I launched Corona Cafe because there is a particular kind of conversation that I crave right now, and I suspect that many other long-haulers crave it, too. There are already wonderful and supportive spaces set up for discussions of Covid-19 symptoms and treatments. I’ve relied heavily on these spaces! I found myself yearning for other conversations, though, in a different kind of space—a space designed for exploring the impacts of illness on emotions, identity, values, beliefs, hopes, relationships, and life plans. A space set aside for examining and experiencing the connections between body and soul. My hope is that Corona Cafe is growing into just such a space!
Going forward, I would like to offer an even richer and more varied experience to readers who feel nourished by Corona Cafe and invested in its conversations and community. Beginning next week, I will continue to send out one newsletter each month to all subscribers but shift the rest of Corona Cafe’s offerings to a membership model. There are two ways to become a member: 1) You can sign up here through Substack for $7/month (more than a latte, less than a burrito), or 2) If you want to join but finances are tight right now, you can shoot me an email (lisathejensen@gmail.com), tell me you’re a Covid-19 long-hauler, and ask for a free subscription. (Spoiler alert: I’ll say, “Yes!” No awkward follow-up questions or demands for tax forms. Just a whole-hearted “Yes.”)
Why become a Corona Cafe member? I suppose the most basic answer to that question is that you value what I offer and want to support my work. Being a member also comes with an expanding list of benefits. Only Corona Cafe members will receive the full menu of offerings, which includes:
Weekly newsletters (non-members will still receive one newsletter per month)
At least 3 new yoga videos each month. Members are encouraged to make requests; for example, you can tell me what body parts are achy, what level of intensity you’re looking for, or what barriers make yoga difficult for you!
Members-only discussions. In addition to the weekly newsletter, I’ll send out a short discussion prompt each week. You can comment on these prompts, just like you might currently comment on newsletters, but only members will be able to view the discussion. These discussion prompts could make great journaling prompts, too!
At least one bonus feature per month, with more added as our community grows. I’m especially excited about our bonus feature for this month and hope that it will become a Corona Cafe staple! My dear friend Jennifer Diamond, LFMT, has offered to write an Ask Jenny advice column just for our community. Jenny is a therapist and does much of her work with clients who have chronic illnesses. In fact, Jenny herself has navigated ME/CFS for the past ten years, and is mostly recovered today. Ask Jenny is an opportunity for members of the Corona Cafe community to get personalized answers to difficult questions. You can ask Jenny for advice on anything related to navigating the ups and downs of illness, building coping strategies, developing self-compassion, or working through all the normal life challenges that are made harder by long-haul Covid-19 (for example, jobs, parenting, and relationships). Please keep in mind that these columns are intended to be helpful and educational but do not replace an ongoing relationship with a licensed therapist. Other potential bonus features include Zoom ‘coffeehouse’ discussions, journaling prompts, guided meditations, podcasts, and columns written by guest authors. If you have other ideas for bonus features that you would like to see, please send them my way! And if you have a question for Jenny, email it to me at lisathejensen@gmail.com!
If you are wondering how I’ll manage all of this if or when my symptoms flare, that’s a fair question. Thankfully, my relapses are becoming gentler and less frequent. That said, I do have a plan for how to handle paid memberships if there is a week when I don’t feel well enough to deliver the usual content. Substack allows me to simply hit ‘pause’ on subscriptions at any point. If I’m not well enough to write the newsletter or send other promised content in a given week (or if I need to schedule time off), I’ll let you know and hit ‘pause.’ You will still have access to all of the existing content and discussion spaces, but your next Substack payment will be delayed by however many days the subscriptions are paused for.
Another note about payments: Substack only grants me limited ability to tailor the options. I cannot remove the annual subscription option, but I don’t recommend using it. The world and our bodies are sites of such uncertainty right now that I think it would be difficult for any of us to determine whether Corona Cafe will still have value eight months or a year from now. No one (including me) should feel locked in for the full year! To discourage annual subscriptions, I increased rather than decreased the rate for the annual option. If you have enough money to purchase all the lattes and burritos your heart desires and you love my work so much that you want to support me in a bigger way or help fund subscriptions for those who aren’t able to pay, then feel free to choose the pricier annual option. But please keep in mind that there are no guarantees as to what this community will look like eight or ten months down the road!
Whew! That was a lot of information. Thank you for reading and for being part of this community! Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns. If you do not sign up for a paid subscription or email me to let me know that you’re a long-hauler in need of a free membership, you will still receive a newsletter at the end of this week and one newsletter per month going forward. In other words, you can do absolutely nothing and still enjoy a monthly email. If you’re hoping for more content and community, then sign up here, or shoot me an email! I hope you’ll be in touch.