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In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Peggy Sharr about the multi-layered journey of getting a burning mouth syndrome diagnosis, living with chronic pain, and the profound intersection of Grief and physical Health. Penny joins the podcast from Athens, Georgia. Listeners will gain insights into living with invisible illness, the maze of medical specialists, and the practical strategies Peggy discovered to reclaim agency and hope.
Peggy Sharr is a licensed clinical psychotherapist and the author of The Burning Mouth Syndrome Survival Guide and her new memoir soon to come out, Surviving the Family Kingdom, about growing up in a home-grown religious cult, which she escaped from at twenty-one and rebuilt her life from the bottom up. With more than twenty years of Trauma-focused experience, Peggy blends clinical insight with the raw honesty of someone who has lived through a painful, poorly understood condition herself. Her work helps people navigate fear, medical dismissal, chronic symptoms, and the emotional toll of invisible illness. Peggy lives in Athens, Georgia, where she continues her private practice, writes, paints, and advocates for those searching for Clarity, validation, and hope.
Main Topics Covered:
Quote from the Episode:
“Sitting at a dinner, for example, or going out with friends, I’m sitting there, my mouth is on fire, and everybody’s just talking and enjoying themselves, and I’m just faking it… trying to go along and have a good time and not bring other people down. I’m not going to sit there and go, ‘By the way, everybody, my mouth is on fire.’” — Peggy Sharr
Timestamps:
00:06 Welcome, intros, and where Peggy calls home (Athens, Georgia)
00:58 Comparing Iowa and Georgia; reflections on Southern hospitality
02:13 Experiencing burning mouth syndrome after loss and grief
03:34 Using Dr. Google, self-diagnosis, and examining possible causes
04:41 The persistent, life-altering nature of symptoms
06:08 How foods and drinks affect BMS; coping and dietary adjustments
07:46 Description of burning mouth pain and daily challenges
09:49 Ulcers, lesions, and the frustrations of inconclusive medical visits
11:58 Peggy’s background as a clinical psychotherapist and self-advocacy
13:45 The long road searching for the right diagnosis and effective care
17:06 The meaning of “idiopathic” and the range of secondary BMS causes
18:10 Specialist referrals: MRI, food allergy testing, and the oral pathologist
20:17 Hearing the words “burning mouth syndrome” for the first time
22:32 Life impact: working, masking pain, TMJ, and invisible suffering
27:46 The psychological isolation of chronic invisible pain
34:50 The turning point: the “three years” prognosis and the search for answers
36:30 Diving into research, joining support groups, and lessons from others
41:00 The role of Diet: arginine, lysine, and practical symptom relief
49:33 Why Peggy wrote her book and began sharing her research publicly
54:00 How experiencing chronic pain and loss changed Peggy as a therapist
56:09 Resources for listeners: the BMS survival guide, newsletter, and memoir preview
57:00 Fun wrap-up: hobbies, dancing, painting, and favorite music on vinyl
ABOUT THE SHOW: The Art of Imperfect Adulting elevates the voices of experience by sharing real stories from real people figuring out adult life. Every episode features honest conversations about life’s choices, changes, and challenges—interviews with individuals (not celebrities) who share their personal experiences and insights. Through these authentic stories, listeners find validation, motivation, and inspiration for navigating their own path through modern life. Because there’s a big difference between expert advice and shared experience, and hearing another person’s lived experience helps us feel less alone in our own situations.
CONNECT WITH THE GUEST: www.peggysharr.com
GET PEGGY’S SPECIAL OFFER: If you would like the first three chapters of Peggy’s upcoming memoir Surviving the Family Kingdom for free, you can go to the website www.peggysharr.com/kingdom and sign up on the popup form.
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