Not all Trauma comes from direct experience. Sometimes, it builds slowly from holding space for others, from advocacy, from caring so deeply it drains you. In this honest and eye-opening episode, Lyndsay Soprano sits down with Elizabeth Gaines to unpack the emotional toll of showing up for survivors—while trying to stay afloat.

Elizabeth opens up about her work in the nonprofit space, the Burnout that followed, and how functional diagnostic testing helped her uncover the hidden stressors wreaking havoc on her Health. Together, they talk about the blind spots in conventional medicine, the necessity of rest, and why survivors and supporters alike deserve agency in their healing.

This conversation is a reminder that being strong doesn’t mean being self-sacrificing. That healing requires boundaries, support, and the courage to choose yourself, even when you’re used to choosing everyone else.

Tune in if you’ve ever felt stretched thin by caring too much, and are ready to reclaim your energy—without guilt.

Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of human trafficking and exploitation.

Episode Highlights:
(00:00) Introduction to Chronic Pain and Trauma
(02:52) The Impact of Trauma on Individuals and Communities
(05:30) Working in Nonprofit Trauma Recovery
(08:34) Challenges Faced by Nonprofit Workers
(11:15) The Journey to Functional Medicine
(13:53) Understanding Functional Diagnostic Testing
(16:35) The Role of Lifestyle in Health
(19:46) The Importance of Rest and Recovery
(22:20) Navigating the Healthcare System
(25:33) The Need for Comprehensive Health Solutions
(28:11) Finding the Right Health Practitioner
(31:15) The Importance of Community and Support
(33:50) Conclusion and Call to Action

Find Elizabeth Gaines Online Here:
Website: www.functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com
Instagram: @fdntraining
LinkedIn: Functional Diagnostic Nutrition
YouTube: FDN | Functional Lab Training Program
Podcast: The Health Detective Podcast

Find The Pain Game Podcast Online Here:
Website: thepaingamepodcast.com
Instagram: @thepaingamepodcast
Facebook: The Pain Game Podcast
LinkedIn: Lyndsay Soprano
YouTube: The Pain Game Podcast

Subscribe on YouTube | Merch Shop is OPEN!! | COMING SOON: The Pain Hub – A Women’s Healing Community. Subscribe Now!

Unfiltered convos. Dark humor. Real healing. 
This is where pain meets purpose — and you’re not doing it alone.

++

Want to be a guest on Giving Pain Purpose with Lyndsay Soprano? Send her a message on PodMatch, here: 

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Lyndsay Soprano Lyndsay Soprano, Host of Giving Pain Purpose and Founder of The Pain Hub

Lyndsay Soprano is a bold, unfiltered voice in the chronic pain and trauma recovery space—transforming unimaginable suffering into unstoppable advocacy. She’s the founder and host of Giving Pain Purpose, a raw and riveting show that dives into the realities of living in—and rising from—chronic pain, trauma, and invisible illness.

Diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) in 2017—one of the most painful conditions on the McGill Pain Scale—Lyndsay is also a survivor of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse, infertility, depression, anxiety, and divorce. She’s walked through hell more than once—and set up a mic right in the middle of it.

Her mantra, “The only way out…is through,” isn’t just podcast fodder—it’s a way of life. After years lost to misdiagnoses and failed surgeries, she took healing into her own hands, choosing a trauma-informed, integrative approach that blends grit, grace, and humor.

She brings over two decades of entrepreneurial and creative firepower as the owner of Bound-by Marketing, launched in 2000. With degrees in Communications, Creative Writing, Vocal Performance, and an MBA in International Sales + Marketing, Lyndsay knows how to tell stories that stick—and heal.

Lyndsay is not here to sugarcoat the journey. She’s here to give pain purpose—and to help her audience and guests feel seen, understood, and not alone.