Pieces of Us

On this episode my husband, Brian, and I provide an update of our journey. It has been over a year since we have sat down and shared our story of infertility so we wanted to update listeners on what is happening in our lives. If you haven’t listened to our full story you can start at episode one and two.

On this episode of Pieces of Us I am talking about all things Covid-19. During these unprecedented times Dr Sarah Fraser shares her perspective on the Covid-19 pandemic. She talks about what it is really like to be in physical isolation; she provides tips for maintaining positive mental health; and she answers questions about what Covid-19 is and how we should respond.

This week on “Piece of Us” I talk with Jillian Muise, who is a teacher, a wife, and a mother of three. Jillian shares her heartbreaking story about losing her son Samuel 20 days after his birth. She talks about her difficult journey through grief and provides insight on how to be supportive to someone who is going through the painful grieving process.

In this episode I speak with Jess Neary, a mother of three and a successful Feng Shui consultant. Jess shares how she had always battled with anxiety and depression and how it really manifested after her first child was born. She talks about how she has been able to fight her anxiety by getting the help she needed. Jess explains how once she got this help it led her down a path where she was able to find her passion and, in turn, live a truly authentic life.

Jessie Berthiaume discusses what it is like living with the crippling pain caused by endometriosis. Endometriosis plagues 1 in 10 women. It is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood. Jessie shares her lonely battle with this common yet seemingly unknown disease.

Mal Crispo shares the story of the common passion she and her father had for motorcycles and how this passion tragically changed the course of their lives. Mal, a country girl from rural Nova Scotia, loves hiking, fishing, and motorcycles. On this episode Mal tells us about her horrific motorcycle accident and her difficult road to recovery. Mal’s perseverance, work ethic, and positive attitude shine through as she discusses her difficult emotional and physical recovery.

On this episode of Pieces of Us I talk with Laura Himmelman who discusses her journey with mold toxicity. She explains how on her lonely journey to a diagnosis and her path to healing she had to trust her intuition.

On this episode I had the pleasure of talking with Jesse Thistle author of the riveting memoir "From the Ashes." Jesse is Metis-Cree, from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and he currently is an assistant professor in Metis Studies at York University in Toronto. "From the Ashes" is a memoir about the effect of intergenerational trauma, the struggle to find an identity, and the impact of childhood abandonment. For Jesse, these factors led to the self destructive cycle of drug and alcohol abuse which resulted in a path of homelessness and incarceration. Jesse unpacks his memoir and discusses the institutional injustices many indigenous people face.

Nicole Spence is a wife, a mother, an educational assistant, and an author of the captivating memoir: “Somewhere North of Where I Was.” This memoir portrays a child’s loss of innocence through poverty, neglect, and abuse; and it depicts the journey of Nicole transcending the trauma she had endured. On this episode of “Pieces of Us” I talk with Nicole Spence who discusses her memoir which she began at the age of fifteen. She takes us through her long difficult road to forgiveness. Nicole discusses the writing process and how it became her way of dealing with her traumatic childhood.

When we are younger we often view our parents as immortal beings who will forever be part of our lives. When we lose a parent we lose a part of who we are; it changes us forever. On this episode of “Pieces of Us” Evan Dahl talks about losing his Dad when he was only 16 years old. He shares how it took years of struggling with a gambling addiction before he realized he was not dealing with the death of his father.

Imagine learning your father has a heart condition, then finding out your brother has it as well, then taking a genetic test and discovering you also have it? On this episode of “Pieces of Us” I talk with Natalie Westhaver who discusses living with a hereditary heart condition called Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Natalie opens up about her struggles and coming to terms with a lifelong hereditary disease that has impacted her and her family’s lives.

On this episode of “Pieces of Us” I talk with a former wrestler Kevin Breen who discusses his battle off the mat with chronic kidney disease. Kevin explains how he was able to extend the life of his own kidneys by changing his lifestyle. As a result of this change he was able to postpone having to go on dialysis which further delays his inevitable kidney transplant.

Merle is an incredible vibrant 96 year old who candidly discusses her incredible life. She talks about living through the great depression, teaching fighter pilots Morse code during World War II, and raising her family with the love of her life.

Losing someone you love is absolutely devastating; life as you once knew it completely changes forever. Grief is brutally difficult. You never really stop grieving the person you have lost; you just learn a new life with them no longer in it. On this episode of “Pieces of Us” I talk with Kelsey Chaisson who discusses losing her mother to lung cancer. She talks about the pain of losing a loved one and the difficult road to finding a new normal.

Type 1 Diabetes is incurable and it has to be constantly monitored and managed daily.The demands are quite high for managing the disease but the consequences of not managing diabetes are even higher. On this episode of ”Pieces of Us” I talk with Erika Croft who discusses what it was like being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of ten. She explains how she didn’t realize the full impact diabetes would have on her life until she was living on her own. For Erika, diabetes had impacted her physically, mentally, and financially.

Being a new mother is deemed to be one of the happiest and most joyous experiences of someone’s life but for many women being a new mother and caring for a baby is mixed with extreme emotions of sadness and worry. On this episode of “Pieces of Us’ I talk with Amy Cohoon-Swim who discusses her battle with anxiety and how after the birth of her first child she suffered from postpartum depression.

In part two of “Pieces of Us’ Jaycee continues to share her story about how she was able to break the cycle of abuse she had endured. This story also shines a light on how you NEVER know what someone is going through and the importance of showing compassion and kindness to everyone.

On this episode of “Pieces of Us’ I talk with Jaycee who describes herself as a mother and a proud First Nations woman. She shares her gut-wrenching story of being trapped in an abusive relationship. She explains the grooming her partner had done to trap her in a living hell and how her driving force of breaking the cycle of abuse was not wanting to become another statistic.

On this episode of “Pieces of Us’ I talk with Kat Leroux founder of Future Female Magazine: a platform for women to share their personal struggles. Kat discusses how she was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome at the age of 16. She was not provided with sufficient information by her doctors; therefore, she brushed the diagnosis off as not that serious. She didn't realize the major implications it would have on her life until it led to fertility issues. Kat describes how she felt lost in her fertility struggles and how she felt frustrated by the lack of resources and lack of support for women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in Canada.

In this episode I talk with Leslie Doka about being a leader in the male dominated world of the construction industry. She describes the support and the challenges she has experienced throughout her career. She reflects on how traditional gender roles are not reinforced within her household. She also explains her driving passion to support young women and minorities who aspire to work in the unconventional field of construction.

In this episode we continue Steve’s story about his struggle with porn addiction. Steve discusses his issue with the way porn is perceived within our society and within the media. He also explains how he feels parents should tackle the subject of porn with their children.

What is your reaction when you hear the term — porn addiction? Does it make you feel uncomfortable? Does it make you giggle? Or does it not even bother you? Many porn addicts are scared by the reaction you may have if they open up about their addiction. As a consequence, many will often suffer in silence because of the shame and embarrassment they feel. On this episode of “Pieces of Us” I talk with Steve who openly discusses his battle with porn addiction and he bravely explains the negative effects it has had on his life.

Andrew Haley was a young child when he was diagnosed with a life threatening cancer which claimed one of his legs. Andrew did not allow this to be an excuse for not being able to accomplish his goals and dreams. His mindset allowed him to push himself to his limits and he achieved his goal of becoming a Paralympian.

This week on “Pieces of Us” Owen Rigby shares his experience of being a transgender man. He shares the journey of his transition but also the transition to acceptance his family had to go through. Owen’s story sheds light that transitioning is much more than one simple decision: it is hundreds of hours of therapy; it is years of personal growth and change; and it is the difficult road to acceptance for family and loved ones. Owen’s story is ultimately about the importance of not only accepting yourself but also the importance of truly being yourself.

In part two, of “One Act of Healing”, Majd continues to share his story about the difficult journey from Syria, to Lebanon, and then to Canada. He talks about his one act play that become much more than a project to improve his language; it became his therapy to process the trauma he had experienced. His hope is that people understand the importance of finding a space and a safe audience to share their story.

Storytelling is an innate human instinct. Stories help connect us; bring us to the past; allow us to learn; help shape us; and help us heal. Storytelling crosses all cultures; it is what makes us human. This week on “Pieces of Us” I talk with Majd Al Zhouri, who is a Syrian refugee; he discusses what his life was like in Syria, how he left this war-torn country, the struggles he had as a refugee in Lebanon, and his new beginnings in Canada. Majd shares how one simple project of writing his story became his therapy; it became the root of his healing.

Our mindset is wired in self-doubt and fear and often controls what we do. Fear is part of our inner dialogue, a common emotion that can hold us back. Why do we let fear and self-doubt guide our decisions? This week on “Pieces of Us” I talk with Stephanie Allen; a massage therapist, a published author, and an award winning speaker. She tells us how she did not let fear and self-doubt guide her decisions when she faced difficult adversity. She shares how she reprogrammed her inner-dialogue to motivate herself to push through her fears; and how life-changing events helped perpetuate her into a life full of purpose.

On this episode of “Pieces of Us” I talk with Alex Godbold who discusses his addictive relationship with alcohol and the pathway to his sobriety. He challenges the stereotype of alcoholism and challenges listeners to seriously reevaluate their own relationship with alcohol.

Growing up in the small town of Antigonish was not idyllic for Keith Barkhouse. Keith discusses what it was like being raised in a small Catholic town and how he had to constantly struggle with his upbringing and being gay. Keith describes the cruelty of his peers and the consistent torment he faced at school, for being who he was. He shares the struggles that many in the LGBTQ+ community face. Keith explains that it does get better. He talks about his love for his husband, Brandon; and shares how they are fostering two little boys, with view to adopt.

Most people carry worries and concerns. We worry about our children, our partners, our parents, our career, our friends, our bills, our house... Sometimes it is a struggle to balance every aspect of our lives. We simply cannot give 100% to everyone and everything 100% of the time. On this episode, Rachel Lockhart shares her struggle of balancing being an eductor, loving her two children, and caring for a mother living with early onset dementia. She poses the difficult question: How do you balance your responsibilities between your children, your mom, and students who need you?

On this episode of “Pieces of Us” I talk with Ben Roberts. He describes how life threw him a curveball and how his life became richer and more gratifying than what he had originally planned. Ben shares his story of being a father of an incredible little boy, Curren; and how this ended up being one of the most amazing and fulfilling experiences of his life. Ben openly discusses the struggles, the love, the hardships, and the ultimate rewarding experience of raising a child with Down syndrome.

On this episode of “Pieces of Us I talk with Mario Coculuzzi about his struggles in life and finding the community he needed as a young gay man and as a fierce drag queen. The desire for community is a basic human instinct. We want to be surrounded by people who allow us to be truly ourselves. We want to be surrounded by people who love us and support us but sometimes finding this community is extremely difficult; especially when you are not even sure who you are. Finding a community can help develop understanding and compassion.

Have you ever looked back on a time in your life and regretted that you had not listened to your intuition? Trusting your gut is very difficult because it is based on a hunch as opposed to facts. In this episode, Nicole Benoit shares her story of a failed relationship. She explains how red flags were present but how she was unable to recognize the deceit in her relationship until it was too late.

Infertility is so common; however, so many couples suffer in silence because it feels so uncommon. In part two, Brian (my husband) and I continue our conversation about our difficult journey of infertility. Our hope is that this will help other couples struggling to know they are not alone.

On the very first episode I sit down with my husband, Brian, and we discuss our journey through infertility. There is a hidden pain and a sense of shame that accompanies infertility. Brian and I want to break the silence and share our story and hopefully in turn start a dialogue for other people to feel comfortable to share their fertility struggles. This is a very candid conversation and it may be an emotional trigger for some individuals.