83 | Acrobat and Circus Artist Shelli Epstein: Expanding Your Identity

“I’m walking again, I look like a normal person, I feel very able. But internally, the struggle is, I am not where I used to be. I cannot do the things I love. I cannot run. I cannot jump. So, I still feel the injury is a cloud hanging over me, and I've still got a long way to go. It's an interesting feeling and mental battle that I have with myself on a daily basis.”

 

It was January 2022, and Shelli Epstein was poised to make a big comeback. After an injury and then the pandemic, she was overjoyed to return to the stage as Running Woman in Cirque du Soleil’s touring show Luzia. Icing on the cake: The production was opening at the Royal Albert Hall in London, where she’d fallen in love with the circus as a child.

 

Her performance involves a discipline called the Russian swing, where, as Shelli puts it, “the margin of error is minimal.” In the private preview performance, her trajectory was just a few centimeters off. She landed on the swing, but in the process, tore ligaments in her foot and damaged her knee.

 

Eight months later, Shelli is still very much in the process of recovery. In the meantime, she’s published a book, taken sport psychology courses, and reconnected to who she is, outside of her performances. On this week’s episode, she shares her journey, including the role *our* book Rebound played in helping her through the tougher times. 

 

New this season: We’re asking listeners to support the show directly, which you can do at buymeacoffee.com/rebound. Make a one-time donation or download extras like webinar recordings and resource sheets. Or, you can join as an ongoing member; for $10 a month, you’ll get goodies like podcast extras, live monthly Q&As with Carrie, and discounts from great companies like Fluid Running, Lever Movement, Netic Health, and Reflex Health.   

 

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Resources/links:

• Shelli’s website, Instagram, and TikTok
• Her book, Flying High: Life Lessons from the Big Top

 

To access more resources for injured athletes:

• Buy Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries —now available as an audiobook!
• Join The Injured Athletes Club mailing list, for news and updates
• Join The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group, for support and camaraderie
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• Email us at [email protected] with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback

 

DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational & informational use only and & does not constitute medical advice. Do not disregard, avoid or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have heard in an episode of this podcast. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified medical professional for proper evaluation & treatment. Guests who speak on this podcast express their own opinions, experiences, and conclusions, and The Injured Athletes Club podcast hosts nor any company providing financial support endorses or opposes any particular treatment option discussed in the episodes of this podcast and are not responsible for any actions or inactions of listeners based on the information presented. The use of any information provided is solely at your own risk.