The Long Road to Healing from Physical Trauma—with Neil McCarthy - EP004

Neil McCarthy and his wife Tracy are outdoor adventurers, and they taught their kids to ski, hike, climb and camp early on. And then, in July of 2018, Neil had accident. After an easy climb, he was rappelling and fell. So, what does life look like for Neil and his family today? And what modalities did he employ on the long road to healing from physical trauma? Neil is the Organizational Development Consultant and Leadership Coach behind McCarthy Consulting Group, a Seattle firm that helps leaders, teams and organizations experience the full adventure of business and achieve their best—in performance, leadership and results. Prior to consulting, he spent 10 years as a professional mountain guide for the National Outdoor Leadership School and Alpine Ascents International, and being active in the outdoors has always been way of life for Neil and his family. On this episode of Holistic High Performance, Neil joins Daniel to discuss what happened the day of his traumatic climbing accident and describe the serious injuries he sustained as a result. He explains the elaborate healing routine he adopted post-surgery (while he was immobile) and explains why the early days of physical therapy were such an emotional experience. Listen in for Neil’s advice on navigating the slow, incremental process of healing from trauma and find out what inspired him to do everything he could to recover and get back to being outdoors with his family. What You Will Learn What happened the day of Neil’s traumatic climbing accident and how long it took first responders to get him to the hospital The injuries Neil sustained to his right leg, left foot and ankle, face and neck The survival mindset Neil adopted through his first two surgeries The bleak prognosis for recovery Neil received from the surgeons at Harborview How the community rallied around Neil and his family after the accident The elaborate healing routine Neil followed for the next three months while he was immobile Why Neil didn’t begin to work through the emotional trauma of the fall until he started physical therapy The painful business trip to Italy that made Neil contemplate losing his foot and how that experience led to working with Daniel What Neil learned about advocating for yourself with the medical community and what inspired him to try everything possible to recover How Neil was hiking and climbing again within a year of the accident and how he feels now Neil’s advice on navigating the slow, incremental process of healing from trauma Connect with Neil McCarthy McCarthy Consulting Group Connect with Daniel Christofferson Holistic High Performance Daniel on LinkedIn Resources Dr. Daphne Beingessner Dr. Bruce Sangeorzan Daniel Altschuler Tummy Temple PEMF Devices Craig DeMartino Wolfgang Brolley