Fibromyalgia Podcast®

Are you tired of feeling like a prisoner in your own body? The Fibromyalgia Podcast® is here to help you reclaim control of your life and health! Along with her Fibromyalgia Wellness Framework℠, host Tami Stackelhouse shares her joy and expertise, plus the tips and tools that helped her go from disabled to thriving. In the Fibromyalgia Podcast®, Tami brings together top fibromyalgia experts and advocates, from doctors and researchers to coaches and alternative providers, creating a virtual dream team of experts to empower you to feel your best and live a life you love. Since its launch in 2019, the podcast has become the highest-rated and longest-running fibromyalgia podcast worldwide, with nearly three-quarters of a million downloads. Join our community of listeners who are transforming their lives. Subscribe now on your favorite podcast app or visit FibromyalgiaPodcast.com to start your journey to better health today.

How to Ask for and Receive Help More Gracefully 02/24/2026

How to Ask for and Receive Help More Gracefully “Asking for and receiving help is not about being less capable. It’s about using your limited energy for what matters most.” - Tami Stackelhouse If you’ve been living with fibromyalgia for some time, you can probably identify with remembering how different thing were before when you were the capable and dependable one who everyone relied on. Shifting from being the helper to being the one who needs help can feel uncomfortable at best and heartbreaking at worst. That’s why for so many of us, asking for help brings up feelings of guilt, fear of being a burden, and a quiet voice saying we should be able to do more. The uncomfortable truth we have to learn is that asking for help is not failure. It’s about choosing where your limited resources will go instead of spending it all on things that leave you wiped out and unable to show up for what matters most. Being able to name what you need clearly and accept help when it's offered with kindness and grace is good for our health but it can also strengthen relationships and model healthy boundaries. Receiving help cleanly, without over-explaining or apologizing, is a skill. And like any skill, it takes practice. In this episode, Tami discusses the emotional shift when we become less independent, how poor timing makes seeking help more complicated, what happens when you don’t ask for help and overextend yourself, what her childhood experience with a house fire taught her about community, recognizing thatreceiving help is a gift that strengthens relationships, how asking for help models empathy, responsibility, and healthy interdependence for children, how delegating can empower others, rewiring early messages we received about the value of doing it all alone, reframing help as a protecting your energy for what matters most, practical steps to start building the skill of asking for and receiving help with grace, accepting help imperfectly, beginning with safe people and low stakes situations, allowing yourself to learn through imperfection, and more. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/40211230

Replay: Special #4: How Do You Become a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®? 02/17/2026

Replay: Special #4: How Do You Become a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®? Welcome to the final episode of our special Be a Coach series. So far, I’ve answered questions about our Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® class and what it takes to become a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®. Some of the topics covered in the first three parts of this special series were what a Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® and a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® is, the difference between the two, who makes a good Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® and who is better suited to be a Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor®, what you need and don’t need to become a Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® or Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®, why the world needs fibro coaches, and why you should consider becoming one. In this final installment, I’m digging into the nuts and bolts of how you can become a Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® or Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®; including the exact steps you need to take. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. Did you catch our Virtual Open House? Tami answered the top six questions about our classes, plus the differences between our Advisor and Coach training paths, and which one might be right for you. Discover our tuition and payment options, and how our classes are tailored for fibro brains and bodies. Don't like waiting? Get the full Be A Coach series NOW! Register to access the complete 'Be A Coach' series, along with several bonus episodes, delivered straight to your favorite podcast app. Interested in hearing from our alumni about their journey in our courses? Register to receive our complimentary 'Fibromyalgia Stories of Hope' collection, automatically delivered to your favorite podcast app. Use this link to subscribe. For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/39638700

Fibromyalgia Stories of Hope & Healing #12 02/12/2026

Fibromyalgia Stories of Hope & Healing #12 There aren't enough stories out there of people with fibromyalgia who actually got better. Too often, we’re told that we’ll need to learn to live with the symptoms we’re experiencing and that that’s going to be our new normal. But while fibromyalgia can be debilitating and will change your life, it’s not true that nothing can be done, and the stories we’re sharing today are proof of that. Hope doesn’t come from pushing harder or pretending symptoms aren’t real. It comes from learning how to listen to your body, making small shifts that add up over time, and recognizing that improvement can look different for each person. For some, it means finding the right medical care. For others, it’s creating routines that protect their energy or realizing that healing can include both self-care and practical changes. Growth is possible even when the path forward feels uncertain. Today, in the twelfth installment of our Stories of Hope and Healing, you’ll have another opportunity to hear directly from people living with fibromyalgia who have found ways to feel better. You’re going to hear stories from four recent graduates about the growth they’ve experienced through coaching and what they’ve learned from our programs. In this episode, you’ll hear about why these stories of hope and healing need to be shared, Sabina’s journey to realizing that not all her pain was fibromyalgia, when healing can start with greater awareness and what feels like a step back, Kirsten’s fitness background and how fibromyalgia forced her to rethink her ideas on self-care, redefining what is possible with fibromyalgia, what’s behind Kirsten’s 80% symptom improvement, blending lived experience with coaching, Biani’s decision to act quickly after diagnosis, what’s behind her 48% symptom improvement, her decision to focus on non-medication strategies, sleep hygiene, and routine adjustments, the importance of consistency and being open to trying different things, choosing supportive communities on your fibromyalgia healing journey, working with personalized coaching support and tailoring strategies to individual needs, Megan’s continued improvement even after thinking she had plateaued, the impact of supplements, mindset shifts, and combined strategies on sleep and energy, Megan’s coaching goals, and more. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/40084050

Replay: Special #3: Why Should You Consider Being a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®? 02/03/2026

Replay: Special #3: Why Should You Consider Being a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®? Welcome to episode 03 of our special Be a Coach Series. In this series, I answer questions about our Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® class and what it takes to be a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®. In episode one of the series, I explained what a Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® is and what a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® is. Episode two of the series was all about who makes a good coach and who is better suited to be an advisor. I also covered what you need and don’t need to become a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®. In this episode, we’re taking a deeper look at why someone would want to become a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®, why the world needs fibro coaches, and why you should consider becoming one. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. Did you catch our Virtual Open House? Tami answered the top six questions about our classes, plus the differences between our Advisor and Coach training paths, and which one might be right for you. Discover our tuition and payment options, and how our classes are tailored for fibro brains and bodies. Don't like waiting? Get the full Be A Coach series NOW! Register to access the complete 'Be A Coach' series, along with several bonus episodes, delivered straight to your favorite podcast app. Interested in hearing from our alumni about their journey in our courses? Register to receive our complimentary 'Fibromyalgia Stories of Hope' collection, automatically delivered to your favorite podcast app. Use this link to subscribe. For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/39638675

What A Fibro-Friendly Fresh Start Really Looks Like 01/27/2026

What A Fibro-Friendly Fresh Start Really Looks Like “A fibro-friendly, fresh start isn’t about staying on track forever. It’s about gently correcting your trajectory when things drift off.” - Tami Stackelhouse Fresh starts are supposed to feel hopeful, but with fibromyalgia, they can feel heavy instead. The start of a new year brings many of us pressure to get it together, do better, and somehow reset everything at once, even when we’re already exhausted. Then, when our bodies don’t cooperate the way the plan expected them to, we start wondering what’s wrong with us. The truth is, most fresh start advice isn’t made for fibro bodies. They have quiet assumptions of consistent energy, predictable capacity, and unlimited willpower. But when your nervous system is sensitive, and your energy fluctuates, pushing harder usually makes things worse, not better. A fibro-friendly fresh start looks different. It’s gentle, flexible, and based on today’s reality, not who you wish you were. Small steps, compassionate restarts, and creating space for healing often matter far more than motivation or perfection. In this episode, Tami shares what a fibro-friendly fresh start looks like and why discipline-based plans don’t work for those of us with chronic illness. She explains why discipline-based plans fail for people with fibromyalgia, how the just-do-it mindset activates our threat response and worsens fibro symptoms, why it’s not your fault when fresh starts fail, what a fibro-friendly fresh start looks like, why small steps matter more than motivation, recognizing that rest and space are essential for healing, checking in with yourself and choosing one realistic next step, letting go of perfectionism and rules about productivity, focusing on one small change at a time, how to restart gently when things go off track, why kindness is the key to sustainable progress, why rest is not a reward, personalizing your fresh start instead of copying what works for others, understanding your Fibromyalgia Wellness Style℠ and what fits you, why long-term planning can be hard with fibromyalgia, how getting a little better every day adds up over time, and more. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/39893110

Replay: Special #2: Who Makes a Good Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®? 01/20/2026

Replay: Special #2: Who Makes a Good Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®? Welcome to episode 02 of our special Be a Coach Series. In this series, I answer questions about our Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® class and what it takes to be a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®. I cover all the basics… the who, what, when, where, why, and even the how. Don’t understand what a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® or Adviser is? No problem. Just pop on over to episode one of the series because that is exactly what we covered in that episode. In this episode, I’m covering the who. Who makes a good coach? Who makes a good Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®? Who makes a good Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor®? And, how do you know which one you might be? I also cover what I look for in the applications I accept into the training program and what you need and don’t need to join us a become a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® or Advisor yourself. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. Join us at our next Virtual Open House! Tami will answer the top six questions about our classes. Learn the differences between our Advisor and Coach training paths, and uncover which one is right for you. Discover our tuition and payment options, and how our classes are tailored for fibro brains and bodies. Don't like waiting? Get the full Be A Coach series NOW! Register to access the complete 'Be A Coach' series, along with several bonus episodes, delivered straight to your favorite podcast app. Interested in hearing from our alumni about their journey in our courses? Register to receive our complimentary 'Fibromyalgia Stories of Hope' collection, automatically delivered to your favorite podcast app. Use this link to subscribe. For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/39638625

A Compassionate New Year for Fibromyalgia with Dr. Robin Pfaff 01/13/2026

A Compassionate New Year for Fibromyalgia with Dr. Robin Pfaff “Pay attention to what your body is telling you and treat yourself with kindness.” - Dr. Robin Pfaff The end of the year can be a lot and by the time January arrives, we’re already worn out. There were big demands on your time and energy to meet holiday expectations, the darker days don’t help and, once we reach the new year, there’s pressure to reset, improve, and push forward as if our bodies didn’t come with limits. When you’re living with fibromyalgia, the “new year, new me” pressure often leads to flares, overwhelm, and the feeling of starting the year already behind. For fibro bodies, pushing harder usually isn’t the answer. When your nervous system is already sensitive, what it needs most is safety, not force. Slowing down, listening more closely to your body, and treating yourself with kindness instead of criticism can shift how pain, energy, and even emotions show up day to day. Sometimes the most meaningful changes don’t come from doing more, but from softening your expectations and meeting yourself where you are. Today, Tami is joined by Dr. Robin Pfaff, a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®, national board-certified health and wellness coach, and author of Living Your Best Life with Fibromyalgia. Robin has lived with fibromyalgia for nearly 30 years and brings both professional expertise and lived experience to this conversation. In this conversation, Tami and Robin talk about why traditional New Year’s resolutions often backfire for people with fibromyalgia, how mindful self-compassion helps calm the nervous system, the three core elements of mindful self-compassion, why January is especially hard for so many people and why that context matters for fibro bodies, treating yourself with the same kindness you would offer a close friend, the difference between traditional goal setting and a fibro-friendly approach, using micro-practices and tiny steps instead of big resolutions, reframing self care as experimentation, simple and practical tools and why small, consistent practices are often more effective than big changes, giving yourself permission to slow down and do less, rethinking routines and noticing when you’re over scheduling why fibromyalgia coaching can make a big difference, creating an internal sense of safety that supports healing, finding micro-joys and small rituals that offer comfort and meaning, stories from Robin’s clients and how they found renewed hope, and more. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/39713965

Replay: Special #1: The Best Way I Know To Feel Better 01/07/2026

Replay: Special #1: The Best Way I Know To Feel Better As a master Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®, author, and fibro podcaster, the questions I’m asked more than any others are: How do I get better? How do I improve my Fibromyalgia so I can get back to living the life I want to live? While those sound like simple questions, they do not have simple answers. We all have similar symptoms, what helps you feel better may not be the thing that helps me feel better. We all have to find our own magic formula for what makes us feel best. I know from personal experience just how overwhelming it can be to find that formula on your own. That’s why I created a training program in 2015 that would teach people just like you how to improve their own Fibromyalgia, and how to help others do the same. In this first episode of a special series where I’ll be answering a lot of questions I get about our Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® class and about becoming a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®, I want to start super basic. We’re going over what a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® is, how that’s different from a Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor®, why you should consider the Advisor class if you’re a patient who just wants to feel better, who else the Advisor class is perfect for, what the certification aspect really means, the staggering statistics on how many participants see significant improvements in their symptoms by the end of the Advisor class. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. Join us at our next Virtual Open House! Tami will answer the top six questions about our classes. Learn the differences between our Advisor and Coach training paths, and uncover which one is right for you. Discover our tuition and payment options, and how our classes are tailored for fibro brains and bodies. Don't like waiting? Get the full Be A Coach series NOW! Register to access the complete 'Be A Coach' series, along with several bonus episodes, delivered straight to your favorite podcast app. Interested in hearing from our alumni about their journey in our courses? Register to receive our complimentary 'Fibromyalgia Stories of Hope' collection, automatically delivered to your favorite podcast app. Use this link to subscribe. For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/39638600

Heart Rate Variability And Fibromyalgia With Dr. Andrew Holman 12/30/2025

Heart Rate Variability And Fibromyalgia With Dr. Andrew Holman “Fibromyalgia patients have lived with, ‘Well, it’s nothing. We’re giving you nothing, and don’t come back.’ We’re not doing that anymore.” - Dr. Andrew Holman Living with fibromyalgia, you know what it feels like to live in a body that never really settles down. Even when we’re resting, there’s a background tension that doesn’t fully release. Sleep doesn’t restore us the way it should, stress lingers longer than it seems to for other people, and pain feels louder than it should. It’s exhausting feeling like your nervous system is always braced for impact, even on the days when you’re doing everything “right.” This constant feeling of being on edge isn’t about mindset or resilience. It’s about how our nervous system has learned to respond over time. When your body stays stuck in fight-or-flight, it interferes with the deep, restorative sleep you need and amplifies pain and sensitivity throughout the day. That’s why getting a deeper understanding of how your nervous system is reacting and supporting it to move away from the fight-or-flight state is often a significant piece of the puzzle in managing your fibro symptoms. Today, Tami is joined by Dr. Andrew Holman, a board-certified rheumatologist with decades of experience working with fibromyalgia patients. Dr. Holman is the co-founder of Inmedix and has spent years studying how stress biology and autonomic nervous system imbalance affect pain, sleep, and healing. In this conversation, Tami and Dr. Holman discuss Dr Holman’s clinical observations on fibromyalgia, patterns he noticed over decades treating patients with fibromyalgia, why heart rate variability (HRV) matters, his response to skepticism about fibromyalgia, his perspective on the question of whether fibromyalgia is autoimmune, how sleep deprivation can drive symptoms, why deep restorative sleep matters for pain and cognition, how the autonomic nervous system affects your body, what HRV measures and why it’s a useful window into the stress response, how newer HRV tech aims to separate sympathetic and parasympathetic activity more precisely, using HRV and resting heart rate to spot overexertion and help pace activity, what clinical outcomes can look like when autonomic balance improves, HRV as a potential missing vital sign, the usefulness of HRV data for guiding more individualized treatment decisions, autonomic medicine as a growing frontier, practical steps you can take to better support your nervous system, the critical link between sleep apnea and fibromyalgia, addressing comorbidities that may be contributing to your symptoms, cervical cord compression as a possible contributor to autonomic dysfunction, why tenderness matters in diagnosis, where Dr. Holman’s new HRV tech is in the rollout process, what he sees for the future of fibromyalgia research, and more. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/39565565

Starting Small: How Small Steps Create Big Wins with Fibromyalgia 12/16/2025

Starting Small: How Small Steps Create Big Wins with Fibromyalgia “Fibromyalgia can completely break your relationship with yourself when your symptoms are unpredictable.” Tami Stackelhouse For many of us with fibromyalgia, goal setting doesn’t just feel hard. It feels painful. You make a plan on a good day, only to wake up the next morning in pain or exhausted, and suddenly everything falls apart. After that happens enough times, it stops feeling like bad luck and starts to feel personal. You start doubting your body, your brain, and eventually yourself. This is not a character flaw. It’s a natural response to living in a body that changes the rules without warning. Traditional goal setting assumes predictable energy, consistent capacity, and stable days; things that fibromyalgia simply does not offer. Instead of trying to force ourselves into systems that don’t fit, we need tools that are designed for fibro bodies in the first place. In this episode, Tami shares a completely different approach to goal setting that actually works with fibromyalgia instead of against it. She talks about why starting small is essential when living with fibromyalgia, how managing unpredictable symptoms can slowly erode self trust, why traditional goal setting often fails for fibro bodies, the ferocious turtle metaphor and why steady progress works, why slow is smooth and smooth is fast when managing flares, making goals easier to climb by using small, close rungs, reducing overwhelm and prevent push crash cycles, focusing on rebuilding self trust, not pushing harder, what it really means to set stupidly small goals, how tiny wins rewire the brain, adapting SMART goals so they actually work with fibromyalgia, why flexibility matters, turning SMART goals into SMARTER goals, why awareness is often the first and most important goal, a simple five-step system for setting fibro friendly goals, choosing one small thing and adjusting as you go, how consistent tiny wins rebuild self trust over time, embracing the ferocious turtle mindset, trusting small steps forward, and more. A gentler, more realistic approach to your goals can help you rebuild your confidence and take small steps forward. Remember: slow, steady progress really does count. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/39423155

Fibromyalgia, Sleep, and Your Body Clock with Dr. Leon Lack 12/02/2025

Fibromyalgia, Sleep, and Your Body Clock with Dr. Leon Lack “The general public and even health professionals are not fully aware of the power of our circadian rhythms.” - Dr. Leon Lack If you’ve ever felt tired, foggy, and flared up when the seasons or the clocks change, you are not alone. Light is one of the most powerful signals to the brain, and when your body’s internal clock, your circadian rhythm, becomes disrupted, that can influence your energy, pain levels, mood, and focus. For those of us already living with fibro’s sensitive nervous system, even small shifts in daylight can have a significant impact. Understanding your circadian rhythm can help you find balance with your energy, sleep quality, and other fibro symptoms. Morning light, evening routines, timing your wake-up, and even the type of light you’re exposed to all influence how your body functions. When you understand how they all work together, light can become one of the simplest and most effective fibro-friendly tools for improving sleep, stabilizing your mood, and boosting your energy all year. Today, Tami is excited to be joined by Professor Leon Lack, one of the world's leading experts on sleep, circadian rhythm, and light therapy, to talk about why light affects us so deeply and how light therapy can support you. Dr. Lack is also the co-inventor of the Re-Timer light therapy glasses, one of Tami’s favorite things for 2025. In this conversation, they discuss what a circadian rhythm is, how it drives daily sleep and wake patterns, how light exposure shifts the body clock, the effects of social jetlag, inconsistent schedules, and sleep debt on mood, alertness, and pain, why some people are true evening types with delayed sleep phase challenges, how strategies like Tami’s Lights Out Sundays can help reset body timing, what studies show about how natural light rapidly resets sleep, why morning light timing matters, how to identify your circadian low point to shift your rhythm more effectively, how light therapy works in cloudy or low-sunlight regions, the evolution from early light boxes to modern wearable devices, how light entering the eyes resets the brain’s clock, Tami’s experience using Re-Timer glasses, which wavelengths are most effective for shifting the body clock, why consistent morning light matters most, practical steps for shifting your sleep earlier, how winter darkness worsens mood and sleep, why jetlag adjustment varies from person to person, strategies for travel recovery, how evening light therapy can help early risers sleep later, best practices if you tend to sleep in, the risks of driving during circadian lows, why shift work remains so dangerous, and more. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/39234665

Rediscovering Joy: Finding New Passions Despite Fibromyalgia 11/18/2025

Rediscovering Joy: Finding New Passions Despite Fibromyalgia “Fibromyalgia can take a lot from us, but it doesn’t have to take everything.” - Tami Stackelhouse One of the hardest parts of living with fibromyalgia is how much joy can quietly disappear from your life. Activities you used to love start feeling out of reach and even simple things like going out with friends or spending time on a hobby can feel too draining. Over time, it’s easy to lose sight of what brings you happiness when most of your energy is going toward managing your pain and getting through the day. But joy is not something you “earn” once you feel better. Joy is part of what helps you feel better. It plays an essential role in calming your nervous system, lowering pain levels, and helping your body shift out of constant survival mode. When fibromyalgia makes your world smaller, joy often feels like the first thing to go, but it’s actually one of the most powerful tools you have for healing. The good news is that joy doesn’t need to be big or complicated. It just needs to be intentional. In this episode, Tami walks you through her Joy List exercise, a simple and meaningful practice to help you identify personal sources of joy. She talks about how fibromyalgia can lead to a loss of hobbies, work, and social connection, the emotional weight that follows these changes, the biology of joy, how dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin support pain relief and healing, three reflective questions to help you rediscover what brings happiness and meaning, practical tips for creating your Joy List, why certain activities bring joy and how to adapt them in new ways, accepting that joy may look different now and that change is part of healing, focusing on the feeling of joy rather than trying to recreate past experiences, finding new forms of joy through creativity and flexibility, six simple ways to add joy into your daily life, reframing your understanding of joy as a muscle, why reconnecting with joy is crucial for managing fibromyalgia, why now is the best time to start or revisit your personal joy list, supportive resources you can utilize on your journey of rediscovering joy, knowing when to seek help from a coach or community, and more. Remember, the parts of you that feel lost are still there, waiting for you to reach for them again. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/39073145

Tami’s Favorite Things 2025: My Latest Fibro-Friendly Finds 11/04/2025

Tami’s Favorite Things 2025: My Latest Fibro-Friendly Finds Last year, Tami introduced her favorite things list. The list highlighted the top seven things from 2024 that she used in her everyday life and wouldn’t want to live without. Now, she’s sharing a sneak peek of her list for 2025. If you’ve ever heard of Oprah’s Favorite Things list, this is like that, but with a fibro focus. Some important things to keep in mind are that this is not a random list and companies cannot pay to be on it. Every item on this list is something Tami has personally tested, used, and loved enough to recommend to her clients and now you. These items are the real deal. They’re tools that support better sleep, less pain, steadier energy, and add a little extra sparkle to your day. This year’s list is grouped into three categories: Fibro Game Changers: Science-backed tools that truly make a difference in how your body feels and functions. Everyday Comforts: Small luxuries that make life a little more comfortable and fun. Daily Life Helpers: Practical tools you use every day that make life just a little bit easier. In this episode, Tami shares one favorite from each category. For the complete guide with her curated picks, why she chose each item, direct purchasing links, and some discount codes, click the link below. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. Each year, Tami curates her Favorite Things — fibro-friendly tools, comfort items, and simple upgrades that make daily life easier and more enjoyable. Get this year’s , plus links to past years’ lists and early access to future editions. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/38902995

How Do I Help People I Love Understand Fibromyalgia? (Ask the Coach) 10/21/2025

How Do I Help People I Love Understand Fibromyalgia? (Ask the Coach) Have you ever wished people could truly understand what fibromyalgia feels like, or what it's like to live with a condition that never really goes away? You are not alone. Explaining fibromyalgia to the people you love is one of the hardest parts of living with an invisible illness. From the outside, you might look perfectly fine, but inside, you feel like you’ve been run over by a truck. It’s even harder when your symptoms change from day to day. You might manage errands or a social event one day and need to rest the next, leaving people confused or questioning what’s going on. Trying to explain that experience to someone who has never experienced chronic pain feels impossible. Today, Tami is sharing tools you can use to make these difficult conversations a little easier without wearing yourself out in the process. Using the right strategies and language can make a world of difference. Whether it’s a simple analogy, a short story that captures the daily challenges, or setting clear boundaries around what you can and can’t explain, these conversations can make all the difference in whether you feel supported or alone. In this episode, Tami shares why fibromyalgia is so hard to explain, how its invisibility, fluctuating symptoms, and emotional weight affect daily life, simple, relatable analogies others without chronic pain can relate to, the power of using tactile demonstrations to show pain and sensitivity, the Spoon Theory and other analogies to explain daily limits, sharing books and other media to educate others, how you can use stealth tactics to help your loved ones understand what you’re experiencing, understanding the three circles of trust, setting boundaries and learning to say no without guilt, resources that help with explaining fibromyalgia to children, how growing up with a family member with a chronic illness can teach empathy and resilience, choosing the right time and place to have these fibro conversations, accepting imperfect help and building a supportive team, why you need to create a flare survival plan, how professionals and coaches can help to improve your quality of life, and more. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. Join us for the . This is a completely free, 10-day virtual event happening October 13th through 24th, designed to help you navigate the holidays with less pain and more joy. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/38723375

Your Free Ticket to Feel Better This Holiday Season 10/16/2025

Holiday Tips For Fibromyalgia: Less Pain and More Joy 10/07/2025

Holiday Tips For Fibromyalgia: Less Pain and More Joy “You don’t have to do it all this holiday season. Do the things that matter most to you.” - Tami Stackelhouse The holidays can be a difficult time of year for people living with fibromyalgia. Between shopping, cooking, decorating, family gatherings, and endless to-do lists, it’s easy to push yourself too far and end up in a massive fibro flare. You want to show up for the people you love, but your body will remind you that there’s only so much you can give. Luckily, a memorable holiday season doesn’t just come from doing everything you’ve always done. Instead, it should be about doing what matters most. By learning to prioritize, pace yourself, and let go of the “shoulds,” you can create a season that’s joyful and supportive of your health instead of draining it. As we head towards the holidays, take your time, slow down, choose what feels right for you, and give yourself permission to rest without guilt. In this episode, Tami talks about why it’s time to start thinking about navigating the holiday season, balancing energy and prioritizing what matters, planning buffer/recovery days before and after events, fibro-friendly food strategies, tips for eating safely, setting boundaries, mindset shifts for a less stressful holiday, time-savers to reduce stress this holiday season, why you should think ahead about dressing for comfort and creating a sensory-friendly environment for yourself, the impact of focusing on meaningful decorations and simplifying your holiday decor, the importance of accepting help, prioritizing joy over holiday “shoulds,” letting go of old traditions and creating new ones, and more. You’ll also get a sneak peek into the upcoming Living Well with Fibromyalgia Summit: Holiday Edition, featuring talks from Certified Fibromyalgia Coaches® on areas like balancing commitments, setting boundaries, and creating joyful new traditions. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. Join us for the . This is a completely free, 10-day virtual event happening October 13th through 24th, designed to help you navigate the holidays with less pain and more joy. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/38493475

Off to Alaska — Be Back Soon! 09/23/2025

Navigate the Holidays with Less Pain & More Joy 09/21/2025

Tonmya™ For Fibromyalgia: A Long-Awaited New Medication with Dr. Seth Lederman 09/09/2025

Tonmya™ For Fibromyalgia: A Long-Awaited New Medication with Dr. Seth Lederman Have you been hearing the buzz about the new medication approved for the treatment of fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia can come with a myriad of symptoms that make everyday life more difficult. With the limited pharmaceutical options available, the addition of another FDA-approved medication is a ray of hope. Tonmya™ is the first medication approved for fibromyalgia in over 15 years, promising a new option for those of us with fibromyalgia. Today, Tami is joined by Dr. Seth Lederman, one of the co-founders of the company that developed Tonmya™, to talk about the journey from idea to FDA approval and what it could mean for the fibromyalgia community. With decades of experience in rheumatology, immunology, and drug development, Dr. Lederman has been focused on helping people with fibromyalgia for much of his career. In this conversation, Tami and Dr. Lederman discuss his medical and research background, why he focused on fibromyalgia, advances in fibromyalgia research, the FDA approval process, why Tonmya™ targets non-restorative sleep and Dr. Harvey Moldofsky’s influence, clinical trial design, dosing studies, and FDA requirements, outcomes measured in trials and the focus on pain reduction and sleep challenges, challenges in developing Tonmya™ including high placebo response and financial risks, how Tonmya™ differs from Flexeril, side effects of Tonmya™ and how it compares to other treatments, how quickly patients may see benefits, tolerability and safety considerations, when Tonmya™ will be available and how it will be distributed, how patients can access Tonmya™ and find more information, efforts to make Tonmya™ affordable, the need for advocacy and raising awareness, future steps for Tonmya™, what you need to know about the criticisms of early Tonmya™ studies, and more. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/38140750

Replay: Special #4: How Do You Become a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®? 09/02/2025

Empowering Patients' Lives: Introducing The Sherri Little Foundation 08/26/2025

Empowering Patients' Lives: Introducing The Sherri Little Foundation *Trigger Warning: This episode contains content about suicide* “Getting well can be expensive. Too often, the things that help us most are the things insurance won’t cover.” – Tami Stackelhouse For too many of us living with fibromyalgia, our quality of life and access to care depend on what we can afford, not what we actually need. Coaching, acupuncture, mobility aids, functional testing, and even travelling to see the right doctor often aren’t covered by insurance. That gap leaves countless people stuck, unable to move forward on their healing journey simply because of finances. This is why The Sherri Little Foundation was created. Founded in honor of one of Tami’s clients who recognized how financial privilege shaped her fibromyalgia care, the foundation provides micro-grants to help people with chronic pain get the support they need but can’t otherwise afford. From mobility scooters to travel expenses, accessibility modifications, or certain therapies, these grants are designed to remove barriers and give you the chance to reclaim your life. In this episode, Tami discusses how financial barriers impact chronic pain patients, why The Sherri Little Foundation was created, Tami’s experience with out-of-pocket medical costs, Sherri Little’s story, the mission of the foundation to support those with limited resources, Tami’s personal connection to its work, the story of Lily, a 14-year-old grant recipient from 2024, examples of how grants have helped fill systemic gaps in accessibility and care, eligible uses for these grants, details of the 2025 grant cycle, including exactly how you can apply, financial and age requirements for applicants, the application process, tips for preparing application materials in advance, how the grant selection committee prioritizes applications, how you can get involved and support the mission, Tami’s hopes for the future of the foundation, and more. This year, the application window will open at midnight on September 1, 2025. The window will close on September 7, 2025, or when 50 applications have been submitted, whichever comes sooner. Tami expects the foundation to reach its application limit on the day of opening or the following day, so don’t delay! Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/37958760

Replay: Special #3: Why Should You Consider Being a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®? 08/19/2025

Creating A Reliable Self-Care Plan That Works For You with Micky Beaton 08/12/2025

Creating A Reliable Self-Care Plan That Works For You with Micky Beaton “Self-care is the beginning of a path to hope.” - Micky Beaton When life feels chaotic, self-care is usually the first thing to go (if it was even there in the first place). But for those of us living with fibromyalgia, that’s when you need it the most. Deprioritizing the practices and tools that help you feel your best will lead to fibro flares, more pain, and less energy, making it even harder to keep up. Self-care doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive, or time-consuming. It doesn’t have to be treating yourself to something extravagant. At the core, self-care is about prioritizing your health and your body and treating yourself the way you’d treat someone you love. It means listening to your body, making small, deliberate choices that support your well-being, and letting go of the guilt that often comes with putting yourself first. When you make yourself one of your “favorite people,” you create the best chance for you to have a better quality of life. Today, Tami is joined by Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® Micky Beaton to talk about how you can create a reliable self-care routine that is sustainable and fits into your life. Micky was diagnosed with fibromyalgia over 20 years ago and spent many of the years since searching for answers. Recognizing that there were many other people out there with fibromyalgia who needed the right support, Micky joined the Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® and then Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® training programs. In this conversation, Tami and Micky explore Micky’s diagnosis experience and early struggles with fibromyalgia, the push-crash cycle she found herself stuck in for a long time, her path to life coaching, further education, and discovering fibromyalgia coaching, why what works for one person may not work for another, finding positives in chronic illness, Micky’s ongoing learning and passion for coaching, her experience of mutual growth with clients since becoming a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®, how coaching helps clients maintain self-care and accountability, creating flexible self-care plans, what self-care really means, myths about self-care, the connection between independence and community, practical tips for delegating and overcoming perfectionism, the importance of building a support team, the pillars of self-care, why you should be having conversations with yourself, how self-care became Micky’s passion, how self-care supports medical treatments and calms the nervous system, where to start with self-care without feeling overwhelmed, how to fit self-care into already busy lives, why it’s important to begin with easy actions and celebrate small wins, why you should trust in the process and stay hopeful, and more. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/37770515

Replay: Special #2: Who Makes a Good Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®? 08/05/2025

Fibromyalgia Stories of Hope & Healing #11 07/29/2025

Fibromyalgia Stories of Hope & Healing #11 There aren't enough stories out there of people who have fibromyalgia and who have found ways to feel better. Many of our doctors tell us there’s nothing we can do, and it’s not uncommon to hear about how terrible life with fibromyalgia is. But while it can be debilitating, it’s not a life sentence. There’s always something else you can try to manage your fibromyalgia symptoms. Life adjustments will have to be made, but feeling better is absolutely possible, and all of our students have experienced this for themselves. After taking the Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® program, graduates see an average of 50% improvement in their symptoms, and after taking the Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® program, are often nearly symptom-free. Most fibromyalgia medications only offer 15-30% improvement, if they work for the individual at all. Today, in the eleventh installment of our Stories of Hope and Healing, you’re going to hear the stories of four recent graduates, as told by them. For this class, the Advisor students showed an average improvement of 66%, while our Coach students achieved scores that align with what some people consider remission. In this episode you’ll hear about how Jeannette overcame perfectionism and what she did to pace herself, why Jeannette wanted to become a coach, what she’s learned from both client wins and challenges, the tools and strategy that most helped Jeannette improve her Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR) score, Jeannette’s ideal coaching clients, her advice for perfectionists just starting their healing journey, why Shelly chose community and coaching for her fibromyalgia journey, how her coach, Kim, helped her learn to manage her pace and setbacks, how Shelly achieved a 59% FIQR improvement through small, sustainable changes, Shelly’s advice for listeners who feel overwhelmed, what it was like for Jacqui to start the class during her worst fibro flare, the major differences in Jacqui’s life before and after coaching, the specific steps Jacqui took with her coach around medication, nutrition, and mindset, what inspired Jacqui to become a coach and help other fibromyalgia patients, Lauren’s experience being diagnosed during the pandemic and with two young children, Lauren’s two-year journey of gradual healing and the long-term strategies that made a difference, success stories from Lauren’s clients, how Lauren supports mothers of neurodivergent children, Lauren’s encouragement for moms navigating both fibromyalgia and caregiving, how you can get support on your fibromyalgia journey, and more. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/37592220

Replay: Special #1: The Best Way I Know To Feel Better 07/22/2025

Fundamentals of Resilience and Physical Independence with Angi McClure 07/15/2025

Fundamentals of Resilience and Physical Independence with Angi McClure “It’s never too late for your second spring.” - Angi McClure Have you ever felt like you were losing your physical independence because of your fibromyalgia? Maybe you struggle with tasks like climbing stairs, carrying groceries, or getting up off the floor? For many of us living with fibromyalgia, even simple daily tasks can feel draining. Strengthening your resilience is the key to adapting through life’s seasons. The good news is that, no matter what age or stage of your life you're in, there are gentle, practical, and sustainable ways to reconnect with your body, build resilience, and enhance your physical independence. Today, Tami is joined by Angi McClure, a neuro-based movement therapist and founder of Bamboo Bodies. Angi specializes in age science and supports her clients through functional Chinese medicine, nutrition, and seasonal lifestyle habits. While Angi’s work focuses on age training and longevity, the principles apply perfectly to those of us with fibromyalgia. In this conversation, Tami and Angi discuss how Angi became interested in exploring age training and her personal and professional journey into supporting older adults, the parallels between aging and living with fibromyalgia, adapting to life’s changes, why we should redefine physical independence as an athletic pursuit, recognizing the resilience of those with chronic illness and pain, why “training like an athlete” is more about mental and emotional resilience than physical exercise, the meaning of neurological resilience, why community is a crucial element in reconnecting with your body, energy management and The Spoon Theory, seasons of life and how they relate to aging and fibromyalgia, insights from Chinese medicine on life’s seasons and their impact on health, the “second spring” and why it’s never too late to adapt, how Angi bridges neuroscience and Chinese medicine, why pain is a brain output, how mindset and working on yourself builds resilience, the “threat bucket” analogy for stress and pain, practical ways to lighten your load, practical tools you can start using to support resilience, how to find joy in movement, the need for a personalized approach to movement, the benefits of qigong and playful movement, and more. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/37411820

The Top Three Hidden Reasons Your Fibromyalgia Symptoms Aren’t Getting Better 07/01/2025

The Top Three Hidden Reasons Your Fibromyalgia Symptoms Aren’t Getting Better “Listening to your body is one of the key things you need to do to make everything else work.” Over the past ten years of teaching people about fibromyalgia, Tami has seen certain issues repeatedly come up that get in the way of the healing journey. Last week, during our Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® training class, a student raised an important question about how we identify these issues when we have a client who isn’t improving as we would like them to. The more you learn about fibromyalgia, the more aware you are of tools that could help you and why your symptoms may not be improving. At the same time, some less obvious issues often go unnoticed but must be addressed to make progress. Things like working with a doctor who doesn’t quite know what to do with us, being in a season of life that doesn’t allow us to prioritize ourselves, or unconscious trauma responses that block us from making the changes we need to. In today’s episode, Tami is sharing the top three hidden reasons why your fibromyalgia symptoms might not be improving. She discusses why not listening to your body can block healing (whether or not it’s unintentional), the key difference between consciously ignoring your body and being unaware of what it needs, the benefits of writing your body’s owner’s manual, how trauma can make it harder to manage your symptoms, acknowledging that rest and awareness are essential for healing, how undiagnosed or undertreated health conditions can get in the way of your healing journey, underlying conditions that Tami had to address as a part of her fibro journey, advocating for yourself and finding medical professionals who listen, how fibromyalgia amplifies other sources of pain, the importance of being realistic and managing expectations, why some people may not be ready, willing, or able to do the work required for improvement, when it’s okay not to do the work, support for those facing financial or geographic limitations, and more. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/37235435

BONUS: Is This Menopause... Or Fibromyalgia? on The To Your Health Podcast with Esther Avant 06/24/2025

Transform Your Quality of Life with Pelvic Floor PT with Dr. Desiree Cassell 06/17/2025

Transform Your Quality of Life with Pelvic Floor PT with Dr. Desiree Cassell “It’s pretty amazing how much stress, emotion, memory, and trauma the pelvic bowl itself holds.” - Dr. Desiree Cassell Pelvic floor health is important to all of us. We all have a pelvic floor, and pelvic floor dysfunction can contribute to everything from incontinence and painful sex, which you might expect, but also knee, back, and hip pain, and even TMJ. This dysfunction can stem from many different types of triggers, and the signs are not always obvious. Seeking out a specialized pelvic floor PT who is trauma-informed and understands the importance of an internal assessment can be life-changing for many women experiencing pelvic floor issues, as Tami has seen for many of her fibro clients. Today, Tami is joined by Dr. Desiree Cassell, an expert pelvic floor physical therapist. After her first pregnancy, Dr. Desiree suffered from her own pelvic floor dysfunction, which she was able to resolve completely during her second pregnancy. This experience led to her passion in educating, empowering, and supporting other women throughout their lifespan, so that they don’t have to accept these common issues as part of life. In this conversation, Dr. Desiree and Tami discuss how to find a qualified pelvic floor physical therapist and why in-person exams matter, what the pelvic floor is, how it works, and how pelvic PT differs from traditional physical therapy, why internal pelvic floor assessments are important, how they help to break stigma, what to expect during an internal assessment, what these assessments can reveal about your pain, how to choose a trauma-informed pelvic floor therapist, why comfort and trust are essential, common symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction, why the condition is often misunderstood, the connection between your pelvic floor and the rest of your body, the impact of surgeries like C-sections and hysterectomies on pelvic health, the lack of follow-up care, how fascia, scar tissue, and emotional trauma can affect your pelvic floor and overall well-being, what to do if you’ve had surgery or trauma without pelvic floor rehab, breathwork to support pelvic floor healing and nervous system regulation, practical breathwork tips for identifying and releasing tension in your body, and more. Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the . For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on or . Need a good book to read? . Ready to take back control of your life and health? /episode/index/show/fibromyalgiapodcast/id/37038780

Fibromyalgia Podcast®

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