Stevie J. Hollis | Updates

After 26 Years of Pain, They Finally Called It By Its Name

Stevie J. Hollis — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 13:38:09 -0400

What happens when you've lived with chronic pain for more than two decades and finally hear a diagnosis that makes sense?

After 26 years of searching for answers, I found myself facing something I hadn't expected: the complicated relief of finally having a name for what I'd been living with.

This is where The Pain & The Protocol began, with a diagnosis, a little hope, and the realization that getting answers was only the beginning.

]]>

This Grinch’s Confession: Self-Care is a Lie

Stevie J. Hollis — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 13:43:52 -0400

We're constantly told to practice self-care, set boundaries, and make time for ourselves. But what happens when even those things feel like another obligation we don't have the energy to fulfill?

In this personal essay, I explore the exhaustion of pretending everything is fine, the complicated relationship between grief and chronic pain, and the frustration of being handed another list of things we're supposed to do to feel better.

Sometimes what we need isn't another self-care routine. It's permission to admit that we're tired of pretending.

]]>

I’m Building a Medical Team That Gives a Shit

Stevie J. Hollis — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 13:49:49 -0400

After nearly three decades of chronic pain, I've learned that getting medical care and getting someone to actually listen are two very different experiences.

In this essay, I share what changed when I began assembling a medical team that takes my symptoms seriously, looks beyond the obvious answers, and treats me as a participant in my own care.

The pain hasn't magically disappeared, and the healthcare system certainly hasn't become less ridiculous. But having people in my corner has changed the way I face both.

]]>

Welcome to the Capacity-First Life Series

Stevie J. Hollis — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

I'm delighted to finally have a dedicated home for my books!

The Capacity-First Life Series grew out of years of living with chronic pain, navigating expectations, and discovering that the life we're told we should be living doesn't always resemble the one we're actually experiencing.

These books aren't about having everything figured out. They're about finding ways to live, create, connect, and occasionally laugh when life refuses to follow the plan.

Whether you're here because of chronic illness, a love of personal storytelling, or the simple exhaustion of trying to do everything everyone expects, I'm glad you found your way here.

There are more books coming, along with plenty of thoughts, experiences, and observations I haven't quite figured out how to keep to myself.

Welcome!

Stevie J. Hollis

]]>