Abiding Hysteria

In our second episode of the season, I have the pleasure of interviewing Emily Mendenhall, who is anthropologist, Guggenheim Fellow, and Professor in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. She has authored six books, including Syndemic Suffering (2012), Global Mental Health ( 2015), Rethinking Diabetes (2019), Unmasked (2022), Savoring Care (2025) and Invisible Illness (2026). She serves as Editor-in-Chief of a new publication, Science Politics, and has written for Scientific American, Vox, and Psychology Today.

In this episode we discuss her newest book, invisible illnesses, how power plays into medicine, and more. Please join me in welcoming Emily Mendenhall to the show!

website: www.emilymendenhall.com

book: Invisible Illness: A History, from Hysteria to Long Covid

Find Emily on Substack!

Book launch on CSPAN!

Join us on Discord!

Find us on Social Media: @abidinghysteria on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky, and Threads!

Become a Patron today for only $5 a month by clicking here!

In our premier episode of Season 2, I wanted to feature someone who is a longtime friend with a creative mind on just another level, Author and Artist Rue Sparks. Together we talk about their health story, Chiari malformation, their career, and more. I cannot recommend enough listening to the audiobook of their most recent novel, The Fable of Wren, as well as their other masterfully written and thoughtful works.

According to their bio on https://ruesparks.com, "Rue Sparks is a composite of neurosis and nonsense held together by duct tape and sheer stubbornness. They are at the conjunction of queer, disabled, and neurospicy identities with a background in illustration, digital media, and book publishing.

There are common themes that tie their work together: found family, grief, queerness, mental health. They live in a rural Michigan town surrounded by forest on all sides so that they can opt out of humanity at will."

Rue Sparks' Links from the show:

Website: https://www.ruesparks.com/

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/ruesparks.bsky.social

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ruesparks

Archetype: https://www.patreon.com/cw/archetypeproject

Don't forget to join our Discord to find other cool humans and discuss episodes, learn about upcoming guests, and more! Join here: https://discord.gg/PqXhtJjz

What should have been a celebration became a horror story for this month's guest, Alice. Join host Rachael Woodard in a conversation about womanhood, medical neglect, surgery recovery, and Alice's hopes for the future in this month's episode of the Abiding Hysteria podcast.

Strong trigger warnings for the following: Graphic descriptions of wounds & healing; descriptions of the technicalities of gender confirmation surgery; body dysmorphia; discrimination; medical neglect, trauma, and gaslighting; major depression, and isolation.

Join host Rachael Woodard as she interviews guest Logan Kinch about being childfree by choice, her health story, medical bias, and the intersection of these in her life.

Trigger warnings for medical trauma regarding surgeries and pain.

From the ages of sixteen to twenty one Logan Kinch underwent seven surgeries. After all of that pain and trauma Logan started her most difficult journey yet, getting a hysterectomy. Although endometriosis was damaging her quality of life and she has no desire to ever have children, bias always got in her way. Doctors prioritized the maternal role they wanted her to play over everything she wanted for her quality of life and future. At twenty five she finally had her eighth surgery, a partial hysterectomy. She hopes her story can normalize the desire to be child free, as well as validate others that do not wish to have children.

What does it take to run a business? A lot of time and energy, right? Imagine what it takes for someone with chronic illness or who is neurodivergent. In this episode of Abiding Hysteria, I sat down with Randi Pullar, of Chronically Cozy Life, to discuss what it's like being a neurodivergent chronically ill entrepreneur, helping others find their place in the world of entrepreneurship, the difference between the US and Canadian healthcare systems, and more.

For more from Randi Pullar, check out her website at https://www.chronicallycozylife.com or find her online at @chronicallycozylife

Join host Rachael Woodard and Ashley Bell, candidate for North Carolina's 10th district, in discussing Bell's career in healthcare, struggles with chronic illness, platform, and more!

Ashley Bell is a lifelong public servant, educator, and healthcare professional running for Congress to bring compassion, competence, and common sense back to Washington. A physician associate, former public school teacher, and university professor, Ashley has spent her life putting people first — in the clinic, the classroom, and the community.

Raised in rural East Texas by small business owners, Ashley became the first in her family to attend college, graduating from the University of Houston with help from scholarships, Pell Grants, and part-time jobs. She began her career as a band director in Texas public schools, then earned her PA credentials from Wake Forest School of Medicine and a doctorate from the University of Lynchburg.

Ashley has treated thousands of patients, taught future healthcare providers, and witnessed how decisions in Washington impact real people. After developing a chronic illness and being denied disability accommodations by her employer, she experienced the devastating consequences of a broken system — and became a passionate advocate for disability rights and economic justice.

She’s not a career politician. She’s a teacher, a healer, and a neighbor — running to expand access to healthcare, strengthen public education, protect reproductive freedom, and build an economy that works for everyone. Ashley believes leadership is about showing up, listening, and doing what’s right — even when it’s hard.

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When Amanda went to the ER, her primary care doctor had told her she had appendicitis and that she needed to be seen immediately. She'd previously had a full hysterectomy, so imagine her surprise when the ER physician diagnosed her with ovarian cysts. In a series of events that paints a harrowing picture of the bias in our healthcare system and medical gaslighting, Amanda finally left the ER with an incorrect diagnosis, still in extreme pain.

After telling her story on TikTok, Amanda expected to see a few responses from other women agreeing that they had experienced bias in healthcare. When she woke up the next morning, her video had over 4 million views and thousands of comments from women telling their own horror stories. She tells us what that experience was like, where we go from here, and why it is so important that we tell these stories.

Join us for this electrifying interview, and, if you are interested in telling your own story on the show, contact host Rachael Woodard at [email protected]

To support the show, become a Patron for only $5 a month at https://patreon.com/AbidingHysteria (Your support helps us continue to tell these important stories!)

In this episode of Abiding Hysteria I speak with Liana McKenzie about gender affirming healthcare experiences and a cancer diagnosis. Liana shares with us her personal journey with challenges and triumphs, her story of obtaining competent care as a trans woman, and what her experiences can teach us about the healthcare system's treatment of gender diverse individuals. Join us as we explore the stories of real people and find ways to not only abide but thrive in a world where healthcare is a battle for inclusivity and compassion.

Thank you for supporting Abiding Hysteria and helping us amplify marginalized voices in medicine. To support this show, please share this episode with others or consider becoming a Patreon at https://patreon.com/AbidingHysteria

If you have a story you would like to tell on this show, please find us on social media at @AbidingHysteria or email us at [email protected]

In this month's episode we chat with Dr. Katherine Farris of Planned Parenthood to discuss reproductive health, the inclusive, accessible care that Planned Parenthood provides, and the importance of telling our health stories - especially those who are in the margins of society. Learn what it's like to visit a Planned Parenthood, how to find care and stay informed about laws in your state, why PP's mission is so important, and how we can support its efforts. For an uncut version of this interview, become a Patron for only $5 a month at Patreon.com/abidinghysteria

In this deeply personal episode, I (host, Rachael Woodard) share my own difficult journey through chronic pain and chronic illness- a path filled with resilience, frustration, and ultimately, finding purpose. You'll hear how I came to start this podcast, why it's so important to me and so many others to share our stories, and how you can share yours. For too long inherent bias in the medical and insurance industries have harmed women and gender diverse people, and it's time we stand together and say "No more." It's time to break our silence, find our community, and rewrite the story for generations to come.

Be sure to follow us on social media to see when our first full episode will release (@abidinghysteria). If you would like to support the show for only $5 a month, become a patron at Patreon.com/abidinghysteria

(We do have a website but I made it and it is just a placeholder until I can find someone to make a proper one or afford the cost of a web designer!)