Reframing Chronic Illness

The relationship between trauma, PTSD and chronic illness is one that lives in a cycle. Whilst many who have experienced trauma/who experience PTSD will also go on to develop chronic illness, the very living with a chronic illness can be traumatic. It’s an aspect that’s perhaps not very well acknowledged, and therefore not addressed and often I see the two existing in a bit of a feedback...

Sasha and I both arrived at this recording with blankets on our knees, settling into the darker evening, and the Embers of the year (reference to Sasha’s Embers workshop). We connect on many levels, which perhaps are rooted in making moves towards find our own way in life, using what would be perceived in mainstream society as disadvantages, as our superpowers. Sasha has been sharing her words wit...

With chronic illness comes a feeling of never being enough. Never showing up to your life ‘enough’, not being energetic ‘enough’ never giving anything ‘enough’ effort, never trying hard ‘enough’ to ‘heal’ (because surely, if you were, you’d be healed right?! What are you missing? What else should you be doing?!!) The idea that we’re not enough, that we need fixing, that we’re somehow broken, keeps...

Having open, honest, compassionate conversations with your closer and wider circles is something that many living with a chronic illness struggle with, for fear of being met with judgement, expectation and a lack of understanding about their lived experience. Today I’m chatting to Laura Leigh Champman, a genius communications mentor about how to have these conversations in open, constructive ways....

I'd love to open a conversation about this, so of there's anything that's resonated, or if there's anything you'd like to discuss further, I'd love to hear from you via any of the below; Email: hello[at]alanaholloway[dot]com Your Chronic Illness Superpower: click here to tap into the wisdom of your chronic illness and start living in the way you truly want to be living, from the day-to-day to the...

In this episode, I talk about why I created my signature programme, Flourish, and why I believe this work is so life changing. And I don't use that term lightly. I cover: - The gradual shift that happens as you move through this work. - Why we need to get really honest with ourselves about what it is we're actually working towards and hoping for. - I also talk about something I've never admitted b...

In this episode, I cover: Why acceptance is a practice and not a tick box exercise. Why it’s so often misunderstood and resisted ( and why non-acceptance weirdly supports the “wellness industry” at large). Why it’s one of the best things you can do to support your healing journey. How acceptance of all that you are serves way more people than you alone. I also talk about my imperfect journey with...

In this episode, I talk about how the common goal of ‘controlling and managing’ your health/illness/symptoms, goes from something you do to help yourself feel better, to something that gets in the way of deeper healing. I cover: - Why we get so wrapped up in following the rules that we forget to check in to see if they’re actually working for us. - Why it becomes way more about how we pe...

In this episode, I talk about the whats, hows and whys behind health overwhelm. When everything is geared towards fixing and returning to what once was, it becomes incredibly easy to fall into the health overwhelm trap. I discuss: How health overwhelm and disconnection with the self exist in a self perpetuating cycle. Why we always want to be asking the big and the small ‘why?’ Why living with a c...

In this episode I talk about: The unexpected – and bonus – side effects of living with a chronic illness.  How it’s equipped me with certain skills and qualities that have helped me way beyond the realms of my health, and how this penny drop came about during lockdown! Why I'm making it my mission to change - or present another side of - the story. P.S. Being more capable than you think...

Who do you turn to when it comes to making decisions for your body, your health and your life? How connected to your inner wisdom are you and do you trust it? In this episode I discuss how (and why) the way we look after ourselves has become an exercise in crowd-sourcing, or an ‘accidental democracy’. I talk about how that's resulted in our health - or self - care reflecting on who we surroun...

Conscious rebellion is making a fully aware choice to do something that goes against your usual lifestyle or healing practice. Something that might consequently take you off track for a micro moment. But something that I believe makes the healing journey more sustainable, achievable and enjoyable. No matter how well you’ve designed your life to suit your needs, no matter how good it make...

What makes you different and how can you use your differences to your advantage to unlock a way of living that suits and serves you (and by default, those around you) best. Normalising a way of living that to most, would be considered 'abnormal', but that allows you to flourish is such an important piece of the puzzle when living - and choosing to thrive - with a chronic illness or long-term...

Why the need to reframe chronic illness?  In this episode I talk about my own journey with not fitting into the what the status quo says about living with a chronic illness. I cover why I think it’s so important – not only for us as individuals but for the world we live in – that we talk about how we can use chronic illness as an invitation to fundamentally live better, do better and fee...

In this pilot episode, I (Alana) introduce myself and talk a bit about what you can expect from the Reframing Chronic Illness podcast. Be sure to subscribe for a weekly conversation all about the journey of harnessing the intelligence of chronic illness, and using it to help you heal, flourish and live your life in a way that feels good. You can find me at alanaholloway.com . I’m not on Insta...