After a diagnosis or ongoing symptoms, many people are flooded with wellness advice and feel pressure to fix everything at once. In this episode, board-certified health and wellness coach, Debbie Roppo shares how to begin healing with small, sustainable steps, even when you're overwhelmed, exhausted or afraid of getting it wrong.

This is the final conversation in our 3-part series with Debbie. If you are new, spart with episode 13 to hear her full story.

Debbie explains why true healing and lifestyle change doesn’t come from rigid programs or perfection, it comes from baby steps, self-trust, nervous system safety, and learning how to be on your own side.

We talk about the mindset shifts that make healing sustainable, the power of incremental progress, and why feeling supported matters just as much as knowing what to do.

This is an episode for anyone who has ever thought:

“I know what I should do… but I don’t know where to start.”

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• Why Debbie doesn’t believe in strict health programs
• The coaching method she uses to create sustainable change
• How “baby steps” can transform chronic illness recovery
• The difference between wellness pressure and true healing
• Why shame and perfectionism keep people stuck
• The importance of feeling safe, seen, and supported
• How language and identity shape health outcomes
• Redefining success when you’re navigating chronic symptoms
• Debbie’s “Inner Empire” approach to health, resilience, and energy
• A real and raw conversation about self-compassion and progress

This Episode Is Especially Meaningful If You’re Navigating:

• Chronic pain orchronic illness
• Autoimmune disease and inflammation
• Burnout, overwhelm, or nervous system dysregulation
• Lifestyle changes that feel impossible to maintain
• Health anxiety and fear of failure
• Mind-body healing and emotional wellness
• Habit change and sustainable wellness routines

Even though Debbie’s story began with rheumatoid arthritis, this episode is about something universal:

You are not broken. You are not behind. And you don’t have to do everything at once.

Healing happens one step at a time.

Connect with Debbie Roppo

Debbie is a board-certified health and wellness coach and founder of The Inner Empire, where she helps women build sustainable health, clarity, and resilience from the inside out.

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