#227 How to live in a body that hurts: chronic illness, disability, and body image with Dr. Jennifer Caspari
What does it mean to live in a body that doesn’t always do what you wish it would? A body that’s unpredictable, maybe in pain, maybe exhausted — a body shaped by chronic illness, disability, or medical trauma?
This week on the podcast, I’m revisiting an episode that feels really important right now. As many of you know, I’ve been going through a new diagnosis and spent a super fun amount of time in the cardiac ICU.
Over a year ago, I was joined by the brilliant (and deeply compassionate) Dr. Jennifer Caspari, a psychologist who specializes in health psychology and lives with cerebral palsy. Her personal and professional wisdom come together in such a powerful way — this conversation felt like a breath of fresh air in a world that so often asks us to override, fix, or fight our bodies.
We talk about what it means to be in relationship with your body when it doesn’t feel like it’s on your side, and how to cultivate self-compassion, presence, and joy even in the midst of that. (Her book is a beautiful read, by the way).
Jen shares her own story — how she came into therapy, what it’s like navigating the world in a disabled body, and the mindset shifts that have helped her most during painful or difficult seasons.
We explore:
How societal body image pressure intersects with disability and illness
Why we don’t have to wait for symptoms to go away in order to start living
The role of values-based living and gentle courage in hard moments
Practical strategies for coping with chronic pain
What it really means to practice radical acceptance
Why chronic illness often involves grief — of function, identity, possibility
Navigating relationships and communicating needs with loved ones
Finding agency, even when so much feels out of your control
Living fully with a body that’s chronically ill — and maybe always will be
This episode was originally going to be just for paid subscribers. However, it felt too important not to share the entirety of the conversation with everyone.
So, I’ve decided to make this full episode available to all listeners.
That said, if you value this kind of content — sponsor-free, ad-free, rooted in compassion, nuance, and lived experience — and you’re in a position to support the show financially, becoming a paid subscriber is one of the most meaningful ways you can do that.
It allows me to keep this work independent, to have the freedom to center voices like Jen’s, and to make space for conversations that aren’t dictated by algorithms or brands. This podcast runs on trust and community — not commercials for protein powders or apps that help you to track your macros.
So if you’re already a paid supporter: thank you. Truly. And if you’re not yet, and you’re able to join us in that way, you can do that right here.
I know that this topic hits home for many of you. We’ve talked about it in this community — in comments, in DMs, in the Q&As of past episodes. So I hope this episode finds you, meets you where you are, and invites you into more respect and neutrality with your body. Because it’s hard to have a body, and this world doesn’t make it any easier.
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