But You Look So Good

Two psychologists on a mission to illuminate the realities of living with chronic health conditions. Hosted by Sally Shaw and Seona Ilalio, both living with chronic conditions themselves. They lead Livology, a private practice specialising in psychological support for those navigating chronic health challenges. Tune in to hear candid conversations and professional insights designed to create community and connection within the chronic health conditions population.

Latest Episodes:

An Interview with Sophie - Navigating Hearing Loss and a Changed World Mar 09, 2026

Show notes

In this episode we speak with Sophie, who shares her story of navigating multiple health diagnoses from her teenage years and the profound life changes that followed, including losing her hearing in her 20s.

Sophie reflects on how these experiences reshaped the way she communicates, connects with others, and understands herself. We talk about identity, relationships, loneliness, and the unexpected ways people adapt when life changes in ways they never anticipated.

This is a thoughtful and honest conversation about learning new ways to move through the world.

⁠⁠⁠Livology (Psychology - Private Practice)⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠MS: Get Your Head Around It! (Online Course)⁠⁠⁠

⁠But You’ll Be OK (Online Course)⁠

⁠Webinars and Resources⁠

If you need any support after listening to our podcast, you can contact Lifeline in Australia at 13 11 14, available 24/7. For support in other locations, please visit⁠ ⁠Befrienders Worldwide⁠⁠.

⁠⁠Instagram @butyoulooksogoodpodcast⁠⁠

To Those Who Love Us - What it’s really like to love someone whose life, body, or identity has changed Mar 02, 2026

Show notes

What it’s really like to love someone whose life, body, or identity has changed

This episode is for the people who stay - partners, friends, parents, siblings - who are trying to love someone whose life has changed, and quietly wonder if they’re getting it right.

We talk about what it actually feels like on both sides of change: the grief that sits heavily, the awkwardness that can creep into conversations, the way reassurance can miss the mark, and why things can feel harder even when someone “looks okay.”

This isn’t an episode about fixing, advising, or doing love perfectly.It’s about understanding, presence, and learning how to stand beside someone when certainty disappears.

If you love someone whose body, identity, or life looks different than it once did - and you’re trying to find your place in that - this episode is for you.

⁠⁠⁠Livology (Psychology - Private Practice)⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠MS: Get Your Head Around It! (Online Course)⁠⁠⁠

⁠But You’ll Be OK (Online Course)⁠

⁠Webinars and Resources⁠

⁠⁠Instagram @butyoulooksogoodpodcast⁠⁠

Multitasking Is a Myth: Why Our Brains Struggle (and How to Take the Pressure Off) Feb 23, 2026

Show notes

We live in a world that glorifies multitasking - answering emails while listening to a podcast, cooking dinner while helping with homework, scrolling while “relaxing.” But what if multitasking isn’t a superpower at all? In this episode, we explore the psychology and neuroscience behind why our brains struggle to do multiple cognitively demanding tasks at once. We unpack the concept of “switch costs,” cognitive load, dopamine, and why constant task-switching can increase stress, anxiety, and mental fatigue.

We also dive into why multitasking can feel especially overwhelming when you live with a chronic health condition. Fatigue, pain, brain fog, and fluctuating energy mean your cognitive bandwidth is already stretched - and the pressure to “keep up” can make things worse.

This is a compassionate conversation about capacity, nervous system regulation, and how shifting toward monotasking can reduce stress and help you honour your energy — without guilt.

⁠⁠⁠Livology (Psychology - Private Practice)⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠MS: Get Your Head Around It! (Online Course)⁠⁠⁠

⁠But You’ll Be OK (Online Course)⁠

⁠Webinars and Resources⁠

⁠⁠Instagram @butyoulooksogoodpodcast⁠⁠

Finding Flow when your body has other plans Feb 16, 2026

Show notes

What does “flow” mean when your body has other plans?

We hear athletes at the Winter Olympics talk about being “in the zone” - moments where time disappears, movement feels effortless, and everything just clicks. But for people living with chronic health conditions, those versions of flow can feel distant, lost, or even painful to hear about.

In this episode of But You Look So Good, Sally and Seona explore the psychology of flow and gently reimagine what it can look like in a chronically ill body. We talk about the kinds of flow many people had access to before diagnosis - sport, dance, intensity, productivity - and how flow often changes shape after illness.

This isn’t about pushing through or getting back to who you were. It’s about noticing quieter moments of absorption: listening to music, cooking a familiar meal, being fully present with someone you trust. Flow doesn’t disappear — it adapts. And sometimes, it meets us exactly where we are.

Livology (Psychology - Private Practice)⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠MS: Get Your Head Around It! (Online Course)⁠⁠⁠

⁠But You’ll Be OK (Online Course)⁠

⁠Webinars and Resources⁠

⁠⁠Instagram @butyoulooksogoodpodcast⁠⁠

When Friendships Change After Diagnosis Feb 09, 2026

Show notes

Who stays, who fades, and how to grieve that (and come out the other side).

Friendships can be for a reason, a season or for a lifetime. Living with a chronic health condition can make navigating friendships seem more difficult sometimes.

Chronic illness doesn’t just change bodies - it changes relationships. In this episode, we explore what happens to friendships after diagnosis: why some deepen, why some drift, and how to cope with both the loss and the evolution.

We talk about expectations, boundaries, reciprocity, and the quiet grief that isn’t always acknowledged. This is for everyone who’s ever wondered, “Why don’t they call anymore?”

⁠⁠⁠Livology (Psychology - Private Practice)⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠MS: Get Your Head Around It! (Online Course)⁠⁠⁠

⁠But You’ll Be OK (Online Course)⁠

⁠Webinars and Resources⁠

⁠⁠Instagram @butyoulooksogoodpodcast⁠⁠

Blue & Green Spaces: Why Nature Is Powerful for Our Health Feb 02, 2026

Show notes

We often talk about diet, movement and medication when it comes to health - but what about where we spend our time?

In this episode, we explore blue spaces (oceans, rivers, lakes) and green spaces (parks, forests, gardens) and why time in nature isn’t just “nice” - it’s genuinely good for our physical and mental wellbeing.

With a particular focus on people living with chronic health conditions, we unpack how nature can support nervous system regulation, reduce stress, improve mood, and offer connection - even when capacity is limited.

This isn’t about hiking mountains or doing more. It’s about noticing what helps — and finding gentle, accessible ways to bring nature into your life.

⁠⁠⁠Livology (Psychology - Private Practice)⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠MS: Get Your Head Around It! (Online Course)⁠⁠⁠

⁠But You’ll Be OK (Online Course)⁠

⁠Webinars and Resources⁠

⁠⁠Instagram @butyoulooksogoodpodcast⁠⁠

People-Pleasing & The Invisible Toll on Your Health Jan 26, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, psychologists Sally and Seona unpack why so many people with chronic health conditions fall into people-pleasing, over-functioning, or peacekeeping roles — and the huge emotional and physical cost that comes with it.

We explore where these patterns come from (spoiler: childhood roles, culture, trauma, gender expectations, and fear of conflict), why they often intensify after a chronic illness diagnosis, and why shifting out of them feels both necessary and terrifying.

Most importantly, we talk about what healthier boundaries actually look like, how to start disappointing people in small, safe ways, and why reclaiming your energy is not selfish — it’s survival.

If you’ve ever found yourself saying yes when every fibre of your body was saying no… this one’s for you.

⁠⁠⁠Livology (Psychology - Private Practice)⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠MS: Get Your Head Around It! (Online Course)⁠⁠⁠

⁠But You’ll Be OK (Online Course)⁠

⁠Webinars and Resources⁠

⁠⁠Instagram @butyoulooksogoodpodcast⁠⁠

Fork That! Let's talk diet with Marnie Nitschke - Re-Release Jan 19, 2026

Show notes

In this re-released episode, Sally and Seona sit down with dietitian Marnie Nitschke to dig into the tricky relationship people with chronic health conditions often have with food. Marnie shares her expertise on balanced eating, myth-busting around specific diets, and why “one-size-fits-all” nutrition rarely works. They explore popular diets like anti-inflammatory and Mediterranean, discussing the value of an individualised approach and why a dietitian can be an essential part of your care team. Plus, Marnie tackles common food misconceptions and wraps up with a round of rapid-fire questions. A must-listen for practical advice and fresh insights!

Marnie Nitschke, Dietitian

https://www.forkthatnutrition.com/

Instagram @forkthatnutrition

⁠⁠⁠Livology (Psychology - Private Practice)⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠MS: Get Your Head Around It! (Online Course)⁠⁠⁠

⁠But You’ll Be OK (Online Course)⁠

⁠Webinars and Resources⁠

⁠⁠Instagram @butyoulooksogoodpodcast⁠⁠

Getting the Most Out of Your GP with Dr. Melanie Tait - Re-Release Jan 12, 2026

Show notes

Re-release of this insightful and entertaining episode of But You Look So Good, Seona and Sally sit down with GP Melanie Tait, who brings a unique perspective as both a doctor and someone living with a chronic health condition. They dive into the often misunderstood dynamics of the GP-patient relationship, sharing tips on how to make the most of your GP visits, what to expect (and not expect) from your doctor, and why finding a great regular GP can make all the difference.

⁠⁠⁠Livology (Psychology - Private Practice)⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠MS: Get Your Head Around It! (Online Course)⁠⁠⁠

⁠But You’ll Be OK (Online Course)⁠

⁠Webinars and Resources⁠

⁠⁠Instagram @butyoulooksogoodpodcast⁠⁠

Introverts, Extroverts & Your Social Battery - Why It Matters When You Live With a Chronic Illness Jan 05, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Sally and Seona unpack what introversion and extroversion really mean — and why understanding your social energy becomes even more important when you’re living with a chronic health condition.

They explore how chronic illness can change your social battery, why socialising may feel more draining or complicated than it used to, and how this isn’t a personal failing but a nervous system reality. The conversation offers language for guilt, grief, and shifting capacity, and practical ways to pace social connection more kindly.

Whether you need more solitude, crave connection but tire quickly, or feel caught between the two, this episode helps you better understand your energy, set gentler boundaries, and honour both who you are and what your body needs.

⁠⁠⁠Livology (Psychology - Private Practice)⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠MS: Get Your Head Around It! (Online Course)⁠⁠⁠

⁠But You’ll Be OK (Online Course)⁠

⁠Webinars and Resources⁠

⁠⁠Instagram @butyoulooksogoodpodcast⁠⁠