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Christina P. Kantzavelos 🌼 Integrative Chronic Illness Therapist

@beginwithintoday

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ᕱ Healing Beyond Diagnosis ✦ Lyme • CIRS • ME/ CFS • POTS • EDS • MCAS
✦ Trauma + Neurodivergent Care
🍄 Integration
✿ #BeginWithinJournal
↡ Waitlist

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The world is a better place with you in it. 🤎

In times when you don’t feel this to be true, I’d like you to take a deep breath and remember that thoughts and feelings aren’t always facts, they are simply information. They also don’t last forever, kind of like clouds passing by. This goes for physical pain too. In these moments, you can call someone from your support system, a friend, family member, sponsor, coach, therapist, join a group or call a hotline (please see the ones listed below).

You are not alone in this. You are worthy of thriving, and of feeling good.

Access and Crisis Line: 2-1-1 + 8-1-1
Chronic Illness Hotline (202) 596-6520
Non-Medical Companion Listening Line 800-565-9731
National Suicide Helpline 1-800-273-8255, or text HELLO TO 839863.

#BeThe1To #BeThe1ToAsk #suicideprevention #suicideawareness by @beginwithintoday

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4 years ago

🩷 My name is Christina, and I became the therapist I wish I had when I was really sick. I am here to say, that I believe you (and won’t tell you it’s all in your head), and you don’t have to do this alone.

💌Comment “Spoons” and I will send you my FREE comprehensive resource guide filled with helpful/ accessible resources I’ve accumulated over the years, to help support anyone’s chronic illness journey.

I had so much more that I could add to this reel, and maybe a part 2 will happen in the future. But until then, I used up all my spoons to make this and need a solid nap (P.S. Ofc I’m going to tell you that rest IS productive). Love you💕🫶✨🦋

***For those asking, I do have a couple of open (virtual only) spots right now for those in California, Oregon, Washington and Internationally (Coaching available in all other states). However, I only accept cash pay, or PPO (in states I am licensed in) through @advekit 💕I’ve also received messages/ comments asking if I accept medi-cal/ Medicare (sadly, I don’t bc of the very low reimbursement rates). I wouldn’t not be able to sustainably do this work with that pay, while managing my health. I do offer sliding scale fees, but all of the spots are currently filled (feel free to message me if you’d like to hop on the waiting list).

Alternative options: @laurenselfridgetherapy has a list of chronic illness-literate therapists on her website who may accept diff insurances, and @the.chronicillnesstherapist is also a great resource. For low-income options, @openpathpsychotherapy offers low-income therapy options. I also co-facilitate a free monthly virtual support group @sandiegolymealliance that anyone can join. 💟 taken in Joshua Tree, California by @beginwithintoday

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3 years ago

Shop the Begin Within Journals TODAY!📔💕📚
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✨An empowering wellness journal for those living life with chronic illness, or for anyone who is interested in the mind-body-spirit connection.
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✨Created by a Psychotherapist and Spoonie
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✨Two covers. Four types of journals. All the same amazing prompts.
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✨Document everything from your vitals, nutrition, mood, medications, symptoms, challenges, and accomplishments with a focus on gratitude and self-love. The perfect reference tool, and a great way to connect the dots in your health.
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✨In addition, a portion of each journal sale is donated to an organization that promotes advocacy, research, and resources to/for the chronic illness community.
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✨Wholesale orders are now available!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✨An empowering wellness journal for those living life with chronic illness, or for anyone would like to connect the dots in their health
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✨Two covers. Four types of journals. All the same amazing prompts.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✨Document everything from your vitals, nutrition, mood, medications, symptoms, challenges, and accomplishments with a focus on gratitude and self-love. The perfect reference tool, and a great way to connect the dots in your health.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✨In addition, a portion of each journal sale is donated to an organization that promotes advocacy, research, and resources to/for the chronic illness community.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✨USE CODE JOURNAL10 FOR 10% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER!
Thank you for supporting a women/spoonie-owned, USA-made, eco-friendly, small business. As well as the charitable organizations we get to donate a portion of proceeds to each season.
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Wishing you health, healing, joy, love, peace, wisdom and happiness
xChristina, @beginwithintoday taken in Joshua Tree, California by @beginwithintoday

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3 years ago

“One therapy style will not heal everyone - and if it didn’t work for you, that does not mean you’re broken.”

Tag someone who needs to hear it. A lot of trauma survivors get told, “this approach heals all.”

That’s just not true. Some people need:
a body-based approach
a mind-based approach
a spiritual repair approach
a combo of all three

And with psychedelic work, trauma training matters even more.

Preparation, support, and integration are not optional - they’re what make the work safe.If one path stalled, it just means you haven’t found your path yet. There are many ways to heal.

#TraumaHealing #TraumaInformedCare #PsychedelicIntegration #HealingJourney #MentalHealthMatters

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A giant thank you to our sponsor

@janerunsclinics – Simple EMR with no contracts or hidden fees. Free onboarding + data imports.
👉 https://janesoftware.partnerlinks.io/Socials | Code GUY1MO by @beginwithintoday

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a day ago

If you’re curious about psychedelics, save this—because the real work is not the substance, it’s the person holding the experience.

A psychedelic can open a door. It can also open wounds you weren’t ready to look at.

The medicine is powerful, but it’s not magic. And if you treat it like a shortcut, you can miss the whole point.

What do you think people misunderstand most about psychedelics?

Full conversation in bio.
#psychedelictherapy #mentalhealthmatters #healingjourney #integrationmatters #wellnessconversation

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A giant thank you to our sponsor

@janerunsclinics – Simple EMR with no contracts or hidden fees. Free onboarding + data imports.
👉 https://janesoftware.partnerlinks.io/Socials | Code GUY1MO by @beginwithintoday

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2 days ago

A client shared this poem by @liz_newman_writer_ and it definitely emcompasses what #invisibleillnesses and #chronicillness can feel like ❤️‍🩹 taken in Lisbon, Portugal by @beginwithintoday

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9 days ago

“Personal sovereignty is the ability to say no and yes to self, and no and yes to others.”

As a recovering codependent, people pleaser, and fawner, I have spent a lot of my life learning what it means to come back to myself. To notice when I am overriding my own knowing, abandoning a need, masking, or saying yes when something inside me is clearly saying no.

In sitting with and relating to this definition of ‘self sovereignty’, I realize it’s less about being independent and more about being deeply connected to myself while still being in relationship with others.

Biteena shared that she first heard this definition in a webinar with Dr. Roshi Fleet Maull @fleetmaull (author of Radical Responsibilty) through his Neurosomatic Mindfulness course.

Maybe this is an invitation for all of us to notice where we are saying yes when we mean no, no when we mean yes, or abandoning ourselves somewhere in between.

Thank you @biteenafrazier @dbkendra , for bringing this into our circle and giving me something to contemplate. 🤍P.S. Her substack is amazing and worth a follow 📖 by @beginwithintoday

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18 days ago

In life, we all encounter experiences we never would have consciously chosen, and sometimes those experiences can change the entire course we thought we were on.

Grief, shock, trauma, confusion, and sadness can alter the way we move through the world. They can leave us feeling lost, exhausted, angry, afraid, or disconnected from the person we used to be. They can make ordinary moments feel overwhelming and familiar people and places feel strangely unfamiliar.

Sometimes, we mourn not only what happened, but also what we thought our lives would look like. We grieve the future we imagined, the sense of safety we once had, and the version of ourselves who existed before everything changed.

We don’t have to call those things “blessings,” and we don’t have to believe they happened for a reason. We don’t have to rush to find meaning in our pain or pretend that we are grateful for what hurt us.

Some days, simply getting through is enough.

Healing may not look like returning to who we were before. It may look like learning to trust ourselves again, making room for complicated emotions, and slowly discovering that joy and sorrow can exist in the same heart.

What we often realize through the process is that we are still capable of creating something beautiful from a life that didn’t unfold exactly as planned. Not because the pain was beautiful, but because we continued to live, feel, hope, and move forward despite it.

The rocks may change the way the water moves, but they don’t take away its ability to flow. ❤️

P.S. #orridodibellano is the epitome of bello 🇮🇹 taken in Orrido di Bellano by @beginwithintoday

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24 days ago

"Curiosity and fear cannot coexist."

My guest Christina Kantzavelos, LCSW, shares why being curious is an important part of healing.

She explains that taking the time to research the nervous system or start a journaling practice can directly benefit your recovery. You deserve to get to know yourself as best as possible.

Listen to our full conversation to learn more about managing medical trauma and chronic stress.

🎧 The link to the full podcast episode is in my bio!

#MedicalTrauma #NervousSystemRegulation #TraumaRecovery #ChristinaKantzavelos #MedicalTraumaSupport by @beginwithintoday

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a month ago

Have you ever wondered why everything feels scary after a medical trauma?

It is easy to think there is something wrong with you when you are experiencing a chronic stress response. But the truth is, your nervous system is just having a normal reaction to an abnormal situation.

In my latest podcast episode with Christina Kantzavelos, LCSW, we discuss how medical trauma causes your nervous system to become hypervigilant. We also talk about how learning to soothe your nervous system can increase your window of tolerance, allowing you to experience joy and gratitude again.

Swipe through to learn more about how your body responds to trauma, and remember that you are always the expert on your own body.

Listen to the full conversation on the Medical Trauma Support Podcast. 🎧 The link is in my bio!

#MedicalTraumaSupport #NervousSystemRegulation #TraumaRecovery #ChronicIllness #ChristinaKantzavelos by @beginwithintoday

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a month ago

✨ New Episode— GRIEF Ladies #52: The Connection Between Unprocessed Grief and Physical Illness with @beginwithintoday

When you're in the middle of grief, it can be hard to imagine ever feeling differently.

In this clip, Christina Kantzavelos shares a reminder that helped her move through difficult moments: everything shifts and changes.

That doesn't mean the pain disappears or that grief suddenly becomes easier. But the way you experience it can change over time.

Sometimes we don't need to know exactly when things will feel different. We just need to remember that today is not necessarily forever.

🎧 Episode 52 is now available — link in bio.

#grief #griefsupport #griefjourney #healingjourney #griefpodcast by @beginwithintoday

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a month ago

Have you felt like something is “wrong” with you after a stressful medical experience?

Learning about your nervous system is a powerful step you can take to feel better.

I share how recognizing my body's natural stress response helped me realize my physical reactions were completely normal. Understanding your nervous system empowers you to soothe yourself and reduce anxiety.

Listen to my full conversation with Christina Kantzavelos, LCSW, to learn how understanding your body can support your recovery.

🎧 The link to the full podcast episode is in my bio!

#MedicalTrauma #NervousSystemRegulation #TraumaRecovery #ChronicStress #MedicalTraumaSupport by @beginwithintoday

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a month ago