My reflections on pelvic pain, being believed and what's possible following episode 5

There are images from conversations that stay with you. Carla, 21 years old, crawling across the floor to the bathroom, still being told she would grow out of it. Sheren's black diary, found years later, full of red scrawl - I can't go on like this - pain rated nine and ten, page after page.In this short solo reflection I sit with what that conversation stirred up clinically, and as someone who works with people navigating exactly this kind of pain every day.We talk a lot in health psychology about the mind-body connection. This episode is an attempt to make that concrete. What does it actually mean for your physiology when your pain isn't believed? Why does the world start to shrink around your symptoms? And when someone says that working with the emotional or psychological side of things might help - does that mean the pain isn't real?It doesn't. And I want to talk about why that matters.This reflection follows episode 5 of How We Really Feel. If you haven't listened yet, I'd recommend starting there - it goes much deeper, and I think it will stay with you.This episode is supported by Convatec and the me+ Emotional Wellbeing Programme - a free holistic support programme for intermittent catheter users. Visit www.howwereallyfeel.com/in-partnership-with-convatec🎧 Full episode 5 — with Carla Cressy OBE and Sheren Gaulbert: 👉 https://pod.link/1895564493/episode/NTc5NWY5MjEtNmM5NS00NTIyLTg2YTgtNTgyMmM0YWM0OTY1?view=apps&sort=popularity📚 Show notes, references and resources: 👉 www.howwereallyfeel.com/episode-five🔗 Find the guests from the full episode: Carla Cressy OBE - theendometriosisfoundation.org Sheren Gaulbert - the-ultimate-you.com📩 Newsletter: www.healthpsychologist.co.uk/subscribe📱 Instagram: @the_health_psychologist_🎧 Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music |This episode is supported by Convatec and the me+ Emotional Wellbeing Programme - a free holistic support programme for intermittent catheter users. Visit www.howwereallyfeel.com/in-partnership-with-convatec⬇️ If this landed for you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it!