Continuing the conversation about the psychology of getting better from chronic illness, in this episode I dive deeper into the seven stages of grief—specifically focusing on depression, testing, and acceptance.

The "testing" phase is fascinating: this is when clients are feeling better but almost freaked out by it. They're hyper-aware of the absence of pain or fatigue, waiting for it to return. I explain how I work with people during this vulnerable phase to help them trust their bodies again.

I also talk about the acceptance phase and what happens when people finally step out of survival mode. This is when they can start thinking about their habits, patterns, and life choices—not just surviving. But there's a catch: I have to help my Yin-deficient, boundary-less clients learn that being in balance means functioning at 90%, not 110%.

Topics covered:

• Why anger and bargaining don't usually show up in chronic illness recovery
• The "testing" phase: when getting better feels scary
• Moving the needle in the right direction (compass analogy)
• Why being in balance means operating at 90%, not 100%
• The saucer analogy: pouring from overflow, not your own cup

YouTube episode: https://youtu.be/3zRE5694RzY

What happens when you're getting better from chronic illness but genuinely can't see it? In this episode, I explore the early stages of grief as they apply to healing—specifically shock and denial—and reveal why tracking your symptoms is crucial for recognising your own progress.

As a Naturopath, I've seen this pattern countless times: clients come in for follow-up appointments saying "I'm still not sleeping well" or "nothing's changed," but when we review the detailed data from their first session, the improvement is dramatic. They've gone from five terrible nights a week to two, their energy has doubled, and they're no longer reaching for painkillers—but they can't see it.

This is denial in chronic illness recovery—not refusing to believe you're sick, but struggling to trust that you're actually getting better.

I walk through all seven stages of grief (shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, testing, and acceptance) and explain which ones show up most often in healing journeys. I also share the homoeopathic remedies I use for clients processing shock: Ignatia for emotional shock, Arnica for physical trauma, and Aconite for the "deer in the headlights" feeling.

Topics covered:

• The 7 stages of grief applied to chronic illness recovery (and why they're not linear)
• When shock does and doesn't show up in healing
• Homoeopathic remedies for shock: Ignatia, Arnica, and Aconite
• Why most chronic illness patients experience denial about getting better
• My 2-hour initial consultation process and why it matters
• How I quantify symptoms: pain scales, energy levels, and aggravating factors
• Real example: sleep improving from 5 bad nights to 2, but the client can't see it
• Why tracking data proves improvement when your brain can't recognise it
• Moving from denial to hope, optimism, and owning your new normal
• How TCM uses symptom patterns to diagnose imbalances

• If you're recovering from chronic illness and struggling to see your own progress, or supporting someone who can't recognise they're improving, this episode will help you understand why—and how to break through that denial.

YouTube Episode: https://youtu.be/zMmjpmvYELg

What happens when you've been chronically ill for so long that getting better actually feels... weird? In this episode, I share a fascinating case study about a client whose chronic headaches disappeared—and how she struggled to trust her new normal.

This is the follow-up to my episode on Maslow's Hierarchy and chronic illness. Now we're exploring what happens when you climb out of survival mode: the disbelief, the waiting for the other shoe to drop, and sometimes even unconscious resistance to healing.

I walk through the seven stages of grief as they apply to chronic illness recovery, focusing especially on denial and testing. Some people are subconsciously attached to being sick because it's become part of their identity, or because their illness serves a psychological purpose they're not aware of. This isn't victim-blaming—it's about empowering you to understand the full picture of healing.

Topics covered:

• A case study of rapid headache recovery and the disbelief that followed
• The seven stages of grief applied to getting better
• Homoeopathic remedies for shock (Ignatia, Arnica, Aconite)
• Why I quantify symptoms on a scale of 1-10
• How denial shows up when clients are actually improving

YouTube video: https://youtu.be/zbsefZcHv9o