In this episode of Bend, Snap and Chat, we explore the emotional reality of setting boundaries, protecting your energy, and learning how to exist without constantly over giving. Cristie and Drake have an honest conversation about people pleasing, burnout, chronic illness, emotional exhaustion, and why boundaries are often misunderstood as selfishness instead of self-respect.

Together, they discuss how survival mode, conditioning, and fear of rejection can make boundaries feel uncomfortable, especially for caregivers, empathetic people, and those living with chronic illness or trauma.

We discuss:

• What healthy boundaries actually are
• People pleasing, over giving, and burnout
• Why boundaries feel difficult or uncomfortable
• Energy-draining relationships and emotional exhaustion
• Family dynamics, guilt, and obligation
• Medical boundaries and self-advocacy
• Rest, pacing, and boundaries with yourself
• Practical ways to start protecting your energy

This episode is for anyone struggling with burnout, emotional overwhelm, chronic illness, anxiety, or the pressure to constantly put others first. If you’ve ever felt guilty for needing rest, space, or support, this conversation offers a grounded reminder that protecting your wellbeing is not selfish - it’s necessary.

Well look out folks, this episode is a heavy hitter. Drake and Cristie decided that they would celebrate EDS awareness month in style. Drake’s having a massive post physio chronic pain flare and Cristie’s blood pressure readings could power a loaded freight train. What is going on?! Join them as they talk about the reality of living with this “quirky” chronic disease and see if you can find yourself in any of this insanity. Listener discretion is highly advised 18+ It’s Drakes fault, as Cristie gasps about Drake’s description of his current state of woe. What could go wrong? You know, life bends us all… so lets get into it.

Resources from this episode:

https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@doctorclair

https://www.centrechiropratiquevitalite.ca/

https://hypermobilityexercisesolutions.com/

https://www.thebendypediatrician.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio

https://canadianrdn.ca/bio-page-gail-ouellette/

https://linktr.ee/jeannie_di?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio

https://cproloc.ca/

In this episode of Bend, Snap & Chat, we explore what happens when chronic illness, stress, and survival mode slowly reshape the way we see ourselves. Cristie and Drake have an honest conversation about identity loss, self-compassion, nervous system exhaustion, and learning how to reconnect with the parts of ourselves that still exist underneath pain and burnout.

Together, they discuss the emotional impact of living in survival mode, the harsh inner dialogue many people develop through chronic illness, and why self-love is often less about vanity and more about survival.

We discuss:

• How chronic illness and stress reshape identity
• The inner dialogue created by survival mode
• Guilt, burnout, and the pressure to “push through”
• Reconnecting with the parts of ourselves beyond illness
• Grieving old dreams while creating new ones
• Pacing, adaptation, and redefining success
• Self-forgiveness and nervous system healing
• The healing practice of Ho’oponopono

This episode is for anyone navigating chronic illness, burnout, disability, emotional exhaustion, or major life changes. If you’ve ever felt disconnected from yourself while trying to survive, this conversation offers a compassionate reminder that you are still worthy of love, softness, joy, and new beginnings.

In this episode of Bend, Snap and Chat, we explore how to stay connected in a divided world and why joy can be a powerful form of resistance. Inspired by the life of Josephine Baker, we talk about community, emotional resilience, and how choosing connection over division can transform how we experience difficult times.

We discuss:

• Why the world feels increasingly polarized
• The emotional impact of disconnection and isolation
• How community supports healing and resilience
• Matriarchal energy and the shift from competition to collaboration
• Practical ways to build connection and protect your energy

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or searching for hope, this episode offers a grounded, empowering perspective on how we move forward - together.

Anyone living with chronic illness has heard it.

“Have you tried this diet?”

Cristie and Drake unpack the endless stream of well-meaning advice about food, supplements, and miracle solutions, and discuss the complicated relationship between nutrition and chronic conditions.

In this episode we talk about:

• unsolicited advice and miracle cures


• the emotional side of food and illness


• navigating conflicting nutrition information


• finding what actually works for your body

For many people living with chronic illness, the hardest part isn’t the condition itself. It’s navigating the medical system.

In this episode of Bend, Snap and Chat, Cristie and Drake talk about medical PTSD, the emotional toll of repeated dismissals, and why patients are often labeled “dramatic” when they are simply trying to survive.

In this episode we explore:

• moment trust in the system starts to crack


• the emotional toll of being dismissed


• why medical trauma is rarely acknowledged

• how people rebuild trust in their own instincts

Dating is complicated enough. Add chronic illness or physical limitations into the mix and things get even more interesting.

Cristie and Drake explore how illness affects relationships, intimacy, and vulnerability, and how honesty and humour help navigate modern dating.

Along the way they also dive into how changing expectations around masculinity, independence, and attraction are reshaping relationships today.

In this episode we talk about:

• when and how to disclose illness while dating


• navigating intimacy with chronic pain and fatigue


• vulnerability, trust, and relationship dynamics


• modern masculinity and shifting dating expectations


Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is often described with one word: flexible.
But living with EDS is far more complex than hypermobility.

In this episode of Bend, Snap and Chat, Cristie and Drake share their lived experiences navigating Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and the many ways it affects the body. From joint instability to nervous system dysfunction, they talk about how connective tissue disorders can impact nearly every system, every cell, and every part of daily life.

They also explore the common “trifecta” many patients experience - EDS, POTS, and MCAS - and what it’s like learning to live in a body that doesn’t always follow the rules.

In this episode we talk about:

• what Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome actually is


• how EDS affects multiple systems throughout the body


• the EDS, POTS, and MCAS “trifecta” many patients experience


• common misconceptions and diagnostic challenges


• the everyday realities of living with connective tissue disorders