Amanda Trask

Being diagnosed with epilepsy as a child, my parents taught me early on the importance of self-advocacy. I had early experience with what it feels like to navigate a healthcare system that can be overwhelming, confusing, and at times, deeply isolating. Those experiences ignited a passion for understanding health and healing from every angle, leading me to pursue education in Eastern healing and pain science. My passion of educating others led me to begin my career in higher education shortly after graduation. When my father was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive bile duct cancer, I found myself in an entirely new role, sitting beside him, doing everything I could to make sure he was heard, understood, and that his pain was adequately treated and managed with compassion. I got my first real taste of what advocacy truly means and just how critical it is. That experience led me toward public health and, eventually, to community health program implementation. Over the years, I developed a gift for translating complex medical and insurance language into something real and understandable for the people who needed it most. Then in 2015, my perspective deepened in a way I hadn't expected. My own diagnosis of an autoimmune disease gave me firsthand insight into the fear, the frustration, and the exhausting work of simply trying to get the care you deserve. That intersection of lived experience, clinical knowledge, and deep personal understanding is the foundation of WellGuide Advocacy. I started this work because I firmly believe that getting good care should not be this difficult, nor should it require a medical degree. I also understand the importance of having someone in your corner who understands both the science and the humanity of it and how it makes all the difference. I am a patient advocate, a pain specialist, a caregiver, and someone who has sat in many of the same seats my clients sit in. It shapes every conversation, every care plan, and every moment I spend supporting the people I work with.

Masters of Science in Pain, Research, Education, and Policy, May 2010 (Joint Master's Degree Program) Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts Master of Science in Acupuncture, May 2010 (Joint Master's Degree Program) New England School of Acupuncture, Watertown, Massachusetts Bachelor of Science in Psychology & Health, May 2005 Keene State College, Keene, New Hampshire

Pain & Conditions Chronic pain advocacy Pain neuroscience education (PNE) Pain reprocessing therapy (PRT) support Central sensitization Nociplastic pain Persistent pain conditions Fibromyalgia advocacy Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) Chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) Inflammatory pain conditions Musculoskeletal pain management navigation Biopsychosocial pain model Somatic symptom disorders Functional neurological disorder (FND) Integrative & Alternative Medicine Acupuncture and oriental medicine integration Anti-inflammatory diet planning support Autoimmune protocol (AIP) diet guidance Mediterranean diet for chronic disease management Integrative nutrition for pain and inflammation Mind-body medicine Breathwork and meditation for pain management Health Equity & Social Determinants of Health Health equity advocacy Underserved population advocacy Food insecurity and health outcomes Housing instability and chronic disease Transportation barriers to care Economic hardship and healthcare access Coaching & Patient Support Chronic disease coaching Chronic illness self-management support Pain behavior coaching Nervous system regulation Patient empowerment coaching Health literacy coaching Shared decision-making support Chronic disease self-management education (CDSME) Insurance & Administrative Advocacy Medication access advocacy Prior authorization appeals Insurance denial appeals Step therapy navigation Formulary exception requests Medicare and Medicaid navigation Medical record review and organization Patient rights advocacy Care Navigation & Coordination Treatment plan navigation Specialist referral coordination Discharge planning advocacy Care transition support Second opinion navigation Multidisciplinary pain clinic navigation Integrative pain care coordination Functional medicine navigation Patient-centered care planning Care gap identification Education & Community Outreach Community health education Workshop facilitation Graduate-level pain neuroscience training