Meniere's Muse

In this episode, Heather sits down with the Development Director at VeDA (Vestibular Disorders Association), who brings over 30 years of nonprofit fundraising experience to the conversation.  From regional theater to healthcare, to programs offering chess to low-income students, he has helped organizers raise millions of dollars to fulfill their missions.  For Paul, fundraising isn’t just about th...

What does support really look like when you have a chronic illness?  In this deeply personal episode, I share an essay I wrote during the early days of my dizzy journey, a time marked by misdiagnosis, fear and overwhelming change. This episode is more than a reflection.  It's a conversation about how support shows up, through partners, children, faith communities and sometimes even in the quie...

In this episode of Vestibular Minutes, we’re talking about something that’s both sensitive and important—how to recognize red flags when someone promises a "cure" for Meniere’s disease. While it's natural to hope for relief, not all advice out there is trustworthy, and some people may use scientific language or emotional pressure to take advantage of vulnerable moments. Join me as we...

In this 1st episode of Vestibular Minutes of the Meniere's Muse Podcast, we explore the power of asking for support using the simple question: "Do you have 8 minutes?" Inspired by a thought-provoking reel by Simon Sinek, Heather discusses how just eight minutes of someone's time can bring comfort, build trust, and deepen emotional connections, especially for those navigating the challenges of vest...

I learned a lot during my unexpected sabbatical, and now I'm excited to be back! In this episode, I’m sharing the key takeaways from my time away. From unexpected lessons to moments of personal growth, I’m diving into what I discovered about myself, my work, and life along the way. Whether you’re considering a sabbatical or just curious about the impact of a break, join me as I reflect on the valu...

Have you ever heard the word comorbidity?  Ever wondered what it is?  The simple meaning is when someone has two or more medical conditions simultaneously.  We hear this a lot in the vestibular community.  These disorders/diseases can develop at the same or different times, they can interact with one another making diagnosis and treatment difficult.  These conditions can be both physical and/or me...

"TINNITUS", that's what we are discussing today with Glenn Schweitzer. Glenn is a passionate entrepreneur, health coach, blogger, and the author of two best-selling books, “Mind Over Meniere’s: How I Conquered Meniere’s disease and Learned to Thrive” and “Rewiring Tinnitus: How I Finally Found Relief from the Ringing in My Ears". In this episode Glenn shares some of his strategies for tinnitus hab...

Scrolling Instagram, years ago I came across this stunning human, mermaiding. Watching her was hypnotic and our daughter became obsessed. After sometime I learned she had Meniere's. Today, Cally is here to share her story. She is a gentle soul and nature enthusiast, through her ups and downs, highs and lows she has a newfound appreciation for life. She is a new VeDA Ambassador and is looking f...

What does life look like after being diagnosed with a vestibular (balance) disorder?  How do you accept this new normal and learn to live with and manage all the symptoms associated with these disorders?  Join Heather Davies as she introduces you to vestibular warriors that will share their healing journey, obstacles they have overcome and ones they continue to struggle with.  Meniere's Muse will...

Welcome to Season 3!  Todays guest, Sarah is here to share her story of going bilateral in her Meniere’s journey this past year. Sarah has been on the show 2 other times, in Season 1, Episode 2 she shares her vestibular journey and in Episode 27, we flip the tables and she interviews me where I share my emotional journey.  In this episode, Sarah opens about these and many other topics: ~ phantom s...

Welcome to the Meniere's Muse Podcast! In this episode, your host, Heather shares her thoughts on living and thriving with vestibular disorders. This episode sets itself apart from earlier ones, as she candidly expresses thoughts that might not align with popular opinions in the vestibular community. If you would like to find more information on vestibular disorders, be sure to visit the VEDA...

I am healing. I am healthy. I am steady. I am stable. This is one affirmation todays guest, Christine uses to ground herself when she feels symptoms increasing. After seeing 13 doctors in 13 weeks Christine met with a certified vestibular therapist that she feels, finally diagnosed her correctly, this is where her journey to healing began.  She shares honestly and openly on TikTok and Instagram ab...

What would you think if you were told - you already have the right tools to begin your healing? With you right now!  Honestly, what would you think?   Would you want to know more?  I would! I have another question for you, do you believe that your healing begins with your mindset?  Of the nearly 4 dozen interviews I have had the pleasure of doing, the most common catalyst toward their healing was...

When you think of VeDA (Vestibular Disorders Association) what first comes to mind?  Practitioners, support groups, pink flamingos what comes to mind for you?  Well, after this conversation, VeDA, Vestibular Disorders Association will mean so much more.  The magnitude of things this organization has to offer is enormous and ever-changing due to its volunteers and all the people behind the scenes,...

What brings you joy? What would your life look like if you focused on things you have control over? Joy is defined as a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. Joy looks different for everyone, for me it may be listening to my daughter singing from another room, connecting with others in the vestibular community, dancing to music that moves me, and even sitting quietly in nature with the sun on m...

Have you ever had one of those conversations that softly changes your perspective?  When you sit back and just have to allow the moment to soak in, to let words take root?  This conversation is one of those.  Michelle Irving is a pioneer in the Chronic Illness Space, mentoring women around the world to step into a deeper positive relationship with themselves while living with chronic illness. In t...

So many of us can relate to Marissa’s story, symptoms coming on suddenly, heart racing, rocking motion, feeling as if she was drugged, and many unusual symptoms she had never felt before.  Over time she found her voice and learned the importance of self-advocacy.  Today, she uses her voice and story to connect with other vestibular warriors on several different platforms. In this episode, we touch...

When approached by Julieann Wallace with this crazy idea that came to her in the wee hours of the morning, I could never have imagined the magnitude of the emotional journey we were about to partake in. Letters, poems, and artwork flooded in. People diagnosed with Meniere’s gave us glimpses into the darkest part of their lives exposing delicate parts of their souls.  Today, instead of a podcast gu...

This is Part Two of a 2-part series, where Daniela shares her story, if you haven't listened to Part One you may want to start there first. We deal with so many different emotions when experiencing vestibular symptoms; when we are misdiagnosed, or mistreated by the medical system, and even comparing our symptoms, treatments, and how we deal with each obstacle as it's introduced into our li...

Many have heard one of these variations in our lives, “burning the candle at both ends,” “biting off more than you can chew”,  “spreading yourself too thin” or my personal favorite “you can’t pour from an empty cup”.  Today's guest, was like many of the vestibular warriors I speak with,  stressed in our jobs, working insane hours, overextending ourselves, and at times, eating poorly and not gettin...

Janine, she is a Jersey Girl and a 25 year veteran of the entertainment industry having created and implemented tactical public relations campaigns, events, and marketing promotions for numerous studios including HBO, Universal and Cohen Media Group, where she led the publicity campaign for the Academy Award®winning film, The Salesman. More recently she has made the transition into the development...

Kimberly shares so much of herself in this conversation. After spending a couple of hours with her, I understood so much more about her soulful passion for not only sharing stories of those with chronic illness and rare conditions but really seeing them, loving them, and sharing how adversity can broaden our definition of what it means to live a “good life”.  She shares these stories through UnFix...

Kimberly shares so much of herself in this conversation. After spending a couple of hours with her, I understood so much more about her soulful passion for not only sharing stories of those with chronic illness and rare conditions but really seeing them, loving them, and sharing how adversity can broaden our definition of what it means to live a “good life”.  She shares these stories through UnFix...

Have you ever wondered what happens in a therapy or life coaching session? Today, you will hear (or watch) first hand a live coaching session on "Reaching Out" on those high symptom days, when we are struggling. Recently I had a few high symptom days, instead of reaching out I sunk down deep in my room and pushed through the days by myself, holding everything in. When I should have reach...

We all have a story, sharing isnt always easy.  My guest today finds his strength by sharing his experiences openly on Instagram.  He shares about his new life with what he calls “one of everything”. 1 physical disease, 1 neurological and recently diagnosed with a mental disorder. When I first met Kevin back in July of 2022, it was from a direct message he sent me after watching one of the Meniere...