FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS:

🏢 WE’RE HOSTING A CONFERENCE! WOOO! It’ll be an IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL event in Atlanta, GA, on MARCH 6&7, 2026!⁠⁠⁠ ⁠REGISTER HERE!⁠⁠⁠

SIGN UP FOR DESTINY'S NEXT LIVE WORKSHOP

⁠⁠⁠→ Parenting Sensory Kids + The Holidays (Chronic Illness Edition) with Rachael Lopez OTR/L!⁠⁠

JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠⁠⁠⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

Episode summary:

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 in our bodies, and why befriending your body isn't about positive thinking but about building the capacity to trust yourself again. Sarah reminds us that this work isn't fast or overnight, and that our nervous systems deserve to be treated gently and slowly, even when parts of us think we don't deserve that care.

MEET DESTINY:⁠⁠ ⁠Website⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠ ⁠BlueSky⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠

MEET GUEST: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ / ⁠Instagram⁠ / YouTube / Facebook / Podcast

Check out Sarah’s Befriend Your Body Membership here!

⁠⁠→ ⁠READ THE BLOG FOR THIS EPISODE⁠⁠

ASK DESTINY ANYTHING

→ ⁠⁠⁠Submit your questions here⁠⁠⁠

FOR YOU, OUR PODCAST LISTENERS:

JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠⁠⁠⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS:

🏢 WE’RE HOSTING A CONFERENCE! WOOO! It’ll be an IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL event in Atlanta, GA, on MARCH 6&7, 2026!⁠⁠ ⁠REGISTER HERE!⁠⁠

🛋️ ⁠⁠⁠Join The Mastermind!⁠⁠⁠ (monthly business and clinical consultation calls for medical professionals specializing in working with patients with chronic illnesses)

🧭 Get Your Client Roadmap For Navigating Complex Trauma and Chronic Illness (specifically for mental health therapists) (COMING SOON-⁠⁠ ⁠sign up for the waitlist⁠⁠⁠)

WANT TO SAY THANKS - Reviews tell the app, “hey, people like this! Show it in the algorithm to more people!” :)

💜 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

🟢 ⁠⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

Disclaimer: Everything we talk about here is just meant to be general education and information. It's not intended as personal mental health or medical advice. If you have any questions related to your unique circumstances, please contact a licensed therapist or medical professional in your state of residence.

FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS:

🏢 WE’RE HOSTING A CONFERENCE! WOOO! It’ll be an IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL event in Atlanta, GA, on MARCH 6&7, 2026!⁠⁠ ⁠REGISTER HERE!⁠⁠

SIGN UP FOR DESTINY'S NEXT LIVE WORKSHOP

⁠⁠→ Upcoming Workshops!⁠

JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠⁠⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠⁠⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

Episode summary:

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 complicate the healing process. Dr. Brentia shares her personal experience living with lupus and interstitial lung disease, and we talk about the importance of building community, finding joy in the midst of uncertainty, and making your life work for you even when it looks different than you expected. This conversation is full of practical wisdom about connecting with others, prioritizing your own needs, and refusing to let illness take away your ability to have fun and live fully.

MEET DESTINY:⁠ ⁠Website⁠⁠ /⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠⁠ /⁠ ⁠BlueSky⁠⁠ /⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠⁠ /⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠⁠

MEET GUEST: ⁠⁠⁠Website⁠ / Instagram

⁠→ ⁠READ THE BLOG FOR THIS EPISODE⁠

ASK DESTINY ANYTHING

→ ⁠⁠Submit your questions here⁠⁠

FOR YOU, OUR PODCAST LISTENERS:

JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠⁠⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠⁠⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS:

🏢 WE’RE HOSTING A CONFERENCE! WOOO! It’ll be an IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL event in Atlanta, GA, on MARCH 6&7, 2026!⁠ ⁠REGISTER HERE!⁠

🛋️ ⁠⁠Join The Mastermind!⁠⁠ (monthly business and clinical consultation calls for medical professionals specializing in working with patients with chronic illnesses)

🧭 Get Your Client Roadmap For Navigating Complex Trauma and Chronic Illness (specifically for mental health therapists) (COMING SOON-⁠ ⁠sign up for the waitlist⁠⁠)

WANT TO SAY THANKS - Reviews tell the app, “hey, people like this! Show it in the algorithm to more people!” :)

💜 ⁠⁠Leave a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠

🟢 ⁠⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠⁠

Disclaimer: Everything we talk about here is just meant to be general education and information. It's not intended as personal mental health or medical advice. If you have any questions related to your unique circumstances, please contact a licensed therapist or medical professional in your state of residence.

FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS:

🏢 WE’RE HOSTING A CONFERENCE! WOOO! It’ll be an IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL event in Atlanta, GA, on MARCH 6&7, 2026!⁠ ⁠REGISTER HERE!⁠

SIGN UP FOR DESTINY'S NEXT LIVE WORKSHOP

⁠→ Upcoming Workshops!

JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

Episode summary:

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 wellness influencers who promise quick fixes. Dr. Kara shares her own story of going down the supplement rabbit hole, the three questions to ask when vetting providers, and why hypervigilance—both mental and physical—keeps so many people stuck in chronic illness. We also dig into the 80/20 rule for symptom management, the concept of de-prescribing, and why partnership beats certainty every single time. If you've ever felt too complicated for the system or been told it's all in your head, this conversation is for you.

MEET DESTINY: ⁠Website⁠ / ⁠Instagram⁠ / ⁠BlueSky⁠ / ⁠YouTube⁠ / ⁠TikTok⁠

MEET GUEST: ⁠Website⁠ / Instagram / YouTube

Dr. Kara offers virtual consultations and direct care memberships through the Immune Confident Institute for individuals navigating allergies, autoimmunity, and chronic inflammation.

→ ⁠READ THE BLOG FOR THIS EPISODE

ASK DESTINY ANYTHING

→ ⁠Submit your questions here⁠

FOR YOU, OUR PODCAST LISTENERS:

JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS:

🏢 WE’RE HOSTING A CONFERENCE! WOOO! It’ll be an IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL event in Atlanta, GA, on MARCH 6&7, 2026! ⁠REGISTER HERE!

🛋️ ⁠Join The Mastermind!⁠ (monthly business and clinical consultation calls for medical professionals specializing in working with patients with chronic illnesses)

🧭 Get Your Client Roadmap For Navigating Complex Trauma and Chronic Illness (specifically for mental health therapists) (COMING SOON- ⁠sign up for the waitlist⁠)

WANT TO SAY THANKS - Reviews tell the app, “hey, people like this! Show it in the algorithm to more people!” :)

💜 ⁠Leave a review on Apple Podcasts⁠

🟢 ⁠Leave a rating on Spotify⁠

Disclaimer: Everything we talk about here is just meant to be general education and information. It's not intended as personal mental health or medical advice. If you have any questions related to your unique circumstances, please contact a licensed therapist or medical professional in your state of residence.

SIGN UP FOR DESTINY'S NEXT LIVE WORKSHOP

→ Financial Wellness for Chronic Medical Conditions

JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

**

Episode summary:

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 pain) – and explains how chronic illness can send these internal systems into overdrive. Through personal stories about Lyme disease, diabetes management, and the challenge of de-identifying from illness, they discuss how understanding our protective parts can lead to more self-compassion during the medical journey. The conversation illuminates why over-identification with illness can be protective during acute treatment phases, and how creativity becomes essential for problem-solving when traditional approaches fail. Kate emphasizes the importance of "unblending" from our parts to access our core Self, characterized by qualities like curiosity, compassion, and creativity – offering a new framework for navigating the complex emotional landscape of chronic illness with greater understanding and grace.

MEET DESTINY: Website / Instagram / BlueSky / YouTube / TikTok

MEET GUEST: Website / licensed in GA and IL

SIGN UP FOR DESTINY'S NEXT LIVE WORKSHOP

→ Financial Wellness for Chronic Medical Conditions

→ READ THE BLOG FOR THIS EPISODE

ASK DESTINY ANYTHING

→ Submit your questions here

FOR YOU, OUR PODCAST LISTENERS

JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

🏢 WE’RE HOSTING A CONFERENCE! WOOO! It’ll be an IN-PERSON event in Atlanta, GA, in the Spring or Fall of 2026! Sign up for the waitlist here!

🛋️ Join The Mastermind! (monthly business and clinical consultation calls for medical professionals specializing in working with patients with chronic illnesses)

🧭 Get Your Client Roadmap For Navigating Complex Trauma and Chronic Illness (specifically for mental health therapists) (COMING SOON- sign up for the waitlist)

**

WANT TO SAY THANKS - Reviews tell the app, “hey, people like this! Show it in the algorithm to more people!” :)

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

**

Disclaimer: Everything we talk about here is just meant to be general education and information. It's not intended as personal mental health or medical advice. If you have any questions related to your unique circumstances, please contact a licensed therapist or medical professional in your state of residence.

SIGN UP FOR DESTINY'S NEXT LIVE WORKSHOP

→ Financial Wellness for Chronic Medical Conditions

**

JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

**

Episode summary: In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Kelly Clark, a physical therapist and owner of Patient PT in Bloomington, Indiana, to challenge the popular narrative that chronic pain is a "false alarm." Kelly shares her personal journey with chronic pain and explains why pain is actually valuable biological data that deserves our attention, not dismissal. We explore the crucial difference between "good pain" and "bad pain" in therapeutic exercise, why the relational aspect of healing matters so much for chronic pain recovery, and how learning to listen to smaller pain signals can prevent your nervous system from turning up the volume. Kelly also walks us through a fascinating case study on headaches, demonstrating how understanding anatomy and building trust with your body are both essential for healing. If you've been told your chronic pain is "all in your head" or you're struggling with the "push through it" mentality, this conversation offers a refreshing and hopeful perspective on working with your pain rather than against it.

→ READ THE BLOG FOR THIS EPISODE

MEET DESTINY: Website / Instagram / BlueSky / YouTube / TikTok

MEET GUEST: Website / Instagram

→ READ THE BLOG FOR THIS EPISODE

ASK DESTINY ANYTHING

→ Submit your questions here

FOR YOU, OUR PODCAST LISTENERS

JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

🏢 WE’RE HOSTING A CONFERENCE! WOOO! It’ll be an IN-PERSON event in Atlanta, GA, in the Spring or Fall of 2026! Sign up for the waitlist here!

🛋️ Join The Mastermind! (monthly business and clinical consultation calls for medical professionals specializing in working with patients with chronic illnesses)

🧭 Get Your Client Roadmap For Navigating Complex Trauma and Chronic Illness (specifically for mental health therapists) (COMING SOON- sign up for the waitlist)

**

WANT TO SAY THANKS - Reviews tell the app, “hey, people like this! Show it in the algorithm to more people!” :)

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

**

Disclaimer: Everything we talk about here is just meant to be general education and information. It's not intended as personal mental health or medical advice. If you have any questions related to your unique circumstances, please contact a licensed therapist or medical professional in your state of residence.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEXT LIVE WORKSHOP

⁠→ Financial Wellness for Chronic Medical Conditions⁠ Oct 25th 2025 @ 12 EST

• :Understanding your relationship with money and building practical strategies that work with your chronic illness reality.

Episode Summary: In this episode, Destiny sits down with Kamilah Jones, PharmD, LPC, CRC, to explore the crucial difference between stress and burnout, particularly for healthcare professionals. Kamilah shares her personal journey from pharmacist to therapist, including her own experience with burnout while building her private practice - and why knowing what to do wasn't enough to prevent it. They talk about why healthcare workers are uniquely vulnerable to burnout due to competitive training, emotional labor, and systemic constraints, and discuss the uncomfortable truth that resources (financial, social, and professional support) often matter more than resilience when it comes to recovery. The conversation covers practical strategies for healthcare providers, including the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, knowing when to refer out, and recognizing the signs that professional help is needed. Kamilah offers a free self-care guide for stress and burnout at InTouch Wellness, and both hosts emphasize that asking for help isn't weakness - it's wisdom.

Resources mentioned → ⁠Kamilah's Self-Care Guide

MEET DESTINY: Website / Instagram / BlueSky / YouTube / TikTok

MEET GUEST: Website / Instagram / LinkedI

READ THE BLOG FOR THIS EPISODE

→ Burnout Is Predictable - But Prevention Requires More Than Willpower w/ Kamilah Jones

ASK DESTINY ANYTHING

→ Submit your questions here

FOR YOU, OUR PODCAST LISTENERS

→ Join The Membership (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

🛋️ Join The Mastermind! (monthly business and clinical consultation calls for medical professionals specializing in working with patients with chronic illnesses)

🧭 Get Your Client Roadmap For Navigating Complex Trauma and Chronic Illness (specifically for mental health therapists) (COMING SOON- sign up for the waitlist)

**

SAY THANKS - Reviews tell the app, “hey, people like this! Show it in the algorithm to more people!” :)

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

**

Disclaimer: Everything we talk about here is just meant to be general education and information. It's not intended as personal mental health or medical advice. If you have any questions related to your unique circumstances, please contact a licensed therapist or medical professional in your state of residence.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEXT LIVE WORKSHOP

⁠→ Financial Wellness for Chronic Medical Conditions⁠ Oct 25th 2025 @ 12 EST

• :Understanding your relationship with money and building practical strategies that work with your chronic illness reality.

JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

**

Episode summary:

In this episode, sports and orthopedic physical therapist Rick Olderman explains why chronic pain is a systems problem, not a component problem, and how our medical system's focus on individual tissues misses the bigger picture. Through fascinating patient stories - like how a 20-year-old ankle injury can cause back pain 30 years later when left unchecked - Rick demonstrates how compensation patterns create chains of dysfunction throughout the body. We explore the science of myofibroblasts, specialized connective tissue that responds to stress hormones and provides a real, physical pathway for how emotional states manifest as tension in the body. This conversation challenges the false dichotomy of pain being "all physical" or "all mental" and offers hope for people who've been told "nothing's wrong" while living with very real symptoms.

Resources mentioned:

→ Rick's Youtube Channel

MEET DESTINY: Website / Instagram / BlueSky / YouTube / TikTok

MEET GUEST: Website / Facebook

→ READ THE BLOG FOR THIS EPISODE

ASK DESTINY ANYTHING

→ Submit your questions here

FOR YOU, OUR PODCAST LISTENERS:

JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS:

🏢 WE’RE HOSTING A CONFERENCE! WOOO! It’ll be an IN-PERSON event in Atlanta, GA, in the Spring or Fall of 2026! Sign up for the waitlist here!

🛋️ Join The Mastermind! (monthly business and clinical consultation calls for medical professionals specializing in working with patients with chronic illnesses)

🧭 Get Your Client Roadmap For Navigating Complex Trauma and Chronic Illness (specifically for mental health therapists) (COMING SOON- sign up for the waitlist)

**

WANT TO SAY THANKS - Reviews tell the app, “hey, people like this! Show it in the algorithm to more people!” :)

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

**

Disclaimer: Everything we talk about here is just meant to be general education and information. It's not intended as personal mental health or medical advice. If you have any questions related to your unique circumstances, please contact a licensed therapist or medical professional in your state of residence.

JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

→ The Family Waiting Room - Do your partner, spouse, friends, parents try to support you but they just don’t know how? Send them their own version of support here!

**

Episode summary:

In this episode, I sit down with Shana Evans Basset, a Licensed Professional Counselor from Atlanta, to explore the complex intersection of chronic illness, emotional regulation, and healing. We get into why living with chronic pain is like being trapped in an abusive relationship you can't leave, the profound grief that comes with losing the life you thought you'd have, and how our "snap out of it" culture makes everything harder. Shana explains why emotional regulation isn't about fixing yourself or positive thinking your way out of symptoms - it's about learning to be with uncertainty, accepting what you can't control, and recognizing when trying harder actually makes things worse. We also discuss the crucial role of community support, the isolation that comes with chronic illness, and how real healing often happens when we allow ourselves to fully grieve our losses rather than pushing through them.

MEET DESTINY: Website / Instagram / BlueSky / YouTube / TikTok

MEET GUEST: Website / Instagram

SIGN UP FOR DESTINY'S NEXT LIVE WORKSHOP

→ Creating A Restorative Home: Environmental & Sensory Support for Chronic Illness Recovery

https://www.thechronicillnesstherapist.com/workshops

→ There are two blogs to accompany this podcast episode

• When Trying Harder Makes It Worse: A Different Approach to Chronic Illness Recovery
• The Relationship You Didn't Ask For: Navigating Chronic Pain and Emotional Regulation

ASK DESTINY ANYTHING

→ Submit your questions here

FOR YOU, OUR PODCAST LISTENERS

JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

🏢 WE’RE HOSTING A CONFERENCE! WOOO! It’ll be an IN-PERSON event in Atlanta, GA, in the Spring or Fall of 2026! Sign up for the waitlist here!

🛋️ Join The Mastermind! (monthly business and clinical consultation calls for medical professionals specializing in working with patients with chronic illnesses)

🧭 Get Your Client Roadmap For Navigating Complex Trauma and Chronic Illness (specifically for mental health therapists) (COMING SOON- sign up for the waitlist)

**

WANT TO SAY THANKS - Reviews tell the app, “hey, people like this! Show it in the algorithm to more people!” :)

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

**

Disclaimer: Everything we talk about here is just meant to be general education and information. It's not intended as personal mental health or medical advice. If you have any questions related to your unique circumstances, please contact a licensed therapist or medical professional in your state of residence.

THERAPISTS: Join my 4-week group with physical therapist Jason Therrien

• This is specifically designed to reduce tension in the body that comes from 1) sitting all day and 2) holding client stories in our brains and bodies.
• LEARN MORE HERE

GENERAL PUBLIC - JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

**

Episode summary: In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Antonia Repollet to demystify clinical hypnosis and explore how it's revolutionizing treatment for gut-brain disorders like IBS and IBD. We dive into what clinical hypnosis actually is (spoiler: nothing like stage hypnosis), why it's so effective for digestive issues with 70-80% success rates, and what you can realistically expect from treatment. Dr. Repollet breaks down the gut-brain connection, explains how our nervous systems develop "muscle memory" for symptoms, and walks us through what sessions actually look like - including some fascinating techniques for people whose minds race too fast for traditional meditation. Whether you're dealing with functional disorders, chronic pain, or just curious about evidence-based mind-body approaches, this conversation offers practical insights and realistic expectations about what healing can look like.

MEET DESTINY: Website / Instagram / BlueSky / YouTube / TikTok

MEET GUEST: Website / Instagram - Antonia / Instagram - GI Psychology clinic

SIGN UP FOR DESTINY'S NEXT LIVE WORKSHOP

→ When Everything’s Connected: Understanding Autism, ADHD, and Chronic Health Conditions

• Saturday Aug 30th noon EST

https://www.thechronicillnesstherapist.com/workshops

→ READ THE BLOG FOR THIS EPISODE

ASK DESTINY ANYTHING

→ Submit your questions here

FOR YOU, OUR PODCAST LISTENERS

JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

🏢 WE’RE HOSTING A CONFERENCE! WOOO! It’ll be an IN-PERSON event in Atlanta, GA, in the Spring or Fall of 2026! Sign up for the waitlist here!

🛋️ Join The Mastermind! (monthly business and clinical consultation calls for medical professionals specializing in working with patients with chronic illnesses)

🧭 Get Your Client Roadmap For Navigating Complex Trauma and Chronic Illness (specifically for mental health therapists) (COMING SOON- sign up for the waitlist)

🌱4-week group with physical therapist Jason Therrien

• This is specifically designed to reduce tension in the body that comes from 1) sitting all day and 2) holding client stories in our brains and bodies.
• LEARN MORE HERE

**

SAY THANKS - Reviews tell the app, “hey, people like this! Show it in the algorithm to more people!” :)

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

**

Disclaimer: Everything we talk about here is just meant to be general education and information. It's not intended as personal mental health or medical advice. If you have any questions related to your unique circumstances, please contact a licensed therapist or medical professional in your state of residence.

SIGN UP FOR DESTINY'S NEXT LIVE WORKSHOP

→ When Everything’s Connected: Understanding Autism, ADHD, and Chronic Health Conditions → CLICK HERE TO JOIN

Episode summary: In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Rita Gupta, a board-certified family medicine physician and integrative medicine practitioner, to discuss why you don't have to choose between traditional medicine and holistic approaches when managing chronic pain. We explore the three types of pain (nociceptive, neuropathic, and neuroplastic), explore how fear and anxiety create real physical symptoms in the body, and tackle some controversial territory around vaccines and chronic illness. Dr. Rita shares her unique perspective as someone who's lived with chronic pain herself while working within both traditional and integrative medical models, and we discuss practical strategies like understanding your personal recovery times, the importance of pain education in changing beliefs, and why finding practitioners who see you as a whole human - not just a collection of symptoms - can be life-changing. Whether you're feeling stuck between medical approaches or struggling to make sense of conflicting health information, this conversation offers a balanced, nuanced perspective on creating your own integrated approach to healing.

MEET DESTINY: Website / Instagram / BlueSky / YouTube / TikTok

MEET GUEST: Website / Instagram

→ READ THE BLOG FOR THIS EPISODE

ASK DESTINY ANYTHING

→ Submit your questions here

FOR YOU, OUR PODCAST LISTENERS

JOIN DESTINY’S MEMBERSHIP - for folks with chronic pain & illness

→ ⁠Join Welcome To The Waiting Room⁠ (ongoing support for staying regulated while living with chronic illness - This does not replace therapy, but it’s a great addition to your regular therapy appointments)

FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

🏢 WE’RE HOSTING A CONFERENCE! WOOO! It’ll be an IN-PERSON event in Atlanta, GA, in the Spring 2026! Sign up for the waitlist here!

🛋️ Join The Mastermind! (monthly business and clinical consultation calls for medical professionals specializing in working with patients with chronic illnesses)

🧭 Get Your Client Roadmap For Navigating Complex Trauma and Chronic Illness (specifically for mental health therapists) (COMING SOON- sign up for the waitlist)

**

WANT TO SAY THANKS - Reviews tell the app, “hey, people like this! Show it in the algorithm to more people!” :)

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

**

Disclaimer: Everything we talk about here is just meant to be general education and information. It's not intended as personal mental health or medical advice. If you have any questions related to your unique circumstances, please contact a licensed therapist or medical professional in your state of residence.