What the EF

Diagnosed with epilepsy as a teen, Eli did what many of us have done: hid it from everyone and pretended it’s not there. Years later as a practicing attorney, a higher up told her that if she wanted to be successful, she needed to keep her diagnosis to herself. Instead, she chose to tell everyone.  By owning her story, Eli shares how it helped her go farther and opened doors she never even imagined. Thank you to our Seizen 1 sponsors Neurelis and SK life science! Join our What the EF fam and subscribe to our newsletter to get news about Seizen 2! Use the code WTEF20 to get 20% Neureka sleep monitoring

Diagnosed at age 5, Natalie Beavers addresses the giant learning curve that ensued for her and her family. She shares how self-advocacy ultimately led to creating a safe environment for herself and the epilepsy community. We’re super grateful for Natalie addressing the epilepsy elephant in the room: depression. Natalie talks about her experiences, attempting to take her own life, and how she moved forward from that moment to create an empire that would ultimately serve others and give her purpose to get up every day. If you're having suicidal thoughts, you can call 988 for help or check out 988 Lifeline resources here: https://988lifeline.org/ Thank you to our Seizen 1 sponsors SK life science and Neurelis! Subscribe to our newsletter here! whattheefpodcast.com Available on: Spotify, Apple, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, & Audible

Perfect Valentine’s Day episode! As a pediatric epileptologist living with epilepsy, Dr. Ingram has a unique perspective—and one that doesn’t get a lot of attention: being a male living with epilepsy. He shares struggles he faced that never occurred to us, like being a teenager and unable to pick up a date from her house…because he can’t legally drive.  Dr. Ingram addresses societal expectations that men face (like being the tough guy), how these are heightened when dealing with a chronic illness, and how to show true strength by rejecting those standards. Thank you to our Seizen 1 sponsors Neurelis and SK life science! Subscribe to our newsletter here! whattheefpodcast.com Feb. 13-20 is Seizure Action Plan Awareness Week! Available on: Spotify, Apple, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, & Audible

Dr. King educates us on that burning question that many of us female epileptics have...can I have kids, and if so, what is that going to look like for me? An epileptologist who specializes in women’s health, Dr. King shares her vast knowledge on birth control, med changes/adjustments, and how to work with your own doctor during this journey. Thank you to our Seizen 1 sponsors SK life science and Neurelis! Use the code WTEF20 to get 20% off Neureka sleep monitoring! Available on: Spotify, Apple, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, & Audible Subscribe to our newsletter here! whattheefpodcast.com

Bestselling author Mary Laura Philpott walks us through the moment that her and her family’s life was changed forever: her teenage son’s first seizure. She shares how she came to differentiate her experience as a mother and her son’s experience as the person living with epilepsy.  Mary Laura also brings to light the excruciating battle of having to let her child “spread his wings.” Like so many parents who want to wrap their children in bubble wrap, Mary Laura understands the importance of letting hers experience life. Thank you to our Seizen 1 sponsors Neurelis and SK life science! Subscribe to our newsletter here! whattheefpodcast.com Available on: Spotify, Apple, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, & Audible

Struggling to find a neurologist? You’re not alone. Kenzie O’Connell tells us about trying to find a doc that was the best fit for her and the stressors that surface going into any neuro appointment like: “Is this my fault? Did I cause a seizure? What am I doing wrong?” We also chat about what to do when we feel like a burden to our loved ones and how each of us was able to accept our epilepsy. Thank you to our Seizen 1 sponsors SK life science and Neurelis! Subscribe to our newsletter! Go to: whattheefpodcast.com Available on: Spotify, Apple, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, & Audible

Sarah has a unique experience of how her epilepsy diagnosis came to light…literally. A former news anchor, Sarah had a seizure while on air, which ended up costing her job. During her two-year search for a diagnosis, Sarah also lost her license, kids, and marriage. She shares with us how she got to where she is today: working at a job she loves, running marathons, and—most importantly—being a mother to her children. Thank you to our Seizen 1 sponsors SK life science and Neurelis! Subscribe to our newsletter! Go to: whattheefpodcast.com Available on: Spotify, Apple, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, & Audible (Here's the article about Sarah mentioned in this episode.)

Wanna stay motivated to keep those New Year’s resolutions? Just take a listen to this heart-to-heart with DJ HAPA. The DJ-advocate-educator-podcaster breaks down how epilepsy can be a gift that shapes who we are and how we approach the world every day. In this incredibly inspiring episode, Hapa discusses why it’s important to be an epilepsy advocate, regardless of seizure frequency or how many TikTok followers you have. He tells us how being vulnerable about his condition led to opportunities (and love!). Thank you to our Seizen 1 sponsors SK life science and Neurelis! Subscribe to our newsletter! Go to: whattheefpodcast.com Available on: Spotify, Apple, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, & Audible