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Day 1 - Courtney Whitney - They Just Weren’t Looking Hard Enough: A Sjögren’s Girl’s Guide from the Girl Who Gets It
"When you don't look sick, you're not seen as someone who needs help... you get questioned, doubted, dismissed, and discharged. Over time, you start to do those exact same things to yourself."In this raw and unfiltered patient story, Courtney Whitney, creator of Sjögren’s Girl’s Guide, takes you through her three-decade journey of being gaslit, dismissed, and misdiagnosed before finally finding answers. She shares the profound relief of being believed and the power of finding a community that says, "I get it."Watch this session to feel seen, to release the weight you've been carrying, and to remember that you were never invisible—they just weren't looking hard enough.EPISODE IN A GLANCE00:00 The Two Words That Connect Us All03:32 The Danger of Doubt: How Being 'Too Pretty to Be Sick' Erases You05:11 A Lifetime of Symptoms: From Childhood Dismissal to a Doctor's Unbelievable Suggestion09:13 The Breakthrough: Finding the Doctor Who Finally Listened14:42 Starting Over: The Power and Chaos of Turning to the Internet for Answers15:25 Finding Community: The Moment 'If You Know, You Know' Changed Everything20:27 The 'Bra' Exercise: A Powerful Practice for Letting Go of What You Carry24:03 A Hawaiian Tradition: How to Practice Forgiveness and Self-Love on the Hardest Days25:34 Final Message: You Were Never InvisibleABOUT COURTNEY WHITNEYCourtney Whitney is the creator of Sjögren’s Girl’s Guide, a digital platform dedicated to empowering and educating the autoimmune and chronic illness community through storytelling, science, and humor. Diagnosed with Sjögren’s disease at age 31 after over three decades of unanswered symptoms, Courtney has turned her lived experience into advocacy—building a rapidly growing support network for those who often go unheard. She brings warmth, grit, and deep relatability to every word, balancing medical insight with raw honesty and a touch of dark humor.CONNECT WITH COURTNEY WHITNEYInstagram → https://www.instagram.com/sjogrensgirlsguideFacebook → https://www.facebook.com/sjogrensgirlsguideYouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SjogrensGirlsGuideABOUT THE VIRTUAL SJOGREN'S SUMMITThe Virtual Sjögren's Summit is an annual patient-led online event dedicated to providing accessible, high-quality education and fostering a supportive global community for everyone touched by Sjögren's. Our mission is to build networks of support, knowledge, and hope.
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By Kara Wada, MD"When you don't look sick, you're not seen as someone who needs help... you get questioned, doubted, dismissed, and discharged. Over time, you start to do those exact same things to yourself."In this raw and unfiltered patient story, Courtney Whitney, creator of Sjögren’s Girl’s Guide, takes you through her three-decade journey of being gaslit, dismissed, and misdiagnosed before finally finding answers. She shares the profound relief of being believed and the power of finding a community that says, "I get it."Watch this session to feel seen, to release the weight you've been carrying, and to remember that you were never invisible—they just weren't looking hard enough.EPISODE IN A GLANCE00:00 The Two Words That Connect Us All03:32 The Danger of Doubt: How Being 'Too Pretty to Be Sick' Erases You05:11 A Lifetime of Symptoms: From Childhood Dismissal to a Doctor's Unbelievable Suggestion09:13 The Breakthrough: Finding the Doctor Who Finally Listened14:42 Starting Over: The Power and Chaos of Turning to the Internet for Answers15:25 Finding Community: The Moment 'If You Know, You Know' Changed Everything20:27 The 'Bra' Exercise: A Powerful Practice for Letting Go of What You Carry24:03 A Hawaiian Tradition: How to Practice Forgiveness and Self-Love on the Hardest Days25:34 Final Message: You Were Never InvisibleABOUT COURTNEY WHITNEYCourtney Whitney is the creator of Sjögren’s Girl’s Guide, a digital platform dedicated to empowering and educating the autoimmune and chronic illness community through storytelling, science, and humor. Diagnosed with Sjögren’s disease at age 31 after over three decades of unanswered symptoms, Courtney has turned her lived experience into advocacy—building a rapidly growing support network for those who often go unheard. She brings warmth, grit, and deep relatability to every word, balancing medical insight with raw honesty and a touch of dark humor.CONNECT WITH COURTNEY WHITNEYInstagram → https://www.instagram.com/sjogrensgirlsguideFacebook → https://www.facebook.com/sjogrensgirlsguideYouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SjogrensGirlsGuideABOUT THE VIRTUAL SJOGREN'S SUMMITThe Virtual Sjögren's Summit is an annual patient-led online event dedicated to providing accessible, high-quality education and fostering a supportive global community for everyone touched by Sjögren's. Our mission is to build networks of support, knowledge, and hope.