.

I went home in shock. Not just because of the diagnosis, but because of the message behind it:

That there was nothing I could do.

Bell’s Palsy arrives without warning. One day your face moves as usual; the next, it doesn’t. No preparation, no buildup… just sudden paralysis. And to be told, on top of that, that recovery is mostly out of my hands?

It felt surreal. I couldn’t believe it.
So I didn’t.

I refused to accept that there was nothing I could do to help my own healing.

 I have deep respect for Western medicine. It can be miraculous. But it’s not the whole picture. I’ve learned to research, trust my intuition, and explore beyond the conventional. That decision, not to blindly accept a limiting prognosis, became a turning point for me.

Because here’s the truth: sometimes the very belief that “we cannot heal” becomes the thing that stops us from healing.

The Mind-Body Connection is Real

There’s now a growing body of research showing what many of us have long sensed:
What we believe deeply influences how our bodies respond.

Thoughts aren’t just fleeting ideas. They create chemical reactions in the body.

• Fear, hopelessness, and defeat activate stress in the nervous system.
• Stress, in turn, shuts down the body’s natural healing pathways

One fascinating study by Alvaro Pascual-Leone at Harvard explored this through brain scans seen in the image. Two groups were tested: one physically practiced piano finger exercises, while the other only visualized or imagined practicing. Astonishingly, both groups showed nearly identical changes in the brain.

(Image credit: reseach by Alvaro Pascual-Leone at Harvard)

In other words, the brain responded the same way to imagined actions as it did to real ones.

Think of waking from a scary dream. Your heart races, palms sweat, body reacts. It wasn’t “real,” yet your body believed it was.

This shows the profound power of belief and imagination. If you believe healing isn’t possible, your body responds to that belief. If you believe it is, you open the door to healing.

Words Matter

Doctors don’t mean harm, but the words they use can shape a patient’s entire healing journey.

When someone in a vulnerable state hears, “There’s nothing more you can do,” it can rob them of the inner spark that fuels persistence, experimentation, curiosity, and recovery.

Belief isn’t just “mindset fluff.” It’s the vital ingredient that keeps us engaged, willing to try, willing to hope.

That’s why alongside facts, we must also be offered hope. Because sometimes, belief is the bridge to healing that science hasn’t fully mapped yet.

You Get to Choose What You Believe

If you’ve been told there’s little hope, I want to gently ask:

• What if that isn’t the full truth?
• What if your body still has the capacity to heal?
• What if your story isn’t over, but unfolding in a different way?

You get to choose what you believe about yourself, your life, and your healing. And that belief (even if it’s just a flicker) matters more than you think. Belief alone doesn’t heal everything, but it opens the door.

Why I Created the Bell’s Palsy Recovery Course & Community

This is why I created my Bell’s Palsy Recovery Course and Community: to offer hope and inspiration to others walking this difficult path.

I built what I couldn’t find when I needed it most.

If you’re ready to explore a different way forward, I invite you to Join Me Here.