The SpoonFull Show -A Chronic Illness Podcast
A podcast exploring the realities of chronic illness through interviews with patients, experts, and authors, hosted by a woman with MS and Type 1 Diabetes.
This is a weekly interview show focused on the emotional and psychological toll of living with a chronic condition. Host Rachel uses her own diagnoses of MS and T1D to build immediate rapport with guests, who range from fellow patients to therapists and authors. Conversations often center on validating the 'invisible' parts of illness, such as medical gaslighting, trauma, and the challenge of navigating daily life when you 'look fine'.
“The show's strength is its host's vulnerability; Rachel consistently shares her own specific struggles to connect with guests, creating a safe, non-clinical space. Unlike shows focused on 'hacking' or 'curing' illness, this one sits in the messy middle of managing it, focusing on mental health and self-advocacy.”
Who hosts this show
The SpoonFull Show, formerly known as SpoonFull of Strength, is hosted by Rachel, who has lived with Multiple Sclerosis for 10 years and Type 1 Diabetes for over 25. The podcast features two main formats: "Spoonie Chats" with fellow patients and "Spoonie Insights" with experts like doctors and authors. The show aims to create a community, offer encouragement, and remind listeners they are not alone in their health journeys.
Credentials & credits
- Lived experience with Multiple Sclerosis (10 years)
- Lived experience with Type 1 Diabetes (25+ years)
Other ventures
- Spoonful of Strength Etsy Shop
What kind of podcast
When new episodes drop
- 01Ep. 94: When They Say It’s All in Your Head with Julsey RoachJun 24, 2026 · 36 min
- 02Ep. 93: Healing Has 4 Legs: Pets, Chronic Illness and Emotional HealingJun 18, 2026 · 30 min
- 03Ep. 92- Trapped Between Sick and Well with Amy KurtzJun 10, 2026 · 46 min
- 04Ep. 91: The Bachelorette’s Michelle Young: The Part People Don’t SeeJun 3, 2026 · 44 min
- 05Ep. 91: The Reality of Chronic Illness with Michelle Young from The BacheloretteJun 3, 2026 · 44 min
- 06Ep. 90: More Than Awareness: The Power of Disability AdvocacyApr 22, 2026 · 39 min
- 07Ep.89: Pill Bottles & Power: From Side Effects to Self-AdvocacyApr 15, 2026 · 42 min
- 08Ep. 88: The Gut Health, Chronic Illness ConnectionApr 8, 2026 · 47 min
Notable episodes
- 01Ep. 92- Trapped Between Sick and Well with Amy Kurtz
Introduces and explains core community concepts like 'Medical Trauma Brain' and the 'Shadowlands' with the author who coined them.
- 02Ep. 94: When They Say It’s All in Your Head with Julsey Roach
A deep dive into medical gaslighting with a licensed therapist who has also experienced it, providing both professional and personal perspectives.
- 03Ep. 91: The Reality of Chronic Illness with Michelle Young from The Bachelorette
Features a high-profile guest discussing the challenges of managing an invisible illness while in the public eye, making the topic highly relatable.
What you'll be asked on this show
Rachel opens by warmly introducing the guest and their work, often highlighting a specific book or area of expertise. Her first move is almost always to ask the guest to share their personal health journey, establishing an immediate foundation of shared experience. She probes deeper by sharing her own related stories, asking questions like "Have you experienced that?" to create a dialogue rather than a simple Q&A. She frequently pulls specific concepts from a guest's work (e.g., "Medical Trauma Brain") and asks them to define it for the audience. The interview arc typically moves from personal origin story, to defining a central problem (like medical gaslighting), to exploring its emotional impact, and finally to offering actionable advice for self-advocacy or healing. Her signature is creating a space where guests feel seen, which she achieves through active listening and consistent validation.
The show alternates between interviews with guests and occasional co-hosted chats with family. Rachel's hosting style is warm and validating, often building on guest's points with her own personal anecdotes. Episodes are structured to move from personal stories to broader concepts and conclude with practical advice for listeners.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
10 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
origin
1- Q.01
“Can you introduce yourself and share a bit about your chronic illness journey?”
This is her standard opening question to establish the guest's personal connection to the topic.
process
1- Q.01
“Can you explain the concept of [Medical Trauma Brain / 'the shadowlands'] that you discuss in your work?”
She asks guests who are authors or experts to define the key terms they've coined.
personal
2- Q.01
“What did medical gaslighting look like in your story?”
This question prompts guests to provide a concrete, personal example of a widespread issue.
- Q.02
“What did that disconnection from yourself look like for you personally?”
A follow-up question she uses to get a more detailed, personal account from the guest.
mindset
3- Q.01
“Why do you think people with chronic illness fall into the 'good patient' mask?”
Asks for analysis on the psychology behind common patient behaviors.
- Q.02
“What does it do to someone mentally to be repeatedly dismissed or told it's just stress?”
Focuses the conversation on the specific psychological impact of negative medical interactions.
- Q.03
“Talk about the toxic mindset of 'heal before living' and how it keeps people stuck.”
She identifies and asks guests to deconstruct limiting beliefs common in the community.
advice
3- Q.01
“What does rebuilding trust in your own body actually look like?”
A forward-looking question that shifts the conversation towards healing and recovery.
- Q.02
“Can you talk about the importance of a 50/50 partnership with your doctor?”
This question is used to elicit practical strategies for patient self-advocacy.
- Q.03
“What are some practical ways people can start to advocate for themselves?”
A signature closing question to ensure listeners leave with actionable steps.
Signature segments
- · Spoonie Chats
- · Spoonie Insights
- · Use of the term 'Spoonie'
- · Tagline: "taking life, one spoon at a time"
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically women who have a direct, personal, or professional connection to the chronic illness community. They include authors, therapists, patient advocates, and public figures who have spoken openly about their health struggles.
- Julsey Roachon Ep. 94: When They Say It’s All in Your Head with Julsey Roach
- Amy Kurtzon Ep. 92- Trapped Between Sick and Well with Amy Kurtz
- Michelle Youngon Ep. 91: The Reality of Chronic Illness with Michelle Young from The Bachelorette
- Kelly and Averyon Ep. 90: More Than Awareness: The Power of Disability Advocacy
- Liz Romanon Ep. 88: The Gut Health, Chronic Illness Connection
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The show's primary sponsor is the host's own Etsy shop, "Spoonful of Strength," which sells chronic illness-themed apparel and goods. This suggests an audience that is highly engaged with "Spoonie" culture and likely to purchase products that reflect their identity and experience.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- What is the host's full name?
- The host is known only as Rachel. While she shares extensively about her health, she does not publicly use a last name.
- What are the host's illnesses?
- Rachel has lived with Type 1 Diabetes for over 25 years and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for over 10 years.
- Is the podcast still running?
- Yes, it releases new episodes weekly.
- What was the show's old name?
- The podcast was formerly named "SpoonFull of Strength."
- What is the format of the show?
- It's primarily an interview-based podcast featuring conversations with patients, doctors, and experts. Occasionally, it features more informal chats with co-hosts.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The SpoonFull Show is available on major podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and the video versions are on YouTube.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
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