88. Sam Ferm-LeClere: Healing With Chronic Illness

Join us today as we interview Sam Ferm-LeClere who is currently navigating chronic illness, something far too many women face. Today we discuss: • Sam’s early idyllic years spent primarily outdoors in Phoenix, where she developed her reverence for nature. • How in her early twenties while living in DC and working a high stress job, Sam began to notice some symptoms (numbness, fuzziness in the vision) but initially dismissed them. • An e-mail from her aunt that opened a door to a complete change of pace by moving from DC to California to live and work on a farm. • How ideas of aging clouded the ongoing symptoms of MS, continuing to prevent Sam from understanding what was happening in her body. • The numbness that showed up in her legs following a big move across the country that brought her the ER and the realization that something bigger was going on. • After much testing a surprising diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis at 32 years old that left Sam bewildered. • An interest in healing others through massage aligned with Sam’s one healing journey and her practice now reflects many therapeutic and holistic modalities • The realities of managing a chronic illness, being a mother, being a wife, and working full time. • The lessons of getting out of fight or flight, finding boundaries and respecting rest. Bio: Samantha was diagnosed in 2014 with multiple sclerosis while moving to Iowa and has been navigating that journey with chronic illness ever since. She started her own massage therapy business in the summer of 2016 and incorporates sound healing, reiki and lymph massage as well as cranial sacral work. Sam’s also developed an interest in herbalism as a way to aid in her own healing and to help others. The majority of her professional life here in Iowa has been counseling and supporting small businesses. She’s a new mom to a beautiful boy and lives with her husband and son in Iowa City. You can find her on Instagram @samferm. Mentioned today: www.backdoorjobs.com Women Who Run With The Wolves If you like this episode, check out previous similar episodes: Returning to the Body Taking Charge of Our Own Healing: A conversation with Functional Medicine Therapist Rachel Headings Women Championing Women Dropping Into Radiant Rest with Tracee Stanley Self-Compassion: The Secret Sauce of Life Today’s episode sponsored by: Revival Iowa City Work with Betsy & Kate In Person: Tend Her 3.0: A 4-week Online Course on Resilience Registration begins October 4 Tend Her 3.0 registration Resilience Summit A 1-day in person event for women at Little Lights on the Lane, West Branch, IA November 17, 9-4PM Registration opens October 23 Re-Wilding Retreat Join us for a week of yoga, meditation, connection, healing, and transformation in Nosara, Costa Rica at the beautiful Blue Spirit Retreat Center, May 11-18, 2024. For more information click here Follow us: Instagram @tendherwild @dryogamomma @katemorelandcoaching Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathryn.e.moreland/ https://www.facebook.com/dryogamomma/ Source