At Can Do MS, we know that the power of knowledge can transform lives and expand beliefs about what is possible.

These articles are written by our nationwide team of program consultants - renowned healthcare professionals dedicated to educating people living with MS and their support partners. You will find valuable information and approaches covering our Six Dimensions of Wellness- Emotional Well-Being, Cognitive Well-Being; Home & Work; Diet, Exercise & Healthy Behaviors; Relationships; and Spirituality.

These articles are provided as general educational resources and should not be interpreted as diagnoses, prognoses, or treatment suggestions. Information and perspectives represent the views of the individual author(s); Can Do Multiple Sclerosis is not responsible for the accuracy or currency of the responses. Readers should consult with their healthcare team.

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Discovering Your Sexual Self

By: Dr. Linda Mona, Ph.D

Discovering yourself and what feels right to you is a life-long process, one that does not have a final conclusion. Keep an open mind while learning about yourself and begin your journey to knowing the sexual person that you are!

Shared Decision Making in Multiple Sclerosis

By: Aliza Ben-Zacharia, PhD, DNP, ANP, FAAN, MSCN , Samantha Domingo, PhD

MS can present a slew of challenges to health and wellness. Addressing these challenges requires frequent and often complex decisions. An overwhelming amount of information can make this decision making even more daunting.

05 May Cognition And Relationships Library

It Takes a Village: When Cognition Shifts Roles

By: Meghan Beier, PhD and Darla Freeman MA, CCC/SLP

Approximately 65% of individuals living with multiple sclerosis (MS) will experience cognitive change. This change can occur anytime in the disease. Approximately one-third of individuals experience cognitive difficulties even before they are officially diagnosed. Below we will highlight the domains most commonly impacted by MS, how they can impact relationships, and a few tips for improvement.

Relationships & Communication

By: Roz Kalb, Ph.D.- Psychologist and Can Do MS Senior Programs Consultant

When one person is diagnosed with MS, many other people are involved and affected. And the changes brought about by MS can have an impact on those important relationships.

Progressive MS Health & Wellness Resource Guide

By: Denise Bruen, Roz Kalb, and Mandy Rohrig

Gather information about how progressive MS is diagnosed and managed and the important role of overall health and wellness through a variety of articles, booklets, webpages, and videos from Can Do Multiple Sclerosis and the National MS Society.

Driving with MS: A Psychological Perspective

By: Cecilia Capuzzi Simon

Life does not end without driving! It does, however, change. How will you define your new normal? Your new independence? Your freedom?

Car Talk

By: Cecilia Capuzzi Simon, Psychology Feature Writer

Symptoms of MS, especially cognitive changes and spasticity, can affect driving performance and increase a risk of a car crash. In fact, persons with MS are three times more likely to have a car accident, putting themselves and others at risk. While there are many modifications and adaptations that can assist with driving, loses in driving skills are common. At some point, it is time for all of us, with or without MS, to hang up the car keys. For loved ones, bringing this up can usually be unpleasant, emotional, and relationship-straining. Many families, including mine, go through similar struggles with their aging parents.

Sometimes It’s Hard to Be a Woman: Women’s Health Issues in MS

By: Meghan Beier, PhD & Cheryl Blaschuk, RN, FNP, MSN

Living with multiple sclerosis (MS) presents a unique challenge for women. Until relatively recently, most of the medical and rehabilitation research focused on either males exclusively, or mixed populations without examining differences in gender. As an example, prior to 1990, there was only one publication that examined the unique demographics of women with functional or cognitive challenges. New lines of research produced a better understanding of the prevalence of MS among women, as well as unique considerations needed for assessment and treatment in this gender.

Exercise and Cognition: Research Updates

By: Mandy Rohrig, PT, DPT

The positive effects of exercise on our bodies are widely known - improved muscular strength, weight management, balance, cardiovascular health, and reduced risk for some cancers and type 2 diabetes, just to name a few. These measurable physical changes are often the focus of goals and intended outcomes for exercise. An often overlooked advantage to exercise is the benefit that exercise may have on our minds - the most magnificent “muscle” of all.

GPS For Your MS: Initiating Your Wellness Journey

By: Stephanie Buxhoeveden, MSCN, MSN, FNP-BC & Peggy Crawford, PhD

Following the diagnosis of MS and during periods of change in your MS, it is not unusual to feel your personal GPS is out of whack and not working as well as it had in the past - or not as well as you were hoping it would. This is true whether you are the person with MS or someone who cares about you. You may feel lost, without direction, and overwhelmed with multiple choices and decisions. You may feel that little is under your control. On the other hand, MS often becomes the motivation - the “kick in the butt” so to speak - that people have needed to pursue effective wellness and healthy lifestyle strategies.

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