The Autoimmune Campfire Podcast

Honest Conversations on Thriving with Chronic Conditions

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Education
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Stories matter. Stories heal. Stories inspire. Welcome to The Autoimmune Campfire: Honest Conversations on Thriving with Chronic Conditions. A podcast by coaches Nona Jordan and Helen Samson Mullen who talk about living well with chronic conditions. theautoimmunecampfire.substack.com

Jun 19

Adventure on Your Terms

Coaches Helen and Nona discuss redefining adventure while living with chronic illness, emphasizing choosing joy, courage, and “responsible discernment” rather than shrinking life through heightened risk awareness. Nona shares returning to indoor sport climbing with her daughter after an MS diagnosis—climbing less than before but finding community and accomplishment—and reflects on learning to surf in Hawaii as an example of risk, play, and growth. Helen describes pushing her edges through travel, volunteering, gardening, strength training, and re-entering community despite concerns about illness exposure around infusions. They explore fear versus freedom, managing uncertainty, listening beneath anxious “spinning,” and how anxiety and excitement can feel similar. They highlight tolerating discomfort as essential for bravery, and adapting adventures to the “body you are arriving in today,” ending with invitations for listeners to pursue meaningful “hell yes” adventures.The Show Timeline 00:00 Welcome to Campfire 00:21 Why Adventure Matters 02:03 Climbing Again with MS 05:34 Risk Awareness vs Joy 08:05 Helen’s Everyday Adventures 13:32 Fear Versus Freedom 15:11 Planning and Managing Risk 18:20 Anxiety or Excitement 21:03 Redefining Adventure Today 23:41 Summer Adventure Plans 26:39 Get the Sand in Car 27:00 Listener Challenge and Wrap 27:32 Podcast Disclaimer Credits Thanks for listening! Subscribe for free to receive new posts straight to your inbox. PS: We would love to connect beyond the Campfire. If you want to learn more about who we are and what we do or to work with us, check our respective websites: https://www.nonajordan.com/ https://www.helensamsonmullen.com Nona’s book referenced in this episode is here: surf lessons: exploring the power of nature to awaken your abundance. We are delighted to work with our wonderful producer, Richard Wilmore at https://www.makeyourdayricher.com/ Thank you for joining us - we’d love to hear from you! What are your best travel tips? What are you taking away from this episode? Have questions? Leave a comment below. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theautoimmunecampfire.substack.com

28 min
Jun 8

Episode 19: Travel Smart!

Welcome, and Welcome Back to the Autoimmune Campfire! Coaches Helen and Nona discuss how to travel well with chronic illness without preemptively shrinking life, sharing lessons learned from Nona’s family trip to Namibia, where they didn’t check if they needed mosquito repellent or malaria prevention medication. Oh boy!Helen introduces her brilliant “three Ps” framework—Prep, Pack, Plan—highlighting coordinating medications and infusions, obtaining a doctor letter and emergency meds, reviewing region-specific risks and vaccines (including dengue), and acknowledging the invisible load and anxiety of travel. Packing focuses on comfort and safety: keeping meds in carry-on, using compression socks, staying hydrated, using mobility supports, bringing comfort items, and bringing food for nutrition. Planning includes researching medical access and insurance, pacing activities, building recovery buffers before returning to work, and using tools like the Oura Ring to notice illness. They add post-care ideas like frozen meals, fresh sheets, and doing laundry before returning home. 00:00 Welcome to The Autoimmune Campfire 02:06 Why Travel Matters 03:54 Namibia (Fail) - A Planning Lesson 10:26 Prep Before You Go 13:15 No Burden Mindset 22:03 Pack for Comfort 26:02 Plan the Whole Trip 30:16 Post Care and Recovery 33:07 Closing and Disclaimer Thank you for tuning in to The Autoimmune Campfire. Subscribe to receive new posts and support The Autoimmune Campfire! PS: We would love to connect beyond the Campfire. If you want to learn more about who we are and what we do or to work with us, check our respective websites: https://www.nonajordan.com/ https://www.helensamsonmullen.com We are delighted to work with our wonderful producer, Richard Wilmore at https://www.makeyourdayricher.com/ Thank you for joining us - we’d love to hear from you! What are your best travel tips? What are you taking away from this episode? Have questions? Leave a comment below. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theautoimmunecampfire.substack.com

35 min
08/14/2025

Episode 18: Navigating Rare and Chronic Conditions with Creativity and Grace Part 2 of 2

Nona and Helen are delighted to share a dear friend and colleague, Cath Duncan, with you on the Autoimmune Campfire podcast. They recorded a two-part conversation on Cath’s experience with chronic illness and her incredible resilience and creativity and how she has intentionally fueled her ability to thrive in the face of challenges. Cath Duncan is a mixed-media artist living in Utrecht, Netherlands. Her paintings are inspired by her first career as a Grief Therapist and her personal experiences of loss and grief, which include vision and hearing impairments, chronic illness, pregnancy loss, adoption, and immigration. Nature is both her muse and sanctuary, offering sensory experiences and healing metaphors that sustain her, shape her creative process and inspire her explorations of the relationships between inner and outer landscapes. Cath is the author of Untangle Your Grief - Questions and Art After Loss, and she has exhibited her art in South Africa, the Netherlands, and the UK, and sold her original paintings to private collectors around the world. Cath’s art website: https://www.cathduncan.com Cath’s Untangle Your Grief book: https://cathduncan.com/untangle-your-grief/ Cath’s Insta: https://www.instagram.com/cathd/ Cath’s Delight series… https://www.cathduncan.com/delight-practice Cath provided attribution for the indigenous perspective on disability that she talked about. She got it from Indigenous scholars and activists, Dorothy Lonewolf Miller, (Blackfeet) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothy_Lonewolf_Miller) and Jennie R. Joe (Navajo) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennie_R._Joe). We welcome your comments and look forward to hearing from you. What are you taking away from this conversation? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theautoimmunecampfire.substack.com

36 min
07/16/2025

Episode 17: Navigating Rare and Chronic Conditions with Creativity and Grace Part 1 of 2

Nona and Helen are delighted to share a dear friend and colleague, Cath Duncan, with you on the Autoimmune Campfire podcast. They recorded a two-part conversation on Cath’s experience with chronic illness and her incredible resilience and creativity and how she has intentionally fueled her ability to thrive in the face of challenges. Cath Duncan is a mixed-media artist living in Utrecht, Netherlands. Her paintings are inspired by her first career as a Grief Therapist and her personal experiences of loss and grief, which include vision and hearing impairments, chronic illness, pregnancy loss, adoption, and immigration. Nature is both her muse and sanctuary, offering sensory experiences and healing metaphors that sustain her, shape her creative process and inspire her explorations of the relationships between inner and outer landscapes. Cath is the author of Untangle Your Grief - Questions and Art After Loss, and she has exhibited her art in South Africa, the Netherlands, and the UK, and sold her original paintings to private collectors around the world. Cath’s art website: https://www.cathduncan.com Cath’s Untangle Your Grief book: https://cathduncan.com/untangle-your-grief/ Cath’s Insta: https://www.instagram.com/cathd/ Cath’s Delight series… https://www.cathduncan.com/delight-practice We welcome your comments and look forward to hearing from you. What are you taking away from this conversation? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theautoimmunecampfire.substack.com

37 min
06/02/2025

Episode 16 - A Peep into Parts Work for 'Autoimmunies'

Hello there, Nona and I are sharing Bonus Episode 2 in our series of interviews we’ve been having around living well with a chronic condition including guests who have an autoimmune / chronic condition or work with those who have an autoimmune diagnosis. In this episode, Nona and Helen interview Elizabeth Cush. Elizabeth Cush is a licensed clinical professional counselor, a life coach for highly sensitive women, and business owner. She’s also the host of the Awaken Your Wise Woman podcast. Elizabeth has worked in the mental health field for over 19 years where she incorporates the body, mind, and spirit into her work. You can find her here: https://www.elizabethcushcoaching.com/ We talk about Internal Family Systems / Parts Work in this podcast and refer to Richard Schwartz who is the founder of this body of work. You can learn more here or in one of his many books: https://ifs-institute.com/about-us/richard-c-schwartz-phd We share our perspectives, learning and benefits in this podcast. We know it goes without saying, but the information provided on The Autoimmune Campfire is for educational or informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. The Autoimmune Campfire does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on this site or podcast. What resonated for you in the conversation? We’d love to hear from you in the comments. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theautoimmunecampfire.substack.com

38 min
05/04/2025

Episode 15: The Power of Creativity

Hi there, we’re releasing some interviews that Nona and I completed and we wanted to share them with you. We hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed these conversations and we’d love to hear what you think. In this 1st Bonus episode, Nona and Helen talk to Natalie Eslick about her story with chronic conditions and how creativity supports her in flourishing. Natalie Eslick is a wildlife artist and creative guide whose work bridges the gap between humans and the natural world. Through her meticulously rendered portraits in pencil and paint, she invites viewers to recognize themselves in the eyes of our wild kin, while her teaching practice empowers others to forge their own creative connections with nature. As an Associate Member of Artists for Conservation and founder of both Hedgerow and The Wild Sketchbook communities, Natalie's work serves multiple paths toward the same goal: reconnecting wild-hearted humans with the natural world. Her artistic practice, which earned her recognition through works featured in Sharon Blackie's bestselling book 'Hagitude', demonstrates the same core values she teaches - curiosity, compassion, and courage in approaching both art and nature. Whether through her detailed wildlife portraits that bring the wild into homes and hearts, or her gentle, supportive education programs that help artists develop their skills and confidence, Natalie creates spaces for deep connection and recognition of our inherent bonds with the natural world. Her integrated approach to art and teaching emphasizes process and connection over perfection, encouraging both viewers and students to discover their own unique ways of honoring and celebrating our wild kin. You can learn more about Natalie and her programs here: https://www.natalieeslick.com/ What resonated for you in the conversation? We’d love to hear from you in the comments. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theautoimmunecampfire.substack.com

44 min
01/01/2025

Episode 14: The Partners' Perspective

In this emotional and insightful episode, hosts Helen and Nona of the Autoimmune Campfire podcast welcome their husbands, Rob and Erick, to share their perspectives on living with spouses who have chronic conditions. They discuss the impact on family life, the challenges of diagnosis, and the adjustments required post-diagnosis. Both couples reflect on the hidden gifts and lessons learned through these experiences, emphasizing gratitude, love, and commitment. This episode also marks the season finale, offering heartfelt gratitude to their listeners and teasing an exciting return for season two. 00:00 Welcome to the Autoimmune Campfire 00:26 Introducing Our Guests: Rob and Erick 00:52 The Spouses' Perspective: Impact on Family 02:01 Nona and Erick's Journey Together 04:00 Helen and Rob's Story 07:34 Challenges and Diagnosis: Erick's Experience 21:43 Rob's Reflections on Helen's Diagnosis 34:40 Hidden Gifts and Gratitude 39:59 Closing Thoughts Thanks for listening to The Autoimmune Campfire! Subscribe for free to receive episodes straight to your inbox. Connect with us If you want to learn more about who we are and what we do or to work with us, please check our respective websites: https://www.nonajordan.com/ https://www.helensamsonmullen.com We are delighted to work with our wonderful producer, Richard Wilmore at https://www.makeyourdayricher.com/ Thank you for joining us - we’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment below. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theautoimmunecampfire.substack.com

43 min
12/18/2024

Ep. 13: Resilience When Sh*t Hits the Fan

In episode 13 of The Autoimmune Campfire, coaches Helen and Nona delve into the topic of resilience when faced with unexpected challenges related to chronic conditions. They share personal stories of recent medical issues, Helen's encounter with GI problems and Nona's discovery of a new lesion during an MS follow-up. The conversation highlights the importance of slowing down, recognizing one's habitual responses, and finding ways to disrupt negative patterns by practicing mindfulness, self-kindness, and gratitude. They also discuss how resilience can be cultivated through continuous self-care and embracing change as an inevitable part of life. This heartfelt episode offers insights and practical advice for anyone managing life with a chronic condition. 00:00 Welcome to the Autoimmune Campfire 00:18 Catching Up and Personal Updates 00:34 Bumps in the Road: Personal Challenges 02:29 Navigating Health Setbacks 05:12 Understanding Resilience 08:44 Personal Stories of Resilience 27:58 Lessons Learned and Moving Forward Thanks for listening to The Autoimmune Campfire! Subscribe for free to receive new episodes straight to your inbox. Hey, let’s connect! If you want to learn more about who we are and what we do or to work with us, please check our respective websites: https://www.nonajordan.com/ https://www.helensamsonmullen.com We are delighted to work with our wonderful producer, Richard Wilmore at https://www.makeyourdayricher.com/ Thank you for joining us - we’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment below. Additional resource: Article on Resilience: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/06/adam-grant-how-to-improve-resilience.html This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theautoimmunecampfire.substack.com

36 min

5

out of 5

4 Ratings

Stories matter. Stories heal. Stories inspire. Welcome to The Autoimmune Campfire: Honest Conversations on Thriving with Chronic Conditions. A podcast by coaches Nona Jordan and Helen Samson Mullen who talk about living well with chronic conditions. theautoimmunecampfire.substack.com

Creator

Honest Conversations on Thriving with Chronic Conditions
Years Active

2024 - 2026
Episodes

20
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© The Autoimmune Campfire
Show Website

The Autoimmune Campfire Podcast