The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast Why ME/CFS Isn’t Just Tiredness: A Psychologist Breaks It Down
ME/CFS isn’t just tiredness, it’s a life-changing, often misunderstood neurological condition that impacts everything from mobility and cognition to emotional wellbeing. In this episode, clinical psychologist Dr Beth Godwin shares her powerful lived experience with ME/CFS, including how it affected her career, identity, and day-to-day life. We discuss spoon theory, post-exertional malaise, pacing, and how to offer meaningful support to those living with chronic fatigue. Whether you’re a psychologist, aspiring psych, or someone navigating illness yourself, this episode is an honest, compassionate guide to understanding ME/CFS better.
#chronicfatiguesyndrome #MECFS #PostViralFatigue #MentalHealthPodcast
Whether you’re a psychologist, aspiring professional, friend, or someone navigating chronic illness, this episode is a must-listen.
⏱️ Timestamps:
- 00:00 – What is ME/CFS and what does it affect?
- 04:16 – Long COVID vs ME stigma
- 06:47 – Identity loss and emotional grief
- 08:14 – Perfectionism, pressure, and post-viral burnout
- 13:57 – What a bad day with ME/CFS might look like
- 17:20 – The emotional toll of having to cancel plans
- 19:55 – How to support someone living with ME/CFS
- 22:46 – Can aspiring psychologists train with this condition?
- 24:44 – Spoon theory and pacing explained
- 30:49 – What not to do: graded exercise therapy
- 33:18 – Life after diagnosis: how Beth reshaped her career
- 36:17 – Free resources and where to follow Beth
Links:
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