A Katy for the Long Haul

Welcome to Season 3, Episode 7 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast! In this week's conversation, I am joined by Steph Fowler, LCPC, CADC, who you may remember from Season 1, Episode 11. I love this description from the bio on Steph's website: "Other things to know: among my many identities, I am multiply-neurodivergent, chronically ill and disabled (Long COVID ‘20), an INFJ, ex-vangelical, and recovering perfectionist. In The Before Times, I enjoyed kickboxing, running, cosplay, karaoke, travel, cat cafes, and live lit/storytelling. Nowadays I enjoy gardening, nature, writing, photography, LEGO, subversion, and all things macabre." Steph is one of those people who always makes me things about things in a different way, and we wanted to chat about the challenges of building and sustaining community when everyone is navigating different levels of stress, grief, and physical limitations.You'll hear us discuss:The emotional toll of community splintering within the COVID-conscious and long COVID communities.Practical strategies for emotional management, including the importance of practicing pauses and asking for consent before unloading stress.How to build trust and safety in groups by establishing clear shared values and embracing compassion for others’ different experiences.Navigating relationships and setting boundaries around personal COVID-19 risk and accommodations.Personal reflections on shifting identities, redefining determination, and coping with the profound grief of loss—both of health and relationships.Places to find Steph!Substack: https://misfitmentalhealth.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misfit.mental.healthTime Magazine: What to Do if Your Doctor Doesn't Take Your Symptoms SeriouslyPBS News Weekend: The COVID pandemic's lingering physical and mental toll, five years laterIf you'd like to support this one-disabled-woman-produced podcast, check out my Bonfire shop. Items bought in the shop support the renewal of my Zoom license for recording. Many items co-support other chronically ill friends. I also have an  Amazon Storefront and I'll get a few pennies if you purchase your everyday items through the links in my storefront. I also have an Amazon Wishlist of fun treats and practical needs for our family this autumn.Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul! And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes. You can listen to the Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify. Thank you!

18 Elo 1h 11min

Welcome to this bonus episode of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast! Season 3, Episode 6 features Claire Jones and Amaranthia Sepia, the mother/daughter duo behind Sista Creatives Rising. The mission of Sista Creatives Rising is "To help creative marginalized women and marginalized genders gain accessibility and visibility in the arts to facilitate personal healing." In this episode, we discuss:Our experiences with chronic illnesses and disabilities, and their impacts on our personal growthHow Claire navigated a cancer diagnosis during the height of a Covid surgeAmaranthia's experiences growing up in Japan and moving back to the United States, highlighting a stark difference between the two culturesHow past experiences shape parenting styles and the value of creating a supportive environment where children feel safe to make mistakesGenerational trauma, patterns, and how they drive us to changeThe origins of Sista Creatives Rising and Art and Mind, A FREE virtual charitable film & art event for marginalized women and gendersArt and Mind 2025: Covid, Climate, and Our Future, which "will focus on these themes and their ongoing effects on BIPOC creatives who are homebound, disabled, and immunocompromised and how it’s affected their art & cultural practices while highlighting Indigenous perspectives such as Native North American & Palestinian experiences with displacement & climate disaster. "The challenges of running a virtual organization, including grant rejections and funding issuesCollaboration, community, and accessibilityThe Sistas Uprising Fund, a charity project to help marginalized women & marginalized genders gain financial support through microgrants, created in memory of Claire's motherI am very grateful for this conversation and the opportunity to get to know Claire and Amaranthia! I want to again thank both of them for taking the time to chat with me. Tickets for Art and Mind 2025 will be available on August 21st, and the event will take place on September 25th from 6:30 to 9:30 pm Eastern time. You can find Sista Creatives RisingOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sistacreativesrising/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@artmindseries9207 and Substack: https://substack.com/@sistacreativesrising You can also support them via: https://givebutter.com/sistacreativesrising If you'd like to support this one-disabled-woman-produced podcast, check out my Bonfire apparel shop. Items bought in the shop support the renewal of my Zoom license for recording. Many items co-support other chronically ill friends. I also have an Amazon storefront and I'll get a few pennies if you purchase your everyday items through the links in my storefront. I also have an Amazon Wishlist of fun treats and practical needs for our family this autumn.Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul! And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes. You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify. Thank you!—A Long COVID Podcast! Season 3, Episode 6 features Claire Jones and Amaranthia Sepia, the mother-daughter duo behind ⁠Sista Creatives Rising⁠. Sista Creatives Rising's mission is " to

15 Elo 1h 56min

Welcome to season 3, episode 5 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast! In this episode, I talk to our friend, Chuck, known as @whatexactlyisupchuck on social media. We dive into the politics of protection, the power of community care, and how Chuck planned a Covid-safer wedding in a world that often forgets the chronically ill. Chuck shares her experience navigating disability justice and mask advocacy in Texas. From confronting anti-mask legislation to celebrating love safely, this conversation is a heartfelt reminder that accessibility is love in actionTopics include:Disability justice and chronic illnessCovid-safer wedding planningMask rights and Chuck's advocacy in the Texas legislatureCommunity support, specifically a love fest for Tara Whitney, and griefHard-hitting topics like getting dumped by your hairdresserChuck's tips for what to look for in a therapistYou can find Chuck on TikTok and Instagram.Chuck is also on Substack.If you haven't checked out Chuck's shame-free Covid guides, you can access them here on her website.If you'd like to support this one-disabled-woman-produced podcast, check out my Bonfire apparel shop. Items bought in the shop support the renewal of my Zoom license for recording. Many items co-support other chronically ill friends. I also have an  Amazon storefront and I'll get a few pennies if you purchase your everyday items through the links in my storefront. I also have an Amazon Wishlist that contains things that would help our low spoons house out this back to school fall season.Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul if you can. And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes. You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify. Thank you!

4 Elo 1h 2min

This episode could also be titled, "A Capricorn & a Pisces Walk Into a Podcast." In season 3, episode 4 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast, I welcome back my friend and pacing buddy, Katrina Dreamer. Katrina was a guest on season 2, where we discussed how they kicked off Covid Safe Colorado, our local mask bloc. This is a very different conversation! In this episode, we discuss:Katrina's plans to resume their dream and energy work, sharing their experience of running a 6-week long Social Justice Dreaming workshop, where they work with participants learning to trust their intuition and how they can use that to guide their activismTheir experience with dreamwork, including how it manifested in their childhood, and their professional experiences Lucid dreaming, how factors like medications, chronic illness, PTSD, and inflammation can affect dream patternsWhether Beth might be astral projecting in her sleep, and whether she is clairaudientDream journaling and ancestral workThe launch of Katrina's new website and offerings of intuitive readings and energy healingsHow they protect their energy doing these readingsBeth's newest diagnosis of a midbrain traumatic brain injury caused by neuroinflammation from Covid-19How challenging experiences have led to a greater sense of self-worth for both of usKatrina's webtoon, Chaotic Good and the Banned Bookmobile," which features covid conscious, queer and trans high school characters who rally around their librarian who is circulating banned booksOur year of being pacing buddies, using a shared Google spreadsheetThere's a lot of giggling about Pedro PascalCelebrities we've met and what they smelled likeYou can find out more about Katrina and their offerings at www.katrinadreamer.com! The next cohort of Social Justice Dreaming begins on August 8th. Contact Katrina to find out more! Katrina's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katrinadreamerAnd Bluesky.Katrina's podcast, Dreaming Back to the EarthAnd the cartoon, Chaotic Good and the Banned Bookmobile, is available on Webtoon! Sarah Steinberg is the illustrator.⁠If you'd like your own copy of our pacing spreadsheet, here's one you can duplicate! Please don't use this copy! In this episode, we also chat about our friends Lissy and Lior. Lissy will be on an upcoming episode, but she is a coach who blends neuroscience-backed strategies, compassionate support, and her own lived experience with ADHD in her approach. Lior Ocean is a queer collage artist, intuitive reader, and interspiritual companion. Lior has been on the podcast a couple of times. Oh, and if you'd like an acupressure mat here's a link to the one Beth has: https://amzn.to/3H14gxH - this is an affiliate link to Beth's Amazon storefront.If you'd like to support this one-disabled-woman-produced podcast, check out my Bonfire shop. Items bought in the shop support the renewal of my Zoom license for recording. Many items co-support other chronically ill friends. I also have an Amazon Storefront and I'll get a few pennies if you purchase your everyday items through the links in my storefront. I also have a wishlist that contains things that would help our low spoons house out this summer. Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul if you can. And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes. You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify.

22 Heinä 2h 3min

If you'd like to support this one-disabled-woman-produced podcast, check out my ⁠Bonfire site for silly long covid apparel⁠. Items bought in the shop support the renewal of my Zoom license for recording. Many items co-support other chronically ill friends. I also have an ⁠Amazon wishlist ⁠and ⁠Storefront⁠. I'll get a few pennies if you purchase your everyday items through the links in my storefront. You can also Venmo me @afriend4thelonghaul.Welcome to another episode of A Friend for the Long Haul: A Long Covid Podcast! This is part 2 of my conversation with Nina Storey. In this episode, we talk about:Nina's plans for the futureGetting dogs while dealing with long CovidCute aggressionFunctioning in public around people when you're used to being at homeHow it feels like long Covid has made pre-existing sensitivities more intenseWhere all the lip balms and hair ties goMedical gaslightingNina's attempts to soothe her nervous system and how singing helpsHer experience getting the Novavax boosterThe fact that we don't know how to feel angerMy travel tips for Las VegasNina's dog's autoimmune issuesNina has shared a link to her song, Shadows Fall, which can be listened to on Even. Even is a new streaming platform she's using for her music. The model is pay what you can, and the funds go to artists. She says this about the release: "I wrote this song (which is still in demo form) about living with a chronic illness and how sometimes we have to be our own biggest champions. I got Long Covid after initially being infected in early 2020, and I have to say the silver lining has been meeting some extraordinary warriors in the disability community. So this song is dedicated to them and to any person facing health challenges. I see you. ✊🏼💕🙏🏼🙌🏼🎉"You can find Nina and tour information on her ⁠website⁠, and on ⁠Instagram⁠. She is published in ⁠The Long Covid Reader⁠, and her comedy writing is at ⁠https://strangelyoptimistic.com/⁠.  If you're interested in Nina's Singing To Improve Health or Vocal Classes for Beginners to Professionals workshops, email theninastorey@gmail.com. Mention the podcast for 20% off the regular price! Please share A Friend for the Long Haul. If you're feeling generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes. You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify.Disclaimers etc: The information provided in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast producers, sponsors, or affiliated organizations. Or like, friends? Family? Anyone. This podcast does not provide medical diagnosis, treatment, or professional healthcare services. If you have any concerns regarding your health or medical condition, please consult a qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking treatment based on information heard in this podcast. Please don't compare yourself to someone else you hear, either. Our illnesses are highly individualized and what works for one person may not work for you. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, medical knowledge is constantly evolving, and we make no guarantees regarding the completeness, reliability, or applicability of the content discussed. The podcast and its creator assumes no responsibility for any actions taken based on the information presented. Additionally, this podcast may feature discussions on sensitive topics related to chronic illness. Listener discretion is advised. By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.

3 Heinä 47min

If you'd like to support this one-woman-produced podcast, check out my ⁠Bonfire site for silly long covid apparel⁠. Items bought in the shop support the renewal of my Zoom license for recording. Many items co-support other chronically ill friends. I also have an ⁠Amazon wishlist ⁠and ⁠Storefront⁠. I'll get a few pennies if you purchase your everyday items through the links in my storefront. You can also Venmo me @afriend4thelonghaul. ---Welcome to Season 3, Episode 3 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long COVID Podcast! I got to sit down and talk with my dear friend, Grammy-nominated artist, and incredibly talented human, Nina Storey. Nina’s website highlights her amazing career:“Nina Storey has been making waves, having opened for other powerhouse female performers like Sara Bareilles, Rachel Platten, Milck, and Hailey Reinhart, as well as performing in numerous international festivals, such as the Montreal Jazz Festival and the New Orleans JazzFest. People Magazine wrote, “With a voice like hers, pyrotechnics are redundant.”. This conversation was just shy of two hours, so I split it up into 2 episodes. Part 2 will be released on 6/30. In part 1, we discuss Long COVID's impact on Nina’s creativity, songwriting process, and career, including lost work and venue discrimination, emotional processing, grief, and the nervous system.You can find Nina and tour information on her ⁠website⁠, and on ⁠Instagram⁠. She is published in ⁠The Long Covid Reader⁠, and her comedy writing is at ⁠https://strangelyoptimistic.com/⁠.  If you're interested in Nina's Singing To Improve Health or Vocal Classes for Beginners to Professionals workshops, email theninastorey@gmail.com. Mention the podcast for 20% off the regular price! She will soon be using a new platform, EVEN, that pays artists. Despite millions of streams of her music, Nina says that Spotify has never paid her a dime. The EVEN model is pay what you can. "It's like Bandcamp and Patreon had a baby." You can also send her a tip via Venmo: @Nina-Storey.Nina shared that the clinic in Sedona she has been working with for her Long Covid symptoms is remote and their website is: mybiohack.com. I have not used the clinic. All information is Nina's anecdotal experience. The clinic is not endorsed by the pod, nor is the pod sponsored by the clinic. Neither is Nina. Please share A Friend for the Long Haul. If you're feeling generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes. You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify.Disclaimers etc: The information provided in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast producers, sponsors, or affiliated organizations. Or like, friends? Family? Anyone. This podcast does not provide medical diagnosis, treatment, or professional healthcare services. If you have any concerns regarding your health or medical condition, please consult a qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking treatment based on information heard in this podcast. Please don't compare yourself to someone else you hear, either. Our illnesses are highly individualized and what works for one person may not work for you. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, medical knowledge is constantly evolving, and we make no guarantees regarding the completeness, reliability, or applicability of the content discussed. The podcast and its creator assumes no responsibility for any actions taken based on the information presented. Additionally, this podcast may feature discussions on sensitive topics related to chronic illness. Listener discretion is advised. By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.

24 Kesä 47min

A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast 100% produced by a disabled Covid long hauler. If you'd like to support my work, please check out the following ways you can do so:My ⁠Amazon wish list⁠, which currently focuses on low-spoon activities for my family this summer. We have four kiddos, with three kids who are also navigating disabilities. You can also visit my ⁠⁠new Amazon storefront⁠⁠, where I share only the items I use, love, or highly recommend. If you use my links to buy products you already purchase from Amazon, they'll throw me a few pennies.Check out my my ⁠Bonfire shop⁠, where I create and sell long Covid items (shirts, totes, hats, etc) that reflect my dark sense of humor coping mechanism.---In this episode of A Friend for the Long Haul – A Long COVID Podcast, we dive into love, relationships, and resilience in the face of chronic illness. I sit down with Chimére Sweeney, a Long COVID activist, writer, and retired educator, alongside her husband, Tory Sweeney, to discuss their relationship and journey together.Chimére founded The Black Long COVID Experience, an initiative dedicated to amplifying Black Long COVID stories, advocating for equitable healthcare, and supporting disability access in Black communities. She and Tory met in college and reconnected after Chimére became ill, and their story sheds light on the emotional, social, and practical realities of navigating love and disability.We explore:💜 How childhood relationship models shape adult connection💜 Reconnecting and finding love despite chronic illness challenges💜 Navigating intimacy, disability, and Long COVID’s impact on relationships💜 Advocacy, resilience, and pushing for equity in medical care🚨 Content note: We discuss sex and intimacy with chronic illness, interabled relationships, and mental health topics including suicidal ideation.This episode was recorded in October, and I want to send a huge thank you to Chimére and Tory for their patience, wisdom, and honesty.Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul if you can. And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes.You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3n0GXLFRWqDJyifglNNM4K?si=7948dbf2222c4392The information provided in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast producers, sponsors, or affiliated organizations. Or like, friends? Family? Anyone.This podcast does not provide medical diagnosis, treatment, or professional healthcare services. If you have any concerns regarding your health or medical condition, please consult a qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking treatment based on information heard in this podcast. Please don't compare yourself to someone else you hear, either. Our illnesses are highly individualized and what works for one person may not work for you.While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, medical knowledge is constantly evolving, and we make no guarantees regarding the completeness, reliability, or applicability of the content discussed. The podcast and its creators assume no responsibility for any actions taken based on the information presented.Additionally, this podcast may feature discussions on sensitive topics related to chronic illness. Listener discretion is advised. By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.

9 Kesä 1h 42min

A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast 100% produced by a disabled Covid long hauler. If you'd like to support my work, please check out the following ways you can do so:My ⁠Amazon wish list⁠, which currently focuses on low-spoon activities for my family this summer. We have four kiddos, with three kids who are also navigating disabilities. You can also visit my ⁠⁠new Amazon storefront⁠⁠, where I share only the items I use, love, or highly recommend. If you use my links to buy products you already purchase from Amazon, they'll throw me a few pennies.Check out my ⁠Bonfire shop⁠, where I create and sell long Covid items (shirts, totes, hats, etc) that reflect my dark sense of humor coping mechanism.--Welcome to Season 3 of A Friend for the Long Haul! In this episode, I twith Caryn Zaner, PsyD, a Clinical Psychologist based in Oregon specializing in anxiety, identity development, values work, and interpersonal group therapy. Caryn (they/none) provides tele-therapy for adults 18+ and shares their personal experience navigating Long Covid.Topics covered include:✅ Caryn’s journey with Long Covid and the support group they founded✅ People-pleasing, grief, coping mechanisms, and emotions✅ Perfectionism, social media pressures, and self-trust✅ Listening to your body and intuition when it feels unfamiliar✅ Comorbidities, chronic illness, and shared experiences🔔 Content Warning: From 59:45 - 1:14:05, we discuss:GLP-1 medications for Long Covid, including Caryn’s experience with tirzepatideStrength training, weight lifting, body image, and off-label medication accessIf you prefer to skip this section, jump to 1:14:05, where we wrap up with our signature three questions.Other things mentioned in this episodeMy Too Flared to Funk fake band tee shirt for The Social Distanced's "Survive 2025" World Tour. You can find Caryn on InstagramFelt Not Fixed: https://www.instagram.com/felt.not.fixed/Therapy for the Apocalypse: https://www.instagram.com/therapy.for.the.apocalypse/Caryn's websitehttps://www.carynzanerpsyd.com/The post that led me to Caryn: Attachment Theory and Still CovidingBook: Lifting Heavy Things by Laura KhoudariDon't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul if you can. And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes. You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3n0GXLFRWqDJyifglNNM4K?si=7948dbf2222c4392The information provided in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast producers, sponsors, or affiliated organizations. Or like, friends? Family? Anyone.This podcast does not provide medical diagnosis, treatment, or professional healthcare services. If you have any concerns regarding your health or medical condition, please consult a qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking treatment based on information heard in this podcast. Please don't compare yourself to someone else you hear, either. Our illnesses are highly individualized and what works for one person may not work for you.While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, medical knowledge is constantly evolving, and we make no guarantees regarding the completeness, reliability, or applicability of the content discussed. The podcast and its creators assume no responsibility for any actions taken based on the information presented.Additionally, this podcast may feature discussions on sensitive topics related to chronic illness. Listener discretion is advised. By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.

20 Touko 1h 22min