From Tearing to Thriving: My Mindset Shift with Lichen Sclerosus

If you live with lichen sclerosus, I know how challenging it can be — physically, mentally, and emotionally. I was diagnosed at 19, and I’ve lived with this chronic skin condition throughout my adult life. Whether you experience tearing, itching, or vulvar pain, this condition can affect how you care for your body, how you move through your day, and how you relate to yourself.

In today’s blog, I want to share how I use mindset work, pelvic floor awareness, and nervous system practices to support myself. This is the lichen sclerosus mindset shift that’s helped me move from surviving to thriving — even while living with daily pain. These tools help me keep showing up — to move my body, care for myself, and feel connected to life even on days when I’m in pain. Because truthfully? I have pain almost every day. But I still want to feel like my most golden self — even if it's a little less sparkly.

✨ Want to go deeper? Listen to Podcast episode 35: You Are Not Broken - Reclaiming Trust in Your Pelvic Healing.

How Nervous System Regulation Affects Lichen Sclerosus

You’ve probably noticed how stress impacts your pelvic health. Stress doesn’t just live in the mind — it can show up in the pelvis, jaw, shoulders, and abdomen as muscular tension or pain. And when we’re stuck in “go-go-go” mode, it can prevent the body from softening and healing.

Now, not all stress is bad. The sympathetic nervous system (our “fight or flight” response) plays a role in keeping us alert and active. But if we’re constantly stuck there, our health — especially pelvic floor dysfunction — can suffer.

That’s why learning to activate the parasympathetic nervous system — your rest and digest state — is essential. These are some of the practices I use:

• Mindful movement (like pelvic floor yoga)

• Breathwork

• Meditation (access a free meditation here)

• Nature walks

• Gentle nervous system resets

• Time with people who make me feel safe

These tools have helped me manage chronic pain, regulate my emotions, and reconnect to my body with more ease.

If you want practices to support you, check out the Pelvic Health Yoga membership.

Visualizations & Vulva Care Practices

Most mornings, I begin with a vulva cold pack to soothe inflammation and bring awareness to the area. I’ll usually lie in a reclined butterfly pose or with legs up the wall. It’s simple, gentle, and grounding. Legs up the wall is also a really great pose to regulate the nervous system, and it takes the weight off your pelvic floor.

If I’m dealing with a pelvic floor tear, I add in visualizations. I picture my breath traveling into the area and imagine a golden light beginning to heal the tear. Sounds a little woo? Maybe. But for me, it’s an act of body awareness and self-compassion — and it’s helped me reconnect with the parts of myself I used to disconnect from.

Lichen Sclerosus Mindset Shift: Releasing Fear & Pelvic Floor Tension

Even on pain-free days, you might find yourself holding tension — especially in the pelvic floor. It’s something I’ve experienced too.

After treatment last year, I had days with no tearing, and yet I could feel my pelvic floor "pulling away," bracing as if it was expecting pain. That’s what long-term pelvic floor dysfunction can feel like — and it often gets worse with fear.

Bringing softness and breath into those moments can be so powerful. I often pause and ask myself:

“Am I holding tension out of habit… or because I’m trying to protect myself?”

That awareness alone can create space for healing.

Letting Go of Tomorrow & Enjoying Today

There was a time when, if I had a good day, I’d spend the whole time worrying about the next one.“What if I flare tomorrow because I wore jeans today?”

Eventually, I realized I was missing the actual good days. I was so focused on the what-ifs of tomorrow, I forgot to live.

Now, if I feel good — I live fully. Because I don’t know what tomorrow holds. And the stress of worrying about it only pulls me further away from the peace I feel today.

Reframing My Language Around Chronic Pain

Do I still have days where I’m overwhelmed and exhausted by living with lichen sclerosus? Absolutely. But I’m mindful of how I speak about my body and this condition.

If you've been around a while you've probably noticed — I choose not to call LS a “disease.” I see it as a chronic inflammatory skin condition. It’s not who I am, and it doesn’t define my worth. It’s an obstacle I work with, not against.

This shift has helped me build more trust with my body, and feel less like a victim of my symptoms. Being mindful of this is something that aligns with Me, but it might not be for everyone.

If any of this resonates, I want you to know you’re not alone. Whether you live with LS, hypertonic pelvic floor dysfunction, or another chronic pelvic condition — your body is worthy of care and compassion.

You deserve to feel sexy, confident, and connected — even on the hard days. 💗

With love, Penny