Life Support

The human body is a magical mystery capable of healing in the most miraculous ways. This meditation offers a portal of connection to a healing light that lives within you. Bathe in the healing light as you are gently guided to release control, thus allowing this natural process to unfold.

Connect to the open-hearted and balancing frequency of the element of Air, as you are guided in this meditation to recognize the truth of the affirmations: "I am surrounded by love" and "I deserve love and to be loved". This meditation was designed to support increased feelings of spacious connectedness to oneself and the greater world.

Connect to the flow, fluidity, and surrender of the element of Water as you are guided in this meditation to recognize the truth of the affirmation: "I have a right to feel". This meditation was designed to support the release of any stuck emotions, in addition to nurturance and receptivity.

Connect to the confidence and transformational power of the element of Fire, as you are guided in this meditation to recognize the truth of the affirmations: "I am worthy" and "I am a powerful creator". This meditation was designed to support increased feelings of self-esteem in one's body and life.

Connect to the solidity and stability of the element of Earth, as you are guided in this meditation to recognize the truth of the affirmation: "I have a right to be here". This meditation was designed to support increased feelings of confidence and sovereignty in one's body and life.

It was a surgery for a rare congenital heart defect that lead Grace's doctors to shockingly discovered her stage II Hodgkin's Lymphoma. In this episode of the AYA podcast series, Montana and Grace discuss the realities of isolation and survivor's guilt that come with achieving remission after a blood cancer diagnosis as a young adult.

A conversation with Dr. Ariel Lefkowtiz, an internal medicine doctor who is currently caring for patients on the COVID ward outside of ICU who require hospitalization at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. Ariel speaks about how the experience of being at the centre of the world's focus through supporting patients without treatment options has transformed his life and practice. A theme that comes up throughout our discussion is how this pandemic has exacerbated existing tensions in society. It provides an opportunity for us as individuals and a collective to redefine ourselves and choose a new path that is more supportive of humanity.

The vast majority of us are going to experience something that is traumatic during our lifetime. This does not need to be something that we fear or turn away from. My friend Anne Wagner, esteemed psychologist and founder of Remedy, joins me this episode where we discuss topics that have been stigmatized for decades: trauma, PTSD, and the use of psychedelics in treatment for mental health challenges. It is up to us all to become trauma-informed so we can better care for ourselves and our loved ones, particularly at times such as these.

This episode features a fascinating conversation with Addiction Medicine Specialist, Dr. Ashok Krishnamurthy, where we discuss the corrosive impacts of stigma on individuals struggling with an addiction. We speak about how our health care system could better care for those attempting to overcome a substance abuse disorder, and the importance of treating people holistically. This conversation is a deep dive into some of the issues that we are facing in the field of addictions - systemically, socially, politically and psychologically. We also talk about how we can work together to build a more integrative system that puts the humanity back into addiction treatment!

What is health coaching, and how do we use skills developed by the positive psychology movement to enhance our well-being in the face of overwhelm?This episode features a conversation with Health and Resilience Coach Marla Warner, where we discuss what common issues her clients approach her with, and tangible tools to combat these concerns.We talk about how to approach stress on various levels: physically, mentally and through learning more about the way our mind operates.

Today's episode is with Augustina Ampofo, a mental health advocate who has been diagnosed with Bipolar II Disorder and speaks openly about her experiences with psychosis. During this conversation, we discuss why she became a mental health advocate and our complicated relationship with health-related labels. We also talk about the importance of creativity in her recovery process, specifically, how journaling, art therapy and dancing have been an integral part of her healing journey. Throughout the conversation, we break some misconceived notions about mental illness.

Today’s guest is my friend Ariel Lefkowitz, someone who I met a few months ago and has been instrumental in the creation of this podcast.Ariel is an internal medicine physician and medical educator at the University of Toronto. He has a background in theatre, improv, and creative writing, and his research focuses on ethics, improving physician communication, person-centred care, and the doctor-patient relationship.We often go to doctors when we are at our most vulnerable - from the joy of giving birth to the devastation of our death. When there is something wrong with our bodies or minds, that can be incredibly scary and traumatic. Within this context, the relationships between doctors and their patients can be quite significant; particularly if we are being diagnosed with a chronic or terminal illness.So how do we build healthier and more equitable relationships between healthcare providers and their patients that promote healing while mitigating the effects of burnout? That is what we discuss in the conversation you are about to hear, along with topics such as improving communication between patients and doctors, the importance of advocacy for changes in the system, and how to create a more integrated healthcare system.

This episode features a conversation I had with my friend and relational psychotherapist (qualifying), Aaron Stern.The idea of this podcast arose out of conversations I have been having with Aaron and others over the last several months around ways to reduce the shame and stigma of facing mental and physical health challenges.This whole journey began when I started speaking out about my personal struggles as a patient. I hope others can feel empowered through these conversations to know that they are not alone and there is support available, no matter what you are going through.Over the course of this conversation, Aaron and I discuss the importance of healthy relationships and community in the face of physical and mental health challenges, the importance of viewing a patient in a holistic and personalized way, how his training as an actor impacts his work as a therapist, and how to provide patients with a feeling of agency and empowerment through changing the stories we are told and tell ourselves about our issues and challenges.