Have you ever wondered why some people have an easier time managing their fibromyalgia than others? We all have natural strengths and weaknesses and approach life in a unique way. Managing our fibromyalgia is no different. Our personalities play a central role in how we approach life and our fibromyalgia, and research has shown that our personality traits have a direct influence on health outcomes and fibromyalgia symptoms. Empowerment comes from figuring out exactly where your natural...

You're probably aware of the need for more research funding to help us develop new treatments for fibromyalgia. You’re probably also aware of the lack of training most doctors have when it comes to fibromyalgia. But did you realize that the two are connected? Research not only uncovers new potential treatments but also shapes how and what medical schools teach our providers. Right now, the exact causes of fibromyalgia are unknown. We’ve uncovered many aspects of how it presents, but not...

GLP-1 medications like Wegovy, Ozempic, and Mounjaro are all the rage right now. Originally marketed as drugs to help diabetics with insulin resistance, they were later discovered to help people lose weight. With those possibilities, GLP-1 meds are positioned to revolutionize health in the US since about two-thirds of the population is either overweight or obese and at risk for conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But there’s been another new discovery—GLP-1 medications also...

“How do you propose we help low-income individuals with CFS and fibromyalgia? Self-care and wellness are rooted in privilege, choice, fellowship, support, time, and money to invest in themselves.” So many people living with chronic illnesses are forced to navigate the issue of how best to support themselves with limited resources. While you’ll often hear Tami talking about coaching and our training programs on this podcast, that’s not everything available in the fibromyalgia community. Tami...

Exercise is one of the foundational pillars of health, but with fibromyalgia, we have extra sensitive bodies and nervous systems, and we need to be gentle. That means finding the right exercise to meet our needs can be tricky. Today, Tami is excited to introduce you to a tool helping her feel even better and that she’s recently been obsessed with: a T-Zone Vibration machine. These machines use whole body vibration, a modality used for decades to increase muscle strength, bone density, and...

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...

Rest is not a luxury. It’s required for healing your mind, body, and soul. A month and a half into the new year, everything around us is about making this your best year ever. From classes to articles, social media posts, and podcast episodes, there’s so much messaging about becoming a new and better version of yourself. While growth is a good thing, and the transition into a new year can be a great time to make the changes to move closer to the life you want, you might find that these...

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...

Most of us with fibromyalgia have to spend a lot of physical and emotional energy teaching the people in our lives about our condition. From friends and family to doctors and coaches, it can be draining. That’s just one of the ways working with a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® transformational. It’s invaluable to have someone in your corner who knows what you’re going through because they’ve been there and have the tools to guide and support you. What would it be like to improve your quality...

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....

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...

“Taking action and being clear about what we expect does not have to be disrespectful.” - Meredith Holley It’s very common for people with invisible disabilities like fibromyalgia to experience workplace conflict and discrimination because of it. From snide remarks to outright harassment, it can feel so isolating and even make your symptoms worse. Despite that, most people don’t want to file a lawsuit. While it sounds so noble to have civil rights litigation, it’s a stressful process that...

We often underestimate what we can accomplish in a year. The goal can seem so massive that we think we’ll never get there and don’t even bother to try. That’s why it’s so important to hear stories of hope from people who have been where you are. There is so much you can do in a year; whether or not you go for it, the year will go by. It’s up to you to decide what you want to do between now and then. Today, we’re having a special bonus episode where Kim Osborne, a current student in our...

“You can only truly heal once you’ve accepted what's going on.” - Dr. Isabelle Amigues When you’re able to reflect on your fibromyalgia as a teacher, you stop fighting your body and put yourself in the best position to heal. Tami often describes fibromyalgia as the biggest gift life has given her. It’s a sentiment that can be difficult to understand when you’re struggling with getting through each day, but there are things you can do to move forward on your fibromyalgia healing journey. For...

In this special time-sensitive bonus episode, I’ve got a quick announcement and a special opportunity for you! Take a listen to find out more! This coming Sunday, December 10th, there will be a special virtual screening of the fibromyalgia documentary, INVISIBLE. This is a worldwide screening, meaning you can watch the film no matter where you live. I won't lie, the end of the film gives me goosebumps every single time. This is a powerful film, and really, I promise you will see something...

Family stories play a crucial role in shaping our beliefs about health, work, and other aspects of life. In previous episodes, we’ve talked about the way traumatic experiences can impact your health and fibromyalgia. Today, we’re taking it a step further and exploring how the traumatic events that happened to your ancestors can affect your wellbeing. You may have a family story about a great-aunt who is always sick and uses that to escape family obligations. Or maybe you watched your...

For a lot of us with fibromyalgia and other chronic illnesses, working on our fitness comes in bursts. We’re told exercise is good for us, but when we go out and do what ordinary people do, it’s too much, and we crash. Then, that cycle repeats itself over and over. Tami has found a tool that helped her and many of her students and coaches to shift away from this up-and-down cycle and into a healthy relationship with being active. It’s an app called Gentler Streak, and she’s been using it...

“How do you do it all?” This question came up during one of Tami’s Ask Me Anything sessions during our annual alumni retreat, and it was so good that she decided to bring it to the podcast. Before we get into the details, the short answer is Tami doesn’t do it all! At first glance, it’s easy to compare your life to what you see others doing. The problem with that is we tend to forget that we’re only seeing their highlight reel. You never know everything that’s going on behind the scenes at...

“No woman is going to get to 90 years old without having gone through menopause.” - Jeanne Andrus As women, society has trained us to be afraid of menopause. To view it as yet another trial we have to suffer through. The truth is that if you learn to accept it, menopause is a gift. And to take advantage of it, you need to support yourself through it. This is the time when we get to put ourselves at the center. After decades of people pleasing, it allows you to take yourself from the...

“The big rule of thumb is to do things that make you feel better.” - Dr. Izabella Wentz Adrenal dysfunction is a significant contributing factor to fibromyalgia, and over the years, we’ve never met someone with fibromyalgia who didn’t also need to heal their adrenals. For Tami, supporting her adrenals and correcting her adrenal function resulted in her feeling much better.  For today’s episode, Tami is joined by Dr. Izabella Wentz, author of the new book Adrenal Transformation Protocol....

“Whenever there's a lot of interest and dollars put into fibromyalgia research, patients only stand to benefit.” - Dr. Ginevra Liptan During the pandemic, a potentially game-changing research article showed us that the immune system is involved in creating fibromyalgia pain. The results of this study were remarkable and began to address one of the most common questions about fibromyalgia - whether it is an autoimmune condition. It’s a huge question and an important one for us to keep asking...

When we have an interest or a passion, but we're not pursuing it, we don't feel good. Creativity is a vital part of wellness; for many people, it helps them manage their illness and feel better. No matter how you’re feeling, it’s important to know that staying creative and vibrant is possible. Today, Tami welcomes Wellness Coach Jenni Grover to talk about how you can do more crafting, making, and creating. Jenni has a passion for making sure that people get to keep being themselves and...

A certified Certified Fibromyalgia Coach® is not a doctor. We can’t prescribe or diagnose, but we can help fill the gap in fibro knowledge for you and your doctors. IFC graduates have received hundreds of hours of fibromyalgia-specific training. We can teach you and your providers more about fibromyalgia and help you advocate for yourself and get better results. Today, as we continue the seventh installment of our Stories of Hope and Healing, Tami interviews two more graduates of our...

For many of us, the fibromyalgia diagnosis left us feeling like, “Who am I now?” Fibromyalgia changes how we see ourselves, relate with others, and interact in our lives. What if you could significantly improve your quality of life? Or have the energy to do the things you love? Or to travel and enjoy yourself? Today is the seventh installment of our Stories of Hope and Healing. Tami interviews five recent graduates of the Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor® program, and they share their...