Episode Summary:

Today I sit down with Emma Tynan, an Irish psychotherapist who specializes in medical trauma and chronic illness, bringing both professional expertise from over a decade as a nurse and personal understanding from her own chronic health journey. We explore the often-overlooked micro-traumas of chronic illness—how the real devastation often hits not during the big diagnosis moment, but in quiet daily realizations like the day you can't hold a spoon or write in a journal the way you used to.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why the recovery period after treatment can actually be the hardest time
• The unique challenges of having symptoms without a diagnosis
• How to work with "different versions of yourself" each day using Emma's "money in your purse" approach to energy management
• Why our goals often need to shift from doing more to doing less
• How family and friends can unintentionally add to trauma through well-meaning but invalidating responses

Emma offers practical guidance for both those living with chronic illness and the people who want to support them, emphasizing that there's no universal experience of illness and the most powerful thing we can offer is simply asking and listening rather than assuming we know what someone needs.

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

MEET EMMA: Website

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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.