I moderated a panel discussion at ReelAbilities Film Festival on The Quiet Epidemic, an eye-opening film about Lyme disease that highlights the emotional toll of patients’ journeys with the illness and the scientific facts of the disease.  During the panel I spoke with the film’s Emmy-winning producer Chris Hegedus, who helped the directors bring this topic to light, 19-year-old Julia Bruzzese, a patient with Lyme disease featured in the film who bravely shared her story because she knew it...

Author and patient advocate Ilana Jacqueline experienced medical gaslighting from a young age. At age 19 she was diagnosed with Hypogammaglobulinemia, a rare immunodeficiency.  While navigating young adulthood with an invisible illness, Ilana also faced lots of medical gaslighting, encountering doctors who shamed her out of seeking care. Ilana has devoted her career to patient advocacy. Through her work, as well as public speaking, social media, and writing books (Surviving and Thriving...

Melissa is a functional fitness instructor, photographer, and Lupus warrior. After living her whole life in pain, Melissa was finally diagnosed with Lupus in 2006. She began a variety of treatments that helped combat her symptoms, but the physical and mental toll of pain and treatment left Melissa in a place of exhaustion, depression and self-pity. A few years later, Melissa shifted gears and adopted an approach to managing her pain that included nutrition and lifestyle changes, as well as...

Akiva Zablocki is a former healthcare consultant and the founder of the Hyper IgM foundation. When Akiva’s son Idan was just eight months old, he was diagnosed with Hyper IgM, an incredibly rare genetic mutation that severely compromises the immune system. After three years of diligent research and advocacy, Akiva and his wife were able to obtain a life-saving bone marrow transplant for Idan. Through this experience, Akiva connected with other Hyper IgM patients and their families all around...

Join me for a very special episode where I sit down with my best friends, Melissa Aives and Danielle Scaramellino, as we reflect on a life-changing moment eleven years ago when I underwent a life-threatening surgery, introducing my friends to a world of uncertainty about my health.  Despite our close bond, they had never witnessed this side of me, leading to an adjustment and redefinition of our friendship. Discover the power of vulnerability, the importance of asking for support, and the...

Jamie Nicole is a highly regarded certified health coach dedicated to helping individuals achieve optimal health through complementary medicine and holistic health lifestyle changes. Her passion for health and wellness was sparked when she witnessed the transformative power of holistic health in her own life.  After being diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and later fighting for a narcolepsy diagnosis, Jamie became aware of the lack of representation and access to support for BIPOC...

Kate Milligan is an Emmy-nominated producer, writer, speaker, storyteller, and founder of 1 Girl Revolution: a multimedia platform dedicated to highlighting the authentic stories of everyday women and girls who are changing the world through their lives. Diagnosed with Job’s Syndrome at a young age, Kate faced years of uncomfortable symptoms that doctors couldn't identify or treat. However, with her mother's unwavering advocacy and self-directed research into dietary solutions, Kate found...

Dr. Truong is a pulmonary and critical care trained physician with 12 years of experience as assistant professor at Emory Midtown Hospital. Since August of 2020, he and Dr. Adviteeya Dixit have been running the Emory Post-COVID clinic where they care for patients with lingering symptoms from their COVID infection.   Dr. Truong’s passion for helping people get the care they deserve and recover from post-COVID physical and mental symptoms is undeniably inspiring. To provide a comprehensive...

Marina Khidekel created Hugimals World, a TIME Best Inventions- winning line of weighted stuffed animals that "hug you back" to ease anxiety and bring calm. Prior to becoming a founder, Marina was a health & wellness journalist. She previously worked at Arianna Huffington’s workplace well-being enterprise SAAS startup Thrive and held senior editorial roles at Women’s Health, Glamour and Cosmopolitan. She openly discusses the strategies she employed to manage her mental wellness while...

Erica Domesek, founder of P.S. - I Made This and ELD Creative discusses mental health struggles, creative inspiration, and the support systems needed to navigate tough times. Erica reflects on her eating disorder in college and her experience with postpartum depression, ADHD and anxiety, emphasizing that recovery and support may look different for everyone. She talks about her journey from the fashion industry to creating her DIY lifestyle brand  and appearing on The Today Show, Rachael Ray,...

Melissa Bernstein, co-founder of Melissa & Doug, discusses her struggles with existential depression and how she uses writing and creating to cope. She also talks about the importance of embracing all emotions, utilizing daily practices for resilience, and creating her latest company, Lifelines, to help people be more present and get more in touch with their senses and emotions.      For more information about Melissa Bernstein and Lifelines, visit our website at...

A brief reminder about Mental Health Awareness Month and the tribute to my friend, Phil Kohn.    Join the monthly Made Visible Writing Session on May 24th here. 

We’re 3+ years into the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s impossible to deny that life still doesn't feel quite the same as pre-pandemic. We’re all saddled with the trauma of a life-threatening illness, the isolation and fear we experienced. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, clinical psychologist Dr. Michelle Chung helps us navigate this new world in a healthier way. In this episode, Dr. Chung discusses the many hidden traumas people incurred during the pandemic, including losing...

Surely we’ve all heard someone say, “Oh, I’m so OCD!” at least once in our lives. But what is it really like to live with this clinical diagnosis? How is everyday life managed, and how often does it affect people and their ability to live an uninterrupted, fulfilled life? In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Allison Raskin, noted podcaster, writer, and mental health advocate, joins the podcast this week to shed light on these questions. As a content creator, Allison has been able to...

This episode provides an in-depth look into my life navigating a rare primary immunodeficiency, Hyper IgE Syndrome after ten years of not being diagnosed and almost three decades of hiding my condition. I share all the bumps along the way to launching Made Visible, and the how and why behind the show.    For more information about my journey, what I'm up to next, or to sign up for writing classes, visit our website at madevisiblestories.com/podcast.   Please note: This podcast is intended...

Dating on an app is challenging. But have you experienced dating on mainstream apps while also living with a disability, chronic, or invisible illness? After disclosing that she was disabled on mainstream dating apps, Jacqueline Child would often be ghosted and disappointed in the dating experience. Jacqueline and her sister Alexa decided it was time to develop Dateability, an app that eliminates the worry of being misunderstood, ghosted, or berated with questions, focusing instead on a user...

Almost all of us will assume a caregiving role for a close loved one at some point in our lives. When is the correct time to start mentally preparing? Do you think you'd feel comfortable administering treatments that deeply affect your loved one's quality of life? How do these people balance caregiving and their careers? Kate Washington, author of Already Toast: Caregiving and Burnout in America provides insight into the world of caregiving. Kate details her experience as a caregiver to her...

Have you ever tried meditation to help manage chronic pain? After realizing that meditation, mindfulness, and compassion practices are transformational in how we relate to what is happening to us, Dr. Christiane Wolf found a passion in teaching it to others. Internationally known as a Mindfulness and Insight Meditation teacher, she explains the connection between chronic pain and mindfulness and how it can help people who are silently struggling. Through her years of education and experience...

In this episode, Dr. Stella Safo, a board-certified HIV primary care physician and the founder of Just Equity For Health, talks about healthcare redesign and equity. She discusses her personal journey into healthcare and how her commitment to social justice led her to found her company. She also dives into the stigma surrounding HIV and chronic illnesses, and the work she's done to advocate for equitable care delivery across all sectors of medicine. Join us as we explore Dr. Safo's journey to...

Step into the life of Isaac Zablocki as he shares his personal journey of living with dysgraphia - a neurological condition that affects one’s ability to write. Isaac opens up about how his experience with dysgraphia has helped shape his professional career as the co-founder of ReelAbilities, a groundbreaking film festival that celebrates the talents of people with disabilities and champions for their representation on screen.   For more information about Isaac and ReelAbilities, visit our...

This bonus episode of the Made Visible podcast features the exclusive readings of two powerful essays written by students of the Made Visible Writing Class. Laura Frégeau's "Seeking Care" takes a humorous tongue-in-cheek approach to the task of finding a caregiver for her future needs, listing specific requirements for the ideal candidate. Lindsay Ellis's "Dis-ease done right" offers a raw and honest reflection on the challenges of living with an invisible illness, from navigating the...

Before I could learn how to live with my invisible illness, I needed a way to process what I was going through. So I created what I wished had existed for me, the Made Visible Writing Class. A safe place where people living with invisible illnesses could write, share and connect with one another while confronting life’s challenges through writing.    In this episode, four of my students from the Made Visible Writing Class, share their experiences and their reflections on how writing has...

Join Serena, Katie, and host, Harper Spero, for a special IG Live event on March 10th at 12:00 PM EST! Follow @madevisiblestories on Instagram to tune in. Serena Wolf and Katie Dalebout 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...

Join Lara Bloom and host, Harper Spero, for a special IG Live event on March 1st at 11:00AM EST! Follow @madevisiblestories on Instagram to tune in.   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...