Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. In this episode we dive into a lot of different topics: what it means to truly be heard, being in denial about what is going on with our body and creating a community of connection and safety.  Rebecca starts off the episode talking about the fact that her GI doctor will be changing her medication and how those type of changes can be difficult. We also talk about how we can evaluate if new treatments are working. We bring up what it means to truly be heard vs. just someone listening to you. Sometimes patients don't feel like they are really listened to or seen, especially when appointments can be over so quickly. Being heard is important because we feel more supported, respected and that what we are going through matters.  Rebecca talks about what her favorite topic is: understanding how people connect and relationships. Ashley and Rebecca talk about how they strive to create a friendly community here that is accepting of our difficulties and where everyone feels comfortable to connect. It is important to normalize conversations about things that we may at first feel shame about, such as our IBD symptoms and poop. Sometimes it is easier as patients to ignore reality and just push through and not really look at what is going on with our bodies because we may feel embarrassed or may be scared of what certain symptoms mean.  There can be a disconnection from the body with a lot of different experiences, such as trauma, disordered eating and illness. We talk about finding a safe place where we are not judged, we feel comfort, and a sense of community and inclusion.  We talk about how we can find peace and alignment with ourselves and our bodies when we don't live in denial. Facing taboo topics or challenging symptoms can be hard but they can point us in the direction of how we're really doing.