S4E1 Welcome Back to Alopecia Life Season 4

 Welcome back to Alopecia Life and season 4. It's so great to be back, sharing about topics that are important to those of us living with autoimmune hair loss. I've been on a brief hiatus as I've been working on releasing a course for parents and caregivers of children living with alopecia. If you haven't yet checked out my website https://www.alopecialife.com/, feel free to head on over there to see what it's all about. I'm super excited to release episodes this season. Guests are always phenomenal, and I know they provide such great insight as they share their stories with all of us. I love talking about alopecia now, but throughout my life, as I lived with different levels of hair loss, I didn't want to talk about it at all. That all changed, when I met a group of friends who were living with alopecia too. Connection is important, for everyone, really. I know the last few years has really put that into perspective for the entire population. Connection to others, to not feeling alone, and so much more.No-one looks at what I do and wonders, "Gee. Why does she do this?" But some may wonder why I put my energy into very specific things. Head-On, Stories of Alopecia is 7 years old. I can't believe it's been out there for so long. When I didn't see a book that could provide inspiring stories and beautiful photos of people around the world living with alopecia - I knew it had to be done. When I was looking for podcasts that opened up conversations around alopecia and I didn't find something that fit - I decided to release one. Publishing a book and releasing a podcast didn't come easy for me. I knew nothing about either of them, and undeniably...they both had a steep learning curve. I had strong doubts, which I think was more about my evolving alopecia confidence, than anything else. Never talking about it, to always talking about it, and encouraging others to share their own stories so that each of us can help each other grow has become something that feeds my soul. To make those deep connections with text on the page or a voice through the airwaves. It's now part of who I am. Now, I'm adding something new. Something I care so deeply about that it's taken me over a year to create. My parents, who are awesome, didn't have a clue about alopecia. As we talked about before, there were very few to no resources when I was diagnosed. Over the last several years, as I've coached and mentored families, I've consistently heard the same questions and concerns that my own parents felt when I was diagnosed. I started wondering how I could help multiple people at once - families and children who were feeling lost, confused, and very alone. What would have helped my parents? What would have helped me and my sisters? How could I make it easier for these families so they didn't ultimately have to learn all of it on their own over several years or decades? Sometimes, we have to learn on our own to make the experience a better one. In this case, this added knowledge only gives you powerful options, a way forward in ways that make sense for you, your family, and your child. If we could have had a how-to model of doing alopecia, this would have been it. The Alopecia Roadmap course gives you video lessons that explain key knowledge, skills & resources, checklists to help navigate the first day of school, traveling, and doctor's appointments, and so much more. There are messages and knowledge from alopecia mentors, with a cameo appearance from Anthony Carrigan. Parents who have gone through the struggles have shared their letters to school and their insight about what to do in difficult situations so that you can be one step ahead. With anything I do, it's always a collaborative effort, and I'm so thankful for all who contributed their time and energy into helping new families. For those whSupport the showAlopecia Life provides free resources for school and home education, including a growing list of alopecia books, education videos on YouTube, links to support groups within the US, UK, Canada and more. You will also find access to Head-On, Stories of Alopecia, the Alopecia 101 free course, paid Alopecia Roadmap course for parents of children living with alopecia, and personalized coaching. Together, we can make a difference. To find out more, https://www.alopecialife.com/