The SpoonFull Show- A Chronic Illness Podcast by SpoonFull of Strength

Rachel
  • 5.0 (4)
  • HEALTH & FITNESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The SpoonFull Show (formerly SpoonFull of Strength) is hosted by Rachel, who has lived with Multiple Sclerosis for 10 years and Type 1 Diabetes for more than 25. Each episode blends heartfelt Spoonie conversations with insightful expert interviews, exploring what it really means to live with chronic illness. From the struggles of diagnosis and the mental load of daily symptoms, to the victories of advocacy, resilience, and finding joy, this podcast offers community, encouragement, and the reminder that even a spoonful of strength can carry you through.

  1. Ep. 86: Trust Yourself, Not the Label: The Danger of “It’s Just Stress”

    MAR 25

    Ep. 86: Trust Yourself, Not the Label: The Danger of “It’s Just Stress”

    In this episode, Rachel explores what happens when patients are labeled instead of listened to — and why trusting yourself can be one of the most important decisions you make. Rachel is joined by Ali Moresco, Founder of Moresco Public Relations + Communications. She specializes in healthcare PR rooted in lived experience. After navigating her own complex health journey, she now advocates for patients with chronic and often misunderstood conditions. She is known for amplifying patient voices and has secured national media placements in outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes. Ali shares her journey through unexplained symptoms, medical dismissal, and ultimately, learning to trust her intuition when answers weren’t coming easily. What began as being told “it’s just stress” turned into a much deeper and more complex health story — one that reshaped not only her life, but her career. Together, this conversation dives into medical gaslighting, the challenges many patients face when advocating for themselves, and how those experiences can impact both identity and long-term health. It also explores how Ali has turned her lived experience into meaningful work, helping shift the way healthcare stories are told and ensuring patient voices are not overlooked. Ali Moresco is the Founder of Moresco Public Relations + Communications, where she specializes in healthcare PR rooted in lived experience. After navigating her own complex health journey, she now advocates for patients with chronic and often misunderstood conditions. She is known for amplifying patient voices and has secured national media placements in outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes. This episode is a reminder that when it comes to your body — you are not wrong. Follow Ali on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/alitmoresco/ Website: https://www.amorescopr.com/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandramoresco/ Follow SpoonFull of Strength for podcast clips and updates at https://www.instagram.com/spoonfullofstrength/ And on TikTok at: https://www.tiktok.com/@spoonfull.of.strength Looking for chronic illness merch? Visit SpoonFull of Strength’s Etsy shop at www.spoonfullofstrength.etsy.com Use code PODCAST for 25% off your entire order.

    34 min
  2. Ep. 85: Getting Stronger with Chronic Illness: What Strength Really Means

    MAR 18

    Ep. 85: Getting Stronger with Chronic Illness: What Strength Really Means

    What does it really mean to get stronger with chronic illness? In this episode, Rachel is joined by Charu — a mom of two living with autoimmune hepatitis and PBC — to talk about redefining strength in the chronic illness community. Together, they explore: • How the definition of “strength” changes after diagnosis • The balance between pushing forward and knowing when to rest • Starting small with movement — even 10-minute walks • Strength training while managing fatigue and medication side effects • Modifications like chair-based exercises and bodyweight movements • Maintaining strength vs. constantly trying to improve • Flare days, guilt, and learning flexibility • Meditation, body scans, and calming the nervous system when physical movement isn’t accessible This conversation is not about pushing harder. It’s about meeting your body where it is and finding sustainable ways to support your physical and mental health. As always, consult your medical provider before starting new exercise routines. Follow Charu on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/a.spoonful.0f.joy/ If you’re interested in body scan mindfulness exercises, here are a few recommendations from Charu: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7mceqGJnxVGWzKBfCSYJR2?si=x4fcSXFdQFCRHk4dKT2B6Q&t=14 YouTube: https://youtu.be/3X-_qx9Txto?si=te3Tt3E8C2kbOnzc Follow SpoonFull of Strength for podcast clips and updates at ⁠https://www.instagram.com/spoonfullofstrength/⁠ And on TikTok at: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@spoonfull.of.strength⁠ Looking for chronic illness merch? Visit SpoonFull of Strength’s Etsy shop at ⁠www.spoonfullofstrength.etsy.com⁠ Use code PODCAST for 25% off your entire order.

    34 min
  3. Ep. 84: The Burden of Chronic Illness with Author Jackie Norton

    MAR 11

    Ep. 84: The Burden of Chronic Illness with Author Jackie Norton

    What does it mean to become disabled after living as an able-bodied person? In this episode, Rachel is joined by author Jackie Norton to talk about her memoir Burden: A Year of Journals from Someone Living with Chronic Illness. After developing long COVID in 2021, Jackie’s life changed dramatically — leading to diagnoses including POTS, dysautonomia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and mast cell activation syndrome. Together, we explore: • The shock of sudden disability • Body grief and identity shifts • People-pleasing and learning to set boundaries • The loneliness of early diagnosis • Building community in chronic illness This conversation is honest, validating, and deeply human.If you’ve ever felt like a burden — you are not alone. Follow Jackie on Instagram and TikTok @jackieenorton Find her book here: Amazon https://a.co/d/0gSDZjKv Barnes and noble barnesandnoble.com/w/burden-jackie-norton/1147916190?ean=9798999491305 Follow SpoonFull of Strength for podcast clips and updates at https://www.instagram.com/spoonfullofstrength/ And on TikTok at: https://www.tiktok.com/@spoonfull.of.strength Looking for chronic illness merch? Visit SpoonFull of Strength’s Etsy shop at www.spoonfullofstrength.etsy.com Use code PODCAST for 25% off your entire order.

    37 min
  4. Ep 83: Living Alongside Uncertainty

    MAR 4

    Ep 83: Living Alongside Uncertainty

    Uncertainty is one of the most challenging parts of living with chronic illness. The unpredictability of flares. The shifting baseline. The progressive questions about the future. The quiet grief that shows up in waves. In this episode of The Spoonful Show, Rachel is joined by Karen Wagner and Chris Burton from the Invisible Strength Podcast to explore what it really means to live alongside uncertainty. Together they discuss: Navigating flares and shifting capacityProgressive illness and “kissing the line” of future changesThe tension between hope and realismGrief that builds in wavesRebuilding self-trustFinding joy in small, intentional momentsWhy you don’t have to do this aloneThis conversation is honest, reflective, and deeply encouraging for anyone learning to live fully without guarantees. Connect with Karin & Chris here: Websites: Invigorate your Journey: https://invigorateyourjourney.com/ Join their support group meeting 3/9/26: https://calendly.com/invigorateyourjourney/new-meeting?month=2026-03 Guidance & Coaching: https://invigorateyourjourney.com/invigorate-coaching/ Invisible Strength Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnb3P3J1K9u_OtofTSO7VDgSocial Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unseenyetunstoppable/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@unseenyetunstoppable YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnb3P3J1K9u_OtofTSO7VDg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Invigorate-Your-Journey/100091620060815/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/invigorate-your-journey/ Follow SpoonFull of Strength for podcast clips and updates at https://www.instagram.com/spoonfullofstrength/ And on TikTok at: https://www.tiktok.com/@spoonfull.of.strength Looking for chronic illness merch? Visit SpoonFull of Strength’s Etsy shop at www.spoonfullofstrength.etsy.com Use code PODCAST for 25% off your entire order.

    37 min
  5. Ep. 82: How to Feel in Control of Your Health with Dr. Amy Behimer

    FEB 25

    Ep. 82: How to Feel in Control of Your Health with Dr. Amy Behimer

    When you’re diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, it can feel like your sense of control disappears overnight. In this episode, Rachel is joined by Amy Behimer—Doctor of Pharmacy, nationally board-certified health and wellness coach, and someone living with multiple sclerosis—to talk about how to reclaim agency over your health, even when you can’t control your diagnosis. Together, they explore the difference between managing disease and creating health, why small, supportive habits matter more than perfection, and how redefining health as energy, purpose, and peace can change how you live with chronic illness. This conversation is empowering, compassionate, and a reminder that feeling better can start today—without pressure or overwhelm. Follow Dr. Amy on: Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/amybehimercoaching/ Her Podcast: https://podfollow.com/autoimmune-health-secrets For coaching, take this quiz to get started!  https://amybehimercoaching.com/quiz Join her Club Habit!: https://amybehimercoaching.com/join And, enter the March challenge at: https://amybehimercoaching.com/challenge Follow SpoonFull of Strength for podcast clips and updates at https://www.instagram.com/spoonfullofstrength/ And on TikTok at: https://www.tiktok.com/@spoonfull.of.strength Looking for chronic illness merch? Visit SpoonFull of Strength’s Etsy shop at www.spoonfullofstrength.etsy.com Use code PODCAST for 25% off your entire order.

    40 min
  6. Ep 81: Meaningful Activities for Rediscovering Who You Are After Illness

    FEB 18

    Ep 81: Meaningful Activities for Rediscovering Who You Are After Illness

    When chronic illness changes your body, it can also change how you see yourself. In this episode of The SpoonFull of Strength Podcast, Rachel and Kait talk about losing identity after diagnosis — and how meaningful activities can help rebuild purpose, joy, and connection to who you are now.Kait shares how running once defined her identity, how her MMS diagnosis shifted everything, and the grief that came with losing what once brought meaning to her days. Together, they explore what meaningful activities really are (hint: it’s not about productivity), how to modify activities to meet your body where it is, and why finding joy in small, accessible moments can be life-giving. Follow Kait on Instagram at  https://www.instagram.com/alignedk8/ Follow SpoonFull of Strength for podcast clips and updates at https://www.instagram.com/spoonfullofstrength/ And on TikTok at: https://www.tiktok.com/@spoonfull.of.strength Looking for chronic illness merch? Visit SpoonFull of Strength’s Etsy shop at www.spoonfullofstrength.etsy.com Use code PODCAST for 25% off your entire order.

    36 min
  7. Ep. 80: The Ultimate Act of Being Enough with Author Leisa Wallace

    FEB 11

    Ep. 80: The Ultimate Act of Being Enough with Author Leisa Wallace

    What happens to your sense of worth when your body, health, or capacity changes? In this episode, I’m joined by Leisa Wallace, author of The Ultimate Act of Being Enough: Your Guide to Remembering Your Worth When Everything Falls Apart, for a deeply grounding conversation about identity, productivity, and what it means to be enough when life falls apart. After an aggressive-onset multiple sclerosis diagnosis upended her life, Leisa was forced to confront how tightly her worth was tied to achievement and doing — and to reimagine who she was beneath it all. Together, we talk about grief, forced stillness, and the uncomfortable work of separating worth from productivity. Leisa also shares the powerful framework she calls the Value Constellation, a way of understanding identity as made up of intrinsic qualities that remain even when capacity changes. This episode is for anyone navigating chronic illness, burnout, caregiving, or a season where slowing down wasn’t a choice — and for anyone who needs the reminder that worth isn’t something you earn, it’s something you remember. In this episode, we discuss: Living with aggressive-onset multiple sclerosis Grieving the loss of who you thought you’d be Why productivity is so often tied to self-worth The concept of the Value Constellation Learning to be instead of prove Remembering your worth when everything feels like it’s falling apart 🎧 Listen in for a compassionate, honest conversation about identity, resilience, and being enough — exactly as you are. Follow Lisa on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/chronically.thriving.leisa/ Find her book, The Ultimate Act of Being Enough, here:  https://a.co/d/9Juy4Jx Follow SpoonFull of Strength for podcast clips and updates at https://www.instagram.com/spoonfullofstrength/ And on TikTok at: https://www.tiktok.com/@spoonfull.of.strength Looking for chronic illness merch? Visit SpoonFull of Strength’s Etsy shop at www.spoonfullofstrength.etsy.com Use code PODCAST for 25% off your entire order.

    40 min
  8. EP. 79: The Cost of Being a Medical Mystery with Author Tilly Rose

    FEB 4

    EP. 79: The Cost of Being a Medical Mystery with Author Tilly Rose

    This is the first episode of a new season of The SpoonFull Show, and Rachel is joined by author and patient advocate Tilly Rose as a special guest co-host for a powerful conversation about the cost of being a medical mystery. Together, they explore what it truly means to spend years searching for answers—being dismissed, misdiagnosed, and medically gaslit while your body continues to break down. Drawing from Tilly’s memoir Be Patient, the episode pulls back the curtain on the healthcare system and the unseen trauma patients carry long after hospital stays end. Rachel and Tilly talk openly about the emotional toll of not being believed, the loss of trust in medical systems, the physical consequences of delayed diagnosis, and how patients are often forced to become their own advocates just to survive. They also discuss the grief and relief that come with finally receiving a diagnosis, the identity shifts that follow, and why patient stories are essential in pushing healthcare toward real change. This episode is for anyone who has ever felt unheard, overlooked, or labeled “too complicated”—and for those who want to better understand what patients endure behind the scenes. Follow Tilly’s journey on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thattillyrose/ Find Tilly’s book wherever books are sold. Purchase through Blackwells and receive FREE international shipping. Purchase here: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9781780726229 Follow SpoonFull of Strength for podcast clips and updates at https://www.instagram.com/spoonfullofstrength/ And on TikTok at: https://www.tiktok.com/@spoonfull.of.strength Looking for chronic illness merch? Visit SpoonFull of Strength’s Etsy shop at www.spoonfullofstrength.etsy.com Use code PODCAST for 25% off your entire order.

    54 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

The SpoonFull Show (formerly SpoonFull of Strength) is hosted by Rachel, who has lived with Multiple Sclerosis for 10 years and Type 1 Diabetes for more than 25. Each episode blends heartfelt Spoonie conversations with insightful expert interviews, exploring what it really means to live with chronic illness. From the struggles of diagnosis and the mental load of daily symptoms, to the victories of advocacy, resilience, and finding joy, this podcast offers community, encouragement, and the reminder that even a spoonful of strength can carry you through.

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