Today on MS understood we chat with Leann Stickel. Who works as a life coach with people with MS. She shares her diagnosis story, how she talked to her 4 kids about her diagnosis. She says she's genetically optimistic, how we can learn to be more positive and how her positivity was tested after her diagnosis. Leann is so positive that it's a joy to hear her speak. Hope you get some light out of listening to this episode.

Thank you so much for listening to today's episode of MS Understood. You can find me on Instagram @Clare.Reilly. The best thing you can do to support this podcast is click follow on Spotify, Subscribe on your other podcast listening platforms and leave a rating, this helps others find the podcast.

Today on MS Understood we hear from Mike Fitzsimon who is an exercise physiologist based in Melbourne. He excels at helping and supporting people to move well through life. Throughout this chat we talk about what an exercise physiologist is, why they can help, when we could start going to an EP and the difference between a physiotherapist, an EP and a personal trainer. I started seeing an EP after my chat with Jillian Kingsford Smith and swear by it. If you're considering checking out an EP, I highly recommend listening to this chat with Mike.

Thank you so much for listening to today's episode of MS Understood. You can find me on Instagram @Clare.Reilly. The best thing you can do to support this podcast is click follow on Spotify, Subscribe on your other podcast listening platforms and leave a rating, this helps others find the podcast.

Pride Plus

Multiple Sclerosis, the Great Wake Up call with Jillian Kingsford Smith

Exercise Sports Science Australia

Today on MS understood we chat with Julie Stamm. Wrote a beautiful book call Some Days. After having rough days and writing letters to her son she turned these heart felt letters into a gorgeous children's book. We spend a lot of time chatting about how we are raising our kids, and the guilt we feel when asking for help. Julie's sister also has MS and she talks about how heaps of people in her grade school or primary school who have been diagnosed with autoimmune diseases. We chat about grief 15 years after diagnosis and how it's ok to grieve but you can't sit in it.

Thank you so much for listening to today's episode of MS Understood. You can find me on Instagram @Clare.Reilly. The best thing you can do to support this podcast is click follow on Spotify, Subscribe on your other podcast listening platforms and leave a rating, this helps others find the podcast.

Some Days by Julie Stamm

Find Julie on Instagram

@thedancermovement is the dance organisation Julie spoke about

Today on MS understood we chat with Dr Sally Shaw. She is a psychologist who was diagnosed with MS over 20 years ago. Sally works with a lot of people who live with MS, which I think is so great. Imagine seeing a psychologist who understands exactly what you're going through. I loved this chat! We talked about realistic optimism, a phrase I am now absolutely in love with, we talk about finding ourselves post diagnosis and how must people really don't have to find themselves. Sally shares her diagnosis story, which I think is so cool coming from a professional in our care teams. We chat about why everyone should find a psychologist, even it's a few casual appointments. And seriously, so much more.

Thank you so much for listening to today's episode of MS Understood. You can find me on Instagram @Clare.Reilly. The best thing you can do to support this podcast is click follow on Spotify, Subscribe on your other podcast listening platforms and leave a rating, this helps others find the podcast.

VIA Character survey

Dr. Sally Shaw Focussed Health Psychology

MS Get Your Head Around It online course

Find the Reassess Your MS interactive assessment tool at reassess.com.au

Today on MS understood we chat with Lexi Uff. We talk a lot about staying aware of our symptoms and keeping an eye on ever the ever changing nature of our disease. We talk about meditation and how that has been the best thing Lexi has added to her arsenal and how we should all find what works for us. I noticed throughout this episode and Lexi agreed that even after 12 years, journeys of acceptance and learning about our diagnosis can move and weave back and forth as we learn to work with our body as things change. And we talk about why Lexi decided to share her story publicly on Instagram.

This episode of MS Understood is sponsored by Novartis Australia and the Reassess Your MS

campaign #Ad.

Today on MS Understood we are chatting with Dr Samantha Balistreri. She's a physical therapist who works primarily with people who have multiple sclerosis and has even written a book for those wh have a new diagnosis called Breakthrough Multiple Sclerosis: For the Newly Diagnosed and Minimally Impaired. You can find the link check it out in the show notes. In this episode we talk about what prehabilitation is and why it's so important for those of us with MS, how there is primary and secondary fatigue in MS, how important it is to be the team captain of your care team. I really enjoyed this chat with Sam and I hope you get something out of it.

What To Do When Newly Diagnosed With Dr. Samantha Benson

Breakthrough Multiple Sclerosis: For the newly diagnosed and minimally impaired

Find Sam on Facebook

Find Sam on Instagram

Today on MS understood we chat with Christy Batta. She has a beautiful hand lettering business called Human Plus Kind Co where she makes hand lettering about her MS experience. My favourite quote she shares is Because MS. We talk a lot today about the fears around others expectations of us living with an invisible disease and how this has impacted Christy's experiences. Christy talks about bravery, how there are different types of bravery and how some bravery quotes are really just toxic positivity. Christy so generously shares how she thought she had accepted her diagnosis 10 years ago but is now realising that she hasn't. I think this is so valuable to share, acceptance is like grief, nonlinear.

Human Plus Kind Co Instagram

Human Plus Kind Co Etsy

Find me on Instagram - @Clare.Reilly

On this episode of MS Understood we have Katy back to talk about how her mountaineering trip went. Her story is really one that makes me want to get up and go, make some sweet goals and start moving towards them. I'm so excited to be able to share her story with you.

Find Katy on Instagram

Today on MS understood we chat with Katy Glenie. We cover a lot of things in this episode. Katy talks about how she has a meditation break in the middle of the day, as this allows a mini reset so she can feel refreshed for the afternoon. Katy mentions that she sees her neurophysio over zoom and how well that works. Just as a reminder for those of us who don't have a neuro specific physio in our area. Katy also chats about reframing adventure and her next big adventure. In this chat we talks about her plans to go mountaineering up a 3000 meter peak in New Zealand. If you enjoy this chat with Katy, make sure to check out the next episode for an update on how her trip went.

Find Katy on Instagram

Today on MS Understood we are chatting with Jo Betz, who is giving grief a voice. I first heard Jo's story about loosing her husband suddenly on another podcast and knew that I needed to talk with her for the MS Understood podcast about grief. We talk about the 5 stages of grief and how it's a great initial framework but doesn't list all of the emotions that we go through. We talk about the bullshit 'self care' and how on those days of deep grief it's really important to look after our basic needs. While Jo's experience of grief is around death and ours is around an incurable illness there are so many similarities between how we process these incredible emotions. I hope you get something out of this chat, just as I did.

Jo Betz on The Choice with Amy Bett

Jo Betz on Instagram

More about Jo and her Grief Journal

Find me on Instagram @Clare.Reilly