The Balanced Homies

About The Balanced Homies

Welcome to The Balanced Homies! Where science meets humanity, & healing meets community. I'm Dr. Celeste Santillan, a neurologic-pelvic floor physical therapist sharing the science behind dysautonomia, ADHD, neurodivergence, concussion, EDS, chronic fatigue syndrome, pelvic health, and medical gaslighting; along with my own journey navigating dysautonomia & learning to advocate for myself. Together, we'll connect the dots, laugh a little, & remind you that your body isn't crazy, lazy, or making it up, it may just be asking for a different conversation. Subscribe & become one of the homies.

Publisher

Dr. Celeste Santillan, PT, NCS

Category

health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

1 Jul 2026

Latest episode

17 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

10 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   17 Oct 2026

   9. Could Your Neck Be Affecting Your Dysautonomia?

   You have dysautonomia… but has anyone actually checked your neck? 👀 I kept noticing a pattern in the clinic: some patients with dizziness, concussion, chronic pain, and dysautonomia would have changes in more than just their neck pain when we addressed the cervical spine. So naturally, my neuro-PT brain went: WHY? In Episode 9 of The Balanced Homies, I’m connecting the dots between your neck, vestibular system, baroreflex, blood pressure, heart rate, and autonomic nervous system. We also get into some of the theories floating around about cervical instability, the vagus nerve, and CSF—and what the research actually supports so far. The takeaway? Your neck may be one piece of the puzzle, but that does NOT mean your neck is causing your dysautonomia. #dysautonomia #POTS #neckpain #concussion #vestibularrehab

2. 

   3 Oct 2026

   8. Asking for Help Saved My Life: My Mental Health Story

   I was helping other people heal while quietly struggling with my own mental health. In this episode, I get vulnerable about experiencing suicidal thoughts while dealing with severe dysautonomia, the fear and stigma that kept me from wanting to seek help, and the people who helped me find my way back. I also talk about something we don't discuss enough: patients aren't the only ones struggling in healthcare. Healthcare providers are human too. We see death. We experience verbal and physical abuse. We work under intense productivity expectations. We watch people go home to situations we know aren't ideal and then we're expected to walk into the next room and keep going. This episode is about patients, providers, addiction, medical gaslighting, therapy, nature, community, and why asking for help is not weakness. Sometimes people don't need another person telling them to "push through." They need someone willing to listen. There is hope. Find your people. Ask for help. You don't have to carry everything alone. Stay balanced, homies. 💚

3. 

   11 Sept 2026

   What If We Prescribed Sleep Like Medicine? | Dysautonomia & Recovery

   You slept 8 hours…so why are you still exhausted? In this episode, I sit down with my homie, Dr. Jason Karstens, neurologic physical therapist, professor, researcher, and Director of the Neurologic Physical Therapy Residency at A.T. Still University. We connect the dots between sleep, your nervous system, and recovery, including the difference between sleep quantity and quality, deep sleep vs. REM sleep, and why poor sleep can leave your body stuck in fight-or-flight. Jason also shares the ongoing research he's conducting on sleep during inpatient rehabilitation and why sleep may deserve a bigger role in how we think about recovery. If you're dealing with dysautonomia, brain fog, fatigue, chronic pain, concussion, stroke, or you just wake up wondering, “Why am I still tired?”, this one's for you. Stay balanced, homies.

4. 

   23 Aug 2026

   6. Pt. 2: Think You Have Dysautonomia Here’s How They Test for It

   In Part 2, we’re digging deeper into specialized testing, labs, and other clues that can help uncover what’s going on with your autonomic nervous system. Because “normal” results don’t always explain why you still feel off. Let’s keep connecting the dots, homies.

5. 

   11 Aug 2026

   5. Think You Have Dysautonomia? Here’s How They Test for It

   In this episode, we break down how dysautonomia is tested. From tracking your symptoms and vitals to the 10-minute stand test, tilt table test, and more. We’ll also talk about signs your body may already be showing you (i.e. pretzel sign) and why a “normal” test doesn’t always mean nothing is wrong. Learn your patterns, connect the dots, and advocate for yourself, homie.

6. 

   31 Jul 2026

   4. You're Not Lazy, It Might Be ME/CFS

   Feeling exhausted no matter how much you rest? This episode explores ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), one of the most misunderstood chronic illnesses. We'll connect the dots between fatigue, post-exertional malaise, and nervous system dysfunction. You'll learn ways to reduce your risk of medical gaslighting, better understand your body, and advocate for yourself. We'll also discuss how infections, such as COVID-19, along with autoimmune conditions, gut health, nutrient deficiencies, and certain environmental exposures have been linked to ME/CFS. Plus, we'll explore why symptoms can overlap with conditions like POTS and Parkinson's disease.

7. 

   25 Jul 2026

   3. Medical Gaslighting: Why So Many Patients Feel Unheard

   Have you ever been told, "Everything looks normal," but deep down you knew something still wasn't right? If you've been living with dizziness, chronic fatigue, brain fog, pelvic pain, ADHD, neurodivergence, dysautonomia, EDS, concussion symptoms, chronic pain, or another invisible illness, this episode is for you. In this episode of The Balanced Homies, I share my journey through medical gaslighting. Not only as a patient navigating dysautonomia, but also as a neurologic and pelvic floor physical therapist who realized I had my own unconscious biases to overcome. We'll talk about what medical gaslighting really is, why it happens, and the research behind it. We'll explore how healthcare systems, burnout, time pressures, and implicit bias can contribute to patients feeling unheard and why this isn't just a patient problem, but a healthcare problem. I'll also share a practical symptom checklist that you can fill out and bring to your healthcare appointments to help organize your symptoms and communicate your concerns more clearly. My hope is that it helps you advocate for yourself and makes it easier for your healthcare team to see the bigger picture. Whether you're trying to connect the dots about your own health or you're a healthcare professional who wants to provide more compassionate, evidence-informed care, this conversation is an invitation to replace judgment with curiosity, authority with collaboration, and dismissal with listening. Because your body isn't crazy, lazy, or making it up. Stay balanced, homies. ✌🏽

8. 

   14 Jul 2026

   2. Why Your Body Feels So Out of Balance: Understanding Dysautonomia

   Ever feel like your body has a mind of its own? Maybe you've been dizzy, exhausted, shaky, or just know something doesn't feel right. In this episode, we're connecting the dots by exploring what dysautonomia is, how your autonomic nervous system works, the difference between your fight-or-flight and rest-and-recover systems, common symptoms, and how your senses influence the way your body responds to the world around you.

9. 

   2 Jul 2026

   1. I Almost Passed Out While Helping My Patient

   The Story Behind The Balanced Homies In this first episode, I'm sharing the story that changed the direction of my life and career. As a neurologic physical therapist, I almost fainted while helping one of my patients walk. That moment forced me to stop ignoring the symptoms I had been experiencing for years. Like so many others, I was told my tests looked normal. I was told everything was okay. But deep down, I knew something wasn't right. My search for answers eventually led me to dysautonomia, but it also opened my eyes to how difficult it can be to navigate the healthcare system when your symptoms don't fit neatly into one diagnosis. The Balanced Homies was created because I never want someone to feel as alone, dismissed, or hopeless as I once did. Here, we'll connect the dots between dysautonomia, concussion, EDS, pelvic health, chronic pain, ADHD, neurodivergence, medical gaslighting, mental health, and the nervous system, while sharing practical ways to help your body move closer to homeostasis. My mission is simple: help people understand their bodies sooner, advocate for themselves with confidence, and hopefully reduce preventable suffering, hospitalizations, disability, and the feeling that they're "crazy" because no one has connected the dots yet. If you've ever felt like something was wrong but couldn't explain it, this podcast is for you. Welcome to The Balanced Homies. Where science meets humanity, & healing meets community.

10. 

    1 Jul 2026

    The Balanced Homies Trailer

    Welcome to The Balanced Homies! Where science meets humanity, & healing meets community. I'm Dr. Celeste Santillan, a neurologic-pelvic floor physical therapist sharing the science behind dysautonomia, ADHD, neurodivergence, concussion, EDS, chronic fatigue syndrome, pelvic health, and medical gaslighting; along with my own journey navigating dysautonomia & learning to advocate for myself. Together, we'll connect the dots, laugh a little, & remind you that your body isn't crazy, lazy, or making it up, it may just be asking for a different conversation. Subscribe & become one of the homies. Stay balanced, Homies!

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