The Invisible Illness Club | Chronic Illness, Auto Immune

Holiday gatherings don’t have to drain you. Here’s how to protect your energy, say no with grace, and still feel connected.

• Why guilt creeps in when you set limits
• How to communicate your boundaries clearly and kindly
• Simple scripts for saying no or leaving early
• How to let go of pressure and find joy in quieter moments

• “You don’t owe anyone a detailed medical update over mashed po...

• Why “toxic gratitude” makes hard days harder
• The difference between pretending and practicing gratitude
• Gentle journal prompts for finding small joys
• How faith helps you hold gratitude and pain at the same time

• “Gratitude doesn’t erase pain — it makes room...

After the holidays, your body crashes and your guilt kicks in. Here’s how to rest without apology — because recovery is sacred work.

• Why your post-holiday crash isn’t weakness
• How to identify guilt-driven thoughts about rest
• Real-life examples of what true rest looks like
• Mindset shifts to help you rest without apology

• “Recovery isn’t laziness. It’s the part your body’s been waitin...

Hey friend. This one’s simple — no lessons or bullet points today. I just wanted to take a breath with you and say thank you. For real. For showing up, for listening, for being part of this messy, beautiful space we’ve built together. When I started The Invisible Illness Club, I hoped it would help women feel seen. What’s happened has been so much more. Every message you’ve sent, every episode you’ve shared, every quiet moment you’...

Asking for help shouldn’t feel like failure — but for so many of us living with chronic illness, it does. In this episode, April gets real about the guilt, pride, and fear that make it so hard to ask for help, even when we desperately need it. From a moment of vulnerability in the shower to redefining what strength really means, this honest conversation invites you to see help not as weakness, but as connection.

Virtual assistant agency owner Stephanie Boyle shares how living with multiple sclerosis reshaped her work, motherhood, and mindset. We dig into boundaries without guilt, pacing work with alarms and self-check questions, co-parenting through flares, and starting a business small (on your body’s timeline). This one’s a masterclass in honoring limits without losing your ambition.

• The schedule that listens: using alarm...

This episode dives into what it really looks like to support a spouse living with chronic illness. Matt shares the long, emotional journey to his MCTD diagnosis — from years of pain and self-doubt to finally finding answers. Latricia offers honest insight into the emotional weight of watching someone you love struggle and how she’s learned to listen, show up, and advocate without losing herself in the process. Together, they talk a...

Entrepreneurship is often painted as hustle, consistency, and 5 a.m. mornings. But when you live with chronic illness, that version of productivity just doesn’t fit. In this episode, I pull back the curtain on what it really looks like to run a business when your body has other plans. From working in bed with a laptop tray to building flexible schedules that honor your energy, I’ll share the practices and mindset shifts that keep m...

In this conversation, Tina Marie Medlin opens up about 30+ years with Crohn’s disease, drug reactions, major surgeries (including an ostomy), and the spiritual warfare of not giving up—like enduring six days with an NG tube and a terrifying arterial bleed she faced fully awake. Through it all, Tina discovered a calling: Warrior Braids Ministry, personalized “Warrior Boxes,” and a monthly faith-based support group that makes sure no...

In this solo episode of The Invisible Illness Club Podcast, April breaks down the difference between acute and chronic illness with everyday examples and relatable metaphors. She explains why society easily rallies around a broken bone but struggles to grasp the lifelong challenges of chronic conditions. April also reflects on how chronic illness shapes relationships and stretches faith in ways acute illness rarely does. This conve...

When your labs say “normal” but your body says otherwise—Dr. Reeti Joshi shares advocacy tools, faith, and hope for chronic illness.

• Why “normal” labs can still miss real disease activity—and how doctors actually interpret results in context of your story
• Concrete ways to self-advocate (questions to ask, when to seek a second opinion, and how to communicate across specialties)
• How a physician with her own aut...

This week’s episode is different. April shares from a place of grief, prayer, and reflection after the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk, the murder of a young woman on a train, ongoing school shootings, and other tragedies shaking our nation. Rather than diving into politics, this is a conversation about how Christians can process these events through the lens of faith. April talks about the weight of constant news, why our spi...

This conversation follows Aubree’s seven-year search for a diagnosis, the emotional toll of not being believed, and the day-after prayer moment that led—miraculously—to answers. She explains CIRS in plain language, why her family had to walk away from their home and most possessions, and what rebuilding practically and spiritually looked like in the middle of a pandemic. We explore DNRS brain rewiring, reframing guilt, and holding ...

This episode dives into the shame so many of us carry when we’re living with chronic illness and can’t do what others expect—or what we expect of ourselves. From the outside, it might look like we’re resting too much, avoiding responsibilities, or being inconsistent. But the truth? We’re fighting invisible battles every single day. April shares a personal story of internalized guilt, how she learned to reframe the idea of “laziness...

What does it look like to navigate lupus, POTS, and motherhood—all while raising a medically complex child and building a platform to support others? In this conversation, I’m joined by Keyundra Thompson, author, advocate, and founder of Secrets to Serenity. Keyundra shares her powerful story of growing up with undiagnosed symptoms, walking through a difficult pregnancy, and eventually receiving her chronic illness diagnoses. Thro...

This episode is for the ones holding faith in one hand and pain in the other. I share my honest journey of praying, believing, and still living with chronic illness—and the quiet shame, grief, and questions that come with it. Together, we’ll unpack the wrestle of faith when healing doesn’t come, the ways God still shows up in the waiting, and how to redefine miracles beyond physical healing. Whether you’re in a flare, walking throu...

In this candid conversation, Shedrica opens up about her lupus diagnosis journey, the mental and emotional battles of living with an invisible illness, and how faith has been her foundation. She shares how using a physical planner transformed her daily life—helping her track symptoms, manage her household, and create space for both rest and joy. We talk about the importance of planning around your body instead of against it, using ...