Dr. Sabrina Crouch’s new book tackles chronic pain and identity

Psychologist Dr. Sabrina Crouch has released F**k Being Stuck, a book about chronic pain, self-advocacy and reclaiming identity beyond a diagnosis. The book draws on her own experience with cervical stenosis and aims to help readers rethink healing, pain and what it means to live fully.

Why it matters: - F**k Being Stuck frames chronic pain as more than a medical issue. The book argues that pain can affect identity, relationships, mood and a person’s sense of possibility. - The message is aimed especially at readers who feel defined by a diagnosis or dismissed by the health system. - The book also speaks to Black women and others from marginalized communities who face medical dismissal, unequal access to care and pressure to stay strong without support.

What happened: - Psychologist, school neuropsychologist, speaker, coach and author Dr. Sabrina Crouch released F**k Being Stuck: A Badass Approach to Healing Beyond Pain and Reclaiming Your Life. - The book centers on her experience after being diagnosed with cervical stenosis and learning to navigate chronic pain. - Dr. Crouch describes a turning point during a climb to the summit of Rainbow Mountain in Peru, where her pain moved to the background and pushed her to think differently about healing.

The details: - The book blends personal storytelling with guidance drawn from Dr. Crouch’s work as a psychologist. - It explores self-advocacy, nervous system regulation, meditation, breath, movement, rest, boundaries, inherited patterns and perfectionism. - The book also examines beliefs that can keep people disconnected from themselves. - Dr. Crouch says, “At its heart, F**k Being Stuck offers a powerful reminder: a diagnosis is information. It is not your identity.” - Dr. Crouch adds, “Pain may be part of your story, but it does not have to have the final word.” - Dr. Crouch has worked with children and families across New York City and Westchester County for more than 30 years. - Her background includes a doctorate in School Clinical Child Psychology from Yeshiva University, a master’s degree and advanced certification in School Psychology from the City College of New York, and a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University. - Dr. Crouch is a Diplomate of the American Board of School Neuropsychology and is licensed as a psychologist in New York State and New Jersey.

Between the lines: - The book does not promise that pain will disappear. - Its larger message is that healing can include curiosity, self-advocacy and releasing patterns that no longer serve a person. - The approach pushes back against a narrow view of recovery and treats healing as a whole-person process.

What’s next: - Dr. Crouch is positioning the book as a guide for readers who want to build a life that is not organized around pain. - The book encourages readers to create a path that honors their whole selves rather than wait for perfect conditions to change. - More information is available through her LinkedIn profile and Instagram account.

The bottom line: - F**k Being Stuck presents pain as one part of a person’s story, not the whole story.