Autoimmune Adventures

Have you ever wondered if stress, trauma, or past experiences could influence the way your body responds to chronic illness?
In this episode of Autoimmune Adventures, we sit down with Cindy Costley to explore her personal journey through trauma, chronic symptoms, nervous system healing, and learning to listen to her body in a completely different way.
Cindy shares how medical gaslighting, stored emotional experiences, and years of feeling misunderstood shaped her health journey—and why healing, for her, meant addressing more than physical symptoms alone.
Together we discuss:
✔ Big T vs. little t trauma
✔ Why toxic positivity isn't always helpful
✔ Learning to view symptoms differently
✔ Nervous system regulation
✔ Emotional healing and resilience
✔ Why affirmations sometimes don't work
✔ Finding hope after years of chronic illness
Whether Cindy's story reflects your own experiences or offers a new perspective, we hope this conversation encourages you to continue asking questions, advocating for yourself, and discovering what healing can look like for you.
Remember...
You are worthy of joy. Disease does not define your life. You do.
🌄 Visit us:
https://autoimmuneadventures.com
Subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday featuring leading experts, inspiring patients, and practical strategies for living well with chronic illness.
 
#AutoimmuneAdventures #ChronicIllness #TraumaHealing #AutoimmuneDisease #NervousSystem #InvisibleIllness #MedicalGaslighting #HealingJourney #PatientAdvocacy #MindBodyConnection

Why Am I Still Sick? Melissa Rose on Root Causes, Autoimmune Disease & Terrain Medicine
Have you ever been told your blood work looks "normal," but you still don't feel like yourself?
You're not alone.
In this episode of Autoimmune Adventures, we sit down with Melissa Rose, founder of Sagebrush Wellness, functional medicine practitioner, educator, and author of Reversing Your Autoimmune Story, to explore why so many people with autoimmune disease and chronic illness continue searching for answers long after receiving a diagnosis.
Melissa shares how her own recovery from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) inspired her to develop a terrain-based approach to healing—one that goes beyond simply identifying root causes to understanding why those root causes developed in the first place.
Together we discuss:
✔️ Why "normal" blood work doesn't always mean you're healthy
✔️ The difference between functional medicine and terrain medicine
✔️ Root causes of autoimmune disease
✔️ Gut health, food sensitivities, and chronic inflammation
✔️ Why personalized care matters
✔️ Childhood stress, trauma, and long-term health
✔️ Taking ownership of your healing journey
✔️ Why your diagnosis doesn't have to define your future
Whether you're living with lupus, Hashimoto's, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, celiac disease, chronic fatigue, or another autoimmune condition, this conversation offers practical insights and hope for understanding your body more deeply.
🌿 Learn more about Melissa Rose and Sagebrush Wellness:https://sagebrushwellness.com
🌿 Melissa's Free Terrain Assessment:https://start.sagebrushwellness.com
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🎙 About Autoimmune Adventures
Autoimmune Adventures is a podcast dedicated to helping people living with autoimmune disease and chronic illness navigate life with more knowledge, confidence, and hope. Every week, Stacy Griffin, Becky Miller, and Alysia Thomas bring you conversations with physicians, researchers, advocates, and fellow adventurers who are helping redefine what it means to live well with chronic illness.
🌿 Website:https://autoimmuneadventures.com
📬 Subscribe to our free Scenic Route Newsletter for encouragement, resources, and practical tips delivered along your journey.

What happens when a doctor becomes the chronic illness patient—and suddenly discovers the healthcare system doesn't have answers for her either?
Dr. Zeest Khan spent years caring for critically ill patients, managing cardiac surgery, and running her own medical practice. Then Long COVID changed everything. She went from leading her life and caring for others to depending on people just to help her get out of bed.
And when she turned to medicine for help, she experienced something millions of chronic illness patients already know: dismissal, uncertainty, and doctors who simply didn't know what to do next.
In this powerful episode of Autoimmune Adventures, Dr. Zeest Khan joins Stacy, Becky, and Alysia to talk about medical gaslighting from a physician's perspective, why doctors struggle to admit when they don't have an answer, and what happens when burnout, medical trauma, and fear collide inside the exam room.
We also talk about Long COVID symptoms, navigating medical uncertainty, the difference between genuine hope and toxic positivity, grieving the life you had before chronic illness, and why community can become a lifeline when illness leaves you feeling completely alone.
If you have ever left a doctor's appointment feeling dismissed, unheard, or wondering whether you were somehow asking for too much, this conversation is for you.
🎙️ In this episode:• Why chronic illness patients are so often dismissed or gaslit• What medical training teaches doctors about saying “I don't know”• How Dr. Zeest Khan's perspective changed when she became the patient• What Long COVID symptoms can actually look like• Why collaboration matters in the doctor-patient relationship• How to navigate healthcare when there is no perfect answer• Hope vs. toxic positivity in chronic illness• The grief and identity changes that come with becoming chronically ill• Why chronic illness community and connection matter
💛 Subscribe to Autoimmune Adventures for honest conversations about autoimmune disease, chronic illness, self-advocacy, and building a life that still belongs to you.
Remember: You are worthy of joy. Your disease does not define your life. You do.
#MedicalGaslighting #ChronicIllness #LongCOVID #PatientAdvocacy #DrZeestKhan #InvisibleIllness #ChronicIllnessCommunity #Healthcare #SelfAdvocacy #AutoimmuneAdventures

Can peace be cultivated—even during life's most difficult seasons?
In this episode of Autoimmune Adventures, we welcome author, educator, and speaker Dr. Will Tuttle to discuss the powerful principles from his book The World Peace Way.
Many people think peace depends on circumstances, relationships, or the world around them. Dr. Tuttle offers a different perspective. He shares six foundational tenets that can help us create greater peace, resilience, purpose, and harmony from the inside out.
Together, we explore:
✅ What inner peace really means✅ Why joy may already exist within us✅ How discipline can become a pathway to freedom and happiness✅ Why challenges can help us grow stronger✅ The connection between peace, relationships, and well-being✅ The six tenets from The World Peace Way✅ Practical ways to cultivate more purpose and meaning in everyday life
For those living with chronic illness, autoimmune disease, stress, uncertainty, or simply the challenges of modern life, this conversation offers thoughtful insights and practical wisdom for creating more peace—one day at a time.
About Dr. Will Tuttle
Dr. Will Tuttle is an internationally recognized speaker, educator, musician, and author. He is the author of The World Peace Way, a guide to cultivating personal peace and creating a more harmonious world through conscious living, healthy relationships, mindfulness, purpose, and connection.
🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations about chronic illness, healing, self-advocacy, resilience, and living well.
🌐 Website: autoimmuneadventures.com📸 Instagram: @theautoimmuneadventures🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts
#DrWillTuttle #WorldPeaceWay #InnerPeace #Mindfulness #PersonalGrowth #SelfDevelopment #PurposeDrivenLife #HealingJourney #ChronicIllness #AutoimmuneAdventures #MentalWellness #EmotionalWellness #StressManagement #HealthyRelationships #PeacefulLiving
 

The fertility journey can be filled with questions, frustration, and uncertainty—especially when you've been told everything looks "normal."
In this episode of Autoimmune Adventures, we sit down with fertility specialist Grace Charles to discuss the root causes of infertility that are often overlooked. From autoimmune disease and hormone imbalances to environmental toxins, male fertility factors, and the myth of "unexplained infertility," Grace shares a different approach to understanding fertility challenges.
Whether you're trying to conceive, navigating infertility, managing an autoimmune condition, or simply wanting to better understand your health, this conversation offers practical insights and hope.
In This Episode:
✔ Why Grace doesn't believe in "unexplained infertility"✔ How autoimmune disease can affect fertility and miscarriage risk✔ Why male fertility matters more than most people realize✔ Environmental toxins that may impact reproductive health✔ The importance of cycle tracking and hormone awareness✔ The Root Cause Fertility Formula
Connect with Grace Charles:https://drgracecharles.com/
Follow Autoimmune Adventures:Website: www.AutoimmuneAdventures.comInstagram: @theautoimmuneadventuresYouTube: @AutoimmuneAdventures
Remember:You are worthy of joy. Disease does not define your life. You do.
#AutoimmuneAdventures #Fertility #Infertility #TryingToConceive #AutoimmuneDisease #Hashimotos #WomensHealth #HormoneHealth #MiscarriageAwareness #FertilitySupport #GraceCharles

What if the exhaustion you're feeling isn't a lack of motivation?
What if your body has been stuck in survival mode for so long that it no longer knows how to rest?
In this episode of Autoimmune Adventures, we sit down with Hailey Coleman to explore the powerful connection between chronic stress, trauma, burnout, and nervous system regulation. Together, we discuss why so many people living with chronic illness feel overwhelmed, disconnected from themselves, and trapped in cycles of exhaustion—and what they can do to begin finding their way back.
Hailey shares practical tools for calming the nervous system, rebuilding self-trust after years of doubt, recognizing the hidden signs of survival mode, and understanding how chronic stress impacts both physical and emotional health.
Whether you're navigating autoimmune disease, chronic illness, burnout, anxiety, or simply carrying more stress than your body was ever designed to hold, this conversation offers hope, validation, and actionable strategies you can begin using today.
In This Episode:
✔ Understanding survival mode and nervous system dysregulation✔ Why burnout happens—even to self-aware people✔ The connection between chronic stress and chronic illness✔ Rebuilding trust in yourself after medical gaslighting or self-doubt✔ Practical grounding and regulation tools✔ The "Bathroom Effect" nervous system reset✔ How affirmations and self-talk influence healing✔ Creating boundaries that strengthen self-trust
Connect with Autoimmune Adventures
🌐 Website: www.AutoimmuneAdventures.com
📬 Sign up for our Scenic Route newsletter for encouragement, insights, advocacy tools, and resources for navigating chronic illness.
📺 Subscribe for weekly conversations about chronic illness, autoimmune disease, healing, advocacy, resilience, and finding joy along the journey.
Connect with Hailey Coleman
🌐 Website: https://hailey-coleman.com/
At Autoimmune Adventures, we believe healing is about more than managing symptoms. It's about learning to navigate the mountain you're climbing with courage, compassion, and community.
Remember:
You are worthy of joy.Disease does not define your life. You do.
#AutoimmuneAdventures #HaileyColeman #ChronicStress #BurnoutRecovery #NervousSystemHealing #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicIllness #MedicalGaslighting #TraumaHealing #InvisibleIllness #MindBodyConnection #PatientAdvocacy #StressManagement #HealingJourney #Lupus #Hashimotos #Sjogrens #ChronicFatigue #WomenWithChronicIllness

When you live with chronic illness, it's easy to feel like you're stuck between two impossible choices: push through the pain or stop moving altogether.
But what if there was another way?
In this episode of Autoimmune Adventures, we sit down with David Jeter, PT, to explore the role physical therapy can play in helping people with autoimmune disease, chronic pain, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), Ankylosing Spondylitis, and other conditions improve mobility, build confidence, and redefine what progress really looks like.
David shares practical insights on movement, strength, endurance, flexibility, pain management, and why success is about far more than simply reducing pain. We discuss how to work within your body's current capacity, why "doing what you can do" is often the right answer, and how physical therapy can help you reclaim function and quality of life—even when symptoms don't disappear completely.
If you've ever felt frustrated by setbacks, discouraged by limitations, or unsure how to move forward safely, this conversation is for you.
In This Episode
✔ How physical therapy can help people living with autoimmune disease
✔ Ankylosing Spondylitis, EDS, and movement limitations
✔ Why doing more isn't always the answer
✔ Building strength, endurance, and mobility safely
✔ The biggest misconceptions about chronic pain
✔ Why pain isn't the only measure of success
✔ Understanding musculoskeletal health
✔ Creating realistic expectations for healing and progress
✔ Finding movement that works for your body
✔ How small improvements can create meaningful change
About David Jeter, PT
David Jeter is a licensed physical therapist dedicated to helping people improve movement, function, and quality of life. His work focuses on practical, individualized approaches to physical therapy that help patients build strength, increase mobility, improve endurance, and work toward their personal goals while respecting the realities of chronic illness and chronic pain.

Why are so many women doing everything “right” and still feeling exhausted, inflamed, burned out, and disconnected from their bodies?
In this powerful episode of Autoimmune Adventures, we sit down with Erica Ballard to unpack why traditional wellness advice often fails women—and what real, biology-based healing can actually look like.
We talk about nervous system regulation, chronic stress, cortisol, metabolism, perfectionism, burnout, inflammation, hormones, recovery, and the pressure women feel to constantly push harder. Erica shares practical insight on learning to work with your body instead of against it—especially for women navigating chronic illness, autoimmune disease, perimenopause, and high stress lifestyles.
This conversation is honest, compassionate, science-informed, and deeply validating for women who are tired of feeling like their body is the enemy.
🌿 Subscribe through our website:Autoimmune Adventures
🌿 Sign up for The Scenic Route newsletter for encouragement, support, and resources for life with chronic illness.
✨ Remember: You are worthy of joy. Disease does not define your life, you do.
#AutoimmuneAdventures #WomensHealth #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicIllness #Perimenopause #NervousSystemHealing #StressManagement #HormoneHealth #BurnoutRecovery #MindBodyConnection

What happens when the world teaches us to ignore our bodies?
In this deeply thoughtful episode of Autoimmune Adventures, Zoa Conner joins us for an honest conversation about chronic illness, burnout, nervous system healing, self-care, and the pressure so many people feel to constantly push through exhaustion.
Together, we explore:• burnout and survival mode• why “normal” is not always healthy• nervous system regulation• chronic illness and emotional healing• true self-care vs performative wellness• listening to your body• sustainable healing and recovery
This episode is compassionate, grounding, validating, and full of reminders that healing is not one-size-fits-all.
If you’ve been feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, disconnected from yourself, or stuck in survival mode, this conversation is for you.
✨ Remember you are worthy of joy. Disease does not define your life, you do.
#AutoimmuneAdventures #ZoaConner #ChronicIllness #BurnoutRecovery #NervousSystemHealing #InvisibleIllness #HealingJourney #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicIllnessSupport #Burnout #Healing #SelfCare #WomenHealth #RestIsHealing #WellnessPodcast

Living with chronic illness can make people feel unseen, unheard, and disconnected from themselves.
In this profound episode of Autoimmune Adventures, Dr. Fred Moss joins Stacy, Becky, and Alysia for a powerful conversation about mental health, emotional healing, authenticity, communication, trauma, and the connection between emotional and physical wellness.
Together, they explore:✨ The mind-body connection✨ Why feeling heard matters deeply to healing✨ The hidden cost of masking authenticity✨ Mental health labels and identity✨ Emotional suppression and chronic illness✨ Patient advocacy and reclaiming your voice✨ What “normal” mental health even means
Dr. Moss challenges the belief that people are fundamentally broken and offers a deeply human perspective on healing, communication, and self-understanding.
If you’ve ever struggled to explain your pain, felt dismissed in healthcare spaces, or questioned your worth because of illness, this conversation will resonate deeply.
🎙️ About Dr. Fred MossDr. Fred Moss is a psychiatrist, speaker, mental health advocate, and creator of Welcome to Humanity. He is known for challenging traditional narratives around mental health and helping people reconnect with their authentic voice and human connection.
⛰️ Subscribe for more conversations about chronic illness, autoimmune disease, healing, advocacy, resilience, and finding joy along the scenic route.
#DrFredMoss #AutoimmuneAdventures #ChronicIllness #MentalHealthAwareness #MindBodyConnection #HealingJourney #PatientAdvocacy #Authenticity #EmotionalHealing #AutoimmuneDisease #TraumaHealing #InvisibleIllness #FunctionalMedicine #MentalWellness #HealthPodcast