Ep. 86: Trust Yourself, Not the Label: The Danger of “It’s Just Stress”

In this episode, Rachel explores what happens when patients are labeled instead of listened to — and why trusting yourself can be one of the most important decisions you make.Rachel is joined by Ali Moresco, Founder of Moresco Public Relations + Communications. She specializes in healthcare PR rooted in lived experience. After navigating her own complex health journey, she now advocates for patients with chronic and often misunderstood conditions. She is known for amplifying patient voices and has secured national media placements in outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.Ali shares her journey through unexplained symptoms, medical dismissal, and ultimately, learning to trust her intuition when answers weren’t coming easily. What began as being told “it’s just stress” turned into a much deeper and more complex health story — one that reshaped not only her life, but her career.Together, this conversation dives into medical gaslighting, the challenges many patients face when advocating for themselves, and how those experiences can impact both identity and long-term health. It also explores how Ali has turned her lived experience into meaningful work, helping shift the way healthcare stories are told and ensuring patient voices are not overlooked.Ali Moresco is the Founder of Moresco Public Relations + Communications, where she specializes in healthcare PR rooted in lived experience. After navigating her own complex health journey, she now advocates for patients with chronic and often misunderstood conditions. She is known for amplifying patient voices and has secured national media placements in outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.This episode is a reminder that when it comes to your body — you are not wrong.Follow Ali on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/alitmoresco/Website: https://www.amorescopr.com/LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandramoresco/Follow SpoonFull of Strength for podcast clips and updates at https://www.instagram.com/spoonfullofstrength/And on TikTok at: https://www.tiktok.com/@spoonfull.of.strengthLooking for chronic illness merch? Visit SpoonFull of Strength’s Etsy shop at www.spoonfullofstrength.etsy.com Use code PODCAST for 25% off your entire order.