Made Visible

Sarah Ramey has a term for people like her. She calls herself a WOMI, or a "woman with a mysterious illness." On today's episode, Sarah tells me about the events that set her life as a WOMI in motion, and what it was like to be told over and over that her problems were psychosomatic. We also discuss her recently published book, The Lady's Handbook for Her Mysterious Illness, and how she hopes it w...

Alisa Vitti wrote the book on women's hormonal health--literally. WomanCode, her first book, was published in 2013, and it provides the education many women never knew they needed. A women's hormone and functional nutrition expert, Alisa is the founder of FLOLiving.com. On today's episode, we talk about her new book, how she developed the basis for the FLO Protocol through her experience with PCOS...

John Boyle was diagnosed with X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) in 1978, when he was just six months old. On today's episode, John and I talk about the routine management of his condition that allows him to live with minimal symptoms, and how taking care of his health was instilled in him at an early age. We also talk about his work with the Immune Deficiency Foundation, and why, after years of be...

As a clinical psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health, Dr. Krystal Lewis is interested in how to make therapy, specifically cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), more effective for children and adolescents. On today's episode, Krystal and I talk about what led to her interest in psychology, and how CBT can treat anxiety and increase resilience. Then, we shift to the COVID-19 pandemic...

Right now, ban.do founder and CCO Jen Gotch was supposed to be on tour for her first book, "The Upside of Being Down." But because of the coronavirus pandemic, the tour was cancelled. While she did feel sadness about that, as Jen says, her knee-jerk reaction when most things happen is, "this is going to be okay." On today's episode, Jen and I talk about the meaning of that phrase and the power of...

Like others with compromised immune systems, Jodi Taub's life is at risk due to COVID-19. Jodi was diagnosed with primary immunodeficiency around 14 years ago, and she manages about 22 different health conditions as a result. On today's episode, Jodi and I talk about recognizing that she felt unsafe in NYC, and what her new normal looks like. We also talk about how, as a psychotherapist, she's hel...

The coronavirus pandemic has changed life as we know it. This crisis is a scary time for all of us, and it presents unique challenges for the invisible illness community. For this episode of Made Visible, we reached out to past podcast guests to hear how coronavirus is impacting their lives. As we face an era of physical distancing and isolation, we believe it's more important than ever to connect...

The coronavirus pandemic has changed life as we know it. This crisis is a scary time for all of us, and it presents unique challenges for the invisible illness community. For this episode of Made Visible, we reached out to past podcast guests to hear how coronavirus is impacting their lives. As we face an era of physical distancing and isolation, we believe it's more important than ever to connect...

On today's episode, we're covering the recent coronavirus outbreak and the impact that global health challenges can have on people with invisible and chronic illnesses. To get expert perspectives, I spoke with Hernando Garzon, MD, an emergency medicine physician with experience in disaster response and global health; Andrew Kessler, founder of Scough, a company that makes scarves and bandanas that...

As an officer in the Marine Corps, Zach Iscol was mentored by people who emphasized the importance of taking care of your people...and that lesson came home with him. After his service ended, he saw the heavy toll of PTSD and other military-related trauma on veterans. In particular, the suicide rate among veterans drove him to action. On today's episode, Zach and I talk about how the Headstrong Pr...

When Aliza Licht was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, she didn't tell anyone but close family. That changed in 2019, when she agreed to share her story in a TV segment for abc7NY. Only today's episode, Aliza and I talk about why, after keeping her story to herself for so long, she decided she wanted people to know the facts of her diagnosis. We also chat about how life has changed for her sin...

Before being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome at 24 years old, Lara Bloom endured 12 years of undiagnosed pain and mysterious symptoms. According to Lara, who is now the president and CEO of The Ehlers-Danlos Society, this experience isn't uncommon. On today's episode, Lara and I talk about why she's dedicated her career to EDS awareness, why it's important to her that The Ehlers-Danlos Socie...

When Shannon Shores was diagnosed with a strain of HPV that can cause cervical cancer, it was an emotional and scary experience. But at the same time, it helped cement her new career path, validating her decision to build a product that would offer discreet and fast STD testing to people all over the country. On today's episode, we talk about how education and empowerment factor into the mission o...

Dr. Shari Auth has been a healer for over 20 years. Now, as co-founder of WTHN, she's helped thousands of people experience their first acupuncture treatment. On today's episode, we discuss why many people no longer see holistic medicine as a last resort, but instead view it as a first stop. We also talk about how WTHN makes acupuncture, herbs, and cupping accessible for a larger audience, the sym...

YouTubers Simon and Martina Stawski share many aspects of their lives with their audience, including how they approach Martina's diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). On today's episode, I talk with Simon and Martina about how honest conversation plays a huge role in their team effort to manage EDS. We also talk about the ups and downs of managing a chronic illness, what they choose to share...

As deputy editor at Health.com, Esther Crain has developed features that reflect the hidden health experiences of people today. Focusing on women who have been misdiagnosed or diagnosed with invisible illnesses, she looks for stories that are relatable and help shine a light on different conditions and experiences with healthcare. On today's episode, we talk about what led to her interest in healt...

For the first few months after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Jessie Ace felt like her life was over. But, as she learned how to advocate for herself as a patient and reframe her mindset, her experience changed. On today's episode, Jessie and I talk about what it was like to be diagnosed at age 22 and how she felt when she was suddenly labeled as having a disability. We also chat about...

Lara Parker deals with vagina problems (which is also the title of her book, coming in 2020). On today's episode, Lara I talk about why she started being upfront and open about how endometriosis and other conditions have affected her life, and why she feels a responsibility to tell her story. Whether she's talking about dating with penetrative sex off the table or giving advice to people who are n...

At age 26, Mickey Trescott had been diagnosed with both Hashimoto's thyroiditis and celiac disease. With her symptoms becoming increasingly unmanageable, she decided to take her health into her own hands. On today's episode, Mickey and I talk about her drive to learn about the impact of diet on autoimmune conditions, the role that experimenting with diet has played in her health, and why educating...

Molly O'Malley Pitman's son was diagnosed with autism before he was two years old. For Molly and her husband, the diagnosis was devastating, but it also gave her something to fight for. On today's episode, Molly and I talk about how losing many family members to Huntington's disease has influenced her life's purpose, and how she aims to honor her family. We also talk about how her son's life is im...

Katie Dalebout and Serena Wolf have embraced vulnerability when it comes to living with anxiety. They're the hosts of Spiraling, dubbed an "optimistic" anxiety podcast, and they talk openly with me about what it means for them to live with anxiety, how they cultivate awareness around their mental health, and what strategies they've developed (or are in the process of developing) to manage day-to-d...

For Elana Safar, navigating the world isn't always simple. That's because she has multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), a condition where the body reacts to chemicals often found in perfumes, deodorants, cleaning solutions, and beyond. On today's episode, Elana and I talk about the physical symptoms of MCS and how the condition impacts her day-to-day life. We also discuss why it's uniquely hard to...

Amy Lacey created a cauliflower crust in her kitchen after deciding she would need to make nutrition changes to manage her lupus diagnosis. On today's episode, Amy and I talk about the physical and emotional challenges that her health presented, and how inventing a tasty, healthy pizza crust that she and her family could enjoy helped restore "normalcy" in her life. We also talk about the path to s...

Developed at Columbia University in 2000, narrative medicine isn't quite like any other discipline out there. On today's episode, I talk with Catherine Rogers and Ben Samuel, who both teach writing in the Program in Narrative Medicine at Columbia. We discuss what students learn in narrative medicine creative writing classes, how an education in narrative medicine can translate to medical settings,...

When employers come to Hannah Olson and ask her why they should hire people who have chronic illness, she has a lot to say. Hannah is the founder is Chronically Capable, a platform that connects people who are chronically ill or disabled with meaningful remote work. On today's episode, Hannah and I talk about what it was like to balance her first post-grad job with managing Lyme disease, why the y...