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What happens when pain has no clear medical explanation—but still changes everything?

In this episode, I’m sharing a conversation I originally recorded as a guest takeover on a colleague’s podcast. As I listened back, I realized how deeply this topic connects to the work we explore here around capacity, nervous system load, and what happens when caregivers carry too much for too long.

I share my story as both a physician and a woman who has lived with chronic, unexplained pain—pain that persisted despite normal imaging, bloodwork, and exhaustive medical evaluation. Over years of working with women diagnosed with fibromyalgia and other chronic pain syndromes, I began to notice a consistent pattern: many had long histories of chronic stress, trauma, caregiving, and sustained over-functioning.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why chronic, medically unexplained pain so often leads to identity loss
• How the nervous system shifts into survival mode when pain is unpredictable
• Why awareness alone is often not enough to resolve pain cycles
• What it means to restore capacity rather than push for symptom control
• How listening to the body can become a turning point—without abandoning medical care

This conversation is not about diagnosing yourself or blaming emotions for pain. It’s about understanding how the body communicates when stress and emotional load have had nowhere else to land.

If your body has become loud after years of holding it together—this episode offers validation and a gentler way forward

Caring for others—whether in your personal or professional life—can be deeply fulfilling, but it also comes with its challenges. The weight of constant caregiving can leave even the most dedicated among us feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and burned out. Too often, societal and cultural norms reinforce the idea that sacrificing ourselves is the price of being a “good” caregiver.

But here’s the truth: you cannot pour from an empty cup. You deserve to care for others without losing yourself in the process.

Welcome to The JoyfulRx podcast—your weekly dose of inspiration, tools, and strategies to rediscover your inner joy. Hosted by Dr. Michelle Welch, a practicing physician, mother, children’s author, entrepreneur, and certified coach, this podcast is designed specifically for caregivers who are ready to stop surviving and start thriving.

Each week, Dr. Michelle dives into topics that matter most to caregivers, offering practical steps and actionable insights to help you reclaim your joy, build resilience, and create a life where you can serve others from your overflow, not your reserves.

Let’s stay in touch!

Visit: www.joyfulrx.ca to download free resources, powerful exercises and activities you can do today, to move you from burnout to balance. You can also join our Newsletter (we promise to only send information you will love).

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