Unbreakable Spirits | Motion Is Lotion – Connie Jasinskas on Healing Through Water and Laughter

In this episode, Maryanne sits down with Connie Jasinskas from Canada — an exercise physiologist, aquatic therapy specialist, breast cancer survivor, and the woman behind the phrase that has stuck with Maryanne for 25 years: motion is lotion. The two met through the Aquatic Therapy and Rehab Institute in the early 2000s, and this conversation is a reunion of two kindred spirits who have spent their careers helping people move, heal, and laugh their way through life's hardest chapters. Connie's résumé is remarkable — from land fitness instructor to therapeutic aquatics pioneer, from factory floor wellness consultant to pain education specialist — but what makes her truly unbreakable is her philosophy: keep it simple, keep it joyful, and never stop moving, even if moving means taking a deep breath. Listeners will hear about: * How Connie transitioned from land fitness to aquatic therapy and why the water became her treatment of choice for people with chronic and persistent pain * Her own breast cancer diagnosis in 1997 — and how it led her to write Prescription Laughter, a book designed to help newly diagnosed patients access their funny bone as part of healing * Dragon boating with a breast cancer survivor team — and competing in New Zealand, Australia, and across Canada * The science of pain: why all pain comes from the brain, what that actually means, and how breathing is the doorway between the conscious and automatic nervous system * The "happiness basket" — a practical, free tool for managing pain and anxiety in the moment * Why smiling actually reduces pain (and the research to back it up) "Movement snacks" — small, accessible bursts of movement for people who can't get to a gym or are afraid to start * Her free online course on coping with persistent pain, plus the Back Whisperer course for core and back training * The Aqua Leadership Excellence program, Aqua Bility instructor training, and floating fitness classes — resources available to both instructors and everyday movers * Why the best exercise in the world is the one you will actually do — and how to find yours Connie's closing message is one to carry with you: be as kind to yourself as you would be to your best friend. Celebrate the little wins. Baby steps count. And if you're still working on it — that alone is worth a pat on the back. Find me on Spotify:Find me on Apple Podcasts:Find me on Substack: https://healthyfitnessbymaryanne.substack.com/ #AquaticTherapy #AquaFitness #MotionIsLotion #ChronicPainRelief #PersistentPain #PainEducation #FibromyalgiaSupport #BreastCancerSurvivor #DragonBoating #CancerAndFitness #ExercisePhysiology #MovementAsMedicine #HealingThroughMovement #WaterFitness #MovementSnacks #HealthConfidence #LaughterHeals #MindBodyConnection #BreathingForPain #UnbreakableSpirits #StrengthAndResilience #WellnessPodcast #HealthPodcast #FunctionalFitness #CancerRecovery This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit healthyfitnessbymaryanne.substack.com