The Autoimmune Hour Understanding Autoimmune

That’s just one of the questions we ask tonight’s guest, an expert in the field of clinical pain research, Dr. Afton Hassett, PsyD. She is the author of the new book Chronic Pain Reset: 30 Days of Activities, Practices, and Skills to Help You Thrive.


As a chronic pain researcher, Dr. Hassett noticed while studying established treatments for chronic pain and developing new approaches that exciting research discoveries rarely reach those who could benefit the most. Chronic pain affects nearly 50 million people in the U.S. alone. A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that new cases of chronic pain occur even more frequently than new cases of diabetes, hypertension, and depression. Just like autoimmune, chronic, or long-term pain affects all areas of one’s life, that’s why Dr. Hassett promotes a multipronged approach to pain self-management.


Research shows that simple, at-home changes, including effective and easy-to-implement habits such as paced breathing, easy sleep hacks, mindful walking, and even acts of kindness and gratitude, have been shown to reduce pain. Dr. Hassett shares with us a broader definition of chronic pain and how to implement several of her ’30-Days’ activities and strategies, including:


• How a pink Piggy Bank can change outcomes – yes, a real piggy bank…
• How the medical community defines chronic pain and how it relates to autoimmune conditions such as fibromyalgia and arthritis
• What neuroscience is now telling us about how our brain relates to pain
• How using the principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy reduces long-term pain
• Why doing simple activities that you enjoy and make life feel worth living is an excellent way to decrease pain, plus much more…


About Our Guest: Viewed as a leader in the field of chronic pain and resilience, Dr. Afton L. Hassett, PsyD, is an Associate Professor and Director of Pain and Opioid Research in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Michigan. She is a principal investigator at the Chronic Pain & Fatigue Research Center with research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She was the Keynote address at the 2023 Pain Consortium Symposium on Advances in Pain Research for the NIH.

Dr. Hassett and her book Chronic Pain Reset brings evidence-based strategies from research and academic medical settings directly to people who live with chronic pain with the hope that they will gain new tools to lead more rewarding lives with less pain. Learn more at https://aftonhassett.com/

Share this link with your family and friends: www.UnderstandingAutoimmune.com/Pain_2023

* Your host is neither a doctor nor medical professional. In the capacity of this presentation, we are everyday people trying to make sense of the world. The information presented in this interview cannot substitute for the advice of your physician or other trained medical, healthcare, legal, or other professionals. Host(s) and guest(s) are not diagnosing specific conditions during the show. This show is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or treat autoimmune diseases or other conditions or illnesses. The information provided on UnderstandingAutoimmune.com, Life Interrupted Radio.com and The Autoimmune Hour is for educational purposes only and opinion only. It is not a substitute for your own medical, legal, or other professional advice and care.
©2023 Sharon Sayler and UnderstandingAutoimmune.com

It’s crucial to push through discomfort and speak up when topics like antiracism, anti-ableism, and ‘ism(s) in general arise. And having those tough conversations can feel intimidating.

We are excited to have Roxy Manning, Ph.D., join us in this episode. She is the author of “How to Have Antiracist Conversations” and is deeply committed to nonviolent social justice through her academic research and personal experiences.

Roxy shares her approach to having honest and meaningful conversations, prioritizing human connection, even with those whose words and actions differ from ours. Her framework encourages us to stay true to ourselves during challenging conversations.

Share this link with your family and friends: www.UnderstandingAutoimmune.com/Roxy_2023

I learned long ago that it's essential to know how to push through our discomfort and speak up. Roxy shares the latest research, personal stories, valuable insights, and:

• How to approach the conversation with an open mind and artfully listen to others

• Examples for focusing on finding solutions and moving forward while avoiding blaming or shaming

• Tips for ‘breaking the ice’ on challenging topics and conversations

• Self-care practices to keep the conversation from feeling overwhelming

Plus, much more...

More About Our Guest: Roxy Manning’s passion for nonviolent social justice is rooted in her scholarly work and life experiences. She has transcended the many boxes and categories that society places on individuals and now shows others how a diversity of truths can simultaneously be present and valid.

As an Afro-Caribbean immigrant to the U.S., combined with her academic training and professional work as a licensed clinical psychologist and CNVC Certified Trainer, she has cultivated her deep passion for work that supports social change at the personal, interpersonal, and systemic levels.

Roxy excels at helping opposing voices hear each other and see past individual hurt and struggles to the structures contributing to those challenges. Explore her articles and more at roxannemanning.com and learn more about her books at https://antiracistconversations.com/.And, be sure to listen to her and Sarah Peyton’s Fierce Compassion podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Share this link with your family and friends: www.UnderstandingAutoimmune.com/Roxy_2023

Your host and guest(s) are neither doctors nor medical professionals. We are everyday people trying to make sense of the world. The information presented in this interview cannot substitute for the advice of your physician or other trained medical, healthcare, legal, or other professionals. Host(s) and guest(s) are not diagnosing specific conditions during the show. This show is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or treat autoimmune diseases or other conditions or illnesses. The information provided on UnderstandingAutoimmune.com, Life Interrupted Radio.com, and The Autoimmune Hour is for educational purposes only and opinion only. It is not a substitute for your own medical, legal, or other professional advice and care.

©2023 Sharon Sayler and UnderstandingAutoimmune.com

Codependency and narcissistic abuse can be incredibly damaging to one’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. By understanding how behavior patterns develop and why they are so harmful, we can break free and begin to recover.

Our guest expert, a survivor to thriver, Pi Venus Winslow, is the author of Mother Medusa – Weaving Myth, Ritual, and Magic into Healing from a Narcissistic Upbringing and a transformational life coach, assures us that while it takes time and effort, it’s worth it to reclaim your sense of self and build a life free from fear and negative influences.

She also shares
• Tips to unravel the intertwined layers of codependency and narcissistic abuse
• How codependency’s hyper-awareness harms your health
• What’s keeping you from healing from your narcissistic upbringing
• Setting boundaries and building resilience against codependency and narcissistic abuse
• Techniques to trust yourself and find your true self
Plus so much more...

More About Our Guest: Pi Venus Winslow is a published author, public speaker, and transformational life coach for those recovering from a narcissistic upbringing. Pi’s mission is to empower others to reclaim their authentic selves and live intentionally free from codependency and narcissistic abuse. And get your free digital gift of Pi’s book, Mother Medusa – Weaving Myth, Ritual, and Magic into Healing from a Narcissistic Upbringing at https://fullvenusrising.com/get-the-book-sign-up/


Share this link with your family and friends: www.UnderstandingAutoimmune.com/Pi_2023
Your host and guest are neither doctors nor medical professionals. We are everyday people trying to make sense of the world. The information presented in this interview cannot substitute for the advice of your physician or other trained medical, healthcare, or other professionals. Host(s) and guest(s) are not diagnosing specific conditions during the show. This show is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or treat autoimmune diseases or other conditions or illnesses. The information provided on UnderstandingAutoimmune.com, Life Interrupted Radio.com and The Autoimmune Hour is for educational purposes only and opinion only. It is not a substitute for your own medical, legal, or other professional advice and care.
©2023 Sharon Sayler and UnderstandingAutoimmune.com

Would you recognize a slow deterioration of your involuntary movements? What if, one day, you noticed you couldn't close your eyes? A month later, your tongue didn't seem to work correctly... That's just some of the slow-moving, difficult-to-diagnose 'odd things' that tonight's guest Roberta Tachi went through before she heard, "You have Myasthenia Gravis.”

Roberta shares with us what she learned as a new mom in a new country, needing to navigate a 'new' medical system, and what it took to get a diagnosis for her breakdown in communication between nerves and muscles, including weakness in the arms and legs, vision problems, and difficulties with speech and swallowing...

She also shares
• The one question she used repeatedly to encourage herself to get better?
• How to advocate for yourself and why that is a skill everyone needs.
• Why it is essential to honor your uniqueness even when others don't.
Plus, a peek into her upcoming virtual Summit, The Real Story of Autoimmune Disease 2.0

More about our Guest:
Roberta Tachi, founder of The Real Story of Autoimmune Disease 2.0 Summit, Embodiment Coach and Health and Life Coach with over two decades of experience in holistic healing, has helped clients from over 20 nationalities on their journeys towards well-being, with a specialization in women with autoimmune disease. Roberta is passionate about helping women with autoimmune diseases live their best lives after her diagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis. Her most important gift is her ability to combine her extensive studies with her intuitive gift for embodiment. She's on a mission to support and guide others to achieve their wellness and life goals. Learn more and sign up for her no-cost Summit at https://www.theselfawakens.com/

Share this link with your family and friends: www.UnderstandingAutoimmune.com/RobertaT-2023

*Your host and guest are neither doctors nor medical professionals. We are everyday people trying to make sense of the world. The information presented in this interview cannot substitute for the advice of your physician or other trained medical, healthcare, or other professionals. Host(s) and guest(s) are not diagnosing specific conditions during the show. This show is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or treat autoimmune diseases or other conditions or illnesses. The information provided on UnderstandingAutoimmune.com, Life Interrupted Radio.com and The Autoimmune Hour is for educational purposes only and opinion only. It is not a substitute for your own medical, legal, or other professional advice and care.
©2023 Sharon Sayler and UnderstandingAutoimmune.com

We welcome back Dr. Jenny Tufenkian, ND, to chat about Eco-Anxiety, especially our reaction to rapid changes like wildfire smoke.

Eco-anxiety seems self-explanatory, yet that was a word I was unfamiliar with until I read Dr. Jenny’s recent newsletter where she, to quote her, said, “My PTSD got triggered this weekend. [wildfire smoke] I realized my subconscious mind went down the ‘uh-oh’ it's back ...” and as she shared with us had to implement her own tips and tools to keep from 'awfulizing' it!

Environmental crises can trigger powerful emotions and physical stressors, even when we are far away and safe. Dr. Jenny shares ways to cope and create resilience, plus

• Practical tips to reduce your exposure to environmental toxins,
• How to overcome the feeling of helplessness and take positive action,
• Helpful ways to calm your nervous system when you're caught off guard,
• The impact of smoke on physical and mental health plus so much more...

More about our Guest:
Dr. Jenny Tufenkian, lovingly called 'Dr. Jenny' by her clients, is a licensed Naturopathic Physician with over two decades of experience. She combines her own recovery from Chronic Fatigue with a functional medical approach, including deep subconscious work, to facilitate powerful shifts in her patients' physical and energetic bodies and has developed a unique system that identifies and addresses five core energy drainers that cause Chronic Fatigue. Patients and practitioners can access her unique system through both online and in-person programs.

As a successful private practitioner and adjunct clinical faculty member, Dr. Jenny lectures to the public, health professionals, and corporations after receiving her training and residency at the National University of Natural Medicine. She enjoys the outdoors and spending time with family in her free time. Learn more at https://enjoyfullhealth.com/ and whttps://drjennytufenkian.com/


Share this link with family and friends: https://understandingautoimmune.com/DrJenny-2023

* The information provided on the Autoimmune Hour, Understanding Autoimmune, Life Interrupted Radio, and their associated websites and social media is for educational purposes only. The content is based on experience and should not be used for legal, diagnostic, or treatment purposes.


©Sharon Sayler and Competitive Edge Communications

Join us for an enlightening conversation with Sarah Peyton as she shares her latest work, The Antiracist Heart: A Self-Compassion and Activism Handbook, co-authored with Roxy Manning, Ph.D. Throughout my years of hosting The Autoimmune Hour, we've emphasized the importance of self-agency and self-advocacy, yet we've never really talked about how to be of service to those who may face obstacles due to systemic issues like racism and ableism.

According to Pew Research, "Less access to quality medical care is the top reason Black Americans see contributing to generally worse health outcomes for Black people in the U.S." (link below). It's crucial to acknowledge that everyone deserves equal care and respect, regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, ability, or life choices.

In this episode, we discuss how to become more aware of
• our implicit bias and unconscious tendencies,
• how to accompany our self-discovery with self-compassion,
• discovering ‘Do no harm’ vows and releasing unconscious contracts,
• recognizing and addressing racism and ableism and microaggressions, and more.

Our goal is to prioritize the health and well-being of all individuals by working towards a genuinely anti-racist world, including in healthcare. This is the first of two conversations with Sarah, and next month, Roxy Manning, Ph.D., will join us to discuss how to be empowered to identify what kind of antiracist conversation they want to have—for example, do they only want to be heard, or do they want to negotiate a change in policy?

More About Tonight's Guest: Sarah Peyton, Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication and neuroscience educator, integrates brain science and the use of resonant language to awaken and sustain self compassion, particularly in the face of such difficult issues like self-condemnation, self-disgust and self-sabotage. She teaches and lectures internationally and is the author of the Your Resonant Self book series. She is also the co-author alongside Roxy Manning, PhD of The Antiracist Heart: A Self-Compassion and Activism Handbook. Learn more at www.antiracistconversations.com and www.sarahpeyton.com


Please share with family and friends: https://UnderstandingAutoimmune.com/Barriers-2023


* Your host and guest are neither doctors nor medical professionals. We are everyday people trying to make sense of the world. The information presented in this interview cannot substitute for the advice of your physician or other trained medical, healthcare, or other professionals. Host(s) and guest(s) are not diagnosing specific conditions during the show. This show is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or treat autoimmune diseases or other conditions or illnesses. The information provided on UnderstandingAutoimmune.com, Life Interrupted Radio.com, and The Autoimmune Hour is for educational purposes only and opinion only. It is not a substitute for your own medical, legal, or other professional advice and care.

** https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2022/04/07/black-americans-views-about-health-disparities-experiences-with-health-care/