The Pyjama Interviews

  Having been diagnosed with Addison’s Disease, a rare Autoimmune Disease, Anessa Powell has dedicated her career to raising awareness and advocating for workplace inclusion through her company, AllAbility Recruiting. In this episode, we dive deep into discussions around the experience of getting a diagnosis and medical gaslighting that so many patients experience. Plus we have an honest conv...

  Endometriosis affects roughly 10% of reproductive age women and girls globally, and on this episode of The Pyjama Interviews pod, I’m joined by Antara Mascarenhas discussing how she has navigated this diagnosis that so many women experience in the workplace. She shares her experience and advice on the: The Diagnostic Odyssey,  How to talk with your boss about productivity and strategic...

Did you know that 38% of people living with chronic illness are in professional, leadership roles? This is exactly what Dr. Peter Ghin’s recent report, "Disclosing Illness at Work,” found.  Peter lives with ME/CFS, and on this episode of The Pyjama Interviews pod, he shares both his personal experience of chronic illness and career as well as the research findings in this area. In this week’s...

This week, I talk with Jenn Sharp about On this episode of The Pyjama Interviews sharing how a diagnosis of Lyme disease turned her world of work upside down. Jenn went from accelerating her career in Human Capital and Talent Management, to confronting the world of disability policies, being bed bound  and then making it all the way back to full-time work in management consulting in Washingto...

How do we face our own insecurities? When you are navigating your career and living with a disability/ chronic health condition it can feel like people either expect too little of you, or too much. And there is an awkwardness around you and your condition. In this vulnerable and powerful episode BJ Miller shares his deeply personal experience of navigating medical school, and learning how to use h...

  This week's episode is all about disclosure, and how to ask for accomodations. (you'll be surprised at the most common ones) Plus I talk with Hannah Olson, CEO and Co-Founder of Disclo and Chronically Capable about her own experience of Lyme disease, and starting her career. Which all lead to her start up journey, and what pivots she has had to make in her mindset, her working habits and he...

What do you do when exhaustion hits at work? How to move on from performing wellness and pushing through at work when you live with chronic illness. In this episode with guest Amina Altai shares her own  evolution of professional boundaries at work. Plus w hy it's important to identify your own 'story' of work and how work 'should' be done. We also get practical in h ow to move on from '...

How do you manage a high profile London career in Management Consulting while also living with chronic illness? Who do you tell what? And when? In this brand new season of the Pyjama Interviews we are diving deep into Career and Chronic Illness. Our guest  Nicola Pye shares her own experience of the rollercoaster of chronic illness throughout her career. Plus the high price of perfo...

Parenting with Chronic Illness. In this episode Natalie Supps shares her experience of parenting, anxiety and living with chronic illness. Plus how her diagnosis journey with Crohn's disease, how she shared her chronic condition at work, and how to  decide if starting a business is good for you .⁠ About Natalie Natalie was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's) in 2007 and s...

In this week's episode Dara Shashoua and Michelle talk about the hard things including: Medical gaslighting and the path to getting a diagnosis with MS. Navigating chronic illness while living alone. Why spoonies are well equipped to run their own businesses. And top tips for doing it in ways that work for you and your body. About Dara Dara is a passionate entrepreneur who opened Byzanti...

Chronic Illness Discernment is a crucial skill when it comes to the Wellness Industry. In this episode Nitika Chopra and Michelle talk about t he way the Wellness Industry has in many ways, been our default home of information and resources.⁠ But how it hasn't served our community very well. Learn: How to self-love really means when living with chronic illness. How to protect your mental heal...

Why is it so hard is it to get a diagnosis of Endometriosis?  In this episode artist Danica Gim shares Her experience with endo throughout her teenage years and how her boyfriend called it first. What it's like managing your career while living with endo, including as a flight attendant.   How art become a way to transform her childhood experiences with religion.  How to be a succes...

What do you do when you are a dancer diagnosed EDS ( Ehlers-Danlos syndrome)? In this episode Eva Minkoff shares how she is:   Preparing for a life filled with uncertainty and finding a way through the fears. Making the bridges between us as patients and doctors so the relationships are healthy, honest and productive.  The unusual journey of being a patient advocate via medicine school....

Why do women remain undiagnosed and treated like it's all in our heads? In this episode the amazing Elinor Cleghorn (author of Unwell Women) shares with us both her personal experience of living with lupus, and also her professional analysis of the long history of medical misogyny.  You'll learn about: Why women's pain and other symptoms are dismissed for years before, if...

How do you manage your career while also living with chronic illness? In this interview we dive deep with Fatemeh Khatibloo, Director of The Office for Ethical and Human Use at Salesforce. You'll learn h ow to navigate a high profile career with authenticity. Plus the raw truth about depression, chronic illness and finding your way. And how we move on from diversity, equity and inclusion...

How do you take care of your mental health when you are living with chronic illness? In this interview with Health Coach Lauren Freedman you'll learn about the  toxicity of hustle culture and its impact on those of us living with chronic illness. Plus how to  stop internalising the shame placed on living with chronic illness. And a whole lot of r eal talk about moving from surviving to t...

What is sustainable wellness when you are living with chronic illness? In this episode spoonie and wellness expert Flic Manning shares with us her personal strategies for navigating treatment, drugs, side effects and B.S. Hear how she interviews clinicians to see if they are the right fit for her! Plus why she shares her experience of Crohn's disease publicly and without shame....

What happens in a marriage when a vibrant author experiences chronic fatigue? In this episode author Ashley Kalagian-Blunt shares about the long diagnosis process for her chronic fatigue condition. Hear her wisdom about how to stay connected to your dream life even while living with chronic illness. Plus how Ashely navigates marriage and employment to ensure sustainable we...

  How to manage other people's reactions to your diagnosis? In this episode breast cancer advocate Kath Elliott shares how she used her PR skills to share her shock diagnosis and tell other people how she wanted them to relate to her. Kath shares how she discovered a large lump in her breast in 2019 which was the impetus for her starting on a sacred journey of self-discovery an...

How do you have boundaries when you are living with chronic illness? In this interview Sarah Ramey turns the tables and interviews Michelle Irving - in a raw, real and bold conversation.  Michelle talks about how she found her own Badass Boundaries when she really needed to stand up for herself around treatment and care. Plus how she managed work and other people's expectations of what she sh...

_______________________________________________________________________________________ Subscribe On:   Apple Podcasts     Spotify     Subscribe on Android     RSS  _______________________________________________________________________________________ How do you navigate your career while living with chronic illness? Spoonie Entrepreneur Tanya Dou...

How do you tell people you have a chronic illness? Lauren Selfridge is San Fransisco based therapist who lives with remitting multiple sclerosis. In this episode of The Pyjama Interviews podcast she shares with Michelle Irving who to tell what, at work about your chronic illness, especially the tricky disclosures about an invisible illness.⁠ Plus how to manage your spoons and set up your day...

Ever wondered how to navigating relationships, schooling, travel and healthcare, all while chronically ill. Izzy Kornblau is 23 year old New Yorker with a wealth of experience about living with  Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, along with other conditions it causes (POTS, Gastroparesis, Muscle Tension Dysphonia, and TMJD). She shares with Michelle Irving  how she learned to live with dynamic...

_______________________________________________________________________________________ Subscribe On:   Apple Podcasts     Spotify     Subscribe on Android     RSS  _______________________________________________________________________________________ Samantha Wills started her self-titled jewellery company on the kitchen table when she was j...

Sarah Ramey knows what it's like to work in demanding roles and 'perform wellness'. She worked on the 2008 Obama campaign, wrote and performed her own songs all while her body was breaking down with chronic illness. She lived with mysterious illnesses which d octors couldn’t diagnose or treat and she joked that she should write a book about it. And then she did. Sarah shares  her experience o...