
Inspired by Ocean’s recovery journey….
About.
At MindMend8, we believe in the power of language, resilience, and the extraordinary potential of the human mind to mend pain. Founded by Ocean Gorecki, an elite swimmer and passionate educator, MindMend8 is a groundbreaking platform that merges innovation, education, and empowerment to offer a unique approach to pain management.
Our Mission.
To equip individuals in pain with tools to leverage the brain's language center, fostering cognitive engagement and empowering resilience, strength, and peace.
Fitness Coach tries MindMend8:
A fitness coach recently experimented with MindMend8 techniques, incorporating an unexpected activity into his training: counting in Chinese. This approach aimed to help him manage chronic pain while building strength.
The idea stems from research into how language influences brain activity. By thinking in another language, the coach activated his brain's prefrontal cortex—an area linked to cognitive control—over the limbic system, which governs emotional processing. This shift reduces activity in regions like the anterior cingulate cortex and insula, both associated with the emotional intensity of pain. The result? A reduced emotional response to pain, allowing it to feel less overwhelming.
This example highlights how applying cognitive strategies can influence both physical and emotional experiences, offering a fascinating intersection of language and mind, brain, behavior.
MindMend8 Demonstration.
Watch Ocean demonstrate the MindMend8 techniques through underwater dolphin kicks. After physical therapy, these techniques helped him unlock greater speed and fluidity in the water.

How Ocean's Recovery Sparked the Creation of MindMend8.
MindMend8 was born out of Ocean's remarkable recovery following a life-altering car accident. Just days before starting with his new swim team at McCallie, Ocean and his father were struck head-on by a drunk driver. The collision left him unconscious, with a broken ankle, a traumatic brain injury, along with numerous facial and bodily injuries. With the prayers of thousands, Ocean defied immense odds, regaining consciousness and pushing through the hurdles of recovery.
Even while navigating his injuries, Ocean was determined to heal and prove his resilience. He arrived at the McCallie pool with crutches, a boot on his foot, and a resolve to succeed. Using a buoy to balance and pull through practices, Ocean began reclaiming his athletic abilities.
The missing piece? Language. Ocean had already studied Spanish for three years and grew up around Spanish-speaking family members, giving him a strong foundation. Starting McCallie, he was a first-year Chinese student at the time.
Ocean discovered something profound.
Counting in Chinese: 一, 二, 三, 四, 五, 六, 七, 八 while working through physical therapy and performing underwater dolphin kicks helped distract his mind from pain and engaged his brain in innovative ways. Interestingly, he found that by the number eight, he could push through the pain. The rhythm of counting and the mental focus reboot both his mindset and his physical recovery. Slowly but surely, Ocean worked back to his pre-accident swim times, one dolphin kick at a time.
Ocean founded MindMend8 as an opportunity to explore unexpected possibilities, engage in research, and educate others on using their mind-brain connection to overcome challenges and excel. This personal technique serves as the foundation for MindMend8's innovative approach to pain perception and the mind-body connection.
MindMend8 Core Values:
一 Empowerment: Tools for resilience and overcoming challenges.
二 Innovation: Unique methods like language-based distraction.
三 Education: Accessible resources for all.
四 Holistic Approach: Encourage unexpected solutions by connecting the mind and body.
五 Accessibility: Strategies for everyone, everywhere.
六 Adaptability: Tailor solutions to diverse needs and evolving circumstances.
七 Continuous Improvement: Evolve with research, experience, and feedback.
八 Community: Cultivate a network of support and shared progress.
about
Ocean Gorecki
“Ocean’s journey proves that resilience isn’t just about physical recovery, it is about finding new ways to push limits, even when the odds are stacked against you. His determination in the pool and in life is nothing short of inspiring.”
— Coach Stan Corcoran, 2024-2025 McCallie Head Swim coach
Ocean Gorecki's story is one of resilience, excellence, and determination.
As an All-American swimmer in the 400 Free Relay, Ocean's team took 17th place in the country, and he has impressive NCSA national cuts in the 100 Free, 100 Fly, 50 Free, and 200 Free.
Ocean has consistently demonstrated his passion for swimming and his drive for success both in and out of the pool. At McCallie School, Ocean played a pivotal role in the swim team’s state championship victories, earning the 2024/2025 Coaches Award in recognition of his contributions.
Ocean is the 2025/2026 McCallie Varsity Swim Team captain, and he plans to lead his team back to state in 2026 while working toward achieving Junior National cuts. In his first year on the McCallie team, Ocean’s resilience and dedication were celebrated with the prestigious John Pataky Award, a testament to his grit and perseverance
Ocean’s journey has not been without challenges. On August 5, 2023, just days before starting at McCallie and joining the championship swim team, Ocean and his father were struck head-on by a drunk driver. The accident left Ocean with a traumatic brain injury, a broken ankle, and numerous facial and body injuries.
Despite the uphill road to recovery, Ocean's relentless determination helped him overcome the odds. After the accident, his grades and swim performance took a hit during the first semester. With a head injury and a broken ankle, it was not easy to take college prep classes and swim on the #1 team in the state, but he didn’t give up. Just seven months after the accident, he reached a huge milestone: his first NCSA cut.
Even though he was cautioned to go slow and take easier classes due to a head injury, Ocean continued with Advanced Placement courses and chose to learn a new foreign language, Chinese, which unexpectedly became his way of coping with the pain. Ocean bounced back with high academic achievements, earning a spot on the McCallie Faculty Recommendation list every quarter and was later named to the Head of School for maintaining a perfect record of all A's.
His perseverance and determination show in his ability to balance challenges and achieve excellence in all areas of life. As the founder of MindMend8, he finds great joy in sharing his tools with other athletes, seniors, and individuals experiencing pain or working to gain strength, and is actively involved in research to explore how MindMend8 techniques can address additional challenges such as stress, test-taking anxiety, and performance enhancement.