The Invisible Condition Podcast

Send us Fan Mail When Martin opened up about his late-recognized inattentive ADHD, it wasn't just a personal revelation—it was a story that resonated with many of us flying under the radar with our struggles. Our latest episode takes you through the ups and downs of his journey, from the draining work project to his diagnosis at 38, and the impact it has had on his life. Discover how Martin&a...

Send us Fan Mail Consider donating today: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/timreitsma Summary: In this episode, Tim Reitsma talks with Joshua Peterson about the realities of living with Crohn's disease, spotlighting the crucial role of advocacy and the need for tailored workplace accommodations. They share personal stories that underscore the strength found in building community and the transform...

Send us Fan Mail Consider donating today: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/timreitsma Summary: In this episode of the "Invisible Condition" podcast, host Tim Reitsma talks with Angel, a registered nurse from British Columbia, who courageously shares her journey through recurrent pregnancy loss. Angel opens up about the emotional rollercoaster and physical toll these experiences have taken on...

Send us Fan Mail Summary: Dr. Maureen Michele Petersen discusses her book 'Reclaiming Life, A Guide for Parents of Chronically Ill Children' and the motivation behind writing it. She shares her personal experiences as a mother advocating for her chronically ill child and the importance of effectively disagreeing with medical professionals. We talk about advocacy and how to get curious wh...

Send us Fan Mail Summary: Katherine McCord discusses the power of vulnerability and the impact of sharing your story. She emphasizes the importance of creating a safe space for vulnerability in the workplace and the need for accommodations to be standard options. Katherine also highlights the challenges of dealing with nosy questions and unsolicited advice. She shares her personal experiences with...

Send us Fan Mail Summary: Tisha Foster shares her journey with Stiff Person Syndrome and how she has overcome the challenges it presents. She discusses her determination to live life to the fullest and not let her condition define her. Tisha emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and sharing one's story to raise awareness and end the stigma surrounding invisible conditions. In this conver...

Send us Fan Mail Hiring someone with a disability is a risk and a liability so we try not to go there. People with disabilities don’t perform as well so we avoid hiring someone with a disability. Guess what? You most likely have people in your organization who live with a disability, you just can’t see it. It’s invisible or non-apparent.  So, today we dive into the often unexplored and undervalued...

Send us Fan Mail I have a lot of thoughts swirling around my mind.  While there are many ways to release these thoughts, I thought to myself, “Why not record them and share them publicly.” It already feels like someone is about to find my journal, and my private thoughts, and start reading. But I decided, that’s alright!  These are my thoughts, and maybe, perhaps, they resonate with you. Maybe the...

Send us Fan Mail ** Please consider donating to keep the show going** Head to https://www.buymeacoffee.com/timreitsma to learn more! Summary: In this episode, Alicia shares her journey of living with OCD and seeking a diagnosis. She discusses the lack of awareness and recognition of mental illness in the past, as well as the importance of sharing her story to break down stigmas. Alicia also addres...

Send us Fan Mail Summary Tim reflects on the purpose and vision of the Invisible Condition podcast, which aims to elevate voices and end the stigma surrounding invisible conditions. He shares his journey of overcoming health challenges and the birth of the podcast. The importance of reflection and the power of sharing stories are emphasized. The host envisions building Invisible Condition as a non...

Send us Fan Mail Summary In this episode, Felix Chan shares his journey of being diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia after a routine eye exam. He discusses the shock of the diagnosis, the challenges of living with the disease, and the importance of vulnerability and community support. Felix emphasizes the power of choice and encourages listeners to be proactive in their own lives. He also high...

Send us Fan Mail What does it mean to be a caregiver to someone who lives with an Invisible Condition?  What happens when both you and your partner live with an invisible condition and are needed as each other's caregiver? Without support, it's incredibly hard to navigate life, both as a caregiver and as someone who lives with an invisible condition. In this episode, Tim and Tania Reitsm...

Send us Fan Mail Self-Compassion Defined : “ Self-compassion is simply the process of turning compassion inward. We are kind and understanding rather than harshly self-critical when we fail, make mistakes or feel inadequate. We give ourselves support and encouragement rather than being cold and judgmental when challenges and difficulty arise in our lives”. - self-compassion.org Contact Links: Webs...

Send us Fan Mail How do you deal with Anxiety? I am really curious! For me, it manifests itself in a few ways. One of the biggest ways - I want to give up on things. Like this project, this week, I am overwhelmed, anxious and full of fear so I want to give up. But I won't let anxiety win! Support the show Thanks for listening, I appreciate you!   Support the Show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com...

Send us Fan Mail You are taking a shower, wash yourself down there and notice a lump so you go to your doctor. The doctor isn't concerned but decides to send you for some tests. Next thing you realize, at 32, you have testicular cancer and are now in a battle for your life. Chris Ho has battled testicular cancer not once, but twice. In this episode, we talk about the importance of permission,...

Send us Fan Mail Resilience is the ability to work through a crisis and return to a pre-crisis state. That’s a simple definition, but what does resilience really mean in a world full of complexity? The American Psychological Association defines Resilience as " the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, a...

Send us Fan Mail When you are 17 and live with Type 1 Diabeties, what do you do? You aim to change the world and bring an end to the stigma that surrounds invisible disabilities, illnesses, diseases and conditions. Jenna Shares openly how her invisible condition doesn't define who she is. Sure there are limits to what she can do but that hasn't stopped her from becoming a fierce advocate...

Send us Fan Mail Every Wednesday, I release an episode with a guest. Someone who lives with an invisible condition, a caregiver, or a medical professional. We share stories, give insights, and create opportunities to get real, vulnerable, and make connections. On Fridays, I plan to release a short (10-minute) solo episode where I share some of the many thoughts swirling around in my mind. This wee...

Send us Fan Mail Hey everyone, Tim here, host of the Invisible Condition podcast, where we talk about unusually normal things. The thing we talk about today is strokes. Now you might associate strokes with middle-aged people, or older people, but do you associate strokes with younger people? My guest today was in university when he had a stroke. Healthy guy, active guy, who woke up one morning, an...

Send us Fan Mail Living in a constant state of problem-solving. Silently living in crisis mode. But then something changed. Being diagnosed with ADHD changed Rosanna’s outlook on life and work. From living in a state of feeling imperfect to embracing her imperfectness. Getting curious about herself, and leaning into what makes her thrive has helped Rosanna Campbell build a thriving freelance caree...

Send us Fan Mail Hey Tim here, host of the Invisible Condition podcast, a show where we talk about unusually normal things. So before we get into all the episodes that are coming, I wanted to take a moment and share this space with my wife, Tania.  We want to talk about the point and the purpose of the show. And well, what you're going to get out of this. You know, we want to do more than ins...

Send us Fan Mail Through the power of sharing my story on LinkedIn, a ghost writer who use to write under my name reached out, said he use to be me and proceeded to share his story about living with hemophila.  But the random encounter isn’t the theme of todays show.  Imagine with me for a moment. You have a child who is born hemophiliac and you ask yourself, do you pad the world or pad your child...

Send us Fan Mail So, what does it mean to be a normal person? One definition I found says “A normal person has no serious physical or mental health problems”. So, I guess this means I am not normal! But here on the Invisible Condition podcast, we talk about unusually normal things. That’s right!  Over 80% of our population lives with a physical or mental condition and a large proportion of us have...