S2 Episode 21 – Finding Balance with Complex Chronic Illness; Clare Palmer on Self- Connection

In this deeply moving conversation, Karen, Rosy, and guest Clare Palmer explorewhat it means to live well within chronic illness. Clare shares her 20-year journeywith pain, headaches, tiredness and frustration with the medical system, todiscovering the life-changing power of self-connection, nervous systemregulation, and emotional sovereignty. Through creative self-care practices like Heart Rate Variability (HRV) monitoring tolearn how to achieve cardiac coherence, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)tapping, Yoga Nidra meditation, gratitude, journalling and grounding in nature, Clare has found a new balance. Whilst not cured, she has found the way to change her mindset, developing resilience, patience, self-compassion, and authenticity in a healing dance of re-integration of mind, body, and spirit. Karen and Rosy reflect on the safe spaces, support and co-regulation it takes withcaring others to be safe enough to feel, grieve, and heal. Together, they invitelisteners to witness Clare’s inspiring story as a reminder that when we are hurting,healing begins with listening to ourselves and connecting with ourselves to receive our own compassion and care.Chapters 00:00 – Karen returns after illness and introduces Clare Palmer 02:00 – Clare’s story: from accident to chronic pain and fibromyalgia 05:00 – Discovering the limits of the medical system 07:30 – Meeting Rosy and the transformative impact of Health Creation 09:00 – The link between chronic stress, trauma, and illness 11:00 – Learning heart coherence and the physiological sigh 14:00 – Understanding heart rate variability and nervous system balance 18:00 – Gratitude, hope, and emotional sovereignty 21:00 – Co-regulation: calming energy through presence 25:00 – What “self-connection” really means 27:00 – EFT tapping and communicating safety to the body 29:00 – Mindset shift: from despair to belief in healing 30:00 – What doctors could do differently 34:00 – Clare’s daily rituals for grounding and coherence 37:00 – Not a victim: resilience, grief, and emotional honesty 40:00 – Creating safe spaces for deep healing 42:00 – Closing reflections: witnessing with love We’re proud to be sponsored by Cytoplan, a UK-based, practitioner-led supplement company offering ethically and sustainably sourced products to support your health and wellbeing.✨ Enjoy an exclusive 15% discount for our Alive and Loving It community with the code ALIVEPOD-15 at checkout. Discover more at cytoplan.co.ukJoin our Alive and Loving it Community find the loving support that you need to change, grow and healThis is more than a podcast, it’s a movement. A space to reignite your energy, find kindred spirits, align with your purpose, and step into a future of love, vitality, and limitless possibility.🌟 Your kindred spirits are here! Visit www.aliveandlovingit.org for more resources, and follow us on Instagram