Podcasts by Healing from ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia
The world-leading team at The Optimum Health Clinic offer strategies to support healing from ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia.
Further podcasts by The Optimum Health Clinic
Podcast on the topic Gesundheit und Fitness
All episodes
Why inspiration matters from 2021-01-19T12:00
Therapeutic Coach Alex Howard talks about the importance of finding ways to stay inspired on the recovery path, including listening to stories of people who have reached milestones or made recov...
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AMA Part 3 from 2021-01-12T12:00
Alex continues his Ask Me Anything list of questions from participants on Facebook and the Facebook Community Group - this week covering issues around how to afford treatment and deal with HR an...
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New Beginnings from 2021-01-05T12:37:53
"Courage isn't the absence of fear, courage is the ability to take action and keep moving forward in spite of the fear." On the eve of announcing the Fatigue Super Conference 2019, Alex shares a...
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Set goals you can achieve from 2020-12-29T12:00
As we turn into the New Year and think about the goals we want to set, Alex gives advice on the kid of achievable goals that can be explored with ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia, and how to take into co...
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Dealing with overwhelm from 2020-12-22T12:00
Alex addresses a common worry amongst patients - especially with the recent Fatigue Super Conference - that when starting a new program or course there can be a feeling of too much overwhelm. Al...
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Surviving the Holidays from 2020-12-17T15:30:25
Alex offers some tips on how to approach the holiday season as strategically as you can by communicating your needs, acknowledging your boundaries, pacing your energy and relax and have fun base...
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Ask Me Anything Part 2 from 2020-12-09T12:00
Alex answers questions directly from users on Facebook, discussing the achiever type and the inner critic, how to address anger and resentment with ME CFS, and ways to work with trauma other tha...
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Why work with a practitioner? from 2020-12-02T12:00
Solving the individual puzzle of ME CFS and/or Fibromyalgia for each patient is a very complex problem in the personalised medicine approach. In this video, Alex explains why it would be benefi...
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Ask Me Anything from 2020-11-25T12:00
Alex takes questions from The Optimum Health Clinic community group about recovering from ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia and updates about the work at the clinic. Alex answers a questions about the im...
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Don't forget the big stuff from 2020-11-18T12:00
Alex discusses the importance of taking a step back to look at the bigger habits or themes in our life that cause ongoing stress that need to be addressed. So many of the tools for recovery are ...
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The Power of Self Awareness from 2020-11-11T12:21:11
Being able to understand our own issues, limitations, and challenges helps us find the best techniques to allow us to heal and grow. Having a lighthearted approach to ourselves, our faults and o...
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Do we need to fix everything to be well? from 2020-11-04T12:00
In this Facebook Live session, Alex dispels the idea that we have to become perfect before we can heal. There are SOME issues that will need to be resolved, or at least attended to to remove som...
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Healthy Living James' Recovery Story from 2020-10-28T12:00
James became ill with ME CFS in 2010, so ill he was bed-bound and his father had to carry him to the hospital. With support from his family, James slowly has recovered to 85% over 9 years by lis...
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It's not what you do, it's the way you do it from 2020-09-08T11:00
Alex talks about the difference between using the tools to feel better and focusing on the state of mind we are in while using them. Having an awareness of where we are emotionally can help us l...
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The OHC's approach to supplements from 2020-09-01T11:00
Alex talks to Helen Lynam, previously the Director of Nutrition at The Optimum Health Clinic, about our approach to supplements, why we recommend what we do, how individualised each patient's pr...
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Use the carrot not the stick from 2020-08-25T11:00
Motivation is usually stronger when we are moving towards things that we want, versus trying to avoid negative consequences. Finding inspiration to move towards a reward will help you feel a lot...
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Paulie's recovery story from 2020-08-18T11:00
Paulie from the Netherlands shares her story and recovery journey through ME/CFS. Beginning as a teenager, Paulie suffered from anxiety, IBS and severe fatigue, which fluctuated for a few years ...
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The boring middle way from 2020-08-11T11:37:29
Finding the balance between being sensible about our recovery and being very driven and disciplined with our tools can be a challenge. Navigating the healing journey requires a good awareness of...
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Paddy's recovery story from 2020-08-04T11:00
Alex talks to patient Paddy who at the time of this recording was in the late reintegration stage of the recovery process from ME/CFS. Paddy discusses the onset of his symptoms and what helped h...
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The importance of support from 2020-07-28T11:00
The isolation of chronic illness can change and reset many of our relationships. The people and activities that used to make sense for our life no longer fit the same way. Alex discusses the imp...
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Commitment and Surrender from 2020-07-21T11:00
Commitment and surrender are two keywords that are essential in the psychological approach to healing from ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia. Both words can be a double-edged sword, and finding the balan...
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Gemma's Recovery Story from 2020-07-14T11:00
Gemma shares her recovery story with Alex, from starting to feel ill with a viral-like illness she couldn't recover from to acknowledging and working with her achiever patterns in order to relax...
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Use technology don't let it use you from 2020-07-07T11:00
Founder of The Optimum Health Clinic Alex Howard discusses the benefits and pitfalls of technology as both useful and overly stimulating tools. The importance of being in a calm healing state is...
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Embrace the tortoise from 2020-06-30T11:00
In this week's Facebook Live, founder of the Optimum Health Clinic Alex Howard uses the fable of the tortoise and the hare as a metaphor for recovery from ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia. (recorded Oct...
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The boatload of recovery from 2020-06-22T12:56:59
Just as multiple factors often are involved when one falls ill with ME/CFS (the overloaded boat), the process of recovery also includes multiple factors, methods, and variables to re-build healt...
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We are all messed up from 2020-04-07T11:00
Once we begin to do work on our own patterns and issues, we can feel like we're more "messed up" than other people - Alex reminds us that everyody has issues, but not everyone is looking at them...
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You can't fill up someone else's emotional well from 2020-03-31T11:00
Energy depleting relationships tend to follow a pattern of having to constantly support or hold up another person in a co-dependent relationship. Helper types tend to use their energy attending ...
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The body's innate wisdom from 2020-03-24T12:00
Being chronically ill can mean all of our conscious attention is usually on the things that are not working. Alex gives the suggestion to also give mindful attention to the things in the body th...
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5 stages of meeting our needs from 2020-03-17T12:00
Alex Howard discusses understanding our own needs, including emotional needs, and how we might look to get those needs met. Alex discusses the tendency for Helper types to put other people's nee...
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The importance of practices from 2020-03-10T12:00
Following up on the importance of the basics, Alex discusses the importance of practices - the practical activities we need on a day to day basis to encourage the recovery process. He also empha...
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The importance of the basics from 2020-03-04T13:04:22
Alex talks about the importance of the fundamental basics of recovery in ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia - deep rest, staying in a healing state, and fundamental nutritional basics. After we start to r...
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Episode 68 - Two types of pacing from 2020-01-28T12:00
Alex mentions a simplified view of two different kinds of pacing based on data and rational planning, versus the more intuitive body based way of pacing in the moment and what might be better fo...
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Episode 67 - Change state, change perspective from 2020-01-21T12:00
After a holiday with his family, Alex talks about returning to London with a fresh perspective on some problems and situations - and how having a new state can help us develop new perceptions of...
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Episode 66 - The 5 P's from 2020-01-14T12:00
Alex expands on his 5 P's in recovery: Practice, Patience, Persistance, Perserverence, Precision. These 5 P's can be used to help patients between sessions with the clinic and working with techn...
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Episode 65 - Dealing with the inner critic from 2020-01-07T12:00
Marie from the Psychology Team talks about how to recognize our inner critic thoughts and how to be our own best coach and support system.
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Episode 64 - Set goals you can achieve from 2019-12-31T12:00
As we turn into the New Year and think about the goals we want to set, Alex gives advice on the kid of achievable goals that can be explored with ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia, and how to take into co...
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Episode 63 - Surviving the Holidays from 2019-12-23T12:00
Alex offers some tips on how to approach the holiday season as strategically as you can by communicating your needs, acknowledging your boundaries, pacing your energy and relax and have fun base...
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Episode 62 - Cultivating a Positive Mindset Part II from 2019-12-17T12:00
Alex expands on last week's introduction to building a positive mindset in recovery from ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia - including the increased emphasis on building a brand new mindset that didn't e...
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Episode 61 - Cultivating a Positive Mindset Part I from 2019-12-10T12:00
Inspired by the World Cup and the Thai cave rescues, Alex talks about cultivating a mindset through hardship that allows for a helpful interpretation of events and our prospects for the future.
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Episode 60 - Facing Fear from 2019-12-03T12:00
After the OHC fundraiser at the high ropes course, Alex talks about facing fear on the path to recovery from ME CFS and Fibromyalgia. Find out more about The Optimum Clinic and our integrative m...
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Episode 59 - Listening to your body from 2019-11-26T12:00
Alex discusses the benefits of learning the language of your body - being able to tune in to the head, the heart, and the body becomes essential to listening to your body needs in each moment.
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Episode 58 Emma Donohoe - M.E. and me from 2019-11-19T16:02:43
Alex interviews Emma Donohoe - presenter of the BBC documentary M.E. and me. Emma discusses her recovery including the part the Optimum Health Clinic played in her journey.
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Episode 57 - Focusing on now from 2019-11-12T12:00
Alex discusses how focusing on the present moment allows us to get into a healing state, and how avoiding being present can snowball into catastrophic thinking that causes us more stress. The pr...
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Episode 56 - The power of dreams from 2019-11-05T12:00
Alex acknowledges the challenge of living day to day with pain and frustration, and offers some thoughts on how to remain hopeful and to continue to encourage your future dreams.
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Episode 55 - The power of giving up from 2019-10-29T12:00
Alex talks about the value in the feeling of giving up, and how to work with this feeling on the path of recovery. Having a plan for recovery is essential, but you can also give yourself a break...
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Episode 54 - Be a realist and an optimist from 2019-10-22T11:00
Alex explores finding a balance between a realistic view of where you are and how your feelings of positivity and negativity about the future might guide your decision making. He encourages an h...
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Episode 53 - Do I need to be symptom free at rest? from 2019-10-15T11:00
Alex talks about the different steps and stages of recovery from ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia and what kind of energy we may feel if we’re ready to increase our activity.
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Episode 52 - Self-worth and ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia from 2019-10-08T11:00
CEO Alex Howard discusses the OHC's approach to cultivating self-worth when the roles you held prior to getting ill have changed.
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Episode 51- 4 types of anxiety from 2019-10-01T11:00
Understanding and being able to witness the kind of anxiety we're expieriencing is the first step to addressing it and easing the symptom. Physical Anxiety types can be contributed to blood suga...
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Episode 50 - Deep rest 2 from 2019-09-24T11:00
When our primary symptom is fatigue, it's clear that getting deep, effective rest is a crucial part of the recovery process. When the maladaptive stress response adds too much stress to be able ...
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Episode 49 - People pleasing and recovery from 2019-09-17T11:00
Alex talks about people pleasing as a habit of the helper type that puts other peoples' needs before our own. Becoming aware of the pattern and its impact is the beginning of changing the behavi...
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Episode 48 - Getting moving without pushing from 2019-09-10T11:00
In this Facebook Live recording CEO Alex Howard discusses getting moving without pushing in ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia recovery. The Achiever subtypes particularly can get caught up in over-doing ...
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Episode 47 - Cultivating enjoyment during recovery from 2019-09-03T11:00
Psychology Practitioner Marie Fleming talks about how to bring in a sense of enjoyment to your day during the recovery process, even though illness can be so challenging and uncomfortable. Being...
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Episode 46 - Creating healthy boundaries from 2019-08-27T11:00
OHC practitioner Marie discusses creating healthy boundaries, especially in relation to helper subtypes. Being able to say no to people or to tasks when we need to prioritise our own healing pro...
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Episode 45 - Offensive vs defensive for recovery from 2019-08-20T11:00
After developing a stable baseline, Alex elaborates on how to bounce the boundaries and increase the energy envelope. He uses the metaphor of being on the offensive (pushing the boundaries with ...
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Episode 44 - Uncertainty and recovery from MECFS from 2019-08-13T11:00
What allows us to feel calm, confident, and embodied is making peace with the sense of uncertainty, making peace with not knowing what's going to happen. Alex talks about developing confidence a...
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Episode 43 - The mind body connection in recovery from 2019-08-06T11:00
Marie from our psychology team shares a little bit about her ME/CFS recovery story, and clarifies more about why the mind and body connection is so important in recovery from ME, CFS, Fibromyalg...
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Episode42 - Listening to your emotions calms your nervous system from 2019-07-30T11:00
Ignoring our wants and needs can lead our minds and bodies to continually get louder until we finally listen and pay attention to what is currently happening. Making space for and being mindful ...
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Episode 41 - Saying YES to you on the recovery path from 2019-07-23T11:00
In this Facebook Live recording CEO Alex Howard discusses saying YES to you on the recovery path from ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia. It can feel like we're saying 'no' to just about everything when w...
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Episode 40 - 4 fundamentals of recovery from 2019-07-17T13:53:11
In this Facebook Live recording CEO Alex Howard discusses the 4 fundamentals of recovery from ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia from which to keep track of the recovery journey and build tools to move fo...
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Episode 39 - Why don't people believe full recovery is possible? from 2019-07-09T12:44
After discussing what is possible from recovery, and exploring things that may help someone recover from ME CFS, some people have a rejection or resistance to the idea that recovery is possible....
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Episode 38 - Recovery Goals from 2019-05-21T16:00:20
Alex offers some advice on how to set goals that make you feel like you're winning - and how to avoid resolutions that cause worsening of symptoms. Recovery takes time, and the best goals to set...
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Episode 37 - What stops people from recovering? from 2019-05-15T13:07:42
A complex illness like ME CFS can exhibit many different symptoms and co-morbidities. Being able to make sense of the cycles and systems affected can help us find pieces to work with that keep p...
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Episode 36 - The danger of maybe from 2019-05-07T15:25:07
It can be a real challenge to commit to future plans when we're still working on our recovery from ME CFS or Fibromyalgia. Alex offers some tips about how to handle social commitments when you r...
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Episode 35 - Making recovery the most important thing in your life from 2019-04-30T11:00
In this short Facebook Live session, Alex explains the importance of making recovery the most important goal in your day to day life, especially in the early stages. If we have multiple goals or...
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Episode 34 - What sort of psychology do you recommend? from 2019-04-23T11:00
Through his personal experience and extensive education in various psychological approaches, Alex offers his recommendations for what kind of psychology work might be right for you depending on ...
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Episode 33 - Why listening to your body is so hard from 2019-04-16T11:00
The advice, "listen to your body" sounds like it should be easy, but it isn't quite as simple as it seems. We often get conflicting messages from our body and it can be tricky to decide which me...
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Episode 32 - Trauma and ME CFS recovery from 2019-04-09T13:09:28
Alex explores "Trauma", major disruptive life events, and "trauma", small or developmental patterns that can effect our well-being. By understanding and working with our own traumas, we can deve...
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Episode 31 - The inner critic and recovery from 2019-04-02T11:00
Becoming familiar with and identifying thoughts of our energy-depleting "inner critic" can be huge in helping us identify unhelpful thought patterns or beliefs that we can stop and change. Chang...
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Episode 30 - Windows ME from 2019-03-26T14:14:08
The mental pattern of Windows ME means we run every thought and activity through the filter of having ME. This means every situation can cause stress if we continually question what the future h...
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Episode 29 - Mental tennis from 2019-03-19T12:00
Mental tennis is a mental pattern that can make decision making feel impossible. In ME/CFS our nervous systems are already over-stimulated, and when it comes to deciding how to spend our energy,...
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Episode 28 - Why should our nutrition patients do the psychology programme? from 2019-03-12T12:50:49
Alex discusses why patients in the nutrition program can benefit from also doing the psychology work with The Optimum Health Clinic. We do not in any way promote the idea that ME/CFS or Fibromya...
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Episode 27 - Joy and freedom on the path to recovery from 2019-03-05T14:48:13
The recovery path can take so much discipline and organisation that we can sometimes forget that a balanced life includes play, fun, and joy. Alex talks about finding a balance between our Helpe...
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Episode 26 - Willpower and recovery from 2019-02-26T13:18:02
We now know that approaching healing from ME CFS from a "pushing" motivation can make everything worse, so willpower for recovery in ME CFS and Fibromyalgia needs a new meaning. Pushing to work ...
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Episode 25 - The story behind psychology subtypes from 2019-02-13T14:50:14
Alex explores the psychological subtypes (Anxiety, Achiever, Helper) that can play a part in remaining ill with ME CFS, and how noticing these patterns can help us put ourselves first and notice...
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Episode 24 - Asking for help from 2019-02-05T10:00
Episode 23 - What is possible in recovery from ME/CFS? from 2019-01-29T13:45:28
Episode 22 - Deep Rest from 2019-01-22T13:37:45
Alex Howard discusses deep rest in ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia recovery. The maladaptive stress response in MECFS keeps the nervous system wired, and mindful rest can help us recover the parasympat...
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Episode 21- Being methodical from 2019-01-15T13:30:26
Episode 20 - For the body to heal, you have to be in it from 2019-01-09T16:43:40
In this Facebook Live recording CEO Alex Howard discusses how the maladaptive stress response can keep us in a state where we are unaware of what our body really needs. Being able to relax into ...
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Episode 19 - Helper patterns from 2019-01-02T13:12:14
Episode 18 - Gratitude and comparing ourselves to others from 2018-12-12T14:46:43
In this Facebook Live recording CEO Alex Howard discusses gratitude and comparing ourselves to others. While being able to acknowledge our loss and difficulty is an important part of being in ou...
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Episode 17 - Sofa Heroes from 2018-12-04T15:46:46
Alex Howard discusses SOFA HEROES: Because you have to be a superhero to live with ME, CFS or Fibromyalgia. The Sofa Heroes fundraising campaign will raise money for our double-blind study with ...
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Episode 16 - The problem with psychology approaches for recovery from 2018-11-27T16:03:10
Alex discusses the limitations of psychological approaches and miracle recovery stories from psychological therapies for ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia. Through the Optimum Health Clinic, the patient ...
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Episode 15 - What supplements should I take? from 2018-11-20T13:18:22
Alex describes the slippery sl...
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Episode 014 - Being inspired for recovery from 2018-11-13T14:29:38
What we need when the going is...
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Episode 13 - Recovery takes a team from 2018-10-30T14:09:35
On the verge of the release of...
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Episode 012 - What if you've tried everything to recover? from 2018-10-23T15:12:41
When we've invested so much ho...
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OHC Live Ep 011 - Sustainable recovery from 2018-10-17T16:01:59
Episode 10 - Patience and tenacity on the recovery path from 2018-10-09T12:30:25
Episode 09 - The achiever pattern in recovery from ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia from 2018-10-03T13:07:10
Identifying when we might be trying too hard to be the perfect patient will help us recognize the achiever pattern and how it might actually hinder our progress. Recovery from ME/CFS requires us...
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Episode 08 - Community and ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia Recovery from 2018-09-20T15:37:51
With an isolating illness like...
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Episode 07 - Bouncing the Boundaries from 2018-09-11T15:06:24
Episode 06 - Why is psychology important in ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia? from 2018-09-04T13:53:02
Alex discusses The Optimum Health Clinic's approach to psychology and the philosophy behind the benefits of certain psychological aspects on the road to recovery from ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia. A...
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Episode 05 - Managing relationships when you have ME, CFS or Fibromyalgia from 2018-08-24T12:43:45
A diagnosis with ME, CFS or Fi...
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Episode 03 - Is it possible to make a full recovery from ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia? from 2018-08-01T13:42:50
In this Facebook Live recordin...
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Episode 02 - Cultivating positive habits for ME, CFS and Fibromyalgia recovery from 2018-07-12T16:10:40