The Recovery Room with Jackie Baxter

Jackie Baxter

Welcome to The Recovery Room with Jackie Baxter - a gentle, grounded space for anyone navigating a health challenge. ​ For five years, this show was known as The Long Covid Podcast, supporting thousands of listeners through the uncertainty of post‑viral illness. After my own lived experience and recovery from Long Covid, the conversations naturally grew wider — into ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, Dysautonomia, Trauma, Burnout and the deep nervous‑system work that underpins so many healing journeys. ​ This reimagined podcast honours that evolution. ​ Each week, I explore the science, stories, and small, steady practices that help the body feel safer and more supported. You’ll hear from clinicians, researchers, practitioners and people walking their own recovery paths through the power of honest conversation. ​ Whether you’re at the beginning of your journey or somewhere in the long, winding middle, you’re welcome here. Take a breath. Settle in. This is your recovery room. This podcast will always remain free, but if you like what you hear and are able to, please head along to www.buymeacoffee.com/JackiesRecoveryRoom to help me cover costs. ~ Follow me on socials @JackiesRecoveryRoom  ~ Website: www.JackiesRecoveryRoom.com  Do get in touch - I love to hear from you!

  1. 6d ago

    222 - Jake Hollis - What If Validation Is A Treatment Too

    I talk with clinical psychologist Dr Jake Hollis about recovering from ME/CFS and Long Covid, and why the nervous system offers a more useful frame than the tired “mind versus body” argument. We explore how validation, language, and recovery stories can shift the brain’s predictions and open up real possibilities for change.  • Jake’s lived experience of long-term illness and a slow recovery path  • How neuroplastic recovery therapies fit alongside biology rather than replacing it  • Why recovery stories can create a visceral nervous system shift  • The harm caused when recovered people are disbelieved or silenced  • How the mind body divide shows up in healthcare systems and culture  • Biomarkers, legitimacy, and why absence of a test is not absence of illness  • Mental health stigma as a hidden driver of conflict and miscommunication  • Emotional suppression, shame, and “keep calm and carry on” conditioning  • Blame versus responsibility as a more compassionate recovery framework  Links: More about Jake: www.fatiguepsychologist.com Unlearn Your Pain in the US and in the UK Howard Schubiner chats to Rangan Chatterjee Message me! (I can't reply to these messages) For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com (music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life) Support the show ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thankyou for joining me in The Recovery Room. If you found this episode useful & are able to, you can support the show by buying me a coffee or checking out the merch Visit The Recovery Room website: www.JackiesRecoveryRoom.com  Follow me on social media channels: @JackiesRecoveryRoom **Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

    222 - Jake Hollis - What If Validation Is A Treatment Too

  2. Aug 12

    221 - A New Room, The Same Heart. Welcome to The Recovery Room

    Five years after starting the Long Covid Podcast, Jackie introduces The Recovery Room – a wider, gentler space for anyone navigating Long Covid, ME/CFS, Dysautonomia, PoTS, Trauma, Burnout, nervous system overwhelm, and long-term recovery. In this episode, Jackie shares: Why the podcast is evolving and what “The Recovery Room” means.How her own recovery showed that healing is about more than symptoms.How Long Covid overlaps with other conditions, and why this space now holds many experiences, not just one diagnosisWhat’s staying the same: evidence-informed conversations, recovery stories, nervous system insights, and honest, vulnerable discussions held in a way that feels safe.She closes with a short grounding practice you can use anytime: Noticing your breathGently checking in with how you feelAsking, “What would help me feel 1% safer right now?”Remembering that small, consistent, gentle shifts are the foundation of recovery.Practical updates: The podcast is now called The Recovery Room with Jackie BaxterSocial media, visuals, and app names will update over the coming daysThe new website is live: www.JackiesRecoveryRoom.com Message me! (I can't reply to these messages) Support the show ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thankyou for joining me in The Recovery Room. If you found this episode useful & are able to, you can support the show by buying me a coffee or checking out the merch Visit The Recovery Room website: www.JackiesRecoveryRoom.com  Follow me on social media channels: @JackiesRecoveryRoom **Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

    221 - A New Room, The Same Heart. Welcome to The Recovery Room

  3. Season 1 Trailer

    Welcome to The Recovery Room, with Jackie Baxter

    Welcome to The Recovery Room with Jackie Baxter This space is the natural evolution of a journey that began during my own recovery and through 5 years of the Long Covid Podcast. A place for anyone navigating a health challenge where they feel misunderstood, isolated and uncertain of the future.A place where science and lived experience sit side by side.A place where fear can soften, and hope can feel realistic again. Gain actionable insights and tools through honest stories, conversations and the power of connection Listen to The Recovery Room wherever you get your podcasts or at www.JackiesRecoveryRoom.com  Message me! (I can't reply to these messages) Support the show ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thankyou for joining me in The Recovery Room. If you found this episode useful & are able to, you can support the show by buying me a coffee or checking out the merch Visit The Recovery Room website: www.JackiesRecoveryRoom.com  Follow me on social media channels: @JackiesRecoveryRoom **Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

    Welcome to The Recovery Room, with Jackie Baxter

  4. Jun 25

    220 - Deepak Ravindran: Recovery Is Not Either/Or: Bridging Biology and Neuroplasticity

    I catch up with pain consultant Dr Deepak Ravindran on what four years of Long Covid clinic work and research has taught him about why people get stuck with fatigue, pain, brain fog and autonomic symptoms. We argue for a practical middle path that validates biological change while using neuroplasticity and whole-person support to help the system relearn safety and move forwards.  • Deepak’s shift from pain medicine into leading a Berkshire Long Covid clinic and what patterns stood out over time  • Why most Long Covid patients were not hospitalised and why symptoms can still be severe  • The pressure on UK primary care and the case for better signposting to high-quality resources  • Why “either biology or brain” is the wrong frame and how the neuro-immune system acts as one unit  • What central sensitisation and predictive processing explain about persistent symptoms  • Evidence and theories: cytokines, neuro-inflammation signals, auto-antibodies, viral reservoirs and micro-clotting  • Treatment principles: combining medication trials with nervous system regulation and paced rehabilitation  • The STIMULATE ICP study approach and why integrated care pathways can outperform single-drug hopes  • Practical “waiting well” strategies: sleep, movement, breathing techniques, mindfulness and confidence-building  • Why recovery is individual, slow, and built from consistency rather than quick fixes  Links: Our previous episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1835170/episodes/11277564 Ami Banerjee episode (Stimulate ICP): https://www.buzzsprout.com/1835170/episodes/12209909 Berkshire Pain Clinic: https://theberkshireclinic.com/consultants/deepak-ravindran/Deepak's blog on Living Proof: https://www.livingproof.org.uk/post/book-review-pain-free-mindsetPain speak Podcast: https://deepakravindran.co.uk/podcast/ Message me! (I can't reply to these messages) For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com (music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life) Support the show ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thankyou for joining me in The Recovery Room. If you found this episode useful & are able to, you can support the show by buying me a coffee or checking out the merch Visit The Recovery Room website: www.JackiesRecoveryRoom.com  Follow me on social media channels: @JackiesRecoveryRoom **Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

    220 - Deepak Ravindran: Recovery Is Not Either/Or: Bridging Biology and Neuroplasticity

  5. Jun 17

    219 - Boundaries, Breath, and Belonging - Foundations for Recovery

    I'm joined by Bal Matharu to talk about how breathing links the nervous system, stress biology, and Long Covid symptoms, and why recovery often begins with creating a genuine felt sense of safety. We share practical ways to assess and change breathing patterns, plus the role of co-regulation, boundaries, and carefully held breathwork support.  • Bal’s path from advanced respiratory physiotherapy and ICU work to lifestyle medicine and PhD breathwork research  • The six pillars of lifestyle medicine and why stress management often underpins the rest  • Acute stress versus chronic stress and how the body shifts blood flow, hormones, and immune function  • Cell danger theory, mitochondria, ATP, and why fatigue can be a protection signal  • Safety as a felt sense through neuroception rather than a purely cognitive idea  • Breath assessment basics, posture, high chest breathing, diaphragm use, and longer exhales  • Overstimulation, silence avoidance, and letting emotions move through the body in short windows  • Co-regulation, practitioner capacity, and building safe spaces for nervous system work  • Boundaries, people pleasing patterns, and choosing relationships that support regulation  • Selecting credible breathwork practitioners and avoiding unsafe cathartic methods  Links: Bal's Website: https://www.bodymind-iq.com Embody Ecosystem: https://go.bodymind-iq.com/embody-ecosystem Message me! (I can't reply to these messages) For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com (music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life) Support the show ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thankyou for joining me in The Recovery Room. If you found this episode useful & are able to, you can support the show by buying me a coffee or checking out the merch Visit The Recovery Room website: www.JackiesRecoveryRoom.com  Follow me on social media channels: @JackiesRecoveryRoom **Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

    219 - Boundaries, Breath, and Belonging - Foundations for Recovery

  6. Jun 10

    218 - Learning to Listen: Neurodiversity, Trauma, and Long Covid Recovery

    We hear Ana’s honest recovery story, from a gradual slide into Long Covid to the moment her nervous system finally stopped treating everyday life as a threat. We talk through neurodivergence, trauma, hypermobility and the practical tools that helped her rebuild a calm, creative life.  • The slow build of stressors that leads to a major crash  • Hypermobility and why intense workouts can backfire  • ADHD and autism discovery and how it reframes burnout  • Tests, uncertainty and how fear can keep symptoms loud  • Restrictive diets, supplement spirals and removing fear around food  • Nervous system regulation using polyvagal ideas and body listening  • Meditation with music, creative visualisation and breathing • Trauma as unmet safety needs plus small experiences that stack up  • The “spreading” practice and learning to handle activation  • Returning to work slowly and dropping all-or-nothing thinking  • Creativity as a recovery pillar and building a life that fits  Links: Ana's Substack: https://becomingcreative.substack.com/Somia Heal: https://somiainternational.com/heal/ Jackie's Insight Timer (as mentioned by Ana at the start) https://insig.ht/sT6iUelAR3b Ed the Osteopath who Ana found super helpful: https://movementandwellbeingclinic.co.uk/about-us/#ed-madeley Message me! (I can't reply to these messages) For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com (music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life) Support the show ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thankyou for joining me in The Recovery Room. If you found this episode useful & are able to, you can support the show by buying me a coffee or checking out the merch Visit The Recovery Room website: www.JackiesRecoveryRoom.com  Follow me on social media channels: @JackiesRecoveryRoom **Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

    218 - Learning to Listen: Neurodiversity, Trauma, and Long Covid Recovery

  7. Jun 3

    217 - Three Common Recovery Traps (and How to Avoid Them)

    I share three common recovery traps and how we can find our way out of them without blame. Today's episode focuses on pacing, nervous system safety, and emotional processing so your body can stabilise and move forwards.  • Pushing too hard on a better day and triggering the boom and bust cycle  • Banking energy for healing by spending some, enjoying some, and saving some  • Stepping off the symptom-fixing merry-go-round and reducing pressure  • Creating safety through kindness, gentleness, and small consistent cues  • Recognising the emotional load of long COVID, ME/CFS, and health challenges  • Finding a safe place to feel emotions without judgement  So do let me know how you get on, if these resonate with you, and if you've noticed any other common recovery traps that you might be getting waylaid by.  Links to relevant practises (free tracks) Finding Emotional Safety: https://insig.ht/A7bEwwAXF3bMeeting your body kindly: https://insig.ht/Jlnf2P0w32b STOP: From overwhelm to ease: https://insig.ht/1UCyrM2w32b Message me! (I can't reply to these messages) Support the show ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thankyou for joining me in The Recovery Room. If you found this episode useful & are able to, you can support the show by buying me a coffee or checking out the merch Visit The Recovery Room website: www.JackiesRecoveryRoom.com  Follow me on social media channels: @JackiesRecoveryRoom **Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

    217 - Three Common Recovery Traps (and How to Avoid Them)

  8. May 27

    216 - More Than Just Covid: Stress, Grief, and Jacqui’s Journey to Recovery

    I talk with Jacqui from New Zealand about dropping from a high-energy, ultra-active life into severe Long Covid, then building her way back to running, swimming and full work. Mel Abbott joins us to explain why calming the stress response comes before increasing activity, and how tools like breathwork, visualisation and emotional processing can change the trajectory.  • Jacqui’s pre-illness pace as a high achiever and endurance athlete  • Catching Covid during grief and prolonged stress, then dismissing the risk the second time  • The slide into dizziness, dysautonomia and post-exertional malaise after pushing through  • Hitting a severe crash, insomnia and becoming bedbound with full-time care needs  • The first shift: education about the nervous system, threat responses and prediction loops  • Practical regulation: frequent calming exercises, breathing, meditation and timers  • Using visualisation to rebuild safety and confidence before returning to exercise  • Gradual return to normal life: walking, driving, swimming, cycling and running  • Handling setbacks and symptom flares by reducing fear and regulating stress  • Maintaining wellness long-term with compassion, flexible movement and emotional tools  Links: https://www.curablehealth.com/  https://thesteadycoach.com/  https://unlearnyourpain.com/mind-body-syndrome/  Alan Gordon - The Way Out,  Mel's website: https://empowertherapies.co.nz/ The webinar that Jacqui talked about: https://empowertherapies.co.nz/pages/webinar The Switch Programme: https://empowertherapies.co.nz/pages/the-switch Message me! (I can't reply to these messages) For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com (music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life) Support the show ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thankyou for joining me in The Recovery Room. If you found this episode useful & are able to, you can support the show by buying me a coffee or checking out the merch Visit The Recovery Room website: www.JackiesRecoveryRoom.com  Follow me on social media channels: @JackiesRecoveryRoom **Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

    216 - More Than Just Covid: Stress, Grief, and Jacqui’s Journey to Recovery
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Trailer

4.7
out of 5
71 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Recovery Room with Jackie Baxter - a gentle, grounded space for anyone navigating a health challenge. ​ For five years, this show was known as The Long Covid Podcast, supporting thousands of listeners through the uncertainty of post‑viral illness. After my own lived experience and recovery from Long Covid, the conversations naturally grew wider — into ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, Dysautonomia, Trauma, Burnout and the deep nervous‑system work that underpins so many healing journeys. ​ This reimagined podcast honours that evolution. ​ Each week, I explore the science, stories, and small, steady practices that help the body feel safer and more supported. You’ll hear from clinicians, researchers, practitioners and people walking their own recovery paths through the power of honest conversation. ​ Whether you’re at the beginning of your journey or somewhere in the long, winding middle, you’re welcome here. Take a breath. Settle in. This is your recovery room. This podcast will always remain free, but if you like what you hear and are able to, please head along to www.buymeacoffee.com/JackiesRecoveryRoom to help me cover costs. ~ Follow me on socials @JackiesRecoveryRoom  ~ Website: www.JackiesRecoveryRoom.com  Do get in touch - I love to hear from you!

Information

  • Creator
    Jackie Baxter
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    224
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 © 2026 The Recovery Room with Jackie Baxter
  • Show Website
    The Recovery Room with Jackie Baxter

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