Hidden Gems: Meet Lauren Freedman of Uninvisible Coaching

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Freedman

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In 2017, my life took a dramatic turn. At the start of the year, I was in a car accident that left me with whiplash, which I later discovered caused vagus nerve dysfunction and GI issues. Around the same time, I was living in an apartment with toxic mold exposure and navigating the transition from a fast-paced acting career to a more intentional lifestyle. It was a conscious decision to focus on my well-being, but it felt like the perfect storm—a mix of stress, overwork, and mounting health challenges that spiraled out of control.

By mid-2017, I was experiencing overwhelming fatigue, joint pain, and an exhaustion so profound I struggled to get out of bed. One day, unable to ignore the signs any longer, I went to my doctor and was fortunate to meet a nurse practitioner who ran autoimmune tests. She diagnosed me in the midst of a thyroid storm—the onset of what would become Hashimoto’s disease. Soon after, I was also diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea and, later, idiopathic hypersomnia.

Over the next year, I uncovered more pieces of the puzzle: mold toxicity, parasites, and other factors that compounded my symptoms. By 2018, I had to step away from work entirely. I spent much of that year confined to my apartment, focusing on survival and seeking answers.

It was during this time that I leaned on my network. Having been involved in women’s health advocacy, I reached out for guidance—and the response was overwhelming. Women shared their own hidden stories of autoimmune struggles and health crises, opening a dialogue that became instrumental in my healing. I realized that these conversations were not only helping me but could also help others. Drawing on my background as a performer and voice actor, I launched Uninvisible Pod, a podcast amplifying the voices of patients and advocates.

Through the podcast, I found myself immersed in the patient advocacy community, connecting with incredible individuals who inspired me to deepen my work. Over time, I realized I wanted to offer even more support, so I trained as a health coach after connecting with one who was instrumental in my career shift and has since become a great friend. Now, I work in private practice and with organizations, specializing in chronic illness and disability inclusion.

This journey has redefined my life. I’ve had to find work that aligns with my physical needs, but it’s been transformative. I’ve learned that my body isn’t working against me—it’s sending signals, guiding me to heal and grow. This mindset shift has been years in the making, but it’s brought me to a place of purpose and empowerment.

Today, through Uninvisible Coaching, I help others navigate their own healing journeys, fostering resilience and redefining what it means to live fully, even as we navigate the challenges of chronic illness.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been a smooth road—far from it. But I’ve come to understand that the bumps and detours are all part of the journey. Becoming who we’re truly meant to be is messy work, but as Brené Brown teaches us, “Make your mess your message.” In a culture that constantly berates us, telling us we’re not enough, it’s no wonder so many of us struggle. I’ve learned, though, that I am enough. I am worthy of rest simply because I exist. My value isn’t tied to productivity or performance. That realization has been hard-won, and it’s shaped everything about how I live and work today.

In the beginning, it felt like my body was betraying me, but in hindsight, it was delivering messages—signals that something had to change. Navigating this was compounded by a healthcare system that wasn’t built for me, or for my ultimate success. I had to carve out my own path to healing. It was brutal.

The process was anything but linear. I stumbled, fell, and got back up countless times. But those setbacks taught me something crucial: failure isn’t the end. It’s part of the process. Falling gives us the chance to learn how to stand again, to try something new, to grow. Those rocks and twigs on the path aren’t just obstacles—they’re opportunities. Opportunities to redirect, deepen the work, and shift mindset.

That shift began with acknowledging my worth and recognizing that the essence of who I am—a person who gives a damn, who fails and tries again, who gets up every day to put good things into the world—was more than enough. I didn’t have to prove it to anyone. I just had to live it.

This philosophy underpins the work I do now. Through my own struggles, I learned how to reframe challenges, to see the gaps in the system, and to carve out a path not just for myself but for others. I became a coach, a guide for those navigating chronic illness and disability, helping them embrace their worth and find opportunities when their vision is obstructed.

Resilience is a concept that’s often tossed around in these communities like confetti, but for me, it’s about finding meaning in the struggle. It’s about being honest with ourselves about where we are while staying open to the possibility of growth. The road will never be smooth—if it is, we’re probably doing something wrong. But the bumps and detours? They’re where we become who we’re meant to be. It’s why I live by the Japanese proverb: Fall down seven times, stand up eight.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Uninvisible Coaching?
With Uninvisible Coaching, I now support individuals living with chronic conditions and disabilities, both in my private practice and as a contractor for other organizations. The support I offer takes many forms, but it’s deeply informed by my work as a patient advocate—a path I didn’t plan but discovered through my own health crisis.

In many ways, I beautifully tripped on the rocks that were my health challenges, and those stumbles became an opportunity to learn how to inhabit my body and embrace my life in entirely new ways. That experience reshaped me, and I’m so much prouder of who I am now than who I might have been otherwise. I’ve grown deeper, more aligned, more deeply embodied, and more connected—and as a result, I’m offering something far more meaningful to others.

What sets me apart as a chronic illness and disability coach is the integration of my background in patient advocacy. I help my clients build medical teams that work for them. I teach them to understand and assert their boundaries—what they will and won’t accept from treatments, providers, and systems. Together, we figure out how to navigate and “game” a medical system that often feels impossible for those of us who are chronically ill.

The thing I’m most proud of, though, is how this work began for me. I found my own voice by launching a podcast, Uninvisible Pod, and creating space for conversations that heal. Now, as a coach, I help my clients rediscover their voices and their footing. Working with me, they become more grounded in who they are and who they want to become. They learn to say “no” to what doesn’t serve them and “hell yes” to what does.

So often, I work with women who’ve been conditioned to sink into the shadows—whether through family trauma, societal norms, or the long-term impact of being silenced. Many of them feel unheard and unseen, which can amplify their physical symptoms and sense of isolation. My role is to give them permission—and practical tools—to step into the light, use their voices, and reclaim their agency.

Some might call this work a little “witchy”, and that’s okay. It’s deeply spiritual, meditative, and rooted in mindset shifts. But it’s also grounded in somatic practices and the undeniable truth that our bodies are always communicating with us. Those signals may not always be clear, but they are messages we must learn to interpret. And from there, it’s about choosing how we respond.

In my work, I guide clients through this process of response—helping them identify what they can control, what they can let go of, and how they can show up as their best selves in a world that may not always meet them halfway. Together, we turn diagnoses, mystery symptoms, or setbacks into opportunities for transformation.

Ultimately, my goal is to help my clients shape not just how they interact with the world, but also how they interact with themselves. This work is about reclaiming their power, their voice, and their sense of possibility. It’s a privilege to walk this path with them—one I wouldn’t have found if my own journey hadn’t first led me here. It’s alchemical, and it’s elemental. And it is everything related to who we want to be in the world. Seen, heard, and deeply understood.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
For me, happiness is woven into the small, seemingly innocuous aspects of the human experience. In my practice, I often talk about glimmers—the opposite of triggers. Where a trigger might agitate or unsettle us, a glimmer gives us pause, offering a sense of awe or wonder that allows us to rewire our brains toward happiness. I believe that wonder, in many ways, is the antidote to exhaustion, burnout, and disillusionment—experiences we encounter all too often in an oversaturated world that moves far faster than our bodies and minds are designed to move.

I find wonder and joy in the smallest of things: watching my cat chase leaves through the window, marveling at the intricate lives of creatures in the park, noticing the glint of sunlight on a dewy morning leaf. It’s in the synchronicities of my relationships, in showing up for others and feeling their care in return, and in the quiet beauty of a loving community.

Happiness for me is also deeply rooted in the natural world. Nature astounds me with its resilience, creativity, and capacity for renewal—even in the face of all we’ve done (or, perhaps, not done) as stewards of this earth. There’s joy in recognizing its boundless ability to adapt and flourish.

I find happiness in movement—the gift of moving my body in ways that feel nourishing, grounding, and joyful. I find it in the taste of a lovingly prepared meal, shared with friends and family who fill my life with care and connection. And I find it in meeting my most basic needs—a warm roof over my head, rest, and reverence for my body’s cues.

This awareness is something I try to share with my clients because it’s so easy to get caught up in the minutiae of what’s not working. Negativity bias often takes hold, but I make a daily practice of rewiring my brain with the good stuff. Glimmers, awe, joy—they remind me of the vast beauty of being alive.

Contact Info:

• Website: uninvisiblecoaching.com, uninvisiblepod.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/chroniccoachlauren
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/chronicillnessfreedom
• Twitter: Mindfully divesting from X
• Other: https://insighttimer.com/uninvisiblepod/guided-meditations/healing-recalibration-for-flare-days-chronic-pain-and-trauma