Reimagining Life Podcast: from Pain to Purpose

In this episode, Tiffany Swift, CEO and co-founder of Chronically Employed, shares her personal journey of living with chronic illness and how it led her to build an organization dedicated to helping chronically ill and disabled people access meaningful, flexible employment. Living with ME/CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome), Tiffany experienced firsthand how rigid workplace structures often force tale...

In this episode of Reimagining Life: From Pain to Purpose, we hear from Cara Reedy, an award winning journalist and disability advocate whose career has spanned across CNN, The Guardian, and other major media organizations. As the Director of the Disabled Journalists Association, Carais a powerful force behind the movement to ensure equitableopportunities and representation in media. Through humor...

In this inspiring episode, we’ll hear from Marisa Hamamoto- professional dancer, disability inclusion advocate, and founder of Infinite Flow Dance. Marisa shares her incredible journey of resilience, from surviving a spinal stroke to reimagining dance as the universal and inclusive art form that it was meant to be. Through her experiences as a late-diagnosed autistic and a stroke survivor, Marisa...

In this episode of Reimagining Life: From Pain to Purpose , we hear from Cindy Liu, a disability advocate, entrepreneur, and parent to a child with Down Syndrome. Cindy shares her journey of advocacy, her innovative projects, and the lessons she has learned in reimagining accessibility and equity for the disability community. With humor and authenticity, Cindy sheds light on the challenges and joy...

Summary:  In this episode, Miller McCoy shares his personal journey of navigating chronic pain and nausea, highlighting how resilience and creativity helped him learn from and work through significant physical challenges. From an early age, Miller battled persistent undiagnosed health issues that impacted his entire family. Growing up he learned to use his drive and entrepreneurial spirit to help...

Guest: Dr. Shri Shukla   Profession: Holistic and Integrative Health Practitioner   Background: Health Social Work and Ayurveda Episode Summary:  In this transformative episode, Dr. Shri Shukla shares her inspiring personal journey of overcoming a stroke and the vital lessons she has learned along the way. She highlights the significance of integrating ancient healing practices, such as Ayurveda,...

In this episode of the Reimagining Life Podcast, Dr. Kara Wada, a distinguished Quadruple Board Certified Pediatric and Adult Allergy Immunology and Lifestyle Medicine Physician at Ohio State University, unveils the intricacies of autoimmune conditions and chronic illness/disability. Dr. Wada's personal journey as a patient diagnosed with multiple conditions adds a unique perspective to her in...

In this episode we are joined by the remarkable Ren'ee, the driving force behind a groundbreaking podcast and TV show that amplify the talents and stories of people who are blind through the art of cooking. Ren’ee's background in television and nonprofit board involvement paved the way for a platform dedicated to showcasing individuals’ extraordinary capabilities and embracing their agency...

In this episode, we dive into the world of mindfulness with Rachel Posner, a yoga therapist and mindfulness teacher dedicated to alleviating stress and enhancing well-being. Rachel's expertise lies in integrating neuroscience, psychology, yoga, meditation, and relaxation practices to cultivate a deeper mind-body connection and foster holistic wellness. During our conversation, Rachel shed ligh...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Kirk Adams, a visionary leader and advocate for disability inclusion. Dr. Adams shares his journey as a blind individual and highlights the importance of creating environments that accommodate diverse abilities. Emphasizing his upbringing and the crucial factors that led to his success, such as strong blindness skills, high expectations, and internal locus of contro...

Welcome to episode 12. In this episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Lois Strachan, who, despite facing incredible adversity, has become a beacon of strength, resilience, and empowerment. At the age of 21, Lois lost her sight and became  blind due to the side effects of diabetes, completely altering her life. Lois, shares her personal journey of adjusting to life as a blind individual. S...

Welcome to Reimagining Life, episode 11! Today we welcome Felipe, advocate and reimaginer extraordinaire who shares his personal story of living with Spina Bifida and managing his goals and expectations. Felipe never shies away from a challenge. He embraces the opportunities he’s made for himself, all the while trying to balance personal needs related to his disability. In this episode we’ll learn...

Welcome to Reimagining Life, episode 10! Today we welcome Diane Bernier, Executive Director, and Cara L Gregg, Director of Outreach for Fidos for Freedom. Both Diane and Cara have been working with Fidos in some way for more than a decade. Fidos for Freedom is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance the quality of life for people with chronic conditions or disabilities in the Washingt...

Welcome to Reimagining Life, episode 9! Today we welcome Keidra Chaney, a writer, digital strategist and accessibility advocate from Chicago, IL. As a passionate leader in non-profit and social justice work, Keidra shares her personal story of her diagnosis and learning to live with Keratoconus. She speaks about how she’s had to reimagine her life in so many ways, including learning to use a host...

Welcome to Reimagining Life, Episode 8! In this episode we welcome Dr. Chelsea Liebowitz, a Pharmacist who spent years searching for answers to her own medical challenges. In her quest for answers, she experienced medical gaslighting, medical professionals who didn't believe her, and a lot of pain. Dr. Liebowitz discusses how our bodies process medication, the difference between medical depend...

Welcome to Reimagining Life, episode 7! Today we welcome Lauren Rose, a mother, with multiple chronic illnesses and mental health challenges, to talk about how she makes motherhood work for her. In an effort to share information and help others, Lauren started a podcast about a year ago called “It Hurts to Mom” which focuses on parenting with disabilities, including the physical, mental and emotio...

Welcome to Reimagining Life, episode 6! Today we welcome Dr. Devorah Walder, an acupuncturist with years of experience treating chronic conditions. In this episode, Dr. Walder explains how acupuncture can help people living with chronic illness and disability. Acupuncture is unique and treatment plans vary for each person. At its core, acupuncture can help with inflammation, calming the nervous sy...

Welcome to Reimagining Life, episode 5! In this episode we discuss how creativity can help people living with chronic pain, as well as the importance of finding or becoming your own advocate. Our guest, Jenni, is a Reimaginer-turned-professional-Reimaginer who has helped many people along her journey. She started a blog (before social media) to help others struggling with pain, and eventually beca...

Welcome to Reimagining Life Podcast, episode 4. In this episode we learn about Steph’s reimagining story and how her life changed dramatically. As a teacher and young mother of two, Steph unexpectedly had to reimagine her life, having to learn to walk and use her legs starting from zero following a surgery that took away her control of her lower body. This episode focuses on the path she took to r...

Welcome to Reimagining Life Podcast, episode three. This episode features David's reimagining story and how art has become an important part of his life. We learn about David’s active early life and how Ankylosing Spondylitis interrupted his graduate school experience and led to changing his academic and career goals. David's creativity inspired him to start painting, and he shares his uni...

Welcome to Reimagining Life Podcast, episode two, part B. In this episode RiRi shares how she learned to listen to and work with her body, which helped her regain joy in physical activities. She shares her experiences navigating the impact of her physical condition on her life and how people have reacted to her disability. RiRi found a new purpose in creating the Reimagining Life Podcast to suppor...

Welcome to Reimagining Life Podcast, episode two, part A. This episode focuses on RiRi's personal story; including her highly active years as a young professional, her dedication to improving opportunities for people worldwide, and her experience becoming very sick abroad. RiRi's medical condition drastically changed her life, and she faced many challenges finding ways to manage her chroni...

Welcome to Reimagining Life Podcast! This episode serves as an introduction to this new podcast. It provides an overview of the podcast, history of how it was created, and information about its founder. If you would prefer to skip ahead to the interview episodes, skip ahead to Ep. 2. Created by and for people adapting their lives while living with chronic pain and/or disability (re-imagining life)...

Get a preview of what's to come on the new Reimagining Life Podcast series! This podcast is about adapting and re-imagining your life after major medical event. We're here to empower people living with chronic pain and/or disability to use their voice. We'll share personal stories of Reimaginers, interview professionals who work with Reimaginers, and talk to partner organizations about...