EP #148 Trauma-Informed Bodywork For Chronic Pain

Chronic pain has a way of shrinking your world, especially when you feel like no one is really listening. We’re joined by Stefani Sellers, founder of Sage: Healing and Guidance, a Fredericksburg, VA healing practice built for people who feel unseen, misunderstood, or simply worn out from trying to explain what’s going on in their bodies. Her first principle is disarmingly simple and surprisingly rare: we listen to everything you’re experiencing and we don’t interrupt. From there, the work becomes personal, specific, and responsive to what you need that day. We talk about who she serves best, including people navigating chronic pain and chronic conditions like Lyme disease, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, fibromyalgia, and chronic migraines. Stefani shares how she built a flexible “toolbox” that can include massage therapy, energy work, and crystal healing, and why a tailored approach matters when symptoms fluctuate. If you’ve ever been bounced from provider to provider, you’ll recognize the relief in her focus on care that’s both skilled and human. We also dig into the big misconceptions that keep people stuck, like the idea that massage and self-care are luxuries instead of real wellness. Stefani explains how small warning signs can turn into bigger issues when we keep pushing through, and why blaming everything on “getting older” can miss the role of daily habits. For anyone building a business, she offers one of the most practical tips we’ve heard: when in doubt, hire out, so the tasks that drain you don’t derail what you do best. You’ll also hear a quick slice of Fredericksburg life, including Stefani’s favorite local stop, Agora Downtown Coffee, and how she creates a safe, non-judgmental space for clients. If you want to connect, she shares where to find Sage Healing and Guidance online and details about an upcoming workshop on Eventbrite (June 12 at 6 p.m.). Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review to help more listeners discover local Fredericksburg wellness and small business stories.Stefani SellersSage: Healing and [email protected]