Ep. 21: Identity Change and the Role Our Identity Plays When Given a Diagnosis with Dr. Morley

When you received your diagnosis, you were flooded with a mix of emotions- relief, anxiety, fear, maybe even hopefulness. At that moment, you reached a fork in the road. You could let this diagnosis define you, let it become a part of your identity, let it control your life or you could take this as a new challenge, one that would not letget the better of you. What makes someone choose one path versus the other? This is the question I have been trying to answer for the last 7 years and was one of the reasons I started the Diagnosis Redefined Podcast. This episode contains some major clues that will help answer that very question. In this episode, I interview Dr. Morgan April Morley. Dr. Morley is a professor of Communication Studies who researches how our identity affects and reflects our health and well-being. Most recently, her research has been focused on the multiple ways individuals’ identities change after chronic illness diagnosis and how those changes impact psychological well-being and treatment adherence. Her research has been presented at national conferences and published in peer-reviewed scholarly journals. In addition to her research, she also teaches classes in health communication, research methods, and interpersonal communication at California State University, Sacramento. Dr. April Morley's career in academia is directly connected to her Lupus diagnosis and her desire to give voice to those living with chronic conditions.In this episode we discuss:the role of identityhow we develop our identityhow that identity is affected when receiving a diagnosisthe power of labels on our identitywhat we can do to shift our identity if we desireIf you have recently received a diagnosis and feel like you are spiraling because of the fear of having to let go of your identity, this episode is for you!To connect with Dr. Morley:https://drmorganaprilmorley.comFor a FREE consultation with Chronically Healthy: https://www.chronicallyhealthyllc.xyz/Follow us on Instagram and Facebook!https://www.instagram.com/chronically_healthyllc/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093317265924Overcome chronic illness and take back control of your health! For a FREE Consultation go to: https://chronicallyhealthyllc.xyz/