A Crohn’s disease diagnosis can feel like a life sentence, especially when you’re told medication is the only option. I sit down with Jen Germain, a certified functional medicine health coach and founder of Compass Health Coaching, to share what changed when she started asking a different question: why is my body inflamed in the first place?

Jen walks us through her health crisis in 2020, the fear and frustration of being dismissed, and the practical steps that helped her reclaim momentum. We break down functional medicine in plain English, talk gut health and root cause healing, and unpack the autoimmune protocol (AIP) as a structured way to reduce inflammation and identify trigger foods through careful reintroduction. If you’ve been searching for functional medicine guidance, autoimmune protocol tips, or a realistic path to chronic illness support, you’ll hear what actually mattered day to day.

We also go beyond food. Jen calls out sleep and chronic stress as two of the most overlooked drivers of stubborn symptoms, and she shares mindset tools that make change possible, including her powerful reminder: you can’t heal a body you hate. We talk self-advocacy in healthcare, what to write down before appointments, and when it’s time to find a provider who will go deeper.

Connect with Jen

Website: https://www.compasshealthcoachingllc.com/

https://www.instagram.com/compasshealthcoachingllc/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifergermain/

https://www.facebook.com/compasshealthcoachingllc

Video Consultations

https://compasshealthcoachingllc.practicebetter.io/#/62efebd9960d0837f69830ae/bookings?step=services

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Support the show

I’m Carol Clegg, a life coach offering gentle accountability coaching and I am a curious conversationalist.

If you enjoy reflection, fresh perspectives, and honest dialogue, this space is for you.

If you’d like to experience this work in community, I host a complimentary monthly Accountability Circle a supportive space to pause, gain clarity, and choose a gentle next step forward. More info at https://carolclegg.com/accountabilitycircle

For those ready for deeper, more consistent support, I also offer a 60-day Accountability Package, designed to help you move from scattered ideas to steady, sustainable momentum.

You can learn more at carolclegg.com

Let’s connect on LinkedIn and Instagram, or join my LinkedIn Group Flourish: A Community for Women Business Owners

Grief can be lonely even in a room full of people and it can be confusing in ways nobody warned you about. When we lose a spouse, a child, a parent, or even a life role like a job or a marriage, we are not only missing someone or something. We are rebuilding a sense of identity, safety, and future.

I sit down with Dr. Lynn Banis, a psychologist, coach, and grief and resilience mentor, to talk honestly about what helps when life breaks open and you are left trying to figure out who you are now.

Lynn shares what surprised her most after experiencing compounded loss and why widowhood can feel so disorienting. We unpack brain fog, low motivation, and the nervous system’s fight or flight response so you can stop blaming yourself and start understanding what your mind and body are doing.

We also name the hard moment when others assume you are “fine now,” even though the ache and the loneliness are still there.

Lynn also offers guidance for friends and family who want to help but do not know what to say: show up, be specific, and skip the platitudes.

You will find her free support community at WomenRisingTogether.org.

Connect with Lynn

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Let me know what you’d like to hear more about on the show

Support the show

I’m Carol Clegg, a life coach offering gentle accountability coaching and I am a curious conversationalist.

If you enjoy reflection, fresh perspectives, and honest dialogue, this space is for you.

If you’d like to experience this work in community, I host a complimentary monthly Accountability Circle a supportive space to pause, gain clarity, and choose a gentle next step forward. More info at https://carolclegg.com/accountabilitycircle

For those ready for deeper, more consistent support, I also offer a 60-day Accountability Package, designed to help you move from scattered ideas to steady, sustainable momentum.

You can learn more at carolclegg.com

Let’s connect on LinkedIn and Instagram, or join my LinkedIn Group Flourish: A Community for Women Business Owners

Falling asleep is often less about forcing sleep and more about creating the conditions where your nervous system finally believes it is safe to let go. This guided sleep story leans into that idea with a simple promise: right now there is nowhere to be, nothing to solve, and nothing expected of you. Using bedtime relaxation, mindful breathing, and a slow-paced visualization, the practice helps you shift from a busy mind into a calmer body.

From there, let's drift into a calming visualization, floating on the softest cloud beneath a sky full of stars. As thoughts pop up, we practice notice the thought, name it gently as “thinking” or “planning,” and let it move on like a cloud passing the moon. We also pause to remember one small peaceful moment from the day, because even a tiny spark of joy can shift the nervous system toward safety.

I close with affirmations you can whisper in the dark and a practical technique for insomnia and night waking: count your breath down from 10 to 1, restart when you need, and return to the count each time a thought pulls you away. If this helped, subscribe for more calming stories, share it with someone who needs better sleep, and leave a review with your favorite part of the wind-down.

Let me know what you’d like to hear more about on the show

Support the show

I’m Carol Clegg, a life coach offering gentle accountability coaching and I am a curious conversationalist.

If you enjoy reflection, fresh perspectives, and honest dialogue, this space is for you.

If you’d like to experience this work in community, I host a complimentary monthly Accountability Circle a supportive space to pause, gain clarity, and choose a gentle next step forward. More info at https://carolclegg.com/accountabilitycircle

For those ready for deeper, more consistent support, I also offer a 60-day Accountability Package, designed to help you move from scattered ideas to steady, sustainable momentum.

You can learn more at carolclegg.com

Let’s connect on LinkedIn and Instagram, or join my LinkedIn Group Flourish: A Community for Women Business Owners