“Feeling well and healthy is a privilege, something to be guarded, cultivated and savoured” – Thor A Rain

An image for Thor A Rain the founder of The Helpful Clinic and creator of First Aid for Feelings leaning forward on a chair. There's a text insert that says: A message from THC founder - Thor A Rain

I’m Thor, founder of The Helpful Clinic. I know how you’re feeling. That’s because I’ve been where you are now; experiencing debilitating symptoms and getting frustrated by the lack of support that’s out there. Your friends and family are trying to help by telling you to “think positive” and saying “you must get out more”. But just getting out of bed is a monumental struggle right now – let alone doing all the things you used to do.

It’s not like you don’t want to get better, but to do so you need the right help and support.

My recovery took more than six years

In my early 30s, I became ill and was diagnosed with both ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia and Complex PTSD (Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder). My recovery took almost seven years and demanded every bit of courage I had – especially as doctors had told me that I would never recover. But those doctors were wrong. With the help of both mainstream and complementary medicine, I have now been feeling well and healthy for years. 

Having previously taken my health and strength for granted, it was both sobering and humbling to be so constrained by pain and fatigue. Being well and healthy is a privilege, something to be guarded, cultivated and savoured. It also gives me a post from where to engage, listen and speak.  

In my role as a health practitioner, I am able to bring together my curiosity, my love of the experience of being human and connect with others in a way that gives my life meaning and purpose.

Specialising in pain and fatigue, with well over 5000 clinical hours under my belt, I have rare access to how we experience both in ways that is unique to each one of us and shared between all of us. The fundamental experiences of pain and fatigue drive not only our health but also our wellbeing, our ability to engage with others and feel a sense of purpose and contentment.

My training was integral to my recovery

Training to become a health practitioner was integral to my recovery. Curiosity is one of my defining characteristics and the training opened a portal to new understanding, insight and ultimately vocation.

During my 20s, I worked as an assistant producer in the film industry back home in Iceland. It was experience that I was able to leverage when I moved to the UK in 1999, securing a project manager role in an international computer company.

It was when I returned to university to start focussing on cultural studies that I fell ill.

Little did I know that the cross-cultural psychology of my university training, coupled with my years working in the myth-focussed environment of films and the organisational training as a project manager, harnessed to the clinical training would create a powerful platform for becoming a social entrepreneur. And in 2015, I launched The Helpful Clinic.

It is a privilege and an honour to be able to work with and support people like you to understand what is going on with your health, explore how to improve your quality of life and, where possible, reduce and even resolve your symptoms. My commitment to you is to be unwavering in my support and clear in my perspective. 

I look forward to connecting with you and exploring if and how I may be able to support you.

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Go gently, hold steady, stay the course.

All the best, Thor

Thor sitting and writing and Denny the dog sitting in her suitcase bed looking out the window

PLEASE NOTE THAT THOR A RAIN IS NOT A MEDICAL DOCTOR. THE HELPFUL CLINIC IS NOT A MEDICAL CLINIC AND THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK HERE