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In this episode, Cassie breaks down what burnout actually is, and how it affects people with invisible illness differently than the average person. Drawing on the Oxford English Dictionary's historical definition ("to burn until extinguished by want of fuel"), she reframes burnout as a problem of depleted resources, not character or work ethic.

Topics Covered:

• What burnout actually is (and what it isn't)
• The Oxford English Dictionary definition of burnout as "burning until extinguished by want of fuel"
• How burnout compounds when you're already operating from limited energy
• Illness-related burnout from navigating the medical system
• The difficulty of distinguishing burnout symptoms from illness symptoms
• Three strategies for supporting yourself during burnout: specific routine change-ups, scheduling things to look forward to, and giving yourself time to (in Cassie's words) be a potato.
• Why there's no silver bullet — and why small steps and small wins matter

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical, mental health, or other professional advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding your individual circumstances.

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In this episode, Cassie sits down with Vishay Karia, a two-time founder, to explore life with invisible illness; specifically ADHD, anxiety, and depression. Vishay shares his journey from an undiagnosed childhood in London, through years of masking his true self, to a turning point at university where he finally felt accepted for who he was. They discuss the interconnected nature of anxiety, stress, and depression; coping mechanisms rooted in understanding what you can and can't control; and how leaning into ADHD rather than fighting it became a creative superpower in entrepreneurship. The conversation also covers men's mental health, the importance of vulnerability and communication, practical systems for reducing mental load, navigating burnout, and the Eisenhower Matrix for managing attention as a finite resource.

Topics & Timestamps:

• Intro & guest background (~0:40)
• Growing up different: ADHD before diagnosis (~1:30)
• Masking, therapy, and formal diagnosis (~2:45)
• Anxiety, stress, and depression as "worry in different time zones" (~3:20)
• Coping mechanism: focusing on what you can control (~5:00)
• University as a turning point — acceptance and self-worth (~5:40)
• Mental health in South Asian and minority backgrounds (~8:00)
• Men's mental health: sport as the only emotional outlet (~11:30)
• The need for systemic change starting in early childhood (~12:50)
• Practical strategies: leaning into ADHD with systems and routines (~14:30)
• Reducing mental load through calendar systems (~16:00)
• ADHD as a creative superpower in entrepreneurship (~17:00)
• Navigating burnout: the antidote is the opposite of what ADHD wants (~20:00)
• The Eisenhower Matrix and protecting your attention (~23:00)
• Advice for someone struggling: talk to the right people (~24:30)
• Out-of-pocket question: Touch Grass Day (~27:00)

Where to find Vishay:

• Eagle: eagleapp.us

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical, mental health, or other professional advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding your individual circumstances.

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Content Warning: This episode discusses mental health conditions, wrongful diagnosis, medication, addiction, suicidal ideation, and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.

In This Episode:

Cassie sits down with Paul to discuss his 18-year journey of being wrongfully diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, the impact of being medicated with clozapine — a drug that actually compounded his OCD — and how a single smile from a stranger became the turning point in his life. They explore the role of community, creativity, and connection in managing invisible illness, and Paul shares his hard-won philosophy on success, self-advocacy, and keeping going when things get dark.

Key Topics & Timestamps:

• 0:37 — Guest introduction and Paul's mental health conditions
• 2:29 — The wrongful paranoid schizophrenia diagnosis and 18 years on clozapine
• 8:08 — Living with OCD: invisible thought loops, rituals, and coping strategies
• 11:33 — Finding community at a local coffee shop and the moment someone realized he hadn't been around
• 14:23 — Rediscovering creativity: poetry, synthesizers, and chess as therapy
• 24:51 — The turning point: a smile from a stranger in Trent Park
• 33:13 — Redefining success: from owning things to being happy for half an hour
• 37:42 — Advice for someone struggling: be kind to yourself, talk to someone
• 40:26 — The out-of-pocket question: an ultimate chess battle with any musician

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical, mental health, or other professional advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding your individual circumstances.

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EpiccaTalks #7: Yesterday I Could, Today I Can’t: Learning to Live With the Extreme Variability of Invisible Illness

In this solo episode, Cassie unpacks one of the most frustrating aspects of living with an invisible illness: the unpredictability. Unlike acute illness, chronic conditions don't follow a linear pattern; capacity can fluctuate hour to hour with no discernible pattern. Cassie shares three practical strategies for managing this variability, plus advice for friends, family, and supporters of people with invisible illnesses.

Topics Covered

• Why the biggest misconception about invisible illness is the idea of consistency — and how chronic conditions don't follow a "sick then better" pattern like the flu
• How variability can shift hour to hour or even minute to minute, often with no identifiable pattern
• The reality that your capacity isn't fixed — what you could handle yesterday may not be possible today
• Why people only see you in your energetic moments, and how putting on a front makes it even harder to explain what's really going on
• Tools for those with invisible illnesses to help with variable capacity: the Eisenhower Matrix, helping your future self, and proactive communication
• Ways loved ones can support those with illnesses, why it’s a capacity and not a desire issue, and how flexible plans can make all the difference in keeping connection consistent

Resources Mentioned:

The Eisenhower Matrix

• Learn more about the Eisenhower matrix and download a PDF at https://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix/
• If you want Cassie to unpack the EM in-depth in a future episode, leave a comment below!

Connect with EpiccaTalks

Follow us @epiccatalks on Instagram and LinkedIn!

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical, mental health, or other professional advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding your individual circumstances.

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EpiccaTalks #6: Deborah Bircham

In this episode, Cassie sits down with Deborah Bircham, a registered health coach and mindfulness teacher, to discuss her decades-long journey with invisible illness. From an early age, Deborah grappled with unexplained pain and fatigue, and experienced a catastrophic collapse at age 40 that led to a diagnosis of Lyme disease and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). Deborah shares how she navigated healthcare after being dismissed by doctors, the role of tick-borne co-infections, and how her health crisis led her to become a mindfulness teacher and health coach.

Topics Covered:

• Why a missing bullseye rash doesn't mean you're in the clear for Lyme disease
• The hidden co-infections (Bartonella, Babesia, Rickettsia) that hitch a ride with tick bites — and why they get missed
• How chronic illness can be misdiagnosed as a mental health condition
• The real science behind mindfulness: what it does to your amygdala and prefrontal cortex
• Why your nervous system can get "stuck" — and how that's a physical issue, not a personal failing
• Grieving the identity and life you thought you'd have, and what "acceptance" actually means
• Finding a new sense of self when illness strips away who you thought you were

A Note On Lyme

Not all ticks in the UK carry Lyme, but if you get bitten by a tick, it's important to seek healthcare from a qualified source promptly. Check out resources from Lyme Disease UK https://lymediseaseuk.com/help-ive-been-bitten-by-a-tick/ or the American Lyme Disease Foundation https://aldf.com/tick-identification-and-information/#prevent.

Connect with Deborah

Check out Deborah's work at https://livewellwithchronicillness.co.uk/, shoot her an email at livewellwithchronicillness@outlook.com, or on social media at Live Well With Chronic Illness.

Want More EpiccaTalks?

Connect with us @epiccatalks on Instagram!

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical, mental health, or other professional advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding your individual circumstances.

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EpiccaTalks #5: Joe Lenton

In this episode, Cassie sits down with Joe Lenton, a personal authenticity coach from Norfolk. Joe was a linguist and professional musician before a multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis reshaped his life and career. He shares how invisible illness led him through music, photography, and eventually coaching.

Topics covered:

• Joe's six-month journey to an MS diagnosis and his early symptoms
• The difference between being "tired" and being "fatigued" — including his and his wife's "tea and coffee" vs. "shoelaces" fatigue scale
• How losing guitar-playing ability due to MS impacted his mental health and identity
• Transitioning from music to photography as a therapeutic, pacing-friendly creative outlet
• Burning out as a commercial photographer and discovering he's autistic
• What positive psychology actually is (and isn't) — debunking "toxic positivity"
• Finding meaning through values and strengths, not just "what you're good at"
• Practical strategies for managing fatigue and energy as a coach to neurodivergent clients and small business owners
• The science of nature and how time outdoors (even passively) helps regulate stress
• Rediscovering authentic passions by reconnecting with childhood curiosity and play
• Advice for people who don't know where to start finding their passions
• The "out-of-pocket question of the day": horse-sized duck vs. 20 duck-sized horses

Learn more about Joe's work:

Go check out Joe's coaching at joelenton.coach or @joelenton.coach on Instagram!

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical, mental health, or other professional advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding your individual circumstances.

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EpiccaTalks Episode 4: The Power Of A Piano + How Music Can Act As A Lifeline When Living With Invisible Illness

In this solo episode, host Cassie explores the often-overlooked role music can play in coping with invisible illness and chronic conditions.

In this episode:

• Cassie shares the story of her two-week hospital stay for Lyme disease treatment in summer 2023, and how a piano in the hospital lobby became an unexpected source of comfort
• How music offers an identity beyond being a "patient" — becoming a musician, creator, or fan instead
• Why music can be a physical emotional release when workouts aren't an option due to fatigue or pain
• Practical ways to bring more music into your life, whether or not you consider yourself a musician:
  • Playing solo or joining a music-making group (choir, band, jazz/folk group)
  • Learning an instrument on a budget — free YouTube resources, secondhand instruments, apps like Yousician and Simply Piano
  • The ukulele as a joint-pain-friendly alternative to guitar
  • Enjoying music without playing it — curated playlists, local live music at coffee shops and small venues

Studies on the physiological benefits of music:

• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17437199.2020.1846580
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26142566/
• https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/178400/

Connect:

• Follow on Instagram: @epiccatalks for guest announcements and bonus content
• Go check out our guest announcement for next week on Instagram!
• Challenge: what what music has gotten you through a tough time? Go comment on our Instagram or DM Cassie directly @epiccatalks.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical, mental health, or other professional advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding your individual circumstances.

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About This Episode

In the third episode of EpiccaTalks, Cassie sits down with Stephen Walters — entrepreneur, lecturer, mentor, and coach — for a deeply honest conversation about mindset, vulnerability, and the power of human connection. Stephen shares the formative childhood experience that shaped his life's mission, and unpacks why true positivity starts not with toxic optimism, but with radical honesty and vulnerability.

What We Cover

• How a traumatic night at age eight led Stephen to make three life-defining promises to himself
• Stephen's journey from the shop floor to the boardroom — and why he considers those 12 years his real apprenticeship
• The concept of your "internal pharmacy" — what it is, why everyone has one, and how to start accessing it
• The unexpected link between vulnerability and positivity — and why you can't have one without the other
• "Story sharing" vs. telling — a reframe that changes how you open up to others
• Baby steps into vulnerability: how sharing small things builds trust and confidence over time
• The power of replacing "I have to" with "I get to"
• Stephen's grandmother's advice that changed how he moves through the world

Connect
Connect with Stephen at https://www.askstephen.co.uk/, and check out his app Ask Stephen on the app store! For more EpiccaTalks, follow us @epiccatalks on Instagram. We would love to hear your story; shoot us a DM or comment here.

Disclaimer
The content shared in this podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, mental health, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding your individual circumstances.