Ep. 76: The Body Remembers: Chronic Illness, Disordered Eating, Medical PTSD, and Healing

In this episode, Rachel sits down with therapist, educator, and author Tammy Gangloff, whose work bridges chronic illness, trauma, eating disorders, and lived experience. Tammy shares her personal story of growing up with scoliosis, undergoing multiple spine surgeries, and navigating years of recovery from an eating disorder, alcoholism, and PTSD.What began as a simple survey on social media became meaningful research, professional training presentations, and ultimately her new book—highlighting the mental and emotional layers of chronic illness that are so often overlooked.Their conversation explores the turning points in Tammy’s mental health journey, including her decision to seek inpatient treatment when PTSD became unmanageable. She opens up about the role of talk therapy, EMDR, safe relationships, and the rare but life-changing impact of seeing someone fully recovered.Together, they unpack the struggle between independence and needing help, redefining interdependence as a healthy, human way of surviving the unpredictable reality of chronic illness.Tammy also shares vital insight into medical PTSD—why it’s so common, why it’s so misunderstood, and what she wishes doctors and medical professionals knew about the patients who walk into their rooms already carrying fear, exhaustion, and past trauma.A powerful, validating conversation for anyone living with chronic illness, supporting someone who is, or working in healthcare.Follow Tamie on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/authortamiegangloff/Find Tamie's book, Chronic Illness and Eating Disorders: Assessment, Clinical Skills, and Lived Experiences, here:https://a.co/d/0wV7XCaFollow SpoonFull of Strength at:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/spoonfullofstrength/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@spoonfull.of.strength⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop SpoonFull's Etsy shop at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SpoonFullofStrength.etsy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use code PODCAST for 25% off your entire order