START WITHIN by Charles Mattocks

Send us Fan MailCRPS can steal your mobility without warning and leave you fighting for answers while everyone around you guesses. We sit down with Dawn, whose story struck a nerve with thousands of viewers, to talk candidly about what complex regional pain syndrome feels like and what it takes to claw your way back when chronic pain keeps changing the rules.Dawn walks us through years of worsening foot pain, swelling, and mislabels like “arthritis” or “bunion issues,” until she went from daily running to being wheelchair bound. When a CRPS-aware podiatrist finally named the condition, the reality hit hard: severe nerve pain, flares that derail plans, and the mental health strain that comes with isolation, grief, and losing the person you used to be. We also get honest about the “invisible” parts people miss, like fatigue, insomnia, and brain fog that can wreck work and relationships.Then we dig into what helped. Dawn explains biofeedback in plain terms, why calming the nervous system matters, and why desensitization therapy and physical therapy can be the foundation before adding other tools. We also talk acupuncture with a practitioner who understands CRPS sensitivity, plus diet changes aimed at lowering inflammation, including omega-3 support and cutting seed oils. Charles ties it back to the mission behind Trial by Fire Part 2: real stories that spread awareness, expand options, and give people a reason to keep trying.If you know someone living with CRPS or chronic pain, share this conversation, subscribe, and leave a review so more people can find it. What’s one question you want answered about CRPS treatments or remission?

Send us Fan MailDementia can turn a normal moment into a gut punch: a forgotten video, a confused question about a familiar room, a sudden reminder that time is changing the people you love. That’s where we start, with the personal side of Alzheimer’s and dementia, and why we’re pushing to build a deeper, more honest dementia series that doesn’t hide behind quick sound bites or safe talking points.Louise joins us with a perspective shaped by lived experience and hard choices. She’s the daughter of a mother living with dementia, and she walked away from a demanding corporate technology career to become present for the care journey. We get into what families rarely hear early enough: dementia isn’t just memory loss, stigma keeps people silent, and care systems are under pressure because the world still doesn’t treat caregivers like the trained, essential workforce they are.We also dig into what real support can look like when it’s designed for human connection. Louise built Real Life Conversations to help caregivers use family photographs and simple prompts to spark warm, pressure-free conversations, no quizzes, no “gotcha” moments, just dignity. We talk reminiscence, reducing anxiety, and how small discoveries from old photos can change daily care in a very practical way, including meals, routines, and trust.If this hits home, share it with someone caring for a parent, partner, or friend, and subscribe so you don’t miss what we’re building next. If you found value here, leave a review and tell us what caregivers need most right now.

Send us Fan MailFibromyalgia can be “invisible” on paper and still feel all-consuming in real life and that gap is where people get dismissed, delayed, and pushed toward random internet advice. We sit down with Tami, a fibromyalgia coach and long-time advocate, to talk through what patients actually face: the fight to be believed, the loneliness of not knowing anyone else with the condition, and the quiet ways chronic pain can take jobs, hobbies, confidence, and relationships. If you’ve ever wondered why the system has so much healthcare advertising and so little practical support, you’ll feel seen here. We break down the core fibromyalgia symptoms in plain terms: unrefreshing sleep, widespread pain that moves, fatigue that goes beyond “tired,” and brain fog that can scare people into thinking they’re developing dementia. Tammy explains why fibromyalgia care works best as a full strategy rather than a single fix, including identifying contributors like sleep disorders, thyroid issues, old injuries, and other triggers that amplify the nervous system. We also talk about why medications can help as a stepping stone, but why self-management, pacing, and real education matter just as much for long-term quality of life. We also get practical for spouses, partners, and family members who want to help but don’t know how. Tami shares why belief is the first form of support, plus tools like the spoon theory to understand limited energy and the reality that symptoms can vary wildly day to day. We close by calling out snake-oil “lotions and potions” culture and making the case for patient power, better messaging, and care that comes from the heart. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review with the one fibromyalgia question you want answered next.If you want to reach out to Tami Stackelhouse, feel free to contact her on : https://fibromyalgiacoachinginstitute.com/[email protected]

Send us Fan MailDementia doesn’t always announce itself with a big moment. Sometimes it starts with “normal” forgetfulness, a few missing items, a messy house that never used to be messy, and a gut feeling that something is off. We open with why this topic is personal for us, then bring on Sean to tell the real story of her mother’s early onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis and what it feels like when the system shrugs and moves on.Shon walks us through the early signs, the initial dismissal as stress and menopause, and the turning point that led to neurology testing and an MRI. We dig into what families are often not told: how little proactive education can be offered after a dementia diagnosis, how quickly caregivers are forced into research mode, and why depression, fear, and paranoia can become part of the Alzheimer’s journey. We also talk candidly about caregiving, including role reversal, grief, and the daily practice of not taking symptoms personally.A major thread is Alzheimer’s awareness in the Black community and the health disparities that raise risk and reduce access. We connect dementia risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and chronic stress to real-world barriers such as food deserts, limited specialist access, and mistrust built from lived experience. Sean also shares why she pushed for her own brain health answers, including genetic testing and the need for baseline measurements earlier in life.If you care about brain health, early detection, Alzheimer’s prevention, caregiving support, and health equity, this conversation will stick with you. Subscribe so you don’t miss part two, share this with someone navigating memory loss, and leave a review with the question you want us to tackle next.

Send us Fan MailDementia can feel like a thief that shows up overnight, but the hardest part is often what happens next: the silence, the shame, and the belief that life is basically over. We start with something deeply personal, the moment Charles realized his beloved Jamaican grandmother no longer recognized him, and how that same fear now sits closer to home as his mother navigates early cognitive changes. That history fuels a bigger mission: create stories that reach people where they are, replace panic with clarity, and make sure no one faces this alone.Lori joins us with a perspective you do not hear enough, a diagnosis at 52 while she was still thriving professionally. She describes the subtle work changes that turned into unmistakable red flags, the intense battery of tests, and the devastation of being told she had Alzheimer’s. What she did next is raw and honest: she planned her funeral, and she planned suicide, because online narratives made the future look unbearable. Then a simple thing shifted everything, seeing people living happily with dementia through peer support, and realizing hope is real when you can actually see it.We also dig into what family support looks like when loved ones are in denial, why myths about diagnosis still spread, and why early testing matters, especially when symptoms get dismissed as normal aging or menopause. Lori shares a huge update many listeners will relate to: after seven years, new Alzheimer’s blood testing and repeat evaluations changed her diagnosis to frontotemporal dementia, primary progressive aphasia, and vascular dementia. That leads us into practical coping strategies, mental health support, and a bigger call for advocacy: “nothing about us without us,” including funding and visibility for the people living with dementia.If this conversation hits home, subscribe, share it with someone who needs hope, and leave a review so more families can find it. What part of Lori’s story stayed with you?

Send us Fan MailCRPS is the kind of chronic pain that destroys your vocabulary first. How do you explain a body that feels like it’s on fire, like glass is ripping at your skin, while the world around you still expects you to “push through”? Charles Mattocks sits down with Alana to put honest words to Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and to show what the day-to-day fight really looks like when relief is temporary and the next appointment is always looming. We talk about the moment Alana’s symptoms appeared overnight, the misdiagnoses that followed, and the brutal math of waitlists in the Canadian healthcare system. That delay sent her searching for options like ketamine infusions in Florida, comparing protocols, weighing risk, and trying to avoid invasive procedures that can make CRPS worse. She breaks down what helps, what harms, and the long-term side effects people don’t warn you about enough, including short-term memory loss and severe abdominal “K cramps.” We also go beyond pain management into caregiver support, marriage, mental health, and the complicated reality of staying hopeful when you’re living out of a suitcase for treatment. Alana shares why emerging paths like neridronate treatment in Italy and biomarker-focused, whole-body care feel like a real light after years of band-aid solutions. If you care about chronic pain awareness, patient advocacy, and changing a system that keeps overlooking suffering, hit play, share this with someone who needs it, and subscribe, rate, and review so more people can find these stories.