The Pyjama Interviews

 Having been diagnosed with Addison’s Disease, a rare Autoimmune Disease, Anessa Powell has dedicated her career to raising awareness and advocating for workplace inclusion through her company, AllAbility Recruiting.

In this episode, we dive deep into discussions around the experience of getting a diagnosis and medical gaslighting that so many patients experience. Plus we have an honest conversation about parenting while living with chronic illness.

Anessa also shares her tips for applying for jobs, disclosure, and knowing what accommodations you need in the workplace. 

Since being diagnosed in 2013 with Addison’s Disease (Primary Adrenal Insufficiency), a rare Autoimmune Disease, Anessa Powell has been dedicated to raising awareness that disabilities come in many forms.

In 2019, she began her work at the state and national levels as a patient advocate, speaking out for voices that have been traditionally overlooked in disability employment. As the pandemic changed lives in so many ways and employers began to recognize jobs can be done from home (and done well!), Anessa along with her husband, Bill, created AllAbility Recruiting where they strive to Leave No Ability Behind through disability employment, training, and consulting.

LinkedIN: Anessa Powell

Instagram: @allabilityrecruiting 

Website: All Ability Recruiting

A pioneer in the Chronic Illness space, Michelle Irving is the founder of Career and Chronic Illness International. Michelle has over 15 years experience in Mentoring and Executive Coaching for people navigating their career while living with chronic illness. Career and Chronic Illness programs include extensive, specialised content for authentic conversations about your experience and needs, developing excellent professional boundaries, managing your emotional, mental and physical capacities as well as progressing in your career of choice. Michelle's mentoring and training programs are suitable for people currently working and those returning to work after extended leave.

You can have a career chat Michelle by booking at  at https://www.careerandchronicillness.com/chat

Connect with Michelle

LinkedIN: Michelle Irving

Website: CareerandChronicIllness.com

Instagram: @michelleirvingofficial

Book a Call: https://www.careerandchronicillness.com/chat

 Music by Avy Summerlind

Endometriosis affects roughly 10% of reproductive age women and girls globally, and on this episode of The Pyjama Interviews pod, I’m joined by Antara Mascarenhas discussing how she has navigated this diagnosis that so many women experience in the workplace.

She shares her experience and advice on the:

It’s a beautiful conversation to share with you.

Antara Mascarenhas is an Executive in the energy and climate sectors and is currently a General Manager at Australian Energy Market Operator. She specialises in building and leading teams to deliver strategic outcomes and implementing national energy reforms. She has a Masters in Political Science at the University of Cambridge, England and undergraduate degrees from the University of Melbourne and Victoria University of Wellington.

Antara is an ambassador of Endometriosis Australia and a Board Director of Cambridge Australia Scholarships. Antara is also passionate about inclusion in sport and runs a tennis coaching program for children from diverse cultural backgrounds in inner Melbourne. 

LinkedIN: Antaramascarenhas

A pioneer in the Chronic Illness space, Michelle Irving is the founder of Career and Chronic Illness International. Michelle has over 15 years experience in Mentoring and Executive Coaching for people navigating their career while living with chronic illness. Career and Chronic Illness programs include extensive, specialised content for authentic conversations about your experience and needs, developing excellent professional boundaries, managing your emotional, mental and physical capacities as well as progressing in your career of choice. Michelle's mentoring and training programs are suitable for people currently working and those returning to work after extended leave.

You can have a career chat Michelle by booking at  at https://www.careerandchronicillness.com/chat

LinkedIN: Michelle Irving

Website: CareerandChronicIllness.com

Instagram: @michelleirvingofficial

Book a Call: https://www.careerandchronicillness.com/chat

 Music by Avy Summerlind

avysummerlind.com/ 

Did you know that 38% of people living with chronic illness are in professional, leadership roles? This is exactly what Dr. Peter Ghin’s recent report, "Disclosing Illness at Work,” found. 

Peter lives with ME/CFS, and on this episode of The Pyjama Interviews pod, he shares both his personal experience of chronic illness and career as well as the research findings in this area. In this week’s podcast we talk about:

Dr Peter Ghin is a Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne. His expertise is in the future of work, chronic illness employment, leadership, and organisational behaviour. 

LinkedIN: Peter Ghin

Research: Leaders Disclosing Illness at Work

LinkedIN: Michelle Irving

Website: CareerandChronicIllness.com

Instagram: @michelleirvingofficial

Book a Call: https://www.careerandchronicillness.com/chat

 Music by Avy Summerlind

avysummerlind.com/ 

This week, I talk with Jenn Sharp about On this episode of The Pyjama Interviews sharing how a diagnosis of Lyme disease turned her world of work upside down.

Jenn went from accelerating her career in Human Capital and Talent Management, to confronting the world of disability policies, being bed bound and then making it all the way back to full-time work in management consulting in Washington D.C.

We go deep into the toxicity of hustle culture and shame in the workplace, how to advocate for yourself, and why chronic illness prepares you for Authentic Leadership.

Instagram: @jesharp

LinkedIn:JenniferSharp07

A pioneer in the Chronic Illness space, Michelle Irving is the founder of Career and Chronic Illness International. Michelle has over 15 years experience in Mentoring and Executive Coaching for people navigating their career while living with chronic illness. Career and Chronic Illness programs include extensive, specialised content for authentic conversations about your experience and needs, developing excellent professional boundaries, managing your emotional, mental and physical capacities as well as progressing in your career of choice. Michelle's mentoring and training programs are suitable for people currently working and those returning to work after extended leave.

You can have a career chat Michelle by booking at  at https://www.careerandchronicillness.com/chat

Connect with Michelle

LinkedIN: Michelle Irving

Website: CareerandChronicIllness.com

Instagram: @michelleirvingofficial

Book a Call: https://www.careerandchronicillness.com/chat

 Music by Avy Summerlind

avysummerlind.com/ 

How do we face our own insecurities? When you are navigating your career and living with a disability/ chronic health condition it can feel like people either expect too little of you, or too much. And there is an awkwardness around you and your condition. In this vulnerable and powerful episode BJ Miller shares his deeply personal experience of navigating medical school, and learning how to use his inner strength to curate his career pathway. Plus the turning points in his career, and how he learned to befriend his own insecurity and find his way through the Unknown.

Dr. BJ Miller is a longtime hospice and palliative medicine physician and educator. 

BJ co-founded Mettle Health which provides personalized, holistic consultations for any patient or caregiver who needs help navigating the practical, emotional and existential issues that come with serious illness and disability.

Led by his own experiences as a patient, BJ advocates for the roles of our senses, community and presence in designing a better ending. His TED Talk has been viewed over 15 Million times and he speaks internationally on themes of illness, death and loss.

A pioneer in the Chronic Illness space, Michelle Irving is the founder of Career and Chronic Illness International. Michelle has over 15 years experience in Mentoring and Executive Coaching for people navigating their career while living with chronic illness. Career and Chronic Illness programs include extensive, specialised content for authentic conversations about your experience and needs, developing excellent professional boundaries, managing your emotional, mental and physical capacities as well as progressing in your career of choice. Michelle's mentoring and training programs are suitable for people currently working and those returning to work after extended leave.

You can have a career chat Michelle by booking at  at https://www.careerandchronicillness.com/chat

LinkedIN: BJ Miller

Instagram: @mettle_health

Ted Talk: What Really Matters at the End of Life

Website: Mettle Health

Connect with Michelle

LinkedIN: Michelle Irving

Website: CareerandChronicIllness.com

Instagram: @michelleirvingofficial

Book a Call: https://www.careerandchronicillness.com/chat

 Music by Avy Summerlind

avysummerlind.com/ 

 This week's episode is all about disclosure, and how to ask for accomodations. (you'll be surprised at the most common ones) Plus I talk with Hannah Olson, CEO and Co-Founder of Disclo and Chronically Capable about her own experience of Lyme disease, and starting her career. Which all lead to her start up journey, and what pivots she has had to make in her mindset, her working habits and her sense of identity as a person with a disability.

Hannah Olson is the Co-Founder and CEO of Disclo, an innovative HR software helping employees to safely disclose and ask for accommodations at work.

Hannah’s own experience navigating her early career while undergoing intensive treatment for Lyme disease sparked the idea for her first venture, Chronically Capable, now one of the largest and most-used disability recruiting platforms in North America. Today, she is known globally for her disability advocacy, with recent features in The NYT, Forbes, Inc Magazine, and more.

A pioneer in the Chronic Illness space, Michelle Irving is the founder of Career and Chronic Illness International. Michelle has over 15 years experience in Mentoring and Executive Coaching for people navigating their career while living with chronic illness. Career and Chronic Illness programs include extensive, specialised content for authentic conversations about your experience and needs, developing excellent professional boundaries, managing your emotional, mental and physical capacities as well as progressing in your career of choice. Michelle's mentoring and training programs are suitable for people currently working and those returning to work after extended leave.

You can have a career chat Michelle by booking at  at https://www.careerandchronicillness.com/chat

Instagram: @letsdisclo

LinkedIN:  Hannah Olson

Connect with Michelle

LinkedIN: Michelle Irving

Website: CareerandChronicIllness.com

Instagram: @michelleirvingofficial

Book a Call: https://www.careerandchronicillness.com/chat

What do you do when exhaustion hits at work? How to move on from performing wellness and pushing through at work when you live with chronic illness.

In this episode with guest Amina Altai shares her own evolution of professional boundaries at work. Plus why it's important to identify your own 'story' of work and how work 'should' be done. We also get practical in how to move on from 'pushing through' and doing everything the hard way. How to have the conversation about what you need and why doing shadow work is essential to your Authentic Leadership. 

Amina AItai (pronounced AH-MIN-UH) is a holistic business and career coach, proud immigrant and chronic illness advocate. A leading coach to notable leaders, executives and founders—Amina's mastery is in connecting us to our brilliance and teaching us to live and lead from it each day.

Amina is the author of the forthcoming book: 'The Ambition Trap', with Penguin/The Open Field. She has partnered with progressive companies such as google, Roku, Deloitte, Snap, Outdoor Voices, NYU and HUGE.

A pioneer in the Chronic Illness space, Michelle Irving is the founder of Career and Chronic Illness International. Michelle has over 15 years experience in Mentoring and Executive Coaching for people navigating their career while living with chronic illness. Career and Chronic Illness programs include extensive, specialised content for authentic conversations about your experience and needs, developing excellent professional boundaries, managing your emotional, mental and physical capacities as well as progressing in your career of choice. Michelle's mentoring and training programs are suitable for people currently working and those returning to work after extended leave.

You can have a career chat Michelle by booking at  at https://www.careerandchronicillness.com/chat

Connect with Amina

LinkedIN: Amina Altai

 Instagram: @aminaaltai

Website: www.aminaaltai.com

Connect with Michelle

LinkedIN: Michelle Irving

Website: CareerandChronicIllness.com

Instagram: @michelleirvingofficial

Book a Call: https://www.careerandchronicillness.com/chat

Music by Avy Summerlind

avysummerlind.com/ 

How do you manage a high profile London career in Management Consulting while also living with chronic illness? Who do you tell what? And when?

In this brand new season of the Pyjama Interviews we are diving deep into Career and Chronic Illness. Our guest  Nicola Pye shares her own experience of the rollercoaster of chronic illness throughout her career. Plus the high price of performing wellness and what to do instead and how to disclose in a way that feels safe. This is a real conversation about how chronic illness is a powerful pathway to Authentic Leadership.

Nicola has over 25 years’ experience as a learning and leadership development professional, executive coach, and until recently was Global Talent Director for EY, whom she worked at for 22 years. Having experienced chronic illness as a teenager and on and off throughout her career she refuses to be defined by it but is relentless about ensuring it determines how she shows up as a leader.

Nicola now thrives as The Leadership Coach & People Person, in her mission to help CEOs and Senior Management teams create positive impact by making work better for themselves, their workforce and society.

A pioneer in the Chronic Illness space, Michelle Irving is the founder of Career and Chronic Illness International. Michelle has over 15 years experience in Mentoring and Executive Coaching for people navigating their career while living with chronic illness. Career and Chronic Illness programs include extensive, specialised content for authentic conversations about your experience and needs, developing excellent professional boundaries, managing your emotional, mental and physical capacities as well as progressing in your career of choice. Michelle's mentoring and training programs are suitable for people currently working and those returning to work after extended leave.

You can have a career chat Michelle by booking at  at michelleirving.com.au/chat. 

Connect with Nicola

Instagram: @nicolapye.theleadershipcoach

LinkedIn: Nicola Pye

Connect with Michelle

Website: CareerandChronicIllness.com

Instagram: @michelleirvingofficial

Book your 

Music by Avy Summerlind

avysummerlind.com/ 

Parenting with Chronic Illness. In this episode Natalie Supps shares her experience of parenting, anxiety and living with chronic illness. Plus how her diagnosis journey with Crohn's disease, how she shared her chronic condition at work, and how to decide if starting a business is good for you.⁠

About Natalie

Natalie was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's) in 2007 and struggled for many years. She was in and out of the hospital while pushing through to fulfil her dreams of finishing university and starting her own business. 

Natalie is the Founder of Sick and Successful Creative Media Agency, She is also the Host of the Sick and Successful podcast.

About Michelle Irving 

A pioneer in the Chronic Illness space, Michelle Irving is the Queen of the Underworld. She mentors women around the world, teaching them how to create a life filled with love, meaningful work and deep personal power. She believes we can all have a positive relationship with ourselves even in the midst of experiencing illness. You can chat Michelle by booking at michelleirving.com.au/chat. 

Instagram: @sickandsuccessful_

Connect with Michelle

Instagram: @michelleirvingofficial

Website: michelleirving.com.au

Book your Chat with Michelle

Queen of the Underworld Program

Music by Avy Summerlind

avysummerlind.com/ 

In this week's episode Dara Shashoua and Michelle talk about the hard things including:

Dara is a passionate entrepreneur who opened Byzantine Design “The Most Beautiful Tile Store in Melbourne” mere weeks before she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

Dara founded A Chronic Entrepreneur to empower other chronic entrepreneurs to share their stories.

About Michelle Irving 

A pioneer in the Chronic Illness space, Michelle Irving is the Queen of the Underworld. She mentors women around the world, teaching them how to create a life filled with love, meaningful work and deep personal power. She believes we can all have a positive relationship with ourselves even in the midst of experiencing illness. You can chat Michelle by booking at michelleirving.com.au/chat. 

Connect with Dara

Instagram: @achronicentrepreneur

Website: A Chronic Entrepreneur

Connect with Michelle

Instagram: @michelleirvingofficial

Website: michelleirving.com.au

Book your Chat with Michelle

Queen of the Underworld Program

Music by Avy Summerlind

avysummerlind.com/