Imagine waking up exhausted, even after a full night’s sleep.

Your body hurts. Your mind is foggy. Simple things feel harder than they should.

And still, you’re expected to keep going.

That’s the reality for many people living with autoimmune disease.

Autoimmune diseases affect an estimated 50 million people in the United States, with women and under-resourced communities disproportionately impacted. Yet many still face delays in diagnosis and gaps in care.

Before getting into what was shared during the workshop, it’s important to understand what a flare actually is and why it matters.

What is an Autoimmune Flare?

A flare, or flare-up, is a period when symptoms suddenly worsen or become more active.

It can show up as fatigue, brain fog, pain, inflammation, digestive issues, or changes in heart rate.

Flares don’t look the same for everyone. They are rarely caused by one thing.

Reframing the Conversation

The workshop opened with Tosha Dearbone of Positive Express, setting the tone for everything that followed.

Positive Express focuses on emotional wellness and trauma-informed practices, helping people understand how stress and lived experience show up in the body. Tosha’s work centers on grounding, self-awareness, and practical tools people can use in real time.

That perspective is also shaped by lived experience. As someone navigating autoimmune disease herself, she brings both professional training and personal understanding into the room. It changes how the work is delivered, not just what is said, but how it is felt and received.

She opened with a core shift that carried through the entire session.

“A flare is not failure. It’s feedback.”

The Love Lens built on that. Notice how you speak to yourself during a flare. Compare it to how you would speak to someone you love. Then begin to close that gap.

The message was consistent and clear. Your body is not the enemy. Rest is not weakness. Your worth is not tied to what you produce.

This aligns with what we know from trauma-informed care: the body responds to perceived threat, not just physical triggers. Chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation can directly influence inflammation and symptom severity.

From Framework to Lived Experience

That foundation led into my story.

I’ve lived the push and crash cycle. You push through fatigue, ignore early signals, and then the body forces a stop. You don’t realize the cost until your body forces you to stop.

Over time, patterns become harder to ignore.

Flares aren’t random. They build. Stress, sleep, hormones, environment, emotional load, it stacks.

The work becomes noticing earlier and responding sooner.

That’s where AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) and elimination diets came in. Not as rules to follow forever, but as tools to help me understand what was actually happening in my body.

Why Being in the Room Matters

That shifts how illness is processed. It reduces isolation and makes it easier to recognize patterns you might miss on your own.

It also shows why collaboration matters.

Positive Express brought a trauma-informed lens. The AIP BIPOC Network brought lived experience and community context.

Together, it created something more complete, where education, experience, and support all met in one place.

Final Reflection

This workshop didn’t offer quick fixes. It offered a shift.

A shift in how the body is understood, how flares are interpreted, and how worth is defined.

If you’ve ever questioned your body, pushed past its limits, or tied your value to what you can produce, this conversation was for you.

And it’s one we will continue, because this work doesn’t stop in one room.

You are worthy beyond the flare.

If this resonates, stay connected. Join the community, attend an upcoming session, or explore more About us, Our Approach and Our Programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an autoimmune flare?
A flare is a period when symptoms intensify or become more active. It is the body responding to internal or external stressors, not failing.

What triggers autoimmune flares?
Flares are usually influenced by multiple factors working together, including stress, lack of sleep, hormonal shifts, environmental exposures, and emotional load.

Can you have flare symptoms without a diagnosis?
Yes. Many people experience flare-like patterns before receiving a formal diagnosis. These patterns should be taken seriously and evaluated by a healthcare provider.

Why are autoimmune diseases often misunderstood?
Symptoms vary widely and are often invisible. Many people, especially in under-resourced communities, experience delayed diagnoses and are dismissed in healthcare settings.

What is the push and crash cycle?
It is a pattern of pushing through symptoms, ignoring early warning signs, and then experiencing a more severe flare that requires longer recovery.

What is the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)?
The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) is a structured elimination and reintroduction approach designed to help identify foods and lifestyle factors that may trigger symptoms. It focuses on removing common inflammatory triggers for a period of time, then gradually reintroducing them to observe how your body responds. AIP is not a cure or a permanent diet. It’s a tool to build awareness, reduce symptom burden for some people, and support more informed, individualized choices over time.