October 06, 2024

137. Celiac Disease and the Traveling Therapist Life: Navigating Food, Anxiety, and Health on the Road with Christina Kantzavelos and Erin Davis

41 minutes

In this special edition of The Traveling Therapist Podcast, Kym Tolson candidly shares the struggles of traveling while living with Celiac disease, a chronic condition that affects how she navigates food and health on the road. She is joined by fellow therapists Erin Davis and Christina Kantzavelos, who also live with Celiac disease, and together they open up about the challenges they face as they balance their nomadic lifestyles with managing a restrictive diet. Each of them shares their personal stories of late diagnoses and the hardships they endured before realizing gluten was the culprit behind years of discomfort and illness.

Throughout the episode, they discuss the emotional toll that living with Celiac disease brings, from the anxiety of dining out to the frustration of navigating social situations where food is involved. The conversation sheds light on the daily obstacles of avoiding cross-contamination and how the condition impacts their mental health. Despite the challenges, they also share practical tips for fellow travelers with Celiac, offering both hope and understanding for anyone facing similar struggles on the road.

Key points from this episode:

Healing the gut is crucial for improving mental health in chronic illness, as gut issues can significantly impact brain function.
Gluten exposure often triggers intense anxiety and PTSD-like symptoms, making it difficult to trust food in social or restaurant settings.
Celiac disease causes grief over lost food experiences and social challenges, as managing cross-contamination becomes a constant struggle.

Links Mentioned:

- [Find Me Gluten Free App](https://www.findmeglutenfree.com)

- [GF Scanner App](https://gfscanner.com)

- Christina Kantzavelos' Blog: [Buen Qamino](https://buenqamino.com)

About Christina Kantzavelos:

Christina P. Kantzavelos is a licensed psychotherapist (LCSW) writer, artist, and

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Are you ready to take the plunge and become a Traveling Therapist? Whether you want to be a full-time digital nomad or just want the flexibility to bring your practice with you while you travel a couple of times a year, the Portable Practice Method will give you the framework to be protected!
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Connect with me:

www.instagram.com/thetravelingtherapist_kym
www.facebook.com/groups/onlineandtraveling/
www.thetravelingtherapist.com

The Traveling Therapist Podcast is Sponsored by:

Berries: Say goodbye to the burden of mental health notes with automated note and treatment plan creation! www.heyberries.com/therapists

Alma: Alma is on a mission to simplify access to mental health care by focusing first and foremost on supporting clinicians. www.helloalma.com/kym

Sessions Health: Built for traveling therapists with global EHR access, clean interface, and therapist-friendly pricing at just $39/month. www.sessionshealth.com/kym

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By Kym Tolson

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