Stop Pushing Through Pain: A New Chronic Illness Playbook with Amy Behimer

The Perrin Technique— Review of the Books Part 3: The Concise Perrin Technique: A Handbook for Patients by Dr. Raymond Perrin

Category: Health & Wellness — Chronic Illness / Invisible Illness Support "Sometimes, healing begins when your symptoms finally have a story that makes sense, not a perfect story, and not the only story, but a story that helps you stop blaming yourself." —Donna Piper There's a specific kind of grief that hits when your body has been trying to talk to you for years, and nobody ever handed you the translator. That's where this episode starts, before Donna introduces the book that finally gave her one. This week is a book talk on The Concise Perrin Technique: A Handbook for Patients by Dr. Raymond Perrin, the patient-friendly companion to his larger clinical text. Donna shares why it was the first thing that made her ME/CFS feel less like a mystery and more like a map. In this episode: The body-based theory behind the Perrin Technique, and how a disrupted nervous system and lymphatic drainage create fatigue, brain fog, and crashes that feel random but aren't. Why ME/CFS isn't "just tired," and what post-exertional malaise (PEM) really feels like, including the delayed crash that hits a day or two later. The phrase that changed Donna's relationship with her limits: do half of what you think you can do. What changed at home once her husband read the book, too. A simple daily pacing check-in you can try with no equipment. Who it's for: anyone living with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, long COVID, POTS, MCAS, hypermobility (including hEDS), lipedema, or any chronic illness involving pacing or nervous system dysregulation, plus the partners and family trying to understand it. Book mentioned: The Concise Perrin Technique: A Handbook for Patients by Dr. Raymond Perrin: https://amzn.to/4h7Vmwa [https://amzn.to/4h7Vmwa] Connect with Donna: Website: https://www.donnapiper.com/ [https://www.donnapiper.com/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnapiper [https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnapiper] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lipedema_donna [https://www.instagram.com/lipedema_donna] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedonnapiper [https://www.facebook.com/thedonnapiper] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedonnapiper [https://www.youtube.com/@thedonnapiper] Episode Highlights: 01:29 The Perrin Technique: A Clearer, More Practical Path 05:01 Real Talk: A Specific Kind of Grief 08:24 Connective Thread: A Patient Handbook 09:58 Takeaway 1-ME/CFS: A Body-Based Explanation 11:57 Takeaway 2-ME/CFS: Not Just About Energy, It's Recovery 13:37 Takeaway 3- The Perrin Technique: Patient Involvement 18:56 Takeaway 4- ME/CFS: Doing Half 20:44 Takeaway 5-Emotionally Validating 24:00 Myth Busters 27:08 Feel Good Flow 32:47 Shared Education & Lived Experience Resources: 🤔Got a question for me? Every month, I do a listener coaching episode—and I'd love to hear from you! Send your questions, stories, or flare-up confessions to donna@donnapiper.com, and you just might hear your answer on the show. 💲Discount Get $20 off the Visible Wrist Band 2.0 Click the link: https://join.makevisible.com/73784699c7db3e [https://join.makevisible.com/73784699c7db3e] **Wearable heart-rate and activity sensor, with charging cable and strap included. 5 days battery life Manufactured by Polar, the world leader in heart-rate monitoring Designed for illness, not fitness HSA/FSA Eligible 💗Springrose Give $20, GET $20 When you share Springrose with friends, they get $20 off their first purchase and you get $20 towards your next purchase!* Share the love. https://oken.do/0l3hpr6v [https://oken.do/0l3hpr6v] 💗Equip Fuel With Real Food Meet Prime Protein, the original beef protein powder, with over 20g of delicious grass-fed beef protein. No junk or fillers https://www.equipfoods.com/DONNA15 [https://www.equipfoods.com/DONNA15] 📖 Book The Concise Perrin Technique: A Handbook for Patients by Dr. Raymond Perrin https://amzn.to/4h7Vmwa [https://amzn.to/4h7Vmwa] The Concise Perrin Technique is described by Hammersmith Books as a practical patient handbook explaining the "why and how" of using the Perrin Technique to support ME/CFS recovery and healthy lymphatic drainage from the brain; the publisher also lists contents including how the technique works, CFS/ME and fibromyalgia, treatment, FAQs, tests, and the Perrin questionnaire. The official Perrin Technique site describes the approach as an osteopathic method developed in 1989 that aims to support drainage from cerebrospinal fluid into the lymphatic system through spinal movement and soft tissue work around the head, neck, back, and chest. The Perrin Technique self-help guide states that at-home routines are intended for patients currently working with a licensed Perrin Technique practitioner and include flexibility, breathing, self-massage, contrast bathing, active head rest, strengthening exercises, and cross crawl. The CDC describes ME/CFS as a complex, chronic, debilitating disease involving reduced ability to function, post-exertional malaise, unrefreshing sleep, and either cognitive impairment and/or orthostatic intolerance. The CDC also defines PEM as worsening symptoms after previously tolerated physical or mental exertion; symptoms often worsen 12 to 48 hours later and can last days or weeks, and pacing is used to help prevent flare-ups and relapses. 🎙️Podcast The Perrin Technique Part 1: https://bitl.to/5uZn [https://bitl.to/5uZn] The Perrin Technique Part 2: https://bitl.to/5uZo [https://bitl.to/5uZo]

Fascial Counterstrain

"Your body may not need more force, it might just need more safety. Your body might not have been resisting healing, it's just maybe a continuation of the protecting that it's been doing the whole time." —Donna Piper What if your body isn't failing you… it's protecting you? In this episode, Donna Piper unpacks a quiet but powerful shift for anyone living with chronic illness: healing doesn't always come from pushing harder—it often begins with feeling safer. Through a deeply personal lens, she introduces fascial counterstrain, a gentle, hands-on therapy that works with the body instead of against it. You'll hear why so many chronic illness bodies stay stuck in tension, how the nervous system plays a hidden role in pain, fatigue, and swelling, and why "doing more" might actually be keeping you from healing. Donna breaks down how this approach supports everything from lymphatic flow to brain fog—without force, strain, or overwhelm. If you've ever felt dismissed, confused by your symptoms, or exhausted from trying everything… this conversation offers a different way forward. In this episode, you'll learn: What fascial counterstrain actually is (in simple terms) Why chronic illness bodies stay in protective "bracing" patterns How gentle therapy can support pain, fatigue, and nervous system overload The connection between fascia, lymphatic flow, and whole-body healing A simple way to start rebuilding trust with your body today Key takeaway: Your body may not need more effort—it may need more safety. Connect with Donna: Website: https://www.donnapiper.com/ [https://www.donnapiper.com/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnapiper [https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnapiper] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lipedema_donna [https://www.instagram.com/lipedema_donna] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedonnapiper [https://www.facebook.com/thedonnapiper] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedonnapiper [https://www.youtube.com/@thedonnapiper] Episode Highlights: 01:01 What is Fascial Counterstrain? 03:16 Real Talk: Living with Chronic Illness 08:09 Fascial Counterstrain: The Gentle Way 11:41 Connective Thread: Precision, Not Pressure 22:22 What is Fascia? 25:32 Fascia and the ME/Chronic Fatigue Connection 29:29 Why Facial Counterstrain Matters to Lymphatic and Venous Flow 33:56 Myth Busters 38:16 Feel Good Flow 44:11 Shared Education & Lived Experience Resources: 🤔Got a question for me? Every month, I do a listener coaching episode—and I'd love to hear from you! Send your questions, stories, or flare-up confessions to donna@donnapiper.com [donna@donnapiper.com], and you just might hear your answer on the show. 💲Discount Get $20 off the Visible Wrist Band 2.0 [https://join.makevisible.com/73784699c7db3e] Click the link: https://join.makevisible.com/73784699c7db3e [https://join.makevisible.com/73784699c7db3e] **Wearable heart-rate and activity sensor, with charging cable and strap included. 5 days battery life Manufactured by Polar, the world leader in heart-rate monitoring Designed for illness, not fitness HSA/FSA Eligible 💗Springrose Give $20, GET $20 When you share Springrose with friends, they get $20 off their first purchase and you get $20 towards your next purchase!* Share the love. https://oken.do/0l3hpr6v [https://oken.do/0l3hpr6v] 💗Equip Fuel With Real Food Meet Prime Protein, the original beef protein powder, with over 20g of delicious grass-fed beef protein. No junk or fillers https://www.equipfoods.com/DONNA15 [https://www.equipfoods.com/DONNA15] 🔗Links: Official Directory: Find a trained practitioner in your area using the Counterstrain.com Practitioner Directory [https://counterstrain.com/practitioner/] or check The Jones Institute Locator. [1, 2] [https://www.jicounterstrain.com/counterstrain/] Patient Resources: Learn exactly what to expect during a session and how FCS targets the interstitium on the Fascial Connections Patient Guide [https://www.fascialconnectionspt.com/health-resources]. Mechanisms & Education: Dive deep into the physiological rationale behind the technique, such as the reduction of interstitial inflammatory stasis, via Tuckey and Associates Education Page. [1] [https://tuckeypt.com/for-professionals/education/] Training Pathways: Healthcare professionals can explore course levels and Mastery Training requirements at the Counterstrain Training Schedule [https://counterstrain.com/training/introductory-courses/].

No, Karen! I Couldn't Diet My Way of the Lipedema

"Just food alone isn't going make all of these systems behave together. Most of the time with connective tissue disorders, you have constipation, you have gut issues, you have dysautonomia. There's so many things that you have that food alone isn't going to change the actual diseased part of this." —Donna Piper If you've ever been told to "just eat less and move more" while living with a chronic illness, this episode is for you. Today, we are tackling the heavy emotional toll of lipedema, gaslighting in modern medicine, and the myth of the "perfect diet." For decades, many of us have lived with unspoken, unnamed chronic conditions, carrying the guilt that our bodies weren't responding the way society says they should. In this episode, we break down why the responsibility of nutrition isn't about finding a magic, reinvented wheel—it's about learning how to interact with food in a way that genuinely supports your unique body. You are in control of your plate, and you deserve to feel good about what you eat. Key Takeaways from This Episode: • You Did Not Fail: Lipedema is a medical condition, not a willpower issue. You are not lazy, weak, or the problem. • The Nutrition Myth: Why 99.9% of commercial diet programs won't work for lipedema, and why the real power lies in figuring out what foods support your unique inflammation levels. • Finding Peace in a Label: How getting an official diagnosis for a chronic illness can help you finally ease into healing rather than fighting your own anatomy. • Remember: You have been living in a body that has not been fully understood by modern medicine. You are not alone, and you are doing the best you can. Connect with Donna: Website: https://www.donnapiper.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnapiper Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lipedema_donna Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedonnapiper YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedonnapiper Episode Highlights: 01:23 The Lipedema Talks 07:07 Diet is NOT the Whole Story 12:14 Real Talk: You Cannot Reverse Lipedema with Just Diet 22:08 Connective Thread: Nuance 29:17 Myth Busters 34:19 Feel Good Flow 39:10 Shared Education & Lived Experience Resources: 🤔Got a question for me? Every month, I do a listener coaching episode—and I'd love to hear from you! Send your questions, stories, or flare-up confessions to donna@donnapiper.com, and you just might hear your answer on the show. 💲Discount Get $20 off the Visible Wrist Band 2.0 Click the link: https://join.makevisible.com/73784699c7db3e **Wearable heart-rate and activity sensor, with charging cable and strap included. 5 days battery life Manufactured by Polar, the world leader in heart-rate monitoring Designed for illness, not fitness HSA/FSA Eligible 💗Springrose Give $20, GET $20 When you share Springrose with friends, they get $20 off their first purchase and you get $20 towards your next purchase!* Share the love. https://oken.do/0l3hpr6v 💗Equip Fuel With Real Food Meet Prime Protein, the original beef protein powder, with over 20g of delicious grass-fed beef protein. No junk or fillers https://www.equipfoods.com/DONNA15

Dear Body, I'm Back! Surgery, Swelling, and the Sacred Weirdness of Healing

"Remember why you want surgery. It's no one else's business." —Donna Piper Chronic illness can turn basic things like walking, sitting, or flying into strategic missions. When surgery enters the chat, it is not about chasing skinny; it is about survival, mobility, and pain relief. This solo episode sits in that tender, unglamorous middle of fear, hope, and raw honesty. In this story, Donna shares a second high-volume lipedema surgery in Germany, traveling solo with ME/CFS, POTS, MCAS, and hypermobility EDS in the mix. Her experience reshapes what healing, body image, and "success" look like inside a chronic illness body. Hit play to hear the real cost and quiet wins of this decision, and how our bodies keep asking to be trusted again. • Why lipedema surgery in Germany was about walking, not shrinking • Navigating flights, hotels, food, and accessibility with chronic illness • High-volume liposuction details and anesthesia tweaks that helped • Compression garments, MLD, swelling, and the reality of recovery • Body dysmorphia, vulnerability, and learning a new body story • Myth-busting around "vanity," weight stigma, and mental health • Simple 4-4-4 breathwork to calm the nervous system in hard moments Connect with Donna: Website: https://www.donnapiper.com/ [https://www.donnapiper.com/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnapiper [https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnapiper] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lipedema_donna [https://www.instagram.com/lipedema_donna] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedonnapiper [https://www.facebook.com/thedonnapiper] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedonnapiper [https://www.youtube.com/@thedonnapiper] Episode Highlights: 01:48 Real Talk: 2nd Surgery 07:53 Solo-Traveling to Germany 10:49 Surgery Details and Recovery 20:03 Post-Surgery Challenges and Adjustments 22:52 Emotional and Mental Aspects of Healing 27:21 Conective Thread: Healing is Not Linear 31:25 Myth Busters: Remember Your Why 34:47 Feel Good Flow 37:31 Shared Education & Lived Experience Resources: 🤔Got a question for me? Every month, I do a listener coaching episode—and I'd love to hear from you! Send your questions, stories, or flare-up confessions to donna@donnapiper.com, and you just might hear your answer on the show. 💲Discount Get $20 off the Visible Wrist Band 2.0 Click the link: https://join.makevisible.com/73784699c7db3e [https://join.makevisible.com/73784699c7db3e] **Wearable heart-rate and activity sensor, with charging cable and strap included. 5 days battery life Manufactured by Polar, the world leader in heart-rate monitoring Designed for illness, not fitness HSA/FSA Eligible 💗Springrose Give $20, GET $20 When you share Springrose with friends, they get $20 off their first purchase and you get $20 towards your next purchase!* Share the love. https://oken.do/0l3hpr6v [https://oken.do/0l3hpr6v] 💗Equip Fuel With Real Food Meet Prime Protein, the original beef protein powder, with over 20g of delicious grass-fed beef protein. No junk or fillers https://www.equipfoods.com/DONNA15 [https://www.equipfoods.com/DONNA15]

The Perrin Technique: How To Diagnose And Treat Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Me And Fibromyalgia Via The Lymphatic Drainage Of The Brain by Dr. Raymond Perrin, 2nd Ed. Part 2

"ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is more than just fatigue. What we do, or specifically what we don't do, actually aids in more healing. So doing less equals faster, better outcomes."—Donna Piper A focused revisit to the Perrin Technique that zeroes in on practical steps for easing crashes and brain fog. This is part 2 of our series on The Perrin Technique. This week, Donna dives into chapter 10 to pull out clinician-ready moves and patient routines. Her experience shows how targeted lymphatic drainage, thoracic mobility, and pacing change day to day tolerance over months. Donna describes weekly clinic work and daily self-care that turned theoretical protocol into measurable recovery, and why slow, gentle practice mattered most. Play this episode to hear the chapter 10 breakdown and actionable next steps. • Chapter 10 deep dive from Dr Raymond Perrin 2nd Ed • Perrin Technique steps for neuro-lymphatic drainage • Contrast bathing and thoracic region protocols • Cervical and cranial sacral techniques explained • Pacing and rest as core treatment strategies • Practical self-care routines and when to seek a certified practitioner Connect with Donna: Website: https://www.donnapiper.com/ [https://www.donnapiper.com/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnapiper [https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnapiper] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lipedema_donna [https://www.instagram.com/lipedema_donna] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedonnapiper [https://www.facebook.com/thedonnapiper] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedonnapiper [https://www.youtube.com/@thedonnapiper] Episode Highlights: 01:28 The Perrin Technique: Chapter 10 Intro 10:13 Real Talk: ME/CFS— More Than Fatigue 16:14 Connective Thread: A Systemic Dysfunction 35:25 Myth Buster 41:15 Feel Good Flow 45:02 Shared Education &Lived Experience Resources: 🤔Got a question for me? Every month, I do a listener coaching episode—and I'd love to hear from you! Send your questions, stories, or flare-up confessions to donna@donnapiper.com, and you just might hear your answer on the show. 💲Discount Get $20 off the Visible Wrist Band 2.0 Click the link: https://join.makevisible.com/73784699c7db3e [https://join.makevisible.com/73784699c7db3e] **Wearable heart-rate and activity sensor, with charging cable and strap included. 5 days battery life Manufactured by Polar, the world leader in heart-rate monitoring Designed for illness, not fitness HSA/FSA Eligible 💗Springrose Give $20, GET $20 When you share Springrose with friends, they get $20 off their first purchase and you get $20 towards your next purchase!* Share the love. https://oken.do/0l3hpr6v [https://oken.do/0l3hpr6v] 💗Equip Fuel With Real Food Meet Prime Protein, the original beef protein powder, with over 20g of delicious grass-fed beef protein. No junk or fillers https://www.equipfoods.com/DONNA15 [https://www.equipfoods.com/DONNA15] 💗Books: 📖The Perrin Technique: How to diagnose and treat CFS/ME and fibromyalgia via the lymphatic drainage of the brain, 2nd Ed: https://amzn.to/4sV1ehf [https://amzn.to/4sV1ehf] 📖The Concise Perrin Technique: A Handbook for Patients: https://amzn.to/47JSEcG [https://amzn.to/47JSEcG] 📖https://theperrintechnique.com/self-help-guide/ [https://theperrintechnique.com/self-help-guide/] X: DO LESS, HEAL BETTER. The Perrin Technique Chapter 10 unpacked: contrast baths, cervical drainage, thoracic mobility, and severity scoring to track recovery. Tune in and get clear actions to discuss with your clinician. #DearBodyImListeningPodcast #ThePerrinTechnique #DrRaymondPerrin #MECFS #ChronicFatigue #fibromyalgia #LymphaticHealth #NeuroLymphaticDrainage #AutonomicNervousSystem #ThoracicSpine #Inflammation #ContrastBathing #SelfGuidedMovements #StressReduction #DietAndNutrition #Hypermobility Quotes: 05:30 "Pain equals no gain; more equals no gain; more actually makes me worse." —Donna Piper 07:14 "For healing, you want to look at it as a few years that you're going to be doing this. It's taken a long time to get sick in most cases, so it does take a while to get better. This is not a miracle… You probably are going to feel worse because you're going to be detoxing. Some of these toxins are going to be coming out, so you might feel worse. And then that is how you know that it's working." —Donna Piper 19:08 "When you have ME/CFS, you're not just tired, you're having a whole body problem with drainage, nervous system stress and physical dysfunction."—Donna Piper 26:08 "You're not doing anybody any favors, including yourself if you push yourself through the pain barrier. Pain is the body's natural protection; it tells you when to stop." —Donna Piper 36:09 "ME is one of those conditions that punishes excess. Too much stimulation, that's a problem. Too much activity is a problem. Cognitive effort is also a problem. Too much emotional stress is a problem. Too much treatment, believe it or not, is also a problem." —Donna Piper 39:27 "Some healing is microscopic at first. You can't see that healing that it's doing inside of your body. You may notice you're crashing less violently. You may see that you recover a little faster… You have slightly more room between effort and consequence, and that is really where the nuances are, and that's what counts." —Donna Piper 40:15 "Don't let the internet, or what you think you should do, or a timeframe bully you into thinking subtle progress is fake progress."—Donna Piper 46:09 "ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is more than just fatigue. What we do, or specifically what we don't do, actually aids in more healing. So doing less equals faster, better outcomes."—Donna Piper Your Host: Donna Piper is a Relationship Coach, Trauma Expert, and Akashic Records Healer dedicated to empowering successful single women to transform their love lives and attract fulfilling partnerships without sacrificing their professional ambitions. With a holistic approach blending therapeutic coaching, trauma-informed techniques, and Akashic Records wisdom, she guides clients to release limiting beliefs, heal emotional blocks, and cultivate unshakable self-trust. Her work focuses on aligning mind, body, and spirit to create lasting change—helping clients refine communication, deepen self-worth, and build the foundation for healthy, loving relationships. Donna's sessions are a haven for those ready to break cycles, embrace vulnerability, and design a love life that harmonizes with their thriving careers. For women committed to both personal and professional fulfillment, she offers tailored strategies to unlock their full potential and step into the relationship of their dreams.