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Dear Body, I’m listening

Dear Body, I’m listening

By: Donna Piper
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 Dear Body, I'm Listening is the podcast for women living with chronic pain, mysterious symptoms, and invisible illness. Hosted by movement therapist, Pilates instructor, and chronic illness navigator Donna Piper, this show is a sanctuary for those who’ve tried everything, felt dismissed, and are still searching for answers. If you've ever felt like your body is speaking a language no one else understands—you’re not crazy, and you’re not alone. In this space, nothing is off the table. We talk openly about swelling, fatigue, brain fog, body shame, and more. We go beyond diagnosis to explore what may be worth investigating—and more importantly, how to reconnect with yourself in the process. Through somatic spirituality, movement, and truth-telling, Donna offers support, insight, and hope. Because healing isn’t linear, and neither are we. Alternative & Complementary Medicine Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • Stop Hustling, Start Ranking: SEO Tips to Make Your Content Count with Brittany Herzberg

    Stop Hustling, Start Ranking: SEO Tips to Make Your Content Count with Brittany Herzberg
    Aug 20 2025
    "It starts with you. What do you want to get found for? What do you want to open your schedule and see, and what projects do you want to be working on?" —Brittany Herzberg Feeling invisible online or too tired to keep up with the hustle? You’re not alone—building a business shouldn’t mean burning out or hiding your real self. There’s a smarter way to get seen, make an impact, and still have energy left for life. Brittany Herzberg started with zero clients and a lot of doubt, but a few smart SEO moves changed everything. Now known as the “SEO Queen,” she’s on a mission to help you use simple, human-centered SEO to get found, attract the right people, and grow your business—no matter your energy level or experience. Her approach flips the script: it’s about your story, your voice, and making SEO work for you. Tune in for real talk on SEO basics, practical website tips, content that connects, and how to show up online without losing yourself. You’ll get honest advice, a few laughs, and the confidence to let your words do the heavy lifting—so hit play and start getting found, your way. Connect with Donna: Website: https://www.donnapiper.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnapiper Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedonnapiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedonnapiper YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedonnapiper Episode Highlights: 03:49 Meet Brittany: From Struggling to Getting Found 06:15 Breaking Down the Basics: 3 Questions That Matter 14:00 Chronic Illness & Business: Making It Work Even When You’re Tired 19:46 DIY SEO: Simple Strategies Anyone Can Use 23:04 How to Spot Bad SEO Help 27:05 Blending Personality with SEO 32:48 How Long Does SEO Take? The Three-Phase Approach 36:21 No Social Media? How SEO Still Works 42:48 AI & SEO: Why Optimization Still Matters 53:48 SEO is the Magnet: Attracting the Right People 57:51 Business Building Despite Chronic Illness 01:05:09 No Apologies Needed 01:09:17 Make SEO Fun, Simple, and Yours X: Tired of hustling for every client? Let SEO work for you—even on your worst days in this week’s episode with Donna and “SEO Queen”, Brittany Herzberg. #DearBodyImListening #MCAS #Lymphedema #Lipedema #ChronicIllness #SEOTips #OnlineVisibility #BusinessGrowth #WomenInBusiness Quotes: 08:23 "The three questions are: Who do you help? How do you help them? And what do you want to be known for?" —Brittany Herzberg 09:57 "You want your client to come buy stuff, but you have to really put yourself first. How do you want to be searched?" —Donna Piper 10:29 "You do not have to know anything about your ideal client. You are starting with you." —Brittany Herzberg 11:23 "It starts with you. What do you want to get found for? What do you want to open your schedule and see, and what projects do you want to be working on?" —Brittany Herzberg 15:20 "Chronic illness is super expensive. When you're sick, you still need to eat, you still need to make rent, and you have to pay all this extra money to get healthy." —Donna Piper 18:40 "There are lots of chronic illnesses where that's the case, and you do feel really bad. I know I felt really bad when I would have to cancel massage appointments or push deadlines for clients." —Brittany Herzberg 19:17 "You don't have to worry about that with SEO, because it's just plugging words into these different places. You can optimize stuff that you already have." —Brittany Herzberg 21:46 "Even just by having image titles change, the impact and the quickness of the impact, the fast turnaround, the fast ROI, is so huge for people." —Brittany Herzberg 24:49 "You want to know that you're spending money on something that is going to actually happen." —Brittany Herzberg 26:57 "I blend really well, making sure the personality is there and the keyword. So it's like the art and the science are both present." —Brittany Herzberg 38:29 "It's not about the numbers necessarily. It's like, are you attracting the right people, and are they then converting in whatever that converting means?" —Donna Piper 44:05 "SEO can grow with you. Maybe you have this anchor word, but that can change as you go into the next season." —Brittany Herzberg 44:23 “Once SEO is in place, it does all the heavy lifting for you. You just have to make sure that you're still consistent with what you're doing,” —Donna Piper 46:43 "SEO is front-loaded. You're doing a lot of work and putting a lot of time and effort in at the beginning, but then it gets easier, because you've already learned what this stuff even means." —Brittany Herzberg 54:19 "At the end of the day, if people can't find you, it doesn't matter how awesome you are." —Donna Piper 01:03:05 "If it's time to leave and you're getting the hint that it's time to leave, it's okay to end it. It was good for the time that it was in your life; you can go on to do something else." —Brittany Herzberg 01:07...
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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • The Pain You Can’t See: Lipedema Hurts Like Hell

    The Pain You Can’t See: Lipedema Hurts Like Hell
    Aug 13 2025

    “The pain I carry is real, and I no longer have to carry it in silence." —Donna Piper

    How do you explain pain that no one can see? Lipedema isn’t “just extra weight”—it’s burning thighs, unexplained bruises, stabbing aches, and heaviness so dense it changes how you move through the world. This is the reality behind the polite smiles and quiet endurance.

    With unflinching honesty, Donna gives language to a pain that millions silently carry. She reveals how her lipedema symptoms were mistaken for lifestyle issues, while the truth was a chronic, progressive illness impacting every part of her life—from digestion to mobility.

    If you’ve ever been told you “look fine” while your body feels like a war zone, this conversation is for you. Hit play now to learn the signs, challenge the myths, and find solidarity in a community that sees you.

    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:

    01:20 Lipedema: The Physical and Emotional Toll

    03:43 Acknowledging and Validating Pain

    05:14 Creating a Supportive Community

    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.

    X:

    Pain doesn’t have to look loud to be true. Lipedema is real— and it hurts like hell! In this episode, Donna exposes lipedema’s hidden pain & daily fight. Listen now. #DearBodyImListeningPodcast #Lymphedema #lipedema #MCAS #ChronicIllness #BodyAdvocacy #PainIsReal #PainValidation #HealthEquity #ChronicPain

    Quotes:

    01:46 “Lipedema pain just isn't uncomfortable. It hurts like hell— and not just sometimes." —Donna Piper

    02:16 "The worst part is being told you're fine." —Donna Piper

    03:09 "Lipedema is an excruciating, underdiagnosed, soul-bruising condition that deserves better awareness. End of story; full stop." —Donna Piper

    03:35 "Chronic pain doesn't always look loud." —Donna Piper

    03:46 "We're masters of masking. We smile with pain levels at 7, 8, 9, 10." —Donna Piper

    03:59 "Just because someone isn't writhing on the floor doesn't mean their pain isn't real." —Donna Piper

    04:04 "Pain doesn't have to be performative to be valid." —Donna Piper

    05:01 "The pain I carry is real, and I no longer have to carry it in silence." —Donna Piper

    05:22 "You're not crazy, you're not lazy, and you're definitely not alone." —Donna Piper

    Meet 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 safe 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.
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    7 mins
  • Ground Control for Bendy Bodies: How to Move Without Pain (Finally!) with Dr. Melissa Koehl

    Ground Control for Bendy Bodies: How to Move Without Pain (Finally!) with Dr. Melissa Koehl
    Aug 6 2025
    "You have to give your body the time to repair between sessions and respect from a cellular perspective how much energy they can effectively produce on any given day." —Dr. Melissa Koehl Why does exercise leave you in more pain—even when you're doing 'everything right’? If you’re hypermobile, traditional fitness advice might be sabotaging your body instead of healing it. The truth? Bendy bodies need a whole new rulebook for movement—one that prioritizes stability over stretching and rest over reps. Dr. Melissa Koehl is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Pilates instructor, and founder of Chimera Health. With 24 years of experience—and her own late-stage EDS diagnosis—Melissa bridges clinical expertise with hard-won personal insight to redefine what "healthy movement" really means for connective tissue disorders. Ready to finally move without pain? Tune in to uncover why less is more, how to spot the hidden signs of overexertion, and the game-changing strategies Dr. Melissa uses to help her clients reclaim strength (and sanity). Connect with Donna: Website: https://www.donnapiper.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnapiper Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedonnapiper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedonnapiper YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedonnapiper Episode Highlights: 04:09 Melissa’s Journey Living with Hypermobility 07:15 The Ground Control Program 10:26 Common Symptoms and Misconceptions of Hypermobility 21:13 The Role of Rest and Recovery in Hypermobility 32:08 The Importance of Diagnosis and Self-Advocacy 36:31 Resources and Support for Patients 39:43 You Are an Orchid, Not a Dandelion Resources: Ground Control is starting again in October: https://www.chimera-health.com/ground-control-october-2025-waitlist Two courses that are always available: Navigating Healthcare as a Hypermobile Human: https://www.chimera-health.com/NavigatingHealthcareChimeraFit Video library: https://www.chimera-health.com/ChimeraFit-Video-Library X: If your joints are 'too flexible' but your pain is relentless, you’ve been lied to about exercise. Hypermobility isn’t just about bendy limbs—it’s fatigue, brain fog, and a body that rebels against normal workouts. Doctor of Physical Therapy and Pilates Instructor, Dr. Melissa Koehl, drops truth bombs on the shocking links between EDS, mast cells, and why your PT might be missing the big picture. Listen now to learn how to move smarter, not harder. #DearBodyImListening #MCAS #Lymphedema #Lipedema #ChronicIllness #dysautonomia #hypermobility #painmanagement #EDS Quotes: 02:54 "Even though I had been hypermobile my whole life, I had no idea it affected my daily living as much as it did." —Donna Piper 04:52 "I definitely didn't know anything about EDS or connective tissue disorders or anything like that. It just really like it made sense to me that, because I was bendy, I might have more injuries." —Dr. Melissa Koehl 11:40 "I think a big thing is understanding that your body shouldn't be in pain all the time." —Dr. Melissa Koehl 12:17 "Fatigue is a huge common symptom of hypermobility. I have yet to meet a patient or client of mine that doesn't struggle with it in a very serious way." —Dr. Melissa Koehl 17:02 "If more of your blood is hanging out in your feet and at the bottom of your pelvis, not as much as getting back up to your heart and up to your head, and that's a big driver of brain fog and fatigue as well." —Dr. Melissa Koehl 21:40 "It's not just your muscles that you're working out when we move, it's all of the tendons and the ligaments and the fascia, all of it needs to repair." —Dr. Melissa Koehl 22:24 "You have to give your body the time to repair between sessions and respect from a cellular perspective how much energy they can effectively produce on any given day." —Dr. Melissa Koehl 30:00 "There's a misconception that hypermobility spectrum disorder is a lesser than diagnosis than hypermobile EDS, when in fact, they are two completely overlapping things. " —Dr. Melissa Koehl 40:33 "I think the one important thing that everyone benefits from hearing is that it's not your fault." —Dr. Melissa Koehl 41:31 "There are extra things that need to be considered with a connective tissue issue. It is more challenging; give yourself the time to find the providers that truly understand it. “Give yourself the time to rest without apology, give your body the rest that it needs." —Dr. Melissa Koehl 43:40 "You don't need joint dislocations to have connective tissue disorder." —Dr. Melissa Koehl 46:10 “These symptoms are just not normal, so symptom management is huge. You don't have to be a pain all the time.” —Donna Piper Connect with Melissa: Melissa Koehl is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Pilates instructor based in Chicago, IL, with over 24 years of experience. She's a board-certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist and spent more than a decade ...
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    49 mins
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