A Friend for the Long Haul: A Long Covid Podcast

The Tower of Change: Giving Long COVID Grief a Sound with Angeliska Polacheck of Sister Temperance Tarot

Welcome to season 3, episode 10 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long COVID Podcast! I got the chance to chat with Angeliska Polacheck for this episode. Angeliska is the beautiful soul behind Sister Temperance Tarot [https://sistertemperancetarot.com/]. They have been voted best tarot/psychic in Austin, Texas for 11 years in a row! I found Angeliska on social media about 13 years ago, (via the great Austin connector, Spike Gillespie [https://spikegillespie.substack.com/] - whose work you should absolutely read) and as time passed we discovered that we have so much in common, including eerily similar astrological charts and health diagnoses. Angel and I discuss: * The profound shifts brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges of living with long COVID * Personal growth and empathy * The vital role of art and tarot in healing, but how it, and artists and healers, get commodified and dehumanized * How chronic illness, disability, and cognitive dissonance impact an independent, small business owner * Wellness culture and the "manifestation" of health * Surviving as two disabled Generation X Capricorns with C-PTSD and neurodivergence * Trusting your intuition when your nervous system is fragged * What does community even look like anymore * How tarot can support Internal Family Systems therapy * Diagnoses of exclusion * There's at least one Bjork worked in there You can find Angeliska on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sistertemperancetarot/]and Facebook [https://facebook.com/sistertemperancetarot]as Sister Temperance Tarot. If you're interested in booking a reading, you can do that via their booking schedule [https://sistertemperancetarot.as.me/schedule/0c9a1394]. If you're in Austin and would like to invite Angeliska to a safe event, you can find out more about events bookings here [https://sistertemperancetarot.com/event-booking]. They also offer sliding scale rates for 1-hour phone sessions for people who hold marginalized identities that are experiencing significant money struggles. Sliding scale sessions are limited and priority goes to Black, Indigenous, queer/trans and disabled folks, so please only inquire about sliding scale if you are facing genuine financial hardship. If you'd like to support me in my one disabled woman podcasting endeavors, I have an Amazon gift registry [https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/TCFYTLUW8XMZ?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_ggr-subnav-share_ACHT4QY5AYSB9CRA8KDA] that is completely unhinged, where I just throw anything that I see and like. I also have an Amazon Storefront [https://amzn.to/4i1qGwU] you can use to purchase goods. I also sell long covid tshirts and other products on a Bonfire storefront [https://www.bonfire.com/store/a-friend-for-the-long-haul/?utm_source=copy_link&utm_medium=store_page_share&utm_campaign=a-friend-for-the-long-haul&utm_content=default], and proceeds from that get funneled back into the podcast or used for community care. I also have an Etsy wishlist [https://www.etsy.com/registry/MTY2MjU2MjY3fDExNjI4MDY1MDU] or you can just Venmo me at @afriend4thelonghaul. That also gets funneled back into the pod. Over the last 1.5 years, I've built a playlist of my guests long covid theme songs on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3n0GXLFRWqDJyifglNNM4K?si=-DilB-4KSe2F0ycfS3FVDQ]. Please like, subscribe, and share A Friend for the Long Haul! Reviews go a long way to help, too. Thank you!

This is Your Brain on Long Covid - ADHD, TBI, Anger, and Self-Compassion with Lissy Donovan

Hey, friends! Welcome to season 3, episode 9 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid podcast. This is a conversation I needed to have, and I'm so glad Lissy Donovan (my friend and a coach for people with busy brains) was here for it. I dive into my recent discovery of a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) I’d been pretending wasn't a thing for years, as well as our later-in-life ADHD diagnoses. Lissy was diagnosed in her mid-30s, and I got diagnosed post-COVID. If you've been listening for a while, you know I don't know how to be angry. We talk about how I'm learning to process and even healthily express anger which is a truly revolutionary and scary idea for me. We also get into activism, self-care, and self-compassion. Lissy shares how she navigates Long COVID and ADHD. Topics we gab about include: * ADHD diagnoses and hormonal changes * Anger expression and conflict's role in making relationships stronger * Music, dance, and well-being * Body image, societal pressures, white supremacy, and the broader systems of oppression * Engaging in activism while managing chronic illness, disability, and trauma * Reflections on personal growth * Social media habits * Lissy's experience with Long Covid and running her own business Join us as we explore the intersection of ADHD, trauma, and chronic illness.  You can find Lissy at https://lissydonovan.com/ [https://lissydonovan.com/] as well as Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lissy.donovan/]and TikTok. [https://www.tiktok.com/@lissydonovan] Her YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@theFocusShiftwithLissy/videos] channel is full of longer-form gems that are soooo helpful. If you'd like to support me in my one disabled woman podcasting endeavors, I have an Amazon gift list [https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/TCFYTLUW8XMZ?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_ggr-subnav-share_V4DRFYWD14H1R0ZRBPW2] that is completely unhinged. I also have an Amazon storefront [https://www.amazon.com/shop/afriendforthelonghaul?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_KQ76949V7JR4GND7C9RB] you can use to purchase goods. I also sell long covid tshirts and other products on my Bonfire shop [https://www.bonfire.com/store/a-friend-for-the-long-haul/?utm_campaign=a-friend-for-the-long-haul&utm_content=default&utm_medium=store_page_share&utm_source=copy_link]. Over the last 1.5 years, I've built a playlist of my guests long covid theme songs. You can find it here. [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3n0GXLFRWqDJyifglNNM4K?si=1ZxdnKi0Rfqw4QB2axR2aA] Please like, subscribe, and share A Friend for the Long Haul! Reviews go a long way to help, too. Thank you!

The Importance of Long Covid Allies with Paul Hennessy

I’m having surgery TOMORROW, September 22nd, and could use some support. I have a gift registry set up [https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/3MXS20FSUR7K2?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_ggr-subnav-share_9B3VVBGFAS5TM93699HX] if you’d like to help me out. It’s truly deeply appreciated.  Welcome to season 3, episode 8 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast. This time, I got to gab with Paul Hennessy, who you know as @mixpaulogy on Instagram and @paulypandemic on TikTok. We talked about Paul’s Long Covid advocacy work, including what led him to get involved in 2021, and his work with organizations like Clean Air LA and Mask Together America. We get in to what it’s like to continue to take precautions in a time when very few are, including comments from strangers and how relationships are impacted when “everything is Covid” with you. Paul offers actionable advice for folks interested in being long Covid allies or getting involved in disability justice, and and we discuss the need for local and federal action to address the persistent challenges of ignoring a virus that’s disabled millions of humans worldwide.  But it’s not all serious, because I don’t think it could be with us at the mic. Oh! We are joined by two very special guests at the end of the episode, so don’t miss that! Places to find Paul! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mixpaulogy/ [https://www.instagram.com/mixpaulogy/]   TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@paulypandemic [https://www.tiktok.com/@paulypandemic]  Also, check out Mask Together America [https://masktogetheramerica.org/], public health advocates who vowed to expose the life-threatening, yet preventable, risks of contracting COVID-19. If you'd like to support this one-disabled-woman-produced podcast, check out my Amazon Storefront [https://www.amazon.com/shop/afriendforthelonghaul?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_89PH71EB9KWQG2R1V5FM]. I'll get a few pennies if you purchase your everyday items through the links in my storefront. You can also listen to the ever-growing Long Covid Theme Songs playlist here [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3n0GXLFRWqDJyifglNNM4K]. Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul! And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes. Thank you!

Cultivating Community with the Complexities of Chronic Illness and Stress with Steph Fowler, LCPC, CADC

Welcome to Season 3, Episode 7 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast! In this week's conversation, I am joined by Steph Fowler, LCPC, CADC, who you may remember from Season 1, Episode 11 [https://open.spotify.com/episode/5hSb6X3WVUVOodLezt2xL5?si=8taXd82VTx-DPDxl5fBImA]. I love this description from the bio on Steph's website [https://misfitmentalhealth.com/]: "Other things to know: among my many identities, I am multiply-neurodivergent, chronically ill and disabled (Long COVID ‘20), an INFJ, ex-vangelical, and recovering perfectionist. In The Before Times, I enjoyed kickboxing, running, cosplay, karaoke, travel, cat cafes, and live lit/storytelling. Nowadays I enjoy gardening, nature, writing, photography, LEGO, subversion, and all things macabre." Steph is one of those people who always makes me things about things in a different way, and we wanted to chat about the challenges of building and sustaining community when everyone is navigating different levels of stress, grief, and physical limitations. You'll hear us discuss: * The emotional toll of community splintering within the COVID-conscious and long COVID communities. * Practical strategies for emotional management, including the importance of practicing pauses and asking for consent before unloading stress. * How to build trust and safety in groups by establishing clear shared values and embracing compassion for others’ different experiences. * Navigating relationships and setting boundaries around personal COVID-19 risk and accommodations. * Personal reflections on shifting identities, redefining determination, and coping with the profound grief of loss—both of health and relationships. Places to find Steph! Substack: https://misfitmentalhealth.substack.com/ [https://misfitmentalhealth.substack.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misfit.mental.health [https://www.instagram.com/misfit.mental.health]Time Magazine: What to Do if Your Doctor Doesn't Take Your Symptoms Seriously [https://time.com/7209940/doctors-appointment-medical-symptoms-not-taken-seriously/] PBS News Weekend: The COVID pandemic's lingering physical and mental toll, five years later [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/the-covid-pandemics-lingering-physical-and-mental-toll-five-years-later] If you'd like to support this one-disabled-woman-produced podcast, check out my Bonfire shop. [https://www.bonfire.com/store/a-friend-for-the-long-haul/?utm_campaign=a-friend-for-the-long-haul&utm_content=default&utm_medium=store_page_share&utm_source=copy_link] Items bought in the shop support the renewal of my Zoom license for recording. Many items co-support other chronically ill friends. I also have an  Amazon Storefront [https://www.amazon.com/shop/afriendforthelonghaul?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_TCCYJWMBNGYWZCD60VZ9] and I'll get a few pennies if you purchase your everyday items through the links in my storefront. I also have an Amazon Wishlist [https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/TCFYTLUW8XMZ?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_ggr-subnav-share_7SS4SKY57M0YWB3PHQA4]of fun treats and practical needs for our family this autumn. Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul! And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes. You can listen to the Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3n0GXLFRWqDJyifglNNM4K?si=6Ucwg3WASIy1TAYkJHYNUw]. Thank you!

Art & Mind 2025: COVID, Climate, and Our Future with Sista Creatives Rising

Welcome to this bonus episode of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast! Season 3, Episode 6 features Claire Jones and Amaranthia Sepia, the mother/daughter duo behind Sista Creatives Rising [https://www.sistacreativesrising.com/]. The mission of Sista Creatives Rising is "To help creative marginalized women and marginalized genders gain accessibility and visibility in the arts to facilitate personal healing." In this episode, we discuss: * Our experiences with chronic illnesses and disabilities, and their impacts on our personal growth * How Claire navigated a cancer diagnosis during the height of a Covid surge * Amaranthia's experiences growing up in Japan and moving back to the United States, highlighting a stark difference between the two cultures * How past experiences shape parenting styles and the value of creating a supportive environment where children feel safe to make mistakes * Generational trauma, patterns, and how they drive us to change * The origins of Sista Creatives Rising and Art and Mind, A FREE virtual charitable film & art event for marginalized women and genders * Art and Mind 2025: Covid, Climate, and Our Future [https://www.sistacreativesrising.com/art-mind2025covidclimate], which "will focus on these themes and their ongoing effects on BIPOC creatives who are homebound, disabled, and immunocompromised and how it’s affected their art & cultural practices while highlighting Indigenous perspectives such as Native North American & Palestinian experiences with displacement & climate disaster. " * The challenges of running a virtual organization, including grant rejections and funding issues * Collaboration, community, and accessibility * The Sistas Uprising Fund [https://www.sistacreativesrising.com/the-sistas-uprising-fund], a charity project to help marginalized women & marginalized genders gain financial support through microgrants, created in memory of Claire's mother I am very grateful for this conversation and the opportunity to get to know Claire and Amaranthia! I want to again thank both of them for taking the time to chat with me. Tickets for Art and Mind 2025 will be available on August 21st, and the event will take place on September 25th from 6:30 to 9:30 pm Eastern time. You can find Sista Creatives Rising On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sistacreativesrising/ [https://www.instagram.com/sistacreativesrising/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@artmindseries9207 [https://www.youtube.com/@artmindseries9207] and Substack: https://substack.com/@sistacreativesrising [https://substack.com/@sistacreativesrising] You can also support them via: https://givebutter.com/sistacreativesrising [https://givebutter.com/sistacreativesrising] If you'd like to support this one-disabled-woman-produced podcast, check out my Bonfire apparel shop [https://www.bonfire.com/store/a-friend-for-the-long-haul/?utm_campaign=a-friend-for-the-long-haul&utm_content=default&utm_medium=store_page_share&utm_source=copy_link]. Items bought in the shop support the renewal of my Zoom license for recording. Many items co-support other chronically ill friends. I also have an Amazon storefront [https://www.amazon.com/shop/afriendforthelonghaul] and I'll get a few pennies if you purchase your everyday items through the links in my storefront. I also have an Amazon Wishlist [https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/TCFYTLUW8XMZ?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_ggr-subnav-share_QT5323QSWGESB1MPP56J] of fun treats and practical needs for our family this autumn. Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul! And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes. You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3n0GXLFRWqDJyifglNNM4K?si=hLULC8nXRDKxHGjFlM_Oiw] on Spotify. Thank you! —A Long COVID Podcast! Season 3, Episode 6 features Claire Jones and Amaranthia Sepia, the mother-daughter duo behind ⁠Sista Creatives Rising⁠. Sista Creatives Rising's mission is " to