Rising Tides was born out of a gap.
I didn’t choose to be a frontline healthcare worker in 2020, but I had a front row seat to the very beginnings of COVID…and Long COVID.
The first time I treated someone in the hospital who was COVID(+) was April 16, 2020, and from that moment forward, I kept seeing the same thing: people doing their best in bodies that no longer followed the familiar rules of traditional medicine and physical therapy.
For something that was supposed to be a respiratory illness, we saw some really unexpected symptom presentations and things that didn’t show up on tests. The usual recovery advice worked for some and backfired for others. I quickly realized that our system was not equipped for the complexity, the variability, or the volume of what was happening with the COVID pandemic. Something had to be done.
So I stepped into that space.
I’m Dr. Meg Anderson, a Doctor of Physical Therapy, with a deep interest in post-viral physiology (especially Long COVID), the nervous system, and recovery that lives in between traditional protocols. This Substack is where I bring research, clinical experience, and a very human lens together to help make sense of what’s happening inside your body.
This work is science-driven, curious, and practical with room for humor, because biology is fascinating and occasionally absurd.
Living in the Middle
At the heart of this Substack is a simple but often-missed truth:
Recovery lives in the middle of movement and rest.
You see, I had to unlearn everything I ever learned in PT school and in my career to effectively understand and help people with Long COVID. Through additional coursework, webinars, and doing my own search of evidence-based literature, I’ve had to teach myself about things like POTS, MCAS, ME/CFS, dysautonomia and EDS….the things not taught in school or considered standard medical knowledge.
And many people with Long COVID and associated conditions have been hurt by harmful recommendations. I’m on a mission to change that.
Here, we focus on:
Rest with purpose: not collapse or avoidance, but rest that actively supports regulation and recovery
Movement with intention: not pushing, but movement chosen with respect for your physiology
This is not a space for extremes. It’s a space for nuance.
What You’ll Find Here
At the end of the day, I want you to feel empowered, educated, and have a home where you can find practical, evidence-backed information regarding all things Long COVID.
In a world that says:
Recovery is not possible…I say: yes it is, and I’ve seen it happen multiple times
Recovery is not probable…I say: there is always opportunity for stabilization and quality of life improvements
We don’t know enough about Long COVID…I say: we know plenty about Long COVID. Let me show you.
It’s not easy living in the gray area, and to date there is still no single magic bullet cure for Long COVID. However, there are many actions you can take and treatments available to improve your function. There are many research-informed tools, treatments, and practices to help your Long COVID symptoms like breathing, pacing, and autonomic regulation, and I intend to share them with you.
A Little About Me
I might be a tiny human (all of 5 feet tall) who is living in the tiniest US state, and raising two small kids, but my Mom always said, “good things come in small packages”. And it’s true. Although small, I have a big heart and an immense drive to make a difference with Long COVID care.
It is an honor to educate and support you. Thank you for being here. For more specifics on the substack and monthly breathwork, see below.
With love,
Dr. Meg
Free subscribers receive regular educational posts including a monthly research round-up.
Paid subscribers get deeper, long-form education, practical frameworks, full archive access, and monthly group breathwork sessions designed specifically for Long COVID and dysautonomia.
About Breathwork
The breathwork offered here is a live virtual group session in the style of RESET Breathwork offered once a month (typically the 3rd Wednesday of the month). It’s about giving your nervous system safe, physiological inputs that can gently shift reactivity, stability, and energy, even on low-capacity days. It helps teach flexibility in the nervous system as opposed to teaching it to stay calm all the time….because let’s face it, we’re not meant to be calm 24/7. We’re meant to be flexible.
Breathwork is always presented as a supportive tool, not a replacement for medical care, and you’re invited to engage at a pace your body can tolerate.
