137. Celiac Disease and the Traveling Therapist Life: Navigating Food, Anxiety, and Health on the Road with Christina Kantzavelos and Erin Davis

In this special edition of The Traveling Therapist Podcast, Kym Tolson candidly shares the struggles of traveling while living with Celiac disease, a chronic condition that affects how she navigates food and health on the road. She is joined by fellow therapists Erin Davis and Christina Kantzavelos, who also live with Celiac disease, and together they open up about the challenges they face as they balance their nomadic lifestyles with managing a restrictive diet. Each of them shares their personal stories of late diagnoses and the hardships they endured before realizing gluten was the culprit behind years of discomfort and illness. Throughout the episode, they discuss the emotional toll that living with Celiac disease brings, from the anxiety of dining out to the frustration of navigating social situations where food is involved. The conversation sheds light on the daily obstacles of avoiding cross-contamination and how the condition impacts their mental health. Despite the challenges, they also share practical tips for fellow travelers with Celiac, offering both hope and understanding for anyone facing similar struggles on the road.   Key points from this episode: Healing the gut is crucial for improving mental health in chronic illness, as gut issues can significantly impact brain function. Gluten exposure often triggers intense anxiety and PTSD-like symptoms, making it difficult to trust food in social or restaurant settings. Celiac disease causes grief over lost food experiences and social challenges, as managing cross-contamination becomes a constant struggle.   Links Mentioned: - [Find Me Gluten Free App](https://www.findmeglutenfree.com) - [GF Scanner App](https://gfscanner.com) - Christina Kantzavelos' Blog: [Buen Qamino](https://buenqamino.com)   About Christina Kantzavelos: Christina P. Kantzavelos is a licensed psychotherapist (LCSW) writer, artist, and citizen of the world, with a home-base in Joshua Tree, CA. She received her Bachelor’s and Master's of Social Welfare (MSW) from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and her Masters of Library and Information Sciences from San Jose California State University (SJSU).  She’s a first-generation college student, and third culture kid (TCK) holding dual citizenship in Greece/ the EU. She has visited over 35 different countries and documented most of it on social media. However, it was in completing the Camino de Santiago (500-mile pilgrimage across Spain) at the end of 2015, where she realized her strong affinity with writing. She decided to start BuenQamino, an Award-Winning, gluten-free and health-conscious lifestyle, and travel publication.  In her 100% remote clinical practice (@BeginWithinToday), she treats and is an advocate for those with chronic illness and C-PTSD, utilizing various modalities such as EMDR, CA, neural retraining, EFT and others. She recently published 'Begin Within - A Daily Healing Journal' (www.beginwithintoday.com) for those living life with chronic illness or other health-related challenges.   About Erin Davis:  Erin Davis is a seasoned OCD specialist and host of the podcast "Bossing Up: Overcoming OCD." With over 13 years of counseling experience, Erin is dedicated to helping individuals reclaim their lives from OCD through innovative therapies like ICBT and ERP.   Connect with Erin: Website: www.valuedriventherapy.com Podcast: "Bossing Up: Overcoming OCD" YouTube: @ErinDavisCounselingServices LinkedIn: Erin H. Davis Counseling Services PLLC Sponsored by Berries: Say goodbye to the burden of mental health notes with automated note and treatment plan creation! www.berries.icu/therapists Sponsored by Alma: Managing a private practice can be challenging. There are obstacles at every turn — from navigating the credentialing process, to managing finances, to finding new clients. That’s where Alma can help. Alma is on a mission to simplify access to mental health care by focusing first and foremost on supporting clinicians. https://helloalma.com/kym     Connect with me: Instagram: @thetravelingtherapist_kym   The Traveling Therapist Membership: https://kymtolson.kartra.com/page/travelingtherapistmembership   Revolutionize Your Private Practice with AI Course: https://kymtolson.kartra.com/page/ai   Signup to learn more about life as Traveling Therapist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/l2v7c3   The Traveling Therapist Facebook Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/onlineandtraveling/   Bill Like A Boss Insurance Billing Community: https://kymtolson.kartra.com/page/blab   Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcast | Stitcher | Amazon |  Castbox