Therapy for POTS isn't about managing anxiety or getting more coping skills right away. Dr. Laurie Dos Santos, a clinical psychologist specializing in dysautonomia, explains that the first chapter of therapy involves no strategies, no tools—just listening. When you've been dismissed by the medical system for years and told your symptoms are "all in your head," having someone finally believe you changes everything. Here's what real mental health support for chronic illness looks like.

When you're living with lung disease, doctors don't have time to teach you how to use your inhaler correctly or help you figure out who to call when you need help. Respiratory therapist Tiffany shares how the American Lung Association's free helpline fills the gaps that medical appointments can't—from navigating shame and isolation to weeding through internet "miracle cures."

You know what's wild? That we have to strategize just to get basic medical care. Registered nurse Kayla Thompson-Riviere shares the communication techniques that actually work when you're stuck on the medical merry-go-round—including the "breadcrumb technique" for getting the tests and referrals you need without being dismissed.

Chronic pain doesn't just hurt—it changes the way we think, feel, and process the world around us. Neuroimaging studies show that people with chronic pain experience measurable changes in gray matter volume, particularly in regions involved in pain processing, emotional regulation, and decision-making. Science journalist Faith Davis breaks down the neuroscience of how pain rewires the brain.

There is a specific, sinking feeling that happens when you leave a doctor’s appointment with a clean bill of health but no answers for your pain. You’re told the labs are "normal," but your body is telling you a different story. And suddenly, you aren't just fighting an illness; you're fighting to be believed.

I sat down with Dr. Kara Pepper, a board-certified internist who specializes in complex conditions like POTS, MCAS, and EDS, to talk about why the standard 10-minute office visit is failing chronic illness patients. Dr. Pepper shares why standard tests often miss functional diagnoses, how she creates space to actually hear her patients' stories, and why validating your lived experience is the first—and most important—step toward getting better.

When something goes wrong medically, whether it's with you or someone you love, there's this thing that happens that nobody really talks about: you stop trusting your body. And maybe you stop trusting the people who are supposed to help you too.

I sat down with Sarah Stasica, a therapist and trauma-informed yoga teacher who specializes in medical trauma, to talk about what happens when medical experiences leave lasting marks on our nervous systems. Sarah's journey into this work started when she was pregnant with her first child and found out there were medical complications. What followed was years of navigating a medical system that wasn't built for emotional processing, parenting a child through medical challenges, and slowly learning that healing doesn't happen on anyone's timeline but your own.