Do you struggle with your own internalized ableism? Do you wish there was more representation of dynamic disabilities and chronic illness in media and art? Do you feel alone in your journey with chronic illness?  If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then this is the episode for you.  Meet the powerful dynamic-disabilities advocate and disabled artist, Ashley Bravin. My conversation with Ashley begins with her journey with multiple chronic illnesses. We then dive into her current art projects and future exhibitions that reflect the reality of living with multiple dynamic ..read more

Have you ever wondered, "Why me?", "Will I ever be happy again?" or "My life is over"? If you have, Natalie Kelly is here to help. As Nat says, with chronic illness, thought patterns of fear, doom, anxiety, self-consciousness, and self-hatred are common (and valid), but they don't have to be your forever. If you are ready to learn how to reframe those thoughts and learn mindset tools to help you find happiness, confidence, and joy again, then this is the conversation for you!  First, we touch on Nat’s personal journey with chronic illness and how she came to be a chronic illness mindset a ..read more

When asked what she would put on a billboard, Roop said she would write, "endometriosis is a whole-body disease, not just a painful period".   Roop is currently living with stage 4 deep infiltrating endometriosis. She has undergone multiple surgeries for endometriosis and had a total hysterectomy for the treatment of adenomyosis. Once a nurse with a full-time career, now plagued by unbridled symptoms Roop has been forced to give up her career. Despite her difficult health journey, Roop is a passionate advocate working to dismantle the misconceptions surrounding endometriosis and ..read more

Do you struggle to manage your mental health when living with chronic pain?  This episode centers on the intersection of mental health (i.e., depression) and nociplatic-pain disorders (i.e., Fibromyalgia and migraine), including lessons learned from talk therapy and Curable Health. Allison Martinez has been living with chronic pain for several years managing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), and fibromyalgia. Her passage through the belly of the medical system exemplifies grit, strength, and determination. She is an inspiration for self-education ..read more

Imagine being seized by pain after laughing, sneezing, and even talking. Imagine having to avoid funny people, loud places, and singing in the car. For Christie Griffith, this has become reality after being diagnosed with Chiari malformation, a birth defect that affects 1 in 1000 individuals. Her symptoms rapidly progressed after sustaining a concussion while snowboarding in early 2021. Today’s we step into Christie's world of living with Chiari malformation. We swim through events of the past year and arrive at the apogee of her journey, decompression surgery that was just a few weeks away at ..read more

Should you talk to a child, teen, or even a young adult about chronic illness? Are you allowed to use the words illness, sick, dying, and death when talking to kids? How young is too young to tell the absolute truth about these life difficult topics?  If you’re ready to stop guessing and want to hear definitive answers to each of these questions and more, then this episode is for you! It may feel scary to talk to younger generations about trauma, illness, and loss as even adults struggle with these topics. But there is no one better to help you navigate these difficult circumstances than ..read more

Do you have pelvic pain? Have you struggled to have medical practitioners take your symptoms seriously? If yes, then you are in the right place.   Cassandra Earle, Her Uterus founder, is an outspoken, bold, and passionate women's health advocate who is working to change the social narrative around endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and other pelvic disorders.  Today’s conversation plunges into the depths of Cassandra's difficult journey of getting accurately diagnosed with endometriosis and PCOS. We examine the challenges that those with endometriosis, PCOS, and ..read more

Do you struggle with GI symptoms - bloating, fatigue, abdominal pain, diarrhea, gas, or constipation? Have you had these symptoms be dismissed by medical professionals? This episode will help you start to see your symptoms for what they truly are - real, worthy of treatment, and unable to be dismissed. In today's conversation, Kirsten and I talk about the current research and science behind IBS onset, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments (including food sensitivity tests and more). Kirsten debunks the misconceptions around the low FODMAP “diet”, which really should be called a temporary diagnos ..read more

Megan Donelly has been living with migraine for several years. The pivotal moment in her story came when in just a handful of months her migraine snowballed from episodic attacks into a chronic, debilitating condition. Today’s conversation weaves through Megan’s journey of chronic intractable migraine, her search for effective treatments, and her experience with protracted hospital stays. But perhaps of even greater value, this conversation traces Megan’s emotional and mental growth that has served as the foundation for her healing journey. Megan made a few fundamental changes to her perc ..read more

Imagine a life where you work for yourself. You can set your own schedule, take a break when you need it, budget your time so you don’t surpass your limits and yet, still make a living and have adequate health insurance and benefits. Sounds too good to be true, right? Wrong. Tatiana Skomski is a passionate entrepreneur, former mindset coach, and current chronic illness business coach. She is living proof that you can leave your competitive corporate job and build a business that will allow you to take better care of your health and will very likely leave you even more fulfilled, motivated, and ..read more