#14 The Pain You Can't Explain: How Hidden Stress Affects Your Body
In Conversation with Dr. Lucía Macchia
Hello friends,
You know those moments when everything should feel fine—you're meditating, you're journaling, you're trying to be present—and yet, something still feels off? Like you’re carrying a weight you can’t quite name?
That’s the feeling I brought into this week’s episode of Repeat That Again Please.
What started as a search for someone to unpack the long-term effects of lockdown evolved into a powerful and unexpected conversation with Dr. Lucía Macchia—a behavioral scientist whose work explores the connection between emotional stress, societal pressure, and physical pain.
Together, we dig into something many of us are living through but rarely put words to: the way invisible, low-level stress sits in our bodies… and how that unspoken tension can show up as real, physical pain—even when there’s no medical explanation.
Dr. Lucía brings both the science and the soul. Her research combines psychology and behavioral economics, and she’s deeply invested in understanding how social and economic pressures shape our wellbeing.
But, this isn’t just an academic chat.
This episode is a slow burn—in the best way. It starts gently and ends somewhere rich, revealing, and honestly, a bit mind-altering. We talk about:
Why traditional self-care tools sometimes fall short
The silent pressure of productivity and uncertainty
How community, gratitude, and belonging impact your nervous system
What it really means to live well when society isn’t built for wellness
So if you’ve ever felt like no amount of breathwork is helping, or you’re tired of pretending “rest” always equals “recovery”—this one’s for you.
🎧 Listen now →
As always, I’d love to know what lands for you. Are you feeling that invisible tension too? What helps you release it?
Hit reply or leave a comment—I really do read them all.
With warmth,
Genelle
Host of Repeat That Again Please