The Chronic Illness Therapist

If you've ever been told to push through the pain, or worried that going slower means giving up on getting better, this episode will change how you think about movement and healing. You'll hear from Jeannie Di Bon , movement therapist and hypermobility/EDS specialist. She shares why starting with breath and nervous system regulation, not exercise, is often the missing first step that actua...

What does it actually look like to find a therapist who understands chronic illness, and what kind of work can help when you've spent years being dismissed by the medical system? In this episode, you'll learn how to recognize medical gaslighting in your own story, why somatic work can be essential before surgery, and how to protect your identity and your relationships when chronic illness takes ov...

If you've ever been handed a generic exercise plan for pain that's been with you for years — or felt like your provider was treating the injury you had once, not the body you're living in now — this episode gets into why that approach keeps falling short. Chronic pain isn't an acute problem with a delayed solution, and the science is finally catching up to what so many patients alr...

If you've ever been dismissed by a doctor, told your symptoms were stress or anxiety, or felt like the medical system wasn't built for people like you — this episode traces exactly how we got here. The history of "hysteria" didn't end; it evolved, and understanding that history might be one of the most validating things you do for yourself today. In this episode, you'll h...

When your symptoms shift daily and no one, not even your doctor, can give you clear answers, the hypervigilance can feel like the only rational response. But what if that constant scanning is actually making your nervous system harder to calm, and there's a way to work with it instead of against it? In this episode, you'll hear from Dr. Amanda Whitehouse , licensed psychologist specializin...

If you have an eating disorder and a chronic illness, recovery might not look like what gets celebrated online, and that disconnect can leave you feeling like you're doing it wrong. The missing piece isn't more willpower; it’s a provider who actually understands how these two things interact. In this episode, you'll hear from Tiffany Pecoraro, MS, RD, LD, EDOC , Registered Dietitian an...

In this episode, licensed counselor and chronic illness specialist Destiny Davis, LPC, CRC breaks down why sequencing matters in somatic work with chronically ill clients, what gets in the way of felt safety, and how to assess readiness without pathologizing a client's protective responses. You'll learn: - Why rushing toward body connection can flood your clients, and what to do instead -...

If you have chronic kidney disease, you've probably been told to cut out potassium, avoid phosphorus-rich foods, and brace for dialysis. But what if most of that advice is outdated and the foods you've been avoiding are actually the ones that could protect your kidneys? In this episode, you'll hear from Jen Hernandez RDN, CSR, LDN , who makes the case that the most powerful thing peopl...

If you've ever felt like you were failing at being sick, like you weren't trying hard enough, being positive enough, or consistent enough, this episode is for you. What if the pressure to heal is actually part of what's making things harder? In this replay from episode 73, you'll hear from Grace Quantock , psychotherapeutic counsellor, advocate, and author of the newly released boo...

In this episode, licensed professional counselor and supervisor Dr. Heather Olivier joins us to explore the intersection of neurodivergence and chronic illness—and what it means for both clients and clinicians. Drawing from her perinatal loss research, her clinical work using Relational-Cultural Theory and Brainspotting, and her own lived experience as an autistic, ADHD individual with POTS and MC...

In this episode, licensed marriage and family therapist Lisa Gray shares practical strategies for maintaining healthy relationships when chronic illness enters the picture—whether you're navigating high-conflict dynamics or learning to communicate through the unique challenges of chronic pain and fatigue. Lisa reminds us that healthy conflict isn't just about reducing fights—it's also...

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Victoria Rodriguez, PhD, LPC , a licensed professional counselor in New Orleans, Louisiana. In her private practice, she specializes in medical trauma and provides wellness trainings for professionals and healthcare organizations. She also serves on the Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review Board with the Louisiana Department of Health to advance equitable medi...

In this episode, therapists Destiny Davis and Victoria Rodriguez explain why chronic illness requires specialized clinical training beyond traditional therapy approaches and discuss the first-ever Chronic Illness Therapist Conference. They explore common treatment goals for chronically ill clients—including communicating needs without feeling burdensome, learning to rest and pace, and navigating a...

In this episode, therapists Destiny Davis and Victoria Rodriguez discuss why empathy alone isn't enough when working with chronically ill clients and share insights about the first-ever Chronic Illness Therapist Conference. They explore the importance of understanding medical terminology, disability theory, and evidence-based frameworks, beyond just lived experience and compassion, to effectiv...

In this episode, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Financial Social Worker Megan Stevenson shares practical insights on navigating the financial and emotional complexities of chronic illness. Through her private practice, Curiosity Counseling and Consulting, Megan helps individuals and caregivers manage the unique intersection of money stress, healthcare costs, and the emotional weight...

In this episode, I reflect on the emotional and nervous system impacts of current socio-political events. I discuss the progression of my own relationship with news and politics, emphasizing the importance of staying informed while managing emotional and sensory overload. I encourage you to find and consume more neutral news sources, build capacity for conflict, and observe effective communication...

In this episode, physical therapist and health coach Jason Therrien shares his compassionate approach to helping people rebuild trust with their bodies after chronic pain has damaged that relationship. Jason reminds us that most people with chronic pain aren't afraid to move; they've spent years pushing through pain and have incredibly high pain tolerances. The real fear is often about wha...

In this episode, clinical psychologist Dr. Laurie Dos Santos shares her approach to supporting adolescents and young adults with POTS, dysautonomia, and chronic fatigue syndrome. With advanced training in these often-dismissed conditions and a background in designing innovative support groups, Dr. Dos Santos brings both clinical expertise and genuine warmth to her work with young people navigating...

Tiffany Quicke is a Respiratory Therapist and Certified Asthma Educator and works as a Lung Health Navigator for the American Lung Association. She has over 20 years of experience working in Pulmonary Rehab and has been with the American Lung Association for 2 years. Her primary role includes being the lead Lung Health Navigator on both the COPD and Pulmonary Fibrosis education programs. Tiffany r...

In this episode, registered nurse and personal medical strategist Kayla Thompson-Riviere shares practical strategies for getting off what she calls the "medical merry-go-round" when you're stuck, dismissed, or misdiagnosed. Kayla reminds us that even with clinical training, being the patient activates the emotional brain in ways that make self-advocacy incredibly difficult. Her work...

Dr. Kara Pepper joins the podcast to discuss her approach to treating the vastly overlooked triad of EDS, POTS, and MCAS, along with eating disorders. After leaving the commercial healthcare model to open her own practice, Dr. Pepper now spends an hour with patients instead of 10 minutes, giving her time to actually listen and put together the puzzle pieces that other doctors miss. She explains wh...

In this episode, Sarah Stasica, LMSW and founder of the membership community Medical Trauma Support, joins me to talk about the realities of healing from medical trauma and why going slowly might be the best thing you can do for your nervous system. We explore why people isolate during medical crises, the overlap between complex trauma and medical trauma, how our nervous system responses show up i...

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Brentia Caldwell-Smith , founder of the UP Center and a licensed professional counselor who specializes in chronic illness navigation. We discuss disenfranchised grief—the kind of loss that comes with chronic illness that people don't always recognize or validate—and explore how cultural expectations around strength, religion, and perseverance can complicat...

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Kara Wada , a board-certified allergist and immunologist who also lives with Sjögren's disease and dysautonomia. We talk about what happens when your labs come back "normal" but your body is anything but, why 30-40% of people with Sjögren's have normal blood work, and how to navigate the gap between a medical system that dismisses you and well...

In this episode, clinical social worker and psychotherapist Kate Zera Kray joins Destiny to explore Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and its powerful application for those living with chronic illness. Kate breaks down the three types of "parts" we all have – managers (our organized protectors), firefighters (our emergency responders), and exiles (the vulnerable parts holding our pai...