Healing Space

In one of the most impactful episodes of Healing Space yet, Cara speaks directly to the quiet fears and crushing self-blame so many people with HS carry alone. With honesty, clarity, and tenderness, she walks listeners through the harmful stories we absorb — that HS is caused by poor hygiene, weight, food choices, lack of discipline, or even moral failure — and systematically replaces them with truth and compassion.

Cara breaks down why these beliefs feel so convincing, how society reinforces them, and why none of them are rooted in science or reality. She names the shame, the comparison, the guilt, and the “maybe this is my fault” questions that live inside so many chronically ill people. And for each one, she offers a new narrative: You did not cause this. You are not dirty. You are not lazy. You are not being punished. You deserve care simply because you are human.

This episode is a grounding reminder that HS is a chronic autoinflammatory condition — not a consequence of choices or character — and that releasing blame is a radical act of healing.

A companion worksheet is available to help listeners unpack and rewrite the stories they’ve been carrying.

Explore more episodes, tools, and guided emotional support at hsconnect.org/healingspace.

This podcast was made possible by UCB.

Living with hidradenitis suppurativa often means carrying more than physical pain — it means carrying it quietly. In this episode of Healing Space, we talk about the part of HS that rarely gets named: secrecy.

Why so many of us hide our diagnosis.
 The difference between healthy privacy and punishing silence.
 Why your story can feel fragile — like an egg — after diagnosis.
 How to recognize who is actually safe to tell.
 And what gentle disclosure can look like in real life.

If you’ve ever felt pressure to explain yourself, guilt for staying quiet, or shame for protecting your story, this conversation is for you. You are not weak for keeping HS private — you were surviving.

This episode is paired with a reflective worksheet available at hsconnect.org, designed to help you process secrecy without shame and take one small step toward connection, on your own terms.

Sponsored by UCB, with gratitude for supporting patient-centered conversations and the HS community.

This podcast was made possible by UCB.

If you’ve just heard the words hidradenitis suppurativa, this episode is for you.

A new diagnosis can feel overwhelming, confusing, and frightening — sometimes all at once. In this Healing Space episode, we slow everything down and focus on what actually matters in the very beginning.

We talk about:

• Why your emotions feel big and contradictory
• What a diagnosis really means — and what it doesn’t
• What you don’t need to figure out yet
• How to take your first next step without urgency or panic
• How to protect your mental health from information overload

You are not broken. You are not failing. And you do not need to become an HS expert overnight.

This episode is paired with a gentle “Start Here” worksheet available at hsconnect.org, created to help newly diagnosed patients process, breathe, and find their footing — without pressure.

Sponsored by UCB, thank you for supporting Healing Space and helping ensure newly diagnosed patients don’t have to navigate this moment alone.

This podcast was made possible by UCB.

Special Episode with Brindley Brooks, MD Experts, & UCB

In this special Healing Space episode, Healing Space Host, Cara Nethery, is joined by HS Connect Founder & CEO Brindley Brooks and leading experts. for a powerful conversation on the silent struggles of living with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) — and why mental health support is just as critical as physical treatment.

Joined by Dr. Ginette Okoye, Professor and Chair of Dermatology at Howard University, along with Kajal Bhika from the UCB team, this episode explores the emotional toll of HS, including depression, anxiety, shame, isolation, and the impact on relationships, intimacy, and daily life.

Together, the panel discusses:
Why mental health is often overlooked in HS care
The hidden emotional burden of living with a chronic skin condition
How HS affects relationships, self-esteem, and identity
Barriers to accessing mental health support
The importance of community, validation, and patient-centered care
How Healing Space was created to fill critical gaps in emotional and mental health resources for people living with HS

This episode also highlights how Healing Space — supported by UCB — was built to provide accessible, judgment-free mental health tools, alternative therapies, and community-driven support so patients never have to navigate HS alone.
Whether you’re a patient, caregiver, or healthcare provider, this conversation offers insight, validation, and hope — and reinforces that HS is more than a skin condition. It’s a whole-person experience that deserves whole-person care.

Learn more and access Healing Space resources at hsconnect.org.

This podcast was made possible by UCB.

In this powerful episode of Healing Space, host Cara opens up a conversation many people living with chronic illness have never been given language for: the difference between capability and capacity. Drawing from real-life experiences shared across the HS community, Cara explains how chronic illness can shrink your daily capacity long before you ever sit down at your desk — and why this has nothing to do with laziness, weakness, or lack of motivation.

Through relatable examples, gentle reframing, and compassionate storytelling, Cara guides listeners toward a new way of measuring their day: one that honors what their body has already carried, not what they feel they “should” be doing. If you’ve ever felt shame for slowing down, struggled with unpredictability, or wondered why simple tasks feel impossible on flare days, this episode will help you breathe easier.

She also introduces a practical worksheet designed to help you explore your own capacity, reframe daily expectations, and create more emotional space for yourself — even on the hardest days.

Listen now and explore more tools, worksheets, and community conversation at hsconnect.org/healingspace.

This podcast was made possible by UCB.

In this gentle and grounding New Year episode, Cara invites listeners to rethink the pressure of “New Year, New You” when you’re living with a chronic condition like HS. While social media fills our feeds with highlight reels, transformations, and “best year yet” posts, Cara reminds us that every year looks different for every person — and that comparison is a natural, human response, not a failure.

Drawing from real experiences shared across the HS community, she explores what to do when comparison hits, not how to pretend it doesn’t. With warmth and honesty, Cara walks through practical steps for naming your feelings without judgment, anchoring your goals in your own reality, recognizing the strength in your quiet wins, and understanding what your jealousy might actually be trying to tell you.

She also reframes healing through the lens of seasons — reminding listeners that droughts, storms, and harvests each have their place, and no one’s timeline looks the same. This episode is a compassionate companion for anyone stepping into 2026 with fear, hope, exhaustion, or all three at once.

If you need a soft place to land this season, this episode is for you.
 Explore more tools, episodes, and support at hsconnect.org/healingspace.

This podcast was made possible by UCB.

Grief doesn’t only come after loss—it can begin the moment you receive a diagnosis that changes the future you imagined for yourself.

In this deeply compassionate episode of Healing Space, host Cara explores what it means to grieve after a chronic illness diagnosis. From dismantling the myth that grief only applies to death, to walking through the emotional stages many experience after life-altering health news, Cara creates space for listeners to feel seen, validated, and understood.

Using the well-known framework of the five stages of grief, Cara gently explains how denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance may show up—not as a checklist, but as a fluid, personal experience. Through a powerful real-life scenario and her own story, she illustrates how grief can look like mourning the body you once had, the career or dreams you envisioned, or the version of life you expected.

This episode also covers:

• Different forms of grief, including anticipatory and delayed grief
• The emotional and physical symptoms that often accompany grief
• Why timelines don’t define strength or resilience
• Practical, compassionate coping tools for moving through grief with care

Above all, this episode is a reminder that grief is not failure—it’s change. And even in the midst of loss, it’s possible to find meaning, support, and a life that is still full and beautiful.

A companion worksheet is available to help listeners process and reflect alongside the episode. Find it and other resources at hsconnect.org/healingspace. 

This podcast was made possible by UCB.

In this episode, host Cara speaks directly to those who have lived with Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) for years — even decades. The ones who have weathered endless doctor visits, dismissive diagnoses, and a healthcare system that once didn’t understand their pain.

If you’ve ever felt forgotten, hopeless, or too tired to try again, this episode is for you. Kara honors the strength, endurance, and resilience of long-time HS warriors and reminds listeners that the world has changed — new treatments, new research, and a new generation of providers are here because of you.

Tune in for encouragement, validation, and practical tools to help you re-engage with care on your own terms, including:

• How to approach healthcare again after years of frustration
• Tools and documentation that can empower your next appointment
• New HS resources that didn’t exist before — from dermatologist finders to flare care kits
• Gentle reminders that hope isn’t naïve — it’s earned

You survived the hardest years. You made the road smoother for everyone who came after. Now, you deserve access to the care and compassion you helped create.

✨ Listen now, and explore resources, support, and community at hsconnect.org or hsconnect.org/healingspace

This podcast was made possible by UCB.

In this heartfelt episode of Healing Space, host Cara opens up an honest, compassionate discussion about depression — what it really is, how it affects those living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), and most importantly, how to begin finding light again even on the hardest days 

Cara explains how depression goes far beyond sadness — it touches how you think, act, and feel. With HS, that emotional weight can grow heavier, as flares, pain, and isolation all feed into one another

She explores the connection between inflammation and mental health, sharing research showing that HS patients are nearly twice as likely to experience depression compared to the general population. 

But this episode isn’t just about awareness — it’s about action. Cara gently walks listeners through four practical tools for managing low moods and breaking the “domino effect” of pain, loneliness, and self-criticism:

• 🌿 Behavioral Activation: small, intentional activities that lift your mood — even when you can’t do everything you planned.
• 💭 Thought Reframing: catching and challenging harsh self-talk (“I’m ugly because of my scars”) with self-compassion (“These scars show I’m strong”).
• 🎶 Mood-Boosting Playlist: using music to shift your energy and emotions — from High Hopes to Shake It Off.
• 🤝 Connection and Support: reaching out to friends, family, or online support groups — especially those who genuinely understand living with HS 

Cara reminds listeners that depression doesn’t mean weakness — it’s a signal your mind and body need care. Through awareness, connection, and small daily steps, healing becomes possible.

✨ “You are not alone in this. Your scars tell a story of resilience, not defeat.”

For more mental health resources visit hsconnect.org/healingspace

Thank you to UCB for making the Healing Space possible. 

This podcast was made possible by UCB.

In this episode of Healing Space with Cara, we explore one of the most powerful and compassionate frameworks in chronic illness and mental-health life: Spoon Theory.

Originally created by Christine Miserandino, Spoon Theory is a way to describe the limited energy many people living with chronic illness, disability, pain, or mental-health challenges experience each day. It helps us understand why even simple tasks — getting dressed, cooking, answering messages — can use up precious “spoons,” and why pacing, boundaries, rest, and self-compassion aren’t just helpful — they’re essential.

For more resources check out hsconnect.org/healingspace

This podcast was made possible by UCB.