Podcasts about recovery story

What if the thing that finally stopped your addiction... wasn't willpower? Today I'm sitting down with Matt Grace — a man who went from Ritalin to crystal meth to arrests and overdoses, and is now, twenty years later, the guy that Manhattan's wealthiest families call when their kid is dying from the same thing he almost died from. He's about to tell you the one thing his own parents did that kept him sick for years — and why he says addiction never lies, but families do. This is not a sanitized recovery story. Stay with us.     Follow Matt Grace - - New Book - God Doesn't Relapse- https://amzn.to/3Spg42y - IG - @mattsavinggrace - Website - https://mattgrace.com     Follow Dr. JC Doornick and the Makes Sense Academy:► Makes Sense Substack - https://drjcdoornick.substack.com ► Instagram: / drjcdoornick ► Substack: / drjcdoornick ►Facebook:  / makessensepodcast ►YouTube:  / drjcdoornick     MAKES SENSE PODCAST Welcome to the Makes Sense with Dr. JC Doornick Podcast. This podcast explores topics that expand human consciousness and enhance performance. On the Makes Sense Podcast, we acknowledge that it's who you are that determines how well what you do works, and that perception is subjective and an acquired taste. When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at begin to change. Welcome to the uprising of the sleepwalking masses. Welcome to the Makes Sense with Dr. JC Doornick Podcast.   SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW & SHARE our new podcast. FOLLOW Podcast: You will find a "Follow" button in the top right. This will enable the podcast software to alert you when a new episode launches each week. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/makes-sense-with-dr-jc-doornick/id1730954168 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1WHfKWDDReMtrGFz4kkZs9?si=003780ca147c4aec   Podcast Affiliates: Kwik Learning: Many people ask me where I get all these topics, which I've been covering for almost 15 years. I have learned to read nearly four times faster and retain information 10 times better with Kwik Learning. Learn how to learn and earn with Jim Kwik. Get his program at a special discount here: https://jimkwik.com/dragon OUR SPONSORS: Operly - Take Back Control of Your Work Day and Get Rid of All Your AI Apps - Welcome to the new world of Time Freedom and Unlimited Scaling and Success with Operly -  https://go.getoperly.ai/video?ref=jean-claude-claude-d-2a95 Blue Blinds Bakery - Handcrafted with all-natural ingredients - www.blueblindsbakery.com 00:00 - 02:23: Intro: Turning the Tables / Episode Trailer 02:23 - 08:58: Before They Met: Mieke's Path, JC's First Marriage & Seven Years of Dating 08:58 - 14:29: Manifesting Love: Mieke's Ritual & JC's Recurring Dream 14:29 - 20:13: The Bumble Match & the First Phone Call 20:13 - 27:33: The First Date, Moving In Fast & a Hospital Scare 27:33 - 32:39: The Reveal: Lexi and the Dream Come True 32:39 - 37:50: What Makes Their Marriage Work 37:50 - 40:47: The Proposal in Front of 11,000 People 40:47 - 44:42: Gratitude & the Adoption Journey 44:42 - 48:35: Advice: Trust the Process 48:35 - 52:35: The Book "Make Sense" & Reframing Your Life 52:35 - ending: Chicken, Dragon & Closing Thoughts   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens to eating disorder recovery when the culture around you starts celebrating weight loss again? In this deeply personal solo episode, Dr. Marianne continues sharing her eating disorder recovery story and talks about something that has surprised her: the return of body insecurities during the Age of Ozempic. After recovering from a decades-long history of anorexia, binge eating disorder, orthorexia, and bulimia, she rarely spends much time thinking about her body size. But the rise of Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications like Zepbound and Wegovy has changed the cultural conversation around weight, thinness, and fat bodies. During the height of the body diversity movement, living in a larger body felt different. Plus-size clothing became more visible. Larger bodies appeared in advertising. Conversations about weight stigma, fatphobia, body neutrality, and fat liberation entered the mainstream. Now, many of those gains seem to be disappearing as celebrities become smaller, plus-size departments vanish from stores, and thinness once again becomes something we're expected to pursue. When Eating Disorder Recovery Meets the Age of Ozempic Dr. Marianne shares what it's like to encounter old eating disorder and body image thoughts after years of recovery. Sometimes those thoughts arrive unexpectedly: Look at that celebrity. They did it. Why can't I? Having that thought doesn't mean eating disorder recovery has failed. Recovery doesn't necessarily erase decades of conditioning around weight and body size. Instead, it can help us recognize internalized weight bias when it resurfaces and decide whether we want to listen to it. Dr. Marianne also discusses an important distinction: wanting a smaller body isn't necessarily the same thing as wanting relief from anti-fat bias. Sometimes the thought, Life would be easier if I were thinner, reflects a painful reality about how fat people are treated rather than a genuine desire to change one's body. The World Is Getting Smaller for Fat People Anti-fat bias doesn't exist only in our thoughts. It shows up in the physical world. Plus-size clothing departments have disappeared from many stores, forcing people in larger bodies to shop online. Airplane seats continue to create accessibility barriers for larger passengers. Cars, restaurant booths, waiting-room chairs, theaters, and other public spaces frequently fail to accommodate body diversity. The message can become impossible to ignore: if the world won't make more space for you, you're expected to make yourself smaller. Dr. Marianne explores the mental health toll of repeatedly navigating environments that weren't designed for your body. Constantly wondering whether a seat will fit, whether a store carries your size, or whether a healthcare provider will blame your symptoms on weight creates an enormous cognitive and emotional burden. Defending the Right to Be Fat Dr. Marianne shares a recent dream in which she found herself defending her fatness to another person. When she woke up, she realized how closely the dream reflected the experience of living in a larger body today. Fat people often have to defend their right to exist without pursuing intentional weight loss. They may have to advocate for appropriate healthcare, accessible seating, clothing, travel accommodations, and the basic right to occupy space without apology. That emotional labor takes energy. For neurodivergent people, the burden can become even greater. Autistic people and ADHDers may already expend significant energy navigating sensory needs, executive functioning, uncertainty, masking, and environments that weren't designed for neurodivergent nervous systems. When neurodivergence intersects with anti-fat bias and other forms of marginalization, the cumulative mental health toll can become significant. Internalized Weight Bias Doesn't Mean You've Failed at Recovery Eating disorder recovery happens in the real world, not in a protected bubble. You can appreciate your body and still feel hurt by weight stigma. You can reject diet culture and feel grief when plus-size clothing disappears. You can practice fat acceptance and still have moments when you wonder whether life would be easier in a smaller body. Those experiences don't erase recovery. Sometimes what looks like body dissatisfaction is actually grief, anger, exhaustion, or a desire to move through the world without constantly having to advocate for your right to belong. Dr. Marianne shares the question that helps her separate internalized weight bias from her own values: Do I actually want a different body, or do I want a different world? Related Episodes How a Part of Me Wanted to Take a Weight-Loss Drug on Apple & Spotify. My Eating Disorder Recovery Story on Apple & Spotify. Finding Liberation-Focused Eating Disorder Support If the Age of Ozempic has stirred up old body image struggles, eating disorder thoughts, or internalized weight bias, you don't have to navigate those experiences alone. Finding an eating disorder therapist or provider who understands weight stigma can make a profound difference. Liberation-focused, trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming eating disorder treatment can create space to examine these experiences without making weight loss the goal. If you'd like to work with Dr. Marianne, she provides eating disorder therapy in California for adolescents and adults navigating anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID, body image concerns, and neurodivergence. If you live elsewhere, Dr. Marianne also offers consultations and coaching for individuals, families, and professionals. Learn more about working with Dr. Marianne at drmariannemiller.com.

Sleep Anxiety and OCD: How Carly Broke the Hypnic Jerk Loop and Learned to Trust Her Body AgainIf bedtime fills you with dread, if you've started dreading the sunset, or if hypnic jerks have turned falling asleep into a nightly battle, this episode is for you. Matt Codde, LCSW sits down with Carly, a member of the Restored Minds community, to talk honestly about what it's like to live inside a sleep anxiety loop, and what actually got her out of it.Carly walks through her own descent into relentless hypnic jerks, the compulsions she didn't even realize were compulsions (bedtime routines built on fear, checking the clock, seeking reassurance from her husband), and the belief that was quietly running the whole show: that a bad night of sleep meant a ruined day. This isn't a sleep hygiene episode. It's a conversation about fear, control, and what it actually means to trust your body to do what it already knows how to do.

For years, Bianca did everything she believed a "healthy" woman should do, she exercised daily, tracked her calories, avoided carbs, and was repeatedly told by doctors that nothing was wrong.After nearly 8 years without a menstrual cycle, countless specialist appointments, blood work, MRIs, and a misdiagnosis of PCOS, Bianca finally discovered she had hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA). That discovery didn't just lead to getting her period back, it completely changed the trajectory of her life.In this episode, Bianca shares her recovery journey, the mindset shifts that helped her embrace weight gain and rest, and how recovering from HA inspired her to become a certified Holistic HA Practitioner so she could help other women avoid the years of confusion she experienced.We also discuss:Bianca's 8-year journey to recovering her period naturallyBeing misdiagnosed with PCOS and told to "just go back on the pill"How over-exercising, under-fueling, and diet culture contributed to HAThe mental challenge of eating more, exercising less, and accepting body changesWhy recovery is about so much more than getting your period backThe surprising symptoms of HA that disappeared after recovery (cold intolerance, fatigue, hair loss, food obsession, irritability, and more)How recovery transformed Bianca's relationship with food, movement, and herselfWhy she chose to become an HA coach and now helps women recover around the worldThe importance of support, patience, and not comparing your recovery to someone else'sRecovery gave Bianca far more than a menstrual cycle, it gave her freedom, purpose, and a life that no longer revolved around food and exercise. If you're in the middle of HA recovery and wondering whether it's worth it, this conversation is the reminder that the life waiting on the other side is bigger than you can imagine.If you want to turn your mess into your message like Bianca, check out our Holistic Hypothalamic Amenorrhea Practitioner (HHAP) Certification program.Become a certified HHAP Practitionerhttps://www.holistichapractitioner.com/Connect with Bianca:Instagram & TikTok: @letthemeatcarbsTry the Blueprinthttps://thehasociety.com/blueprintJoin The HA Societyhttp://thehasociety.com/joinWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarciaThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.

Christian´s Bullen: #BajajMobility, #AstaEnergy & #InnioGroupJulia´s Steckenpferde: #Frequentis, #RWE & #MicrosoftEs ist wieder so weit. Zeit fürs Geldmeisterin-Aktienduell. Börsen- und Podcast-Enthusiastin #JuliaKistner trifft auf Kapitalmarktexperten, Podcaster und Medienunternehmer #ChristianDrastil. Beide steigen mit jeweils drei Aktien in den Ring: einem österreichischen, einem europäischen und einem internationalen Titel.Was Christian und Julia vereint ist ihr Spaß an Aktien. Was sie unterscheidet ist ihr Investmentstil.Julia investiert grundsätzlich langfristig und fragt sich bei der Auswahl einer Aktie vor allem, ob sie diese auch über Jahre im Portfolio halten möchte. Was nicht heißt, dass sie nicht den einen oder anderen Titel schon nach ein paar Monaten wieder verkauft, wenn die Aktie fü sie zu gut gelaufen ist.Christian stellt seine Positionen ständig auf den Prüfstand und passt deren Gewichtung laufend an, wenn sich Kurse, Risiken oder Rahmenbedingungen verändern.Entsprechend unterschiedlich ist auch die Wahl ihrer aktuellen österreichischen, europäischen und weltweiten Aktienlieblinge. Runde 1: Österreich – Bajaj Mobility gegen FrequentisChristian´s Österreich-Pick ist Bajaj Mobility, die frühere Pierer Mobility mit Marken wie KTM und Husqvarna. Nach den massiven Problemen der vergangenen Jahre setzt Christian auf eine Recovery-Story unter dem neuen Eigentümer Bajaj. DerKurs werde auch vom steigenden Interesse indischer Investoren beflügelt. Julias österreichischer Favorit ist Frequentis. Das Wiener Tech- Unternehmen ist ein „hidden champion“ in der Flugsicherung, Technik für Einsatzorganisationen und sicherheitskritischen Infrastruktur. Wachstumstreiber sind Digitalisierung der Flugsicherung, Remote-Tower-Systeme, Aktivitäten in den USA, mögliche neue Märkte in Asien sowie militärische und KI-Anwendungen. Julia gefallen der große Anteil der Eigentümerfamilie Bardach und auch die Charttechnik: Ende Juli durchbrach  die Frequentis-Aktie nach Gewinnmitnahmen die 200-Tage-Linie nach oben.Runde 2: Europa – ASTA Energy gegen RWEFür Europa wählt Christian erneut einen Wert mit rot-weiß-roten Wurzeln: ASTA Energy Solutions AG, ein Spezialist für Kupferkomponenten für Transformatoren und Generatoren.Asta Energy ging Anfang 2026 in Frankfurt an die Börse und profitiert von der Energiewende. Nach einem starken Börsendebüt und anschließenden Gewinnmitnahmen hält Christian die Aktie wieder für interessant.Julia kontert mit  RWE. Das Unternehmen profitiert vom steigenden weltweiten Strombedarf durch die Energiewende und Elektrifizierung und dem Stromhunger der KI-Rechenzentren. Runde 3: Welt – Microsoft gegen INNIOHier wählt Julia einen Klassiker, der schon lange in ihrem Portfolio liegt: Microsoft. Das Unternehmen ist sehr breit aufgestellt: Azure und Cloud-Infrastruktur, Microsoft 365, Copilot und künstliche Intelligenz, Windows, Cybersecurity sowie Gaming mit Xbox und Activision. Der Tech-Riese punktet auch mit seiner starken Finanzkraft.Christian entscheidet sich mit INNIO Group erneut für ein Unternehmen mit österreichischen Wurzeln. Die ehemalige Gasmotorensparte von Jenbacher ist erst seit kurzer Zeit an der Nasdaq notiert.INNIO produziert unter anderem große Motoren und Energielösungen, die man benötigt für die Energiewende, Rechenzentren und KI: Stromnetze können den steigenden Energiebedarf nicht überall zuverlässig abdecken.Mehr zu den besprochenen Aktien in der aktuellen Folge der GELDMEISTERIN. Ich hoffe wir hören uns!Eure Julia KistnerPs: Auch die #WienerBörse-Party , der Podcast von Christian Drastil gehört gehört! Warnhinweis: Geldanlagen bergen ein Verlustrisiko. Der Host und die Podcastgäste der GELDMEISTERIN haften nicht für die Inhalte dieses Mediums.Musik- & Soundrechte:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.geldmeisterin.com/index.php/musik-und-soundrechte/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fotos: Christian Drastil/Bearbeitung GELDMEISTERIN

Send us Fan MailAaron shares his journey through opioid addiction, heroin, meth, overdose, relapse, psychosis, and frightening experiences he understood as spiritual — and how faith, honesty, and finally working the 12 Steps changed his recovery. Find Aaron

When Paul Drayton briefly finds himself in prison in 2022 after a dangerous driving conviction, he is forced to confront the truth about the life he has been living. What follows is a candid and deeply personal journey through addiction, relationships, identity and recovery.From growing up in Sunderland to navigating London's nightlife scene, falling in love with Alan Carr to discovering what it feels like to live beside fame without sharing the spotlight, Paul reflects on the highs, the chaos and the mistakes that shaped his life.A late ADHD diagnosis at fifty and determined to rebuild his future, he begins the difficult process of understanding himself and creating a new chapter.Honest, self-aware and funny, this is a memoir about accountability, resilience and the courage to start again. Instagram @pauldrayton1Welcome to "Caroline Carey: A Neurodivergent Soul," Conversations on Autism and ADHD: Finding Your Purpose with a DifferenceThis podcast is for anyone who has ever felt out of the box or isolated by society's expectations. This is a space for creatives going it alone, entrepreneurs, and anyone who feels they are on a different path. Join Caroline as she shares her personal journey and delves into the interconnected experiences of Autism and ADHD as well as creative differences.Caroline believes that our unique story, our lived experiences and the understanding of our mind's unique wiring, are the steps to uncovering our soul's true purpose. This podcast is now a companion to Caroline's upcoming book, “The Neurodivergent Soul” where she explores the sacredness of difference and the beauty of the neurodivergent mind. Through personal stories, expert interviews, and a deep sense of compassion, you'll find a community of people who truly understand and a path to embracing your authentic self.This podcast is for you if you're looking to:Join a community for creatives, entrepreneurs, and anyone who thinks ‘out of the box.'Find conversations on Neurodivergence and difference.Learn how to use your unique wiring for a purposeful life.Visit Middle Earth Medicine to learn more and connect with Caroline.The views expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect my perspectives. My aim is to create a space for open enquiry, diverse experiences, and thoughtful conversation. As always, I invite you to reflect on what resonates, question what doesn't, and trust your own wisdom.Your donations directly fuel the growth of this podcast! They allow Caroline to bring in even more wonderful and inspiring guests, expanding her reach to uplift even more listeners. Please show your support and become part of the magic! Donations of any amount are deeply appreciated. You can make a secure donation through PayPal using the link below.Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference! paypal.me/carolinecarey60 Thank you for your support in spreading the light of soul journeys.Copyright Caroline Carey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when the person who's supposed to be saving lives is quietly fighting to save his own? This week, we're revisiting one of our most powerful conversations with Dr. Jason Giles, whose story takes us behind the white coat and into the realities of addiction, burnout, recovery, and redemption. While training in anesthesiology, Jason found himself caught in a devastating fentanyl addiction. From the outside, he was a successful physician-in-training. Behind the scenes, he was struggling to survive. Then came a moment that changed everything. In this deeply personal conversation, Jason shares the events that led to his addiction, the pager message that helped save his life, and the long road toward rebuilding his health, identity, relationships, and medical career. We also dig into a side of addiction that often gets overlooked: it isn't always simply about chasing a substance. Sometimes it's about escaping pressure, pain, exhaustion, or a life that has become impossible to sustain. In This Episode: How the pressures of medical training contributed to Jason's downward spiral His experience with fentanyl addiction while in anesthesiology residency The moment that became a turning point in his life Why high achievement can hide serious dysfunction The connection between physician burnout, identity, and addiction Why addiction is more complicated than physical dependence What recovery taught Jason about surrender and asking for help Rebuilding a career and life after addiction Why saying “yes” can completely change the trajectory of your life Hope, redemption, and the possibility of creating something meaningful after your darkest chapter Jason's story is raw, uncomfortable, hopeful, and a reminder that even the people who appear to have everything together may be fighting battles no one else can see. If you missed this conversation the first time around—or need to hear it again—this one is worth revisiting. CONNECT WITH BS FREE MD Stay connected with Drs. May and Tim Hindmarsh for more raw, real, and BS-free conversations about medicine, healthcare, and life.

From crack addiction and the cartel to spiritual freedom, Austin Rampt's extraordinary story is one of destruction, survival, surrender and ultimately coming home to himself.Austin took his first drink at just thirteen years old. By fifteen, he was addicted to opiate painkillers, and by seventeen, he was smoking crack cocaine. His addiction led to overdoses, repeated attempts at rehabilitation, the accidental destruction of his family home and a devastating relapse after nine years of sobriety.After being given the choice between rehabilitation and prison, Austin left rehab after just six days, boarded a plane and escaped to Mexico. There, he found himself surrounded by drugs and drawn into the dangerous world of the cartel.But behind the appearance of money, excess and partying was a man sitting alone in a room, drunk and high, crying because he missed his children.In this deeply honest conversation, Austin and Jason explore what addiction is really trying to soothe, why outward success cannot heal an internal wound and how the gifts of sobriety can sometimes take us away from the very practices that made sobriety possible.Jason also opens up about his own experiences with cocaine, cannabis, shame and self-destruction—and the difficult journey of learning to see addiction not as a moral failing, but as an attempt to escape unbearable pain.Together, they explore:• How childhood experiences can shape addiction and self-worth• The danger of believing achievement will make us worthy• Why external success can conceal profound internal suffering• Austin's experiences with addiction and the cartel in Mexico• Jason's own journey through cocaine use, cannabis and psychosis• The importance of connection, honesty and intimate relationships• Why punishment and the war on drugs fail to address the roots of addiction• The spiritual foundations of the Twelve Steps• What it truly means to surrender to a power greater than ourselves• How our greatest failures can become the foundation of our service• Why healing may be less about becoming somebody new and more about uncovering who we have always beenAustin is the author of One Last Hit: The Remarkable True Story of an Addict's Journey to Find Himself. His experiences now allow him to speak openly about recovery, fatherhood, spirituality and the possibility of building a meaningful life after complete destruction.As Austin explains:“My journey of healing has not been to add anything to me. It's been to unwind all the things that were essentially not me.”Whether you have experienced addiction personally, love somebody who has, or recognise the ways we all reach for things outside ourselves to change how we feel inside, this conversation offers a powerful reminder:Surrender is not always defeat.Sometimes, surrender is where freedom begins.CONNECT WITH AUSTIN RAMPTWebsite and book:https://www.onelasthitbook.comCONNECT WITH JASON AND SOUL SYNCWebsite:https://www.jasonpaulmedium.comYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@jasonpaulsoulsyncSubscribe to the Soul Sync newsletter at the bottom of the Jason Paul website.For enquiries:hello@jasonpaulmedium.comIf this conversation resonated with you, please follow Soul Sync, share the episode with somebody who may need to hear it and leave a rating or review. Every review helps these conversations reach more people.CONTENT NOTEThis episode contains frank discussion of drug addiction, overdose, relapse, suicidal self-destruction, childhood distress and psychosis. Please listen with care.✨ Enjoying Soul Sync?A quick rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify genuinely makes such a difference. It helps more curious souls find these conversations and keeps the podcast growing.If an episode has made you think, feel, laugh, question something—or simply helped you feel a little less alone—please take a moment to leave a review.Thank you for being here. It means more than you know.

Suggest Guests For Our Podcast: https://forms.gle/ytt6a9jxe8YwzsGD6 Drug addiction is one of the biggest challenges affecting Nepal's youth, families, and communities. In this powerful episode of the Sushant Pradhan Podcast, Roman Gurung, an anti-drug campaigner and founder of Hope Giver Nepal, shares his deeply personal journey from addiction to recovery and dedicating his life to helping others overcome substance abuse. Roman talks about leaving Nepal for work in India, how he slowly became trapped in drug addiction, the devastating impact drugs had on his mental health, relationships, and future, and the lowest moments that pushed him toward self-harm. He also opens up about his time in jail, the harsh realities of prison life, and the life-changing realization that inspired him to rebuild himself. The conversation explores how drugs destroy lives, why so many young people fall into addiction, the drug network operating across borders, the importance of rehabilitation, mental health, family support, and the challenges recovering addicts face when trying to return to society. Roman also explains the mission of Hope Giver Nepal, the organization's awareness programs, and how people struggling with addiction can seek help. Whether you're a student, parent, educator, or someone looking to understand the realities of drug abuse in Nepal, this episode offers valuable insight, hope, and practical awareness.   नेपालका युवाहरू, परिवारहरू र समुदायहरूलाई असर गरिरहेको सबैभन्दा ठूलो समस्यामध्ये एक हो लागूऔषध दुर्व्यसन। Sushant Pradhan Podcast को यस शक्तिशाली एपिसोडमा लागूऔषधविरुद्ध अभियान चलाइरहेका Roman Gurung तथा Hope Giver Nepal का संस्थापकले आफ्नो जीवनको अत्यन्तै व्यक्तिगत यात्रा साझा गरेका छन्—लागूऔषधको लतबाट मुक्त हुँदै आज अरूलाई पनि त्यसबाट बाहिर निकाल्ने आफ्नो अभियानसम्मको प्रेरणादायी कथा। रोमनले रोजगारीका लागि भारत गएको समय, कसरी बिस्तारै लागूऔषधको लतमा फसे, त्यसले उनको मानसिक स्वास्थ्य, सम्बन्ध र भविष्यमा पारेको गम्भीर प्रभाव, र आत्महत्यासम्म सोच्न बाध्य बनाएका जीवनका कठिन क्षणहरूबारे खुलेर कुरा गरेका छन्। उनले जेल जीवनका कठोर यथार्थहरू र त्यहीँबाट आफूलाई परिवर्तन गर्ने प्रेरणा कसरी पाए भन्ने अनुभव पनि साझा गरेका छन्। यस कुराकानीमा लागूऔषधले व्यक्तिको जीवन कसरी बर्बाद गर्छ, किन धेरै युवाहरू यसको जालमा फसिरहेका छन्, सीमापार सञ्चालन हुने लागूऔषध सञ्जाल, पुनर्स्थापनाको (Rehabilitation) महत्त्व, मानसिक स्वास्थ्य, परिवारको साथ र सहयोग, तथा लतबाट मुक्त भइसकेपछि समाजमा पुनः स्थापित हुन संघर्ष गरिरहेका व्यक्तिहरूले सामना गर्ने चुनौतीहरूबारे विस्तृत छलफल गरिएको छ। साथै, रोमनले Hope Giver Nepal को उद्देश्य, लागूऔषधविरुद्ध सञ्चालन गरिरहेका जनचेतनामूलक अभियानहरू, र लतसँग संघर्ष गरिरहेका व्यक्तिहरूले कसरी सहयोग प्राप्त गर्न सक्छन् भन्ने विषयमा पनि जानकारी दिएका छन्। GET CONNECTED WITH: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/romansuzu/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RomanSuzzu YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@RomanGurungOfficial Hope Giver Nepal Website - https://sites.google.com/view/hopegivernepal Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hopegiver.nepal/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HopegiverNepal TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@hopegivernepal  

Our guest, Rachel Moore, lived with undiagnosed BDD for around 30 years before finally receiving a diagnosis in her late thirties. She talks candidly about childhood bullying, family comments, and how the disorder affected her relationships and confidence. Today, Rachel lives a full and enjoyable life, which includes performing in a band and volunteering with the BDD Foundation.

Eduardo was a lifelong athlete training for a full Ironman when sciatica turned his world upside down. What started as post-drive stiffness in September 2025 spiraled into eight months of worsening pain, failed conservative treatment, and a life reduced to pacing his apartment and sleeping on the couch. By April 2026, he couldn't sit, couldn't breathe deeply, and ended up calling an ambulance. In this episode, Eduardo shares his full timeline: the misdiagnosis, the months of physio that kept him stable but never improved, the moment his girlfriend fought for him in the doctor's office, and the spinal surgery on May 4th that changed everything. Within days he was driving, walking 15K steps, and off all painkillers. Now 12 weeks post-op, he's back swimming, cycling, and just started running again. His story is a powerful reminder that surgery, when it's truly needed, can give you your life back. Conor's IG @conorosheafit

Send us Fan MailJames shares his journey through foster care, childhood abuse, meth addiction, psychosis, witchcraft, and recovery. After enduring years of neglect and abuse, he turned to drugs in an attempt to numb the pain. His search for belonging eventually led him into meth addiction and occult practices before finding a path toward healing and purpose.This episode explores the lasting impact of childhood trauma, the realities of addiction, spirituality, and the hope that recovery is possible—even after surviving experiences no child should have to endure.Reach out to James at mineauadvisorygroup@gmail.comSupport the showSEIU-WestWellness NewsParenting in the Storm Check out Parenting in the Storm HEREAre you getting something from our content? Tap here and buy us a coffee to say thanks and help us keep this train on the tracks!Check out the speakeasy podcastFollow Daniel Unmanageable on FacebookFollow Project Sparky We've got fresh merch and it's amazing! Pick yours up HEREFor business or speaking inquiries: Daniel@hardknoxtalks.comFollow Hard Knox TalksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hardknoxtalkspodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hardknoxtalks/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hardknoxtalks?lang=en Check us out on YouTube:ht...

On this episode, we will be sharing a story of recovery. Dr. Karen Nelson is joined by Katie, who will take us through her story of diagnosis, treatment, and what it means to live in recovery. 

Send us Fan MailEmma never imagined she'd lose everything.She was a mother of five, a children's counsellor, and the kind of parent driving a minivan to soccer practice. But after a prescription opioid introduced her to a feeling she couldn't escape, her life unraveled with shocking speed. Within months, heroin and fentanyl addiction had cost her career, her home, and nearly her relationship with her children. Emma shares what it was like to live out of the same minivan she once used to take her children to school, suffer a stroke, continue using drugs while hospitalized, survive six weeks on life support, and ultimately find recovery through accountability, family support, and hope.This is a story about addiction, motherhood, resilience, and discovering that recovery is about much more than putting the drugs down.Emma's TED TalkSupport the showSEIU-WestWellness NewsParenting in the Storm Check out Parenting in the Storm HEREAre you getting something from our content? Tap here and buy us a coffee to say thanks and help us keep this train on the tracks!Check out the speakeasy podcastFollow Daniel Unmanageable on FacebookFollow Project Sparky We've got fresh merch and it's amazing! Pick yours up HEREFor business or speaking inquiries: Daniel@hardknoxtalks.comFollow Hard Knox TalksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hardknoxtalkspodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hardknoxtalks/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hardknoxtalks?lang=en Check us out on YouTube:ht...

Austin Rampt shares his raw, intense journey through meth addiction, cartel danger, homelessness, relapse, and the long road back to faith, family, and recovery. His story is one of survival, redemption, and the power of choosing a different path.One Last Hit Podcast - available on podcast platformshttps://www.amazon.com/One-Last-Hit-Austin-Rampt/dp/1968485007/

Send us Fan MailValerie shares her story of growing up around meth addiction, childhood abuse, foster care, witchcraft, the escort industry, and finding recovery after nearly losing her life. Support the showSEIU-WestWellness NewsParenting in the Storm Check out Parenting in the Storm HEREAre you getting something from our content? Tap here and buy us a coffee to say thanks and help us keep this train on the tracks!Check out the speakeasy podcastFollow Daniel Unmanageable on FacebookFollow Project Sparky We've got fresh merch and it's amazing! Pick yours up HEREFor business or speaking inquiries: Daniel@hardknoxtalks.comFollow Hard Knox TalksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hardknoxtalkspodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hardknoxtalks/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hardknoxtalks?lang=en Check us out on YouTube:ht...

At almost 85 years young, Nancy Jasin is proof that the ending is never written until you write it. A retired nurse who "never really retires," Nancy joins Sabine to share a life shaped by resilience — from a violent childhood spent hiding in a closet, to 42 years of sobriety, to building three businesses and becoming an author who now sends out two poems a week.Nancy opens the doors most people keep closed. She talks candidly about PTSD, addiction, and the night on her bathroom floor when she heard a voice tell her no — the moment that gave her back her faith, her family, and her purpose. She shares hard-won wisdom on forgiveness ("throw away the albatross"), on death as a natural part of life witnessed through hospice work, and on why growth, journaling, and guided imagery keep her sharp and at peace.Sabine and Nancy also dig into using AI as a partner — not a replacement — for creativity and communication, and why writing by hand still matters more than ever. Whether you're facing your own dark closet or simply want to feel braver about the next chapter, Nancy's tire swing will beckon you: sometimes we soar, sometimes we fall — but all in all, we have the choice to ride.

Our guest, Mia Hill, describes how an obsession with perceived flaws took over her life during the COVID-19 lockdown. Today, Mia works for OCD-UK, serves as an ambassador for the BDD Foundation and openly shares her experiences to help others find hope and recovery.

Send us Fan MailKimberly shares her story of childhood trauma, addiction, homelessness, cult involvement, spiritual beliefs, and recovery through faith. After moving into a house she later believed was connected to an occult group, she says she was unknowingly given substances during a ritual that changed the course of her life. What followed was a period of fear, despair, suicidal thoughts, and a search for help that ultimately led her to Christianity and recovery. Support the showSEIU-WestWellness NewsParenting in the Storm Check out Parenting in the Storm HEREAre you getting something from our content? Tap here and buy us a coffee to say thanks and help us keep this train on the tracks!Check out the speakeasy podcastFollow Daniel Unmanageable on FacebookFollow Project Sparky We've got fresh merch and it's amazing! Pick yours up HEREFor business or speaking inquiries: Daniel@hardknoxtalks.comFollow Hard Knox TalksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hardknoxtalkspodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hardknoxtalks/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hardknoxtalks?lang=en Check us out on YouTube:ht...

After years of searching for answers, seeing multiple specialists, undergoing extensive testing, and being told she was "healthy," Caroline still didn't have a period.Like many women with Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA), she spent years believing she was doing everything right. She exercised regularly, ate what she thought was a healthy diet, maintained a lean body, and followed many of the wellness trends praised by society.But underneath it all were years of intermittent fasting, under-fueling, chronic stress, and high physical output.In this episode, Caroline shares how she went from:✔️ No period for over 4 years✔️ Multiple doctor visits, lab tests, MRIs, and specialist referrals✔️ Being told everything looked "normal"✔️ Training for a triathlon while trying to conceive✔️ Struggling with food rules and exercise habitsTo:✔️ Recovering ovulation in just 93 days✔️ Restoring her menstrual cycle naturally✔️ Conceiving on her second ovulation✔️ Being 21 weeks pregnant at the time of recordingWe also discuss the emotional side of HA recovery, navigating weight gain, letting go of exercise, learning to ask for help, and why investing in support can dramatically change your recovery journey.If you've been told your labs are normal, you've been trying to recover on your own, or you're wondering if Hypothalamic Amenorrhea could be the missing piece, this episode is for you.Join The HA Societyhttp://thehasociety.com/joinWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffJool Wellnesshttps://joolwellness.comUse code HASOCIETYFREE to get 1 free bottle (ends August 2026)Follow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarcia/https://www.instagram.com/abbylowekey/The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.

In this episode of The Penis Project Podcast, Melissa sits down with Don and Clare, a couple who have lived through the messy, emotional and often under discussed reality of prostate cancer recovery.  Don was diagnosed just before his 65th birthday after his PSA rose from around 4 to over 9. A biopsy showed aggressive Gleason 9 prostate cancer, and within six weeks his prostate was removed. His PSA is now undetectable, which is the result everyone hopes for. But, as Don and Clare explain, being “cancer-free” did not mean life went back to normal.   After surgery, Don experienced severe ongoing urinary incontinence. Despite doing all the pelvic floor exercises and following instructions, he was still incontinent 18 months later. Eventually, after further review, he was referred for an artificial urinary sphincter, which has made a huge difference to his quality of life.   This episode is about more than leakage, pads, clips and surgery. It is about what happens when a man feels lost in the medical system. It is about the emotional toll of prostate cancer on both partners. It is about the importance of honesty, asking questions, changing teams if needed, and remembering that there is a person attached to the prostate.  In This Episode, We Cover:  The emotional impact of severe urinary leakage   Why pelvic floor exercises do not fix every case of incontinence   What can be done when continence doesn't recover  Clare's perspective as a partner watching Don struggle   How hormone therapy affected Don's mood, personality and relationship   The importance of being told the full picture, not just the “curative” plan   Why some men need an artificial urinary sphincter   The importance of second opinions and finding a team that sees the whole person   Why prostate cancer recovery is a couple's issue, not just a man's issue    Key Takeaway: An undetectable PSA is wonderful, but it is not the whole story; quality of life matters.    Key message from Don and Clare:   People need honest information.  Don and Clare do not regret the cancer treatment. Don says the surgery likely saved his life. But they both wish they had been told earlier that his continence recovery was unlikely to happen without further intervention. Clare explains that people may not want bad news, but they do want the truth.  That truth gives people options. It helps them plan. It helps them understand that they are not failing. And it can prevent months, or even years, of unnecessary suffering.    Resources & Links:  Book a telehealth consult with our sexual health nurse practitioners at Restorative Health Clinic  For more information check out our websites www.rshealth.com.au , www.makehardeasy.com.au and www.melissahadleybarrett.com.au   Listen & Subscribe  If you found this episode helpful, don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast! Your feedback helps us continue bringing important conversations to light. Search for The Penis Project Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favourite podcast app.  Connect With Us   We love hearing from real people navigating penile health. If you'd like to share your journey or ask a question, get in touch.     Email: admin@melissahadleybarrett.com    Websites:  https://rshealth.com.au/  All genders  https://makehardeasy.com.au   https://melissahadleybarrett.com   http://prost.com.au/   Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/melissahadleybarrett/  https://www.instagram.com/restorativehealth.clinic/    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@melissahadleybarrett   TikTok: @melissahadleybarrett    Facebook:  https://m.facebook.com/p/Melissa-Hadley-Barrett-100085237672685/  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085146627814    Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-hadley-barrett/   TEDX  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjHj1YTmLoA   

Send us Fan MailBud shares his journey through heroin, fentanyl, Tranq dope, meth, homelessness, and seven years on the streets of Kensington, Philadelphia. After losing both feet to frostbite and nearly dying from addiction-related health complications, he was forced to make a choice. This conversation explores recovery, accountability, trauma, and rebuilding a life after unimaginable loss. Check out Budd's Book HERESupport the showSEIU-WestWellness NewsParenting in the Storm Check out Parenting in the Storm HEREAre you getting something from our content? Tap here and buy us a coffee to say thanks and help us keep this train on the tracks!Check out the speakeasy podcastFollow Daniel Unmanageable on FacebookFollow Project Sparky We've got fresh merch and it's amazing! Pick yours up HEREFor business or speaking inquiries: Daniel@hardknoxtalks.comFollow Hard Knox TalksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hardknoxtalkspodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hardknoxtalks/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hardknoxtalks?lang=en Check us out on YouTube:ht...

Send us Fan MailAlex shares her journey through IV heroin addiction, fentanyl, abusive relationships, grief, losing her children, and the spiritual beliefs that shaped her recovery. This conversation explores trauma, addiction, faith, darkness, and finding purpose after years of chaos and pain.Reach out to Alex Givingchangeinc@gmail.comSupport the showSEIU-WestWellness NewsParenting in the Storm Check out Parenting in the Storm HEREAre you getting something from our content? Tap here and buy us a coffee to say thanks and help us keep this train on the tracks!Check out the speakeasy podcastFollow Daniel Unmanageable on FacebookFollow Project Sparky We've got fresh merch and it's amazing! Pick yours up HEREFor business or speaking inquiries: Daniel@hardknoxtalks.comFollow Hard Knox TalksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hardknoxtalkspodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hardknoxtalks/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hardknoxtalks?lang=en Check us out on YouTube:ht...

You thought it was bad behavior… but your child was secretly terrified.   In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Keesha Scott, mom, entrepreneur, podcast host, and author, about her daughter's deeply personal journey with OCD, emetophobia (fear of vomiting), panic disorder, and recovery.   Together, they explore what it's really like to parent a child with OCD, the painful road to getting the right diagnosis, and how exposure therapy (ERP) helped her daughter reclaim her life.   Keesha opens up about: • How OCD first showed up as “bad behavior” before anyone realized what was happening • Going through multiple therapists before finally getting the correct diagnosis • How talk therapy unintentionally made OCD worse • Why ERP therapy (Exposure and Response Prevention) changed everything • The role medication played when OCD became too severe to engage in treatment • Parenting a child whose OCD impacted school, friendships, and family life • The emotional toll of supporting a child through severe anxiety and panic disorder • What OCD recovery looked like over the years — and where her daughter is today   This is an honest, emotional, and hopeful conversation for parents navigating OCD, anxiety, panic, or intrusive thoughts in their children — and a reminder that recovery is possible, even when things feel impossible.   Whether you're parenting a child with OCD, struggling yourself, or supporting someone you love, this episode offers hope, practical insight, and a reminder that healing happens one step at a time.  

Send us Fan MailPierre shares his journey through crack cocaine addiction, drug trafficking, organized crime, prisonment for 2nd degree murder, identity struggles, and recovery. From growing up as the son of an OPP officer to becoming incarcerated for manslaughter, this conversation explores trauma, Indigenous identity, harm reduction, healing, and rebuilding purpose after addiction and incarceration. Learn more about CRISM QuebecSupport the showSEIU-WestWellness NewsParenting in the Storm Check out Parenting in the Storm HEREAre you getting something from our content? Tap here and buy us a coffee to say thanks and help us keep this train on the tracks!Check out the speakeasy podcastFollow Daniel Unmanageable on FacebookFollow Project Sparky We've got fresh merch and it's amazing! Pick yours up HEREFor business or speaking inquiries: Daniel@hardknoxtalks.comFollow Hard Knox TalksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hardknoxtalkspodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hardknoxtalks/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hardknoxtalks?lang=en Check us out on YouTube:ht...

Join the Restore Program: https://thehasociety.com/restore-liveRomi did everything “right.” She worked out. She ate clean. She was disciplined, knowledgeable, and praised for it. And still...her period disappeared.In this episode, Romi shares what it actually looked like to unravel years of restriction disguised as health, control disguised as discipline, and an identity built around being the “fit, healthy girl.” Her journey wasn't fast. It wasn't linear. And it didn't fit neatly into a 10-week recovery "timeline", but that's exactly why her story matters.We talk about low energy availability that hides behind salads and productivity, binge eating that was really just hunger, the fear of eating more and resting more, and the deep resistance that comes up when healing asks you to let go of who you've been praised for being. Romi opens up about body changes, grief around muscle loss, developing body image for the first time, and the quiet but powerful moment when her body finally felt safe enough to ovulate again.This episode is for the woman who feels stuck even though she's “trying.” For the one whose labs aren't moving, whose body won't respond on command, and who secretly wonders if she's broken. Romi's story is a reminder that recovery is not just about food and exercise, it's about trust, identity, and learning how to stop micromanaging your body long enough to let it heal.If you've ever thought, “Why is this taking so long?” or “Why can't I just fix this?”- this one is for you.Restore Your Fertility Group Programhttps://www.thehasociety.com/restore-liveJoin The HA Societyhttp://thehasociety.com/joinWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffJool Wellnesshttps://joolwellness.comFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarcia/https://www.instagram.com/abbylowekey/The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.

Sheila Paul reflects on the role cultural expectations and painful childhood experiences played in her developing body dysmorphic disorder. And she describes how sharing her experiences within the African Caribbean community is helping to shine a light on mental health issues.

Send us Fan MailEdmundo shares his journey from psychedelic ceremonies in Mexico to crystal meth addiction in Canada, navigating HIV, trauma, spiritual experiences, academic discrimination, and recovery. This conversation explores healing, identity, mental health, and finding new tools for sobriety and self-respect. SEIU-WestWellness NewsParenting in the Storm CRISM QuebecSupport the showSEIU-WestWellness NewsParenting in the Storm Check out Parenting in the Storm HEREAre you getting something from our content? Tap here and buy us a coffee to say thanks and help us keep this train on the tracks!Check out the speakeasy podcastFollow Daniel Unmanageable on FacebookFollow Project Sparky We've got fresh merch and it's amazing! Pick yours up HEREFor business or speaking inquiries: Daniel@hardknoxtalks.comFollow Hard Knox TalksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hardknoxtalkspodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hardknoxtalks/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hardknoxtalks?lang=en Check us out on YouTube:ht...

Hi, I'm Melissa Reeves! I am 6 years sober, thanks to our loving Father in Heaven. I was an addict for 20 years and God healed me. I'm passionate about connecting with people, exploring new ideas, and making every day count. As the leader of Daughters' Heaven Bound Church, I find joy in sharing moments, helping others, and staying positive. Above all, I love telling people about Jesus and inspiring hope wherever I go. Let's encourage one another—feel free to reach out! Hi, I'm Melissa Reeves! I am 6 years sober, thanks to our loving Father in Heaven.I was an addict for 20 years and God healed me. I'm passionate about connecting with people, exploring new ideas, and making every day count. As the leader of Daughters' Heaven Bound Church, I find joy in sharing moments, helping others, and staying positive. Above all, I love telling people about Jesus and inspiring hope wherever I go. Let's encourage one another—feel free to reach out!   On the SoberTown Podcast, Melissa shares how her faith in Christ led her out of a 20-year opioid addiction that began after dental surgery and escalated into homelessness, repeated overdoses, and losing her marriage and children. Raised in church as a music minister's daughter, she describes childhood illness, being told she couldn't have children, later having four, and emotional pain tied to her mother's bipolar disorder that fueled her drug use. After periods of sobriety, she relapsed following the deaths of her mother and husband, then overdosed while her children were with strangers, which she describes as the moment God told her “no more.” Melissa recommitted her life to God, regained stability, and founded a women's ministry, Daughters Heaven Bound, urging listeners to seek help, hold onto God, and find purpose in sobriety.   Other Sober Resources: I Am Sober App Sobertown Podcast Zoom Discussion Groups Sobertown Podcast Resource Center Recovery Online Meetings No Sippy No Slippy. Not Another Drop No matter What.   Remember to Pour The Poison Down The Sink!! Sobertownpodcast.com

On Today's episode we will be sharing a storing of recovery.  Dr. Karen Nelson is joined by Eric who will take us through his journey of diagnosis, treatment and what it means to live in recovery. 

After a serious 22-foot fall onto a cement pool deck, Brock Martin was rushed to The University of Kansas Health System with multiple traumatic injuries, including facial fractures, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, broken toes and a shattered kneecap. In this Morning Medical Update, Brock shares his trauma recovery journey alongside members of his care team, including ENT surgeon Dr. Omar Karadaghy and orthopedic trauma surgeon Dr. Archie Heddings. They explain what happens after a fall from a significant height, how doctors repair complex injuries, and what recovery can look like after multiple fractures, surgery and physical therapy. Brock's story is a powerful look at trauma care, orthopedic trauma surgery, facial fracture treatment, knee surgery, rehab and the long road back after a life-changing injury.

In today's recovery story, Ashley sits down with Jasmine, a psychologist from the UK whose journey challenges the idea that you need to completely lose your period to struggle with Hypothalamic Amenorrhea.For over 10 years, Jasmine lived in the gray area: irregular cycles, delayed ovulation, low estrogen, intense exercise, chronic stress, and constant reassurance from doctors that everything was “fine.” Because she still got periods (sometimes), she convinced herself it couldn't be HA.But beneath the surface was a body running on stress, control, perfectionism, and chronic under-fueling.In this conversation, Jasmine opens up about:Being dismissed by doctors for years despite obvious cycle irregularitiesThe connection between chronic pain, perfectionism, control, and HAGoing from 10 periods a year > 6 periods a year > 70-day cyclesCrossFit, running, Hyrox training, and why exercise became emotionally complicatedExtreme hunger, weight gain, and the fear of “losing control”Delayed ovulation, temping anxiety, and becoming obsessed with chart dataWhy recovery wasn't a dramatic overnight transformation, but consistent forward movementLearning that your body doesn't need to be your sole source of happinessRecovering physically while also healing your relationship with food, rest, and yourselfThis episode is especially for the women who:Still get periods “sometimes”Have long or irregular cyclesFeel stuck in denial because they don't fit the stereotypical HA pictureAre high-achieving, Type A, and used to pushing harder for resultsKnow deep down something is off, even if labs come back “normal”Jasmine's story is a powerful reminder that you do not need to wait until your period disappears completely to start listening to your body. Sometimes recovery isn't about one massive breakthrough. Sometimes it's about consistently not going backwards.Join The HA Societyhttp://thehasociety.com/joinWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarciaThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.

Send us Fan MailKaylee shares how addiction pulled her into a world of cartel violence, ritualistic environments, and severe meth-induced psychosis. What started as early substance use turned into trauma, survival, and losing touch with reality. SEIU-West Wellness News Parenting in the Storm Support the showAre you getting something from our content? Tap here and buy us a coffee to say thanks and help us keep this train on the tracks!Check out the speakeasy podcastFollow Daniel Unmanageable on FacebookFollow Project Sparky We've got fresh merch and it's amazing! Pick yours up HEREFor business or speaking inquiries: Daniel@hardknoxtalks.comFollow Hard Knox TalksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hardknoxtalkspodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hardknoxtalks/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hardknoxtalks?lang=en Check us out on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@hardknoxtalksWant to watch our episodes uncensored? Become a channel member here!

In today's episode, we sit down with Keven Kohs who is celebrating 3 years of sobriety—and this conversation is as real as it gets.With honesty, vulnerability, and incredible courage, he shares his journey through addiction, the breaking points, and the moments that led him towards recovery.This isn't a polished story. It's a real story of hope.FindingHope.Today HopeAfterLoss.Today FHRetreat.com HALRetreat.com

In this episode of Sobertown Podcast, sober warrior Lauren Macpherson and host Michal Charles discuss Lauren's recovery journey, with Lauren emphasizing the importance of fully committing to recovery. Lauren shares how her challenging home life played a role in her early use and dependence on hard substances, discussing how she experienced multiple relapses over several years before achieving sobriety. She describes her struggles with heroin, benzos, and alcohol, as well as the impact of addiction on her relationships and physical health. Lauren explained how a particularly abusive relationship served as a wake-up call, leading her to gradually quit substances over time, including benzos a year ago and heroin 14 months ago. She emphasized that this time, her recovery efforts are self-driven rather than motivated by her son, and she has incorporated various approaches including therapy, meditation, support groups, and gym membership. Lauren's recovery story is truly one of dedication and inspiration, which demonstrates what can happen when you refuse to give up! Lauren's Bio: Recovering from addiction and trauma, sharing my story to spread awareness and show that change is possible - one day at a time ✨

AVM Burst in the Brain: A Recovery Story of Patience, Aphasia, and Finding Your Way Back Jennifer Tomscha was 39, driving her three-and-a-half-year-old daughter home from preschool, when an AVM burst in her brain. She felt a wash of dizziness first. Then her vision started collapsing on the right side. She pulled onto a narrow verge on the highway between Greytown and Carterton in New Zealand, tried to reach her husband, got no answer, and dialled 111 instead. When the dispatcher asked what was wrong, she said something she still can’t fully explain: “I think I’m having a stroke.” She didn’t know yet that she had two arteriovenous malformations in her left frontal lobe — one discrete, one diffuse. She didn’t know that within hours she’d be helicoptered to Wellington Hospital for an emergency craniotomy, or that the following Monday a neurosurgeon named Dr. Woon would spend thirty hours trying to remove both malformations from her brain. She just knew something was wrong, and that her daughter was in the back seat, and that she couldn’t keep driving. That moment — pulling over, self-diagnosing, refusing the urge to simply lie down and rest — may be the reason she’s alive. What happens when an AVM bursts in the brain An arteriovenous malformation is a tangle of abnormal blood vessels that connects arteries directly to veins, bypassing the capillary network that normally regulates blood flow. Most people with an AVM never know they have one. But when an AVM bursts in the brain, blood floods into surrounding tissue at high pressure, and the consequences are almost always severe: haemorrhagic stroke, seizures, sudden neurological deficits, and in many cases, death. Jennifer’s first surgery controlled the bleeding. The second, five days later, was supposed to remove both malformations. It didn’t go as planned. The surgical team discovered that blood flow to the first AVM was feeding the second one, causing the brain around it to swell. Dr. Woon had to make an impossible decision in the middle of the operation: let her die, or remove a portion of healthy brain tissue along with the malformation. He chose to keep her alive. The surgery took thirty hours. When it was finally over, he called her husband and said, “Well, you’ll be lucky if she talks.” The six weeks she can’t remember Jennifer has no memories of the first six weeks after her AVM burst. She was in a medically induced coma for the surgery, then in intensive care, then transferred to rehabilitation. Everything she knows about that period has been told to her by other people. When her memory started returning, she found herself in a rehabilitation ward in Masterton, using adult nappies, unable to sit up in bed. The front of her skull had been removed and wouldn’t be replaced for months. She wore a protective helmet whenever she walked. And yet — she insists — she felt fine. [Quote block — mid-article] “I kept saying, ‘I’m okay, I’m fine. You guys should just take it easy around me.’ But of course, I wasn’t really fine.” — Jennifer Tomscha The honest recognition of what had happened to her didn’t come for almost two years. It took that long for her brain to have enough capacity to think about her brain. The myth of the one-year recovery window Most stroke survivors are told, either directly or by implication, that the first year matters most. That after twelve months, improvements slow. That after two years, you’ve plateaued. Jennifer’s experience — and the experience of nearly every long-term survivor interviewed on this podcast — contradicts that narrative. Four years after her AVM burst, she is still discovering what recovery means. Her academic writing, once her profession as the Director of the Writing Program at NYU Shanghai, doesn’t flow the way it used to. She can’t recall songs from memory anymore, or sing the ones she used to sing. Her aphasia shows up most at night, when she’s tired. She still takes an afternoon nap most days. But she’s also finishing a PhD. She can read as well as she ever could. She’s speaking, articulately, in a podcast interview eighty minutes long. And the parts of recovery she thought had stopped improving are, quietly, still improving. What Jennifer wants other survivors to know Her advice, offered near the end of the conversation, is short and unsparing: “You can rest, and that’s okay. You can be as slow as you want to be, and that’s also okay. But don’t give up. Just keep going — at whatever pace feels right.” It’s a rejection of both the productivity culture that tells survivors to push harder and the clinical culture that tells them to accept their limits. Recovery, for Jennifer, isn’t a race against a deadline. It’s a long, patient process of finding out what comes back and learning to live fully with whatever doesn’t. Bill’s book and community If Jennifer’s story resonates with you, Bill Gasiamis’s book — The Unexpected Way That A Stroke Became The Best Thing That Happened To — explores the same territory: the slow, unexpected, sometimes beautiful work of rebuilding a life after a brain event. Get the book here Readers who want to support the podcast and connect with the community of survivors it serves can do so at Patreon. Support on Patreon This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your health or recovery plan. Jennifer Tomscha: An AVM Burst in Her Brain at 39, and the Four-Year Climb Back to Herself She self-diagnosed her own stroke while driving with her daughter. Four years on, she’s still discovering what recovery really means. Highlights: 00:00 Introduction and Background 10:00 Reflections on the Experience 18:00 Long-term Effects and Adaptations 26:45 Identity and Self-Perception Post-Stroke 38:48 The Long Game of Recovery 51:07 The Journey of Recovery 01:03:42 The Evolution of the Podcast Transcript: Introduction and Background: AVM Burst in the Brain Jennifer Tomscha (00:00) Dr. Woon was my neurosurgeon. And he just said, I’ll never do another surgery like that ever again. it was really long. And I think he definitely had made me worse. Like they had taken out. too much of my normal brain. when he called my husband after the surgery was over, Dr. Woon said like, well, you’ll be lucky if she talks. he was just so discouraged from how the AVM surgery went. when I finally talked to him on Zoom. was so you And I was like, yeah, yeah, yeah, of course I can. He was like, will you show me? and I walked up and down the room and he was like laughing so hard at my being able to walk. He was like so enthusiastic about it. Bill Gasiamis (00:44) Welcome back everybody. I am Bill Gassiomas and my guest today is Jennifer Tomche. In March, 2022, Jennifer was 39 years old living in New Zealand, finishing the first year of a PhD program when something happened to her brain that changed everything. What followed was a medical emergency unlike anything I’ve heard described on this podcast and a recovery story that quietly dismantles one of the most damaging myths in stroke survivor community. That after a certain point, the window for improvement closes. Jennifer is four years out from what happened to her. She still takes an afternoon nap every day. She still notices the edges of what her brain can and can’t do. And she is also finishing a PhD, raising two children and speaking with a clarity and warmth that will stop you in your tracks. This is a conversation about what it actually means to play the long game and why might be the most important thing any survivor can do. Before we get into it, if this podcast has been part of your recovery journey, I’d love for you to check out my book, The Unexpected Way That a Stroke Became the Best Thing That Happened, at recoveryafterstroke.com/book. And a genuine thank you to everyone supporting this work on Patreon. If you wanted to support the show, you can go to patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke. really helps me keep the conversation going. Let’s get into it. Bill Gasiamis (02:12) Jennifer Tomscha welcome to the podcast. Jennifer Tomscha (02:14) Thank you. I’m glad to be here. Bill Gasiamis (02:17) It’s lovely to have a local with me. Usually all my guests are from the United States or Canada or the United Kingdom. You’re just a hop, skip and a jump away in New Zealand. Jennifer Tomscha (02:20) Yeah. Mm hmm. Yep. Yep. I’m American originally, but we moved here in 2020. So ⁓ we I’m grew up in Iowa. And then and then I after but we were living in Shanghai for us for almost seven years, my husband and I were living in Shanghai and I was teaching at New York University, Shanghai and then when COVID happened in China. Bill Gasiamis (02:35) Where are we from in America? Jennifer Tomscha (02:54) they told us to leave the country because it was where it started. So, and we had two kids, so my husband didn’t want to go back to the United States. And so my sister lives in New Zealand. So we moved here and then we just stayed here. mm-hmm. So, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (03:11) So in China, was it just a request? Was it a directive? What was the situation? Jennifer Tomscha (03:18) From New York University, they said if you weren’t a Chinese national citizen, they strongly urged us to leave because they just didn’t know how they were gonna manage it. everyone, mean, in China, they had had SARS in the early 2000s, so they had already had it. And so right away, everyone had their masks on. They were ready to… go and I was like, I want to get out of here. So we went to New Zealand and they also had a lockdown, but it was just for a month and then everyone could wander around because the virus was not here. we just stayed and I got into this PhD program. So that’s why we’re still in New Zealand. Bill Gasiamis (04:00) Wow. That kind of brings us to the first question I ask most people these days is what was life like before stroke? So there was a little bit of stuff going on. was, work in China. There was a bit of, ⁓ travel from the United States to China. was children, but daily life. What, what was that like before the stroke? Jennifer Tomscha (04:21) When I saw my stroke happened in March of 2022 and at that time I had been in my PhD program for about a year. And I was just finishing up my research proposal. And so I was doing that during the day and my kids were both at, I have an older son who was in second grade year two. And then I have a daughter who was in preschool. And so my days were I dropped them off at their schools and then I would work for a little while. And then I would. go and get them. So, and then they would come home and we would do all the other stuff in parenting. And my husband at that time was working at the library. So he had, he was at the libraries from nine to five every day. So he was at work. And that’s what, that’s what we were doing. Yeah. When I had my stroke. I was busy trying to finish up this research proposal. And then, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (05:14) 39 years old at the time as well. Jennifer Tomscha (05:16) Yes, was 39. Bill Gasiamis (05:18) any signs, any kind of inkling that something was not right. Jennifer Tomscha (05:23) I didn’t, weirdly, so I’m trying to think about, my whole life I’ve had this thing where if, especially at just certain points if I hit my, this is maybe nothing to do with anything, but if I hit my elbow or my wrist, then I would pass out. And sometimes I would have like a little seizure while I was passing out. So wasn’t just like a regular fainting, it was like a seizure. And I had some of those in high school and I actually went to the, hospital for those at one point and I think they didn’t know what that was and they just did an EEG. I don’t even think we had an MRI where I lived. So I didn’t really know and then that sort of passed. But I was feeling when I have a daily journal that I was writing and when I go back and read that daily journal, the whole, for a couple months ahead of time, I was like, I just feel kind of weird. I don’t feel great. I feel like a little bit sick and I don’t know what’s wrong with me. And at that time they were allowing COVID to enter New Zealand. They were putting it in. So I was like, I think I might have COVID, but I took a bunch of tests. They were all negative. And then my stroke happened on Tuesday, but the Friday before I was so sick. And then that weekend I was really sick too. And then I got, like, I kind of felt like I woke up, I felt really nauseous. And then I felt better on Monday and Tuesday. And Tuesday was when my stroke happened. So I think that was all, it was all, think, my body reacting to, I was probably bleeding in my head at that time or something. mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (06:57) I got it. And we’re to have to go back and talk about how it was that when you got hit on your, on your wrist and your elbow, how hard was the hit? Jennifer Tomscha (07:05) I don’t know. Not super hard, I just, I don’t know what, I actually don’t know, and maybe it’s nothing to do with it. You know, maybe it’s something else in my body that I am prone to fainting. But I don’t know, I don’t really know why that, and maybe it wasn’t anything like that. But I had one day when I was 16 and I passed out three times and that did seem kind of funny. And I went to the doctor and I passed out while I was at the doctor’s office. So they were like, there’s nothing wrong with you. So they put me to the hospital. They did the EG. stayed the night. And then they were like, there’s nothing wrong with you. So that was it. But I think if nowadays they probably would have done an MRI, maybe, and they would have seen that I had my AVM and my whole life would have been different because I wouldn’t have done all the stuff that I’ve done now. Like my mom was like, if we had known you had had an AVM, you would have gone to school. in Sioux City, you know, or we would have done something to keep you nearby because we would be worried about you. Instead, I was just like, doing whatever I wanted to, which is good. Bill Gasiamis (08:14) Laze, but that’s kind of good. But also I get the preventative thing. One of the, my former guests had a daughter who had an AVM and I think she was five when she passed away from a bleed in the brain because of an AVM. That’s horrific. And one of the, it’s actually worth listening to that episode and it’s worth me interrupting this right now to jump on and find that episode so that I can share it with people. And this particular lady has made it her life’s mission to raise money, get an MRI machine and do preventative scans for people in case they have an AVM or some other undiagnosed neurological condition. I think it’s Gina. Gina Keely. OK, it’s. And her ⁓ foundation is now called the Paige Keeley Foundation, it’s the most heartbreaking story. It’s episode 141 and I’ll have the link in the show notes and I’ll have it in the YouTube description. So for anyone listening, jump back and have a look at that. And also maybe even consider supporting the foundation because the story is heartbreaking and the efforts that this lady is going to ensure that this doesn’t happen to other people is just amazing. So. I wanted to, I raised that because I had a, in 2011, no, no, in 2010, about 18 months before my actual AVM bled, I had a really terrible negative episode, nauseous, room spinning, like all the signs of stroke, but completely missed the, completely missed Jennifer Tomscha (09:47) Mm. Bill Gasiamis (09:55) the AVM when I went and actually had an MRI. So yeah, I went to the hospital, gave them my, rundown of what was happening to me and they were so switched on and they got me in and they did all the tests, but they didn’t find anything because they didn’t know what they were looking for. And there was no obvious sign of bleeding. So they didn’t dig deeper. And I have a friend of mine who is a radiographer who actually did my MRIs Jennifer Tomscha (09:58) ⁓ really? Mm. Reflections on the Experience Bill Gasiamis (10:22) when I was in hospital being treated after my AVM burst in 2012. And he said to me, the preventative stuff is very difficult because if you don’t specifically know what you’re testing for, you don’t know how to set up the machine and how many slices that it needs to take and at what resolution. So that when you deliver that to the radiologist and they’re looking at it, can they see an AVM and then pass that on? Jennifer Tomscha (10:37) Mmm Bill Gasiamis (10:49) that information onto the neurologist. They might even miss it, even though they’re doing MRI. But what Jena is doing, it sounds like they’re specifically going after aneurysms, AVMs, other malformations, and therefore they have kind of this better opportunity to find it. So if somebody is considering getting a preventative scan of their brain, you have to be very specific. Jennifer Tomscha (10:53) Bye. Bill Gasiamis (11:14) with the team of doctors, radiographers, neurologists, as to what you want them to look for and make sure that they adjust the scan so that it’s fit for purpose. Jennifer Tomscha (11:25) That’s interesting. That’s really interesting. Bill Gasiamis (11:26) Yeah. So what was the day of the stroke like? Was it, you said you’re feeling better on that Tuesday. Jennifer Tomscha (11:34) Mm-hmm. I had a good day. I have like lots of notes from my research proposal and I went to pick up. I don’t know why I did it this way actually. I went, my daughter’s preschool is in our town, Greytown, and I went and picked up her first and then I went to get my son. His school is a Montessori school. It’s in one town north. And so I went and got her and we were driving in the car and when I turned onto the highway that connects Greytown and Carterton, I just felt like a wash of dizziness and I started losing sight, I think, in my right eye. And it’s seven kilometers from Graytown to Carterton. And right before we got into Carterton, I pulled over onto the side of the highway. I tried, so by that time I think I had lost most of the sight in my one, my right eye. And so it wasn’t very long actually. And so I tried to call my husband, he didn’t answer. And then I just called 111 and I was like, I don’t know why I was like, I think I’m having a stroke, but I don’t know why I even thought that actually. Do know what I mean? I just, was like, something is wrong with me. And so my daughter was fussing in the back and, I don’t really remember anything after that. I don’t remember the paramedics coming. I don’t remember talking to anyone. but so when they, I think the police came first and then Then the paramedics came and they said I was nauseous, but talking a little bit. But then they moved me into the ambulance and, I started, choking and, or something, and they had to intubate me in the ambulance. And then they took me in. I was helicoptered off to Wellington hospital. So. Bill Gasiamis (13:12) How did you feel about it? I know you did the right things. You nailed it. But how did you feel? What were you thinking? I was completely oblivious to the risk I was at or in. Jennifer Tomscha (13:14) Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I don’t know. just, let’s see, I think… I think when I was losing my vision, that was hard. I mean, I’m really lucky. There was a little ⁓ path on the side of the road right before you enter Carterton. So I pulled over there so I could still control the car. You know what I mean? I wasn’t so bad. And I could dial 111 on my phone. I could still think about those things. But it wasn’t very long after I dialed 111 and talked to those people that I’d that my memory is gone. So I think, I mean, I have spent a lot of time trying to like go back and figure out like, what was it? What could I have done early? know, like I was really lucky I was in the car, because honestly, because if I was at home, I might’ve like laid down and taken a nap and not called anybody actually, or called Dan and half have not answered. So then I could just see myself. Bill Gasiamis (14:14) you Jennifer Tomscha (14:22) It was actually really lucky that I was in the car with my daughter because it made me, I mean, I couldn’t keep driving very well. And so it made me pull over and it made me, I’d have to do something because I wasn’t in town. So I had to like figure out how I was going to manage the situation. And so I was really lucky actually that I was in the car and that I was in a public space where I was easy to find and like I could, so I felt like really lucky that all that happened. in that time period, but also that soul that my daughter was with me because it made me, I had this like parental responsibility that I had to, I couldn’t keep driving with her in the car. Like I just, I knew I had to do something and quickly. I feel like, I feel really lucky that that was the situation that I was in because I could see a different day where I didn’t go get the kids at that time. And I maybe would have tried to take a nap and it would have been totally different. So you know what I mean. Bill Gasiamis (15:19) It’s such a common thing for people to go, oh, I’m not feeling well. I think I’ll just go lay down and have a rest and see if I can just get over it, sleep through it or whatever. yeah. And then it just leads to even more and more trouble or problems. The fact that you said, I think I’m having a stroke, right? That is so cool and bizarre and amazing. Jennifer Tomscha (15:29) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. The guy was like, why? And I was like, well, I’m losing my sight. I was like, I mean, I don’t know how it was. I was like, why do you think you’re having a stroke? I was like, I don’t know. But there was something wrong. You know what I mean. Bill Gasiamis (15:52) Yeah, that’s such a good question for me. Why do you think I’m going to strike? I don’t know, but I just came up with it. What? That was enough though. Like that was such a response from you to say, I think I’m having a stroke. It’s very, very rare that people get there, but the fact that you got there kind of gave, gave them also like an understanding of how to attend the site and what to do. Jennifer Tomscha (16:01) Mm. Bill Gasiamis (16:18) And that saves time as well. That saves a ton of time. Jennifer Tomscha (16:21) Right. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (16:23) and gets them, even though you may have been wrong, right? Gets them looking in the direction because they’re already got that in their mind. And then, well, let’s look at that first and then let’s suss it out. She might be completely wrong. But I walked into the hospital after my, while I was having the third blade and said, I’m having a brain hemorrhage or something like that. And I was in the hospital upright, standing, looking normal and Jennifer Tomscha (16:27) Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s true. That’s ⁓ Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (16:51) They were looking at me like, okay, what are you on? This guy, this guy must be on something because it doesn’t look like he’s having a stroke. And then I had to try and convince them, but I wasn’t giving them my contact details. So they weren’t able to bring up my record. And all they were saying was just give us your name, give us your name. We’ll put it in the system. We’ll have a look. And eventually they got it out of me and, ⁓ and I was right. But yeah, such a good thing. Jennifer Tomscha (16:54) Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, uh-huh. no. Hmm. you Bill Gasiamis (17:21) I love those little bits and pieces that go well together because you often hear I often hear the bits and pieces that didn’t go well and and it turned out differently and how old was your daughter at the time? Yeah, wow. Jennifer Tomscha (17:30) Mm-hmm. She was three and a half. And so she was still in the backseat, know, backwards in her car seat. And then we stopped and she was like, why are we stopping or whatever in her three and a half year old voice? And I was like, I just had to make a couple of phone, you know, I don’t know what I said to her. And then I think when the police came, she was asleep. Like she fell asleep back in the car. then, and then. It’s just, I, I’ll, so then for the next six weeks I don’t have any memories of anything. So all, all of the information has been given to me by other people. But, so, yeah. Long-term Effects and Adaptations Bill Gasiamis (18:04) So was quite a large blade after all of that. Jennifer Tomscha (18:06) Yeah, it was large. They took me, so I flew in the helicopter from Masterton to Wellington and I think they, by then my sister had gotten to the hospital and they, yeah, I think they said, yeah, they did an emergency, is it craniac? Or what’s the? Bill Gasiamis (18:25) Craniotomy, Jennifer Tomscha (18:26) Yeah, they did an emergency cradionomy and they saw that I was bleeding. And then they saw that I had this large left frontal or frontal lobe AVM. So, and then they said that at that moment they couldn’t tackle that AVM. So they, controlled the bleeding and then they, and they left my skull out and then, yeah. And then, then they, they talked to the neurosurgeon and He, that was a Tuesday and he said, why don’t you, I was in a coma, just keep her in a medical coma. And then Monday they would do the, the, the surgery to get rid of the AVM. Bill Gasiamis (19:05) And then that surgery happened. Jennifer Tomscha (19:07) That happened and it was, had my, actually had two AVMs. One was really discreet and they could see all the endings of it. And the other one was diffuse. I don’t really understand it, but, the neurosurgeon said there was like parts of regular brain in and around the AVM. I don’t really understand how that happens, but, ⁓ so they started in the morning and they did, they got rid of the one AVM. They were taking it out. And then something about the blood vessels that had some of they had been putting blood into that AVM. They then started feeding into the other AVM. So then that AVM made my brain sort of swell where that AVM was. And so the neurosurgeons had to decide if, mean, basically it was like, let me die. because they couldn’t do anything about it, or they would get rid of that AVM and they would just take out the brain that was, the normal brain that was in the regular AVM. So they took, they decided not to let me die, thank goodness, and they decided to do that. so, but it was really long surgery, it was 30 hours, I think they just didn’t, yeah, it was really long. And… And I think Dr. Woon was my neurosurgeon. And he just said, when he went and sewed my head back together, he didn’t think I was listening, but I was in the other room and I could hear him after I had my skull put back in. And he was like, I’ll never do another surgery like that ever again. it was too, it was really long. And I think he definitely thought that he had made me worse. Like they had taken out. too much of my normal brain. when he called my husband after the surgery was over, like they didn’t call him. Dan, my husband was waiting for the whole 30 hours and they only called him one time at like 11 o’clock that night. And they were like, we’re finishing up. But then they had all this other stuff happen. So they didn’t actually call him again until noon the next day. And Dr. Woon said like, well, you’ll be lucky if she talks. Because we had to take out. he was just so discouraged from how the AVM surgery went. And so, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (21:24) Dr. Woon needs to give himself way more credit. Jennifer Tomscha (21:27) I know, I know, I also think that. I also think that, I mean, it’s, I mean, neurosurgeons, they’re, it’s amazing that you could, I’ve just, it’d be so weird if your job was to cut people up and go into their brains and try and fix something in that organ, which is so mysterious, do you know? Like, yeah, so. Bill Gasiamis (21:48) Wow. 30 hours. So he also is thinking in his career, he’s probably never going to come across another 30 hour surgery. Yeah. Well, only if it’s necessary to make somebody better, but yeah, we definitely want to avoid that if we can for every human on the planet and for Dr. Woon, but I just, I’m just completely in awe of these people. I bumped into my surgeon last year. Jennifer Tomscha (21:57) I hope not. mean, I hope, you know, yeah, I don’t think, yeah. Right. Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (22:15) because I had another MRI, because I had another bout of headaches and all that kind of stuff. still, you know, it hasn’t ended. I still go through all these things. And I mean, I mean kind of, I get emotional when I’m around her and when I’m in the room with her. If she told me to jump off a cliff because there is something positive down there and I would do it. If she said, if she said punch a hole through that wall, I would do it. Like I would do whatever she said because Jennifer Tomscha (22:20) no. Yes. Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (22:44) I just cannot get over the, know, when, you know, when you make a decision, some people, my phone is weird. I’ve never done this before, but you have a piece of fabric and it’s got some lines on it. And you know, if you cut it wrong, that you can’t use that piece of fabric for that pair of trousers anymore. You’ve got to use it for something else. Like that’s a pretty mild problem to happen. Like you cut wrong, you go in the wrong place. You pop that aside and. You’re useful. If you do that to a human, there’s no going back. And you’ve got to make that decision every single time you walk into the operating theater. And imagine his family. Like, I feel like we need to reach out to his family and say, is there anything we need to make up for? I know we had your husband for 30 hours, but like, how can we support your family now that he’s done that for my family? Jennifer Tomscha (23:40) Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (23:40) Do you know, like it’s so interesting that these people have been able to get to that level of capability. Jennifer Tomscha (23:49) Yes. Bill Gasiamis (23:50) with humans and helping people stay alive and be here with their family, be a mom, be a wife, be a daughter, be a member of the community. Jennifer Tomscha (23:51) Mm-hmm. Yep. Yep, exactly. It’s just, it’s amazing. It’s just so, and I’m so grateful to him and he had another neurosurgeon working with him and yeah, it did, I mean, yeah, it’s amazing. I always think though, I’m trying to think about like, did, why, if he cut out those parts of my brain, why weren’t they, why? I mean, I have some things I can’t do that I could do before. Like I can’t, this is so weird. I can’t recall songs very well and I can’t sing songs from memory, like at all. Like that part of my brain is done, which is fine, but I used to sing a lot. but I think because if the AVM is there when you’re in your, if it’s there when you’re in your mom’s womb, like if you’re, when you’re developing. It’s probable that my brain was like, there’s a little issue here in this brain. We’ll move some of the stuff away from, don’t you think that would be, yeah, because I just think like, I think where my AVMs were, my brain was like, we’re gonna move, we’re not gonna put stuff by those AVMs because yeah, because your brain is really adaptable. Like that’s one of the things that I’ve been reading since I had my stroke. Bill Gasiamis (24:59) Wow. Yeah, I’ve never thought about that. Why not? That makes sense, Jennifer. Because it’s… Yeah. Jennifer Tomscha (25:18) My mom’s like, your brain is so adaptable and flexible and it can do different things. You just have to try doing things, you know, and failing. Bill Gasiamis (25:26) And the blood flow is not right. So you imagine with blood flow not being right, then the brain’s not developing correctly in that spot anyway. And it’s just developing where there is blood flow. Jennifer Tomscha (25:37) Yes, exactly. Exactly. I just I feel like that makes sense to me. And that’s why if you’re the neurosurgeon, I mean, you really don’t know. Like Dr. Woon didn’t know what was there. But I just feel like maybe my brain when it was developing was like, well, this isn’t a good spot and this other spot isn’t a good spot. So we’ll just do everything in a different place. And the brain is really you can really do that. I think your brains are really plastic in the way that they can order themselves. And so I So it’s still all Dr. Woon. I’m just so grateful to him and everything that he did. Because honestly, I feel like I come from the States. I don’t know that a neurosurgeon, I just don’t know how long a neurosurgeon would have, they might be like, I’m done, I can’t do this anymore. I just don’t really know. It just all depends on the doctor and who sees you and everything. So I just felt so lucky to have been here. Bill Gasiamis (26:30) Imagine doing a 30 hour shift on any day for anything. Jennifer Tomscha (26:34) No. And the thing about neurosurgery is like you’re in, I mean you’re doing like, you’re in a microscope or whatever doing that little and you’re tying off a little blood vein and I don’t know, it’s nuts, it’s so nuts. mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (26:39) them. Identity and Self-Perception Post-Stroke Yeah. And they talk about, you know, how dangerous it is to drive when you’re off a take when you haven’t slept, when all those things. And these guys are going for 30 hours and they’re doing the most intricate, life altering surgery and it all goes perfectly well. So how wrapped was he when he realized how well it went. Jennifer Tomscha (27:09) I didn’t talk to him until June, so that was at the end of March. And then I was in the ICU for a while. then they moved me to Masterton and I did rehab. And then I went to this last clinic, this ABI, this brain clinic for people who had brain injuries. And that’s when I finally talked to him on Zoom. And he was like, so can you walk? And I was like, yeah, yeah, yeah, of course I can. He was like, will you show me? and I walked up and down the room and he was like laughing so hard at my being able to walk. He was like so enthusiastic about it. I was, you know, I mean, we can talk about this too. was, everyone was like, when I finally have my memory back, I was in Masterton and I was using a diaper. I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t step in bed, but I remember being, actually, ⁓ I remember being like, I’m fine. I’m fine. Everyone is just fussing over me. But of course, they were right too. Do you know what I mean? But I was like, I’m okay. Everyone needs to just like, let me just relax around me. And everyone was like, everything I did, they would be like, you know, I couldn’t feed myself. And then, you know, there’s all this stuff. And I was like, I’m really okay. You guys should just. take, like, I’m fine. I kept saying that, like, I’m okay, I’m fine. You guys are all. But of course, I wasn’t really fine, but I felt like, Bill Gasiamis (28:36) It sounds like you weren’t physically there yet, but you were emotionally and mentally fine. Like it sounds like you were on the, you kind of knew that things were going to turn out or. Jennifer Tomscha (28:48) I think so. I think, or maybe, I always think like maybe you can only manage so much. like at that time I had my front part of my skull was gone because it had been taken out when they did both my surgeries. And so I had to wear like a rugby helmet or whatever when I walked. But otherwise I would sit in my room and it looked terrible. It’s just so terrible. but I just didn’t really recognize that. Like I didn’t, wasn’t, I couldn’t do all the things at once. So I think I was just thinking about like, and finally at the middle of May, my mom and sister, I still had my like long hair in the back and short in the front. So my sister was gonna cut the long hair in the back. And I saw myself in a mirror and I was like, that doesn’t look very good. You know, like I wasn’t, I don’t feel like I was totally aware. I wasn’t, my brain wasn’t. totally back in it. It’s a long time to recover and I feel like my brain only gave me, I don’t know, I felt like I couldn’t think about my own brain, maybe for like a year or something, really think about it in a second order way. Bill Gasiamis (29:59) allow yourself to kind of observe your state, your brain condition. Jennifer Tomscha (30:02) Yes. Yes, I think I was like, it was like that my it was like maybe in October of the next year, October of 2023, where I was like, Oh, I can think about my brain and what it is in a way that I couldn’t. Because I don’t know, you have to go through, you just have to relearn a lot of stuff. But I didn’t like I’m lucky, like, it didn’t affect my reading, so I could read right away. I’m not a very good writer, like, I don’t have good handwriting anyway, and my handwriting still maybe isn’t as good as it was before I had my stroke, but, yeah. I feel like, felt like, the actual healing was a longer process than I thought it was going to be, especially right when I first woke up, because I was like, I’m fine, but I wasn’t really fine, actually. Do you know what I mean? Bill Gasiamis (30:55) 100%, they can make doctors and neurosurgeons do a 30 hour surgery, find that part, fix it, ta-da-da-da-da, do all those things, but they can’t make a helmet for God’s sake look half decent after they’ve taken your skull out. Like as if it’s bad enough, have skull missing and then they put this terrible looking thing over your head. Jennifer Tomscha (31:11) No. It’s true. It’s true. It’s true. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (31:22) And I know for women like hair is a big deal and become. Jennifer Tomscha (31:27) It was really, I have always liked my hair and it was, I had short hair for about a year and a half maybe, you know, and I started growing out more and that was a little bit hard. I felt like that’s really vain, but I was like, man, I just did not like that short hair. Cause it’s not very, I don’t know. I just, wanted my old hair back. So I was lucky that it came back though. You know, everything, it’s not cancer. It’s a different thing. So you have a different, you know. Bill Gasiamis (31:51) I never would have told you that your hair didn’t look good, but my favorite hair is brunette curly hair. Yeah. My wife is a brunette naturally and she has curls in her hair and she straightens it all the time. I haven’t seen her brunette curly hair for 30 years. Jennifer Tomscha (31:57) Thank you. ⁓ yeah. no. Bill Gasiamis (32:13) I’m like, woman, that’s what I like. Like that’s my thing. you stop straightening your hair, but I can’t get it to stop. ⁓ Jennifer Tomscha (32:20) Yeah, that’s fine. Everyone has to do what they want with their hair and everything. you know, that’s something that one thing I think about my stroke is you just got to go live your life. Like you can’t and you’ve done that beautifully. You know what I mean? Like this podcast is amazing. it’s just like, you just got to go do what feels good for you at the time and what you want to do and just do it. and stop saying no, or you know what I mean. Bill Gasiamis (32:49) I’m trying. am. know exactly what you mean. One of the biggest things is identity is a big, big thing. And I don’t talk about me so much. I’ll talk about what happened to me, my stroke journey, but I don’t really give people a look behind the curtain. You know, sort of really understand what’s going on. This is just all a facade. And one of the challenges that I have is this painting company that I started 20 years ago was the main source of income. And it stopped abruptly seven years in when I became. Jennifer Tomscha (33:02) Hmm. Mm-hmm. Great. Bill Gasiamis (33:17) and it sort of still kept bubbling along. And then I got back to it in 2019 because my clients were still calling me and I was well enough after seven years of going through stroke and all the stuff of surgery, learning to walk again and all that. I was good enough to sort of get back into it. And of course in 2019, I only had six months and then we were in lockdown. And then in lockdown, we had two years of lockdown in Melbourne, and then I’m trying to keep that thing going again. And then there was this massive influx of work after lockdown because everyone’s going, I’ve been looking at these walls for two years. They look terrible. Let’s get them painted. They had spare money because they hadn’t spent anything for two years. And that was like, let’s do this and let’s do that. And there was this massive amount of work for about 18 months. And then that was done. It was gone. And it’s been a steady decline since as soon as Trump opened his mouth and did something in Iran and said what he said, and he plummeted like we’ve got no work. And I’m okay to have no work because I’ve been there before and we’ve managed our affairs so that we’re okay. But I can’t employ people right now at all. That’s gone. And getting people back and starting that again is going to be extremely difficult because the curve Jennifer Tomscha (34:27) Yeah. Mmm. Hmm. Bill Gasiamis (34:36) is not it’s not going to be a sharp dip and then it’s going to be a big spike of work and demand and all that kind of stuff. this podcast has been my saving grace every time I’ve needed to occupy myself with a project and make it so that I’m not thinking about me. The podcast was there. I did. I did an interview. It got me over the line. But now the biggest void that’s going to occur is not that I’m going to Jennifer Tomscha (34:47) Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (35:05) potentially not have work in this field and after shut it down, which is gonna be fine if I do that, I’m okay with that. I’ll kind of pass it on to my younger son who’s looking to do some work in a similar space. I’ll give him the phone number and he’ll be able to take those types of inquiries and then he’ll do it on his own, like very small, the way I started at the beginning. And is that I’m gonna have all the time in the world. Jennifer Tomscha (35:23) Mm. Bill Gasiamis (35:29) on my hands to do the thing that I’ve been avoiding doing because I had this business that relied on me and the thing was to do public speaking. Right. And to actually do it the way that I’ve wanted to do it for more than a decade, which was to talk about the topics that I want to talk about, which no one’s talking about post-traumatic growth, overcoming trauma, how that’s applicable in organizations. Jennifer Tomscha (35:38) yeah, yeah, Mmm. Bill Gasiamis (35:56) how to treat people better in an organization so they have less mental health issues, so they have less physical issues, so they’re sick less, so they enjoy their work, so they’re not hating their life. And now I’m going to have all the time in the world to do it. And I’m shitting myself. That’s the biggest issue, right? So that’s a little bit of a look behind the curtain. I am loving this. This is an amazing thing. And I do remember when I first started it, I was concerned about what people would say about me. You’re going to sound dumb, Bill. You you’re not going to, you know, what authority do you have? All those kinds of things, they were coming up in my head. And then when I wrote the book, the same thing, I wrote my first book, The Unexpected Way That a Strike Became the Best Thing That Happened to Me. Everyone has said, don’t write that book. Don’t write that. Jennifer Tomscha (36:27) Mm. Bill Gasiamis (36:39) Don’t let that be your title. It’s bizarre, it’s weird, like it’s strange, it’s too long and all these things. So I did it. And of course, the first time I spoke about it on YouTube, one of the first comments was a negative comment on my YouTube channel. It’s like, ⁓ okay. My God, that’s a kick in the guts. Jennifer Tomscha (36:44) really? ⁓ yeah. Bill Gasiamis (37:03) So those little kicks in the guts that I’ve had along the way have been few and far between, but they’re the ones that seem to persist the most. And they stay in that part of your head, which says, you know, that public speaking gig, you’re probably going to do the first one and they’re going to say you were terrible. And then you’re to feel all sad at 52 about, you know, yourself and all these things. Jennifer Tomscha (37:15) Yeah. you Bill Gasiamis (37:29) how you’re going to overcome that emotionally and mentally and all this kind of stuff. It’s like, Bill, relax. You’re gonna have time to build your new career at 52. You’re gonna have time to do it. So that’s like, all right. I find myself getting pushed into a corner and only then responding with, all right, all right, I better step up again. I better do this again. Jennifer Tomscha (37:33) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (37:58) Very strange, re-imagining yourself and recreating yourself after stroke is a huge thing because you’re also doing it with a stroke brain. Whereas before I had no excuses, I was doing it still. Like the pattern is the same. The stroke brain part of it is an obstacle that I wish I didn’t have, but somehow this stroke brain part has made me do things I’ve never done before. Jennifer Tomscha (38:14) You The Long Game of Recovery Bill Gasiamis (38:27) a podcast, a book. You know, I was a tradie. I was like, I didn’t study. didn’t read. In my, by the time I got to the age of 37, honestly, Jennifer, I reckon I’d read maybe seven books. And they were about this criminal underworld figure in Melbourne who had this, who had this career and of being like really terrible and somehow. He was the thing that I was interested in reading about. Like that’s the only thing that captured my imagination. Everything else, everything else I picked up from listening to podcasts or watching shows on TV and that kind of stuff. So I wanna just, I wanna make people understand that the battles that you’re fighting, I’m fighting, it’s real. Like you’re not doing it alone. Everyone’s fighting this. How do I reimagine myself? Jennifer Tomscha (38:56) Bye! Bill Gasiamis (39:20) after stroke, you know, I don’t tell people I’m an author. Still, this book has been out for three years. I’ve had amazing reviews. I’ve had a couple of, you know, negative reviews and that’s okay. I’m not, I’m not an intellectual. I haven’t, I’ve never studied how to write literature, any of that stuff. And it’s sold about seven or 800 copies just through the podcast. Jennifer Tomscha (39:21) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. That’s pretty good. That’s actually quite a bit, I feel like. It’s quite a bit, actually. Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (39:47) I feel like to like I don’t promote it. I don’t tell anyone about it just in the podcast. And it’s like, I still don’t say I’ve authored a book. Nobody knows. Jennifer Tomscha (39:56) You should say it. mean, I do think the what are you going to do after you have a stroke? How are you going to do it? It’s all very strange and scary, I think. And like, yeah, I, I totally get your feeling about it. And it’s just really tricky to know what is the You know, for me, I feel like I was in middle of my PhD, so I took 22 months or 20 months off of doing the PhD just to rest. And then I went back in and it was, it is still, it was really hard. I like, wasn’t very good at figuring out how to write in the academic way. Which was my position. I was director of the writing program at NYU Shanghai. So I was like, that was my thing. And it was very hard to figure out how to return to do the critical work of my thesis. was just, it’s just, I don’t know, my brain just couldn’t figure out how to do it right. It was really interesting. was like, the sentences I was writing weren’t as good. They probably still aren’t as good. You know, like when I look at what I was writing before I had my stroke, which is part of my thesis, and then the stuff I wrote after my stroke, I feel like I can tell a little bit of a difference in the fluency of my writing, for sure. So, yeah. And I just, so… Yeah, I don’t know. It’s tricky. It’s tricky to figure out. But I was really lucky, actually. I think the PhD was helpful because… I could just go at it on my own time and I could just take however much time I needed. And I, I had a deadline. but it was good to just, it was actually like a really good place to start to work my brain again, to be like, okay, I have to, I’m going to write on this author and what she thinks about character. And I’m just going to, and I have these other texts that I’m interested in and I have to figure out how I’m going to. Represent them in my own work. And so it was really good to do all that. It was a good stepping stone for me I think actually to get back into it and to see What I could and couldn’t do very well, like I feel like I’m a really good reader. I’m a really good Critic and I’m not so good at ⁓ writing down what I think anymore as well So I’m just I really have to work on and I don’t know how you get it back like Bill Gasiamis (42:26) articulating Jennifer Tomscha (42:28) Yeah, articulating what I mean and yeah, I feel like I can’t, I can’t say things as artfully or as proficiently as I used to. So I don’t know, this woman who is getting her PhD at Vic too, she’s like, she studies how people learn to read. And she was like, if you’re having problems with academic writing, you should get a, and I still haven’t done this, you should get an academic book and you should listen to it because a lot of learning to read is listening to how sentences sound. She was like, so you should listen to an academic book and that will help you think about how those sentences work and how they’re maybe different from like, I write fiction. So fiction is one thing and then this is a different way of writing. So she said that was one thing that she thought I should do to help. develop my proficiency in academic writing, which was really interesting. So. Bill Gasiamis (43:25) Yeah, it’s a different approach. You know, it’s coming from the auditory, you know, system and therefore the auditory digital system. Therefore you go in and you you, you pick up nuances that you wouldn’t have known were there if you’ve never heard an academic speak or if you’ve never read an academic document in that way. So you might read it. Jennifer Tomscha (43:28) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (43:51) to get something out of it. Like, okay, what is this academic saying about this topic? But that’s not paying attention to the structure of how it’s written. That’s a different filter. Jennifer Tomscha (43:55) Mm-hmm. No, exactly. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Exactly. So I thought that was an interesting way to think about, like, how I could get better at that thing. That was, like, a really important thing for me. That, for some reason, it did just get a little bit, I don’t know, stunted? Or I don’t know what happened, you know? Or I just haven’t been in academia as much. So you know what I mean? So, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (44:17) Yeah. Yeah, 100%. The skill is not as refined or, or practiced as your other skills. So it’s not the thing that you’re the best at. and you’re getting better at it. The thing about it is also, may I add you’re only four years out from all the drama that you had with your brain. So there’s a lot of healing to happen that is going to improve. That’s going to get better and better. And in four or five years from now, you will have Jennifer Tomscha (44:29) Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (44:49) turn the corner again, you’ll see that there’s more and more improvement. It’s really important for people to hear this, who are three, two, one, five, six years in, there’s still heaps of healing and recovery to come. So it’ll happen. Jennifer Tomscha (45:07) Yeah, that was something that my husband and I, in my first year after my stroke, he would be like, go to the gym. And he did. He, I went to the gym and I, had me lift weights and he wanted me to like exercise. And he was like, what are you doing to improve your mind and your body over this first year? And I was like, I’m, I’m again, I was like, I’m fine. I’m really fine. And, and, ⁓ he thought I wasn’t doing enough. Like he wanted me to just go at it with this intensity. I don’t know. was an, cause I was like, I am going at it with my own sort of intensity, but he wanted me to be more aggressive than I wanted to or something. You know what I mean? He wanted me to be like, he wanted to see me really working at it and like sweating or doing, you know what I mean? And I was like, I don’t wanna, I don’t know. Bill Gasiamis (45:59) He wanted it to be more masculine. Jennifer Tomscha (46:01) Yeah, I guess. And he’s not very masculine guy. I mean, he’s a masculine guy, but he’s like, he was just he just wanted to see me sweating it out or doing the really see my focus. And I just yeah. And that has been an issue because he’s like, yeah, he’s just like, are you going to work again? I was like, yes, I’ll work. I just don’t know what I’ll do. And I don’t know if I could do a full eight hour day right now. I still take a nap every day in the afternoon. So But yeah, it’s just, don’t, yeah, so. Bill Gasiamis (46:34) It’s easy for a caregiver to say that because they haven’t had a stroke. Thank God. Thank God. ⁓ Jennifer Tomscha (46:40) No, I know. Thank goodness. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Actually, I mean, I feel really bad for Dan and my mom and my sister. Like, it’s actually worse to be the caregiver in some ways because you just, you don’t go through it. So you, you don’t really know what it’s like. Bill Gasiamis (46:55) I and you, and if you’ve got an imagination, a wild imagination, you could turn it into something completely way worse than what it is. And if you’re ignorant, which most family members and caregivers are, let’s face it. And that’s okay. Then you do the other thing. You play it down and you assume she should be going harder than that or Jennifer Tomscha (47:11) Yeah. Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (47:19) If I was, if it was me, I’d be doing that. But your brain has actually been injured and in that space, perhaps where motivation is for some people. And there is no way that you can make that person more motivated by willing them on or telling them to go to the gym or whatever. That could actually be missing the motivation part. So there’s a whole bunch of things that caregivers and family members miss. And it’s for me, it’s when I’m surrounded, when, when the people that are around me are Jennifer Tomscha (47:33) Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (47:46) ⁓ people who don’t want to engage deeply in those types of troubles, life and all that kind of stuff. they’re great people. They’re just like, emotionally they don’t go deep, right? They love it that there’s ambiguity around like what’s wrong with me. Cause they look at me, I look right. And then they just go, everything’s fine. He looks amazing. I feel better now. And when I’m around him, I can just talk about dumb stuff. Jennifer Tomscha (48:07) Mmm, yeah, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (48:14) And we can talk about things that are not important and everything’s fine. And it’s kind of like head in the sand. It’s a, you know, one step, one emotional step removed from the actual goings on. And it kind of also helps me strangely enough, because then I don’t have to deal with their inability to handle actual life and the real things that are going on. Jennifer Tomscha (48:39) Mm. Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (48:43) that can just be living in La La Land and I don’t have to deal with that level of complexity. So it’s kind of, they’re both situations are helping me in a way. Whereas at the beginning I was taking that negatively. The thing I do, the thing I would like to do is challenge caregivers to listen to the podcast, especially of the spouse who I’ve interviewed. Jennifer Tomscha (48:50) Yeah. Yeah, that’s true. Bill Gasiamis (49:09) You know, and then a couple more after that to get an insight so that they’re not guessing or second guessing or think they know better, et cetera. No doubt about it. they, know, they know some things about us that they can see that we’re not doing a pattern in behavior that we’re avoiding. Perhaps they know that part and all that type of thing. But we’ll say, we’re also dealing with a messed up brain. So have a bit of a kind of a Q Jennifer Tomscha (49:13) Hmm. Right, right. Bill Gasiamis (49:36) be curious about where that person’s coming from, not how you’re feeling about where they’re coming from. And that’s what family members and caregivers do. They make it about them. And I had to say a few times to people in my circles, like, it’s not about you. Jennifer Tomscha (49:43) Right. Ha Tomscha Tomscha! Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (49:56) It’s actually really about me. cannot walk and I can’t use my left hand. It’s not about you. Like I know you woke up with a numb leg one day because you slept on it wrong, but it’s not the same. Jennifer Tomscha (50:05) Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s funny. Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (50:14) My wife was dragging my foot in the wheelchair. It had fallen off the, you know, the rest where your leg, your feet sit. It had fallen off and I hadn’t noticed. This is like day three or day four after brain surgery. And it was dragging underneath the footrest. And she noticed that the wheelchair wasn’t moving and she was shoving it until we realized. Jennifer Tomscha (50:22) higher. Bill Gasiamis (50:40) My foot was stuck underneath the rest and we had a laugh. that kind of like, that’s one of those, if those people were there and they saw that, they would realize like, it’s not about your numb leg when you slept on it weird one night. take your stuff and just, you know, park it for now. So it’s interesting. That’s kind of why I think I do this podcast. I think it’s for those Jennifer Tomscha (50:44) Yeah, yeah, Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. The Journey of Recovery Bill Gasiamis (51:08) people if they, I’ve never told them that they should jump on, but if they, for example, get curious one day and they want to know what it’s like to be in Bill’s head, pick one of the 400 episodes. Just have a listen. Jennifer Tomscha (51:09) Mmm. I have a question for you. you, this is something that, so you think you could just, you can keep improving from your stroke. There’s not like a deadline. There’s not like a couple of years or any. Bill Gasiamis (51:36) One of the things I learned from my wife and my brother, my brother is my biggest nemesis. You he’s older and he’s the most loving guy. He’s the most supportive guy, but he has a weird way of doing it. Just, you know, we’re different characters, right? So he just is a bit different in the way. one, one of the things my brother said was that I picked up, I reckon it was five, six years ago is he’s in it for the long game. Jennifer Tomscha (52:03) Hmm. Bill Gasiamis (52:04) When I was young, I had 20 jobs in 10 years. He said two jobs in 40 years or 30 in 30 years. So he just chips away, works away, works away, works away. This is an analogy, right? But also a true story. My wife started her, her, her master’s in psychology. She only started that a few years ago, but the whole. Jennifer Tomscha (52:08) Hmm. Hmm. Bill Gasiamis (52:28) journey to get to the Masters of Psych started in I think late 2011 or early 2011, about a year before I ended up in hospital. She is just now finishing the last part of her Masters degree and she found a job literally a week ago in her field two days a week. Jennifer Tomscha (52:35) Mm. Mmm. ⁓ Bill Gasiamis (52:56) to work as a provisional psychologist so that she can get the 1500 hours of work in the field before she actually gets her actual full psychology license. And I’m like, dude, I get it. So what you’re telling me is that if you just start and never stop, you’re gonna see some kind of progress. And I apply that to… Jennifer Tomscha (53:08) Right. That’s amazing. Mmm. Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (53:27) stroke recovery. I know that people are dealing with far more deficits that perhaps you and I show visibly and that their hand may not specifically work the way that it always that they wanted it to work or that the way that it worked before. But that doesn’t mean the brain’s not continuously continuously healing that part of the brain might be gone. But as far as healing the parts around the brain that are still there, that’s continuing. Jennifer Tomscha (53:28) Uh-huh. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (53:58) And if, and, and one of the questions that I have for people is like, is what I’m doing supporting my recovery or is it hindering my recovery? Because I’ve met stroke survivors who have gone back to the smokes, who have gone back to alcohol. And if you’re doing things that are getting in the way of recovery, then you’re not allowing the brain to continuously do what it does best, which is overcome challenges, rewire. Jennifer Tomscha (54:05) Mmm. Bill Gasiamis (54:25) find new ways around, know, develop new neural pathways and adapt. And that’s kind of where I think it’s at adaption, right? And the great thing about understanding these days about neurodiversity and understanding what somebody with ADHD goes through is the one skill they’re really, really good at is adaption. Jennifer Tomscha (54:31) Mm-hmm. Mm, that’s interesting. Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (54:49) because and people with dyslexia. my God, like some of the biggest, most wealthy billionaires on the planet had dyslexia. Richard Branson is a classic example of that. Yeah. And they adapt. They find a way to somehow overcome the normal world and be weird in the way that they see letters and what letters do and how they move on a page and all that kind of stuff because their brain adapts and they can just continuously improve their adaption strategy. Jennifer Tomscha (54:57) really? didn’t know that. Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (55:17) to get to a point where no one knows that they have this condition. So that’s what I’m really passionate about. That’s why the podcast exists. I’ve interviewed in my 400 episodes, I’ve certainly interviewed stroke survivors who I’ve had improvement 10, 11, 12, 13 years post stroke, got a finger movement back. Yeah, got sensation back, something rewired. So yeah. Jennifer Tomscha (55:19) Right. Mm-hmm. really? That’s amazing. Yeah, becau

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A real OCD recovery story: How Jaro broke the fear loop after 10+ years — and what finally worked.If you've been struggling with OCD for years — trying therapy, reading books, understanding everything intellectually, but still feeling stuck — this episode is for you.Matt Codde, LCSW, sits down with Jaro, a member of the Taking Back Control (TBC) program, for an honest conversation about his 10+ year journey with OCD: from compulsive behaviors he couldn't explain, to fear-based decisions that damaged relationships, to finally breaking the loop and experiencing what real recovery feels like.Whether you're just beginning your OCD recovery journey or you've tried everything and feel hopeless, this episode offers real insight into what it takes to get to the other side.

Personal stories of addiction and recovery touch us the most and have the greatest potential to heal and educate.  Sam D. joins us to share his recovery journey in the next installment of our series "Recovery Stories."

Send us Fan MailKent overdosed, coded, and was brought back with multiple Narcan shots. During it, he describes watching himself from above as nurses worked to save his life.His story goes deeper than that moment—early trauma, addiction starting in childhood, years in the drug trade, violence, loss, and the cycle that kept pulling him back. This conversation is about what it takes to finally break that cycle and rebuild a life from the ground up.SEIU-West –Wellness News –Parenting in the Storm –Support the showAre you getting something from our content? Tap here and buy us a coffee to say thanks and help us keep this train on the tracks!Check out the speakeasy podcastFollow Daniel Unmanageable on FacebookFollow Project Sparky We've got fresh merch and it's amazing! Pick yours up HEREFor business or speaking inquiries: Daniel@hardknoxtalks.comFollow Hard Knox TalksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hardknoxtalkspodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hardknoxtalks/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hardknoxtalks?lang=en Check us out on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@hardknoxtalksWant to watch our episodes uncensored? Become a channel member here!

Bedridden to CEO Margot was once bedridden for years with chronic fatigue syndrome.She was told there was no cure.Doctors dismissed her.She lost friends, lost hope, and thought life was over.Today?She has her health back, runs a successful company, and helps other women rebuild their lives.In this new episode, she shares what actually helped her turn everything around.If you need hope right now, watch this one. Here are 4 ways we can help. 1. Join our free community to meet others, be inspired, and get more recovery info - https://www.facebook.com/groups/cfshealthrecoveryhub 2. Watch the newly released past members "Guest Panel" Workshop where they share their top 5 recovery secrets - https://www.cfshealth.com/guestpanelreplay 3. Get our free most popular recovery trainings:- Find your baseline - Stop pushing and crashing - https://www.cfshealth.com/baseline - The 3 stages of recovery and what to do in each one - https://www.cfshealth.com/the3stages - The "9 do's and don'ts" PDF - to decrease symptoms and improve energy - https://www.Cfshealth.com/pdf 4. Want to help professionally with a step-by-step recovery plan specific to you? Fill out the application form and the team will send you the details - https://www.cfshealth.com/form

Send us Fan Mail Jamie shares a powerful story of addiction, abuse, psychosis, losing custody, and how faith became the foundation of her recovery and survival. SEIU-West –Wellness News –Parenting in the Storm – Check out Jamie's booksDragon Fruit FlowerIf Only They KnewSupport the showAre you getting something from our content? Tap here and buy us a coffee to say thanks and help us keep this train on the tracks!Check out the speakeasy podcastFollow Daniel Unmanageable on FacebookFollow Project Sparky We've got fresh merch and it's amazing! Pick yours up HEREFor business or speaking inquiries: Daniel@hardknoxtalks.comFollow Hard Knox TalksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hardknoxtalkspodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hardknoxtalks/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hardknoxtalks?lang=en Check us out on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@hardknoxtalksWant to watch our episodes uncensored? Become a channel member here!

Send us Fan MailScott shares his story of addiction, toxic relationships, homelessness, relapse, survival, and the moment recovery became about helping other people stay alive. SEIU-West –Wellness News –Parenting in the Storm – Email Scottthelastcurbguy@gmail.comSupport the showAre you getting something from our content? Tap here and buy us a coffee to say thanks and help us keep this train on the tracks!Check out the speakeasy podcastFollow Daniel Unmanageable on FacebookFollow Project Sparky We've got fresh merch and it's amazing! Pick yours up HEREFor business or speaking inquiries: Daniel@hardknoxtalks.comFollow Hard Knox TalksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hardknoxtalkspodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hardknoxtalks/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hardknoxtalks?lang=en Check us out on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@hardknoxtalksWant to watch our episodes uncensored? Become a channel member here!

Margaret Lloyd Seger shares her recovery story—getting sober at just 25 years old and transforming her life into one of purpose, research, and impact. From early struggles with alcohol and Adderall to becoming a PhD researcher studying addiction and pregnancy, her journey highlights the reality of addiction, the difficulty of early recovery, and the hope that keeps people going. This conversation dives into: What early addiction really looks like The hardest parts of early recovery How recovery can rebuild a life The truth about substance use during pregnancy Why people deserve recovery—no matter what Recovery is possible. And it starts one day at a time.0:00 – Margaret introduces herself (15 years in recovery) 1:05 – “I had a great childhood… still became an alcoholic” 1:40 – First exposure to drinking & drugs 2:27 – Early red flags: “I only wanted to drink to get drunk” 3:00 – Why addiction is hard to see when you're in it 4:00 – Loss + addiction getting worse 5:00 – The moment it finally clicked 5:25 – First recovery meeting at 25 6:10 – “Drugs and alcohol stopped working” 7:30 – Early recovery was the hardest thing she's ever done 8:00 – 10 days sober… nervous system completely shot 9:15 – Surviving early recovery (meetings + “hope shots”) 10:45 – Rebuilding life in recovery 13:30 – Working with kids affected by addiction 16:50 – Her focus now: pregnancy & addiction 20:40 – Research + TikTok education 22:10 – Cannabis use during pregnancy 24:45 – The risks most people don't realize 28:50 – Advice for someone in their first 24 hours ----Across the Web----

In this inspiring client story episode, Victoria sits down with former client Allison to share her powerful fertility journey. After 10 years without a period, multiple doctor visits across the country, and being repeatedly told she would likely need Clomid or IVF to get pregnant, Allison began to believe motherhood might not be possible for her. Despite being told she was "healthy" and having a normal BMI, her cycle never returned after coming off birth control. Doctors diagnosed her with PCOS and offered birth control or fertility treatments as the only options. But something didn't feel right. When Allison discovered Victoria's work, she decided to try one last approach before accepting fertility treatments. In this episode, she shares the truth about her recovery journey, including the emotional challenges of changing long-held food and exercise habits, the mindset shifts required to heal, and what happened when she finally gave her body the safety signals it needed to ovulate again. Within one month of beginning recovery work, Allison got her first period back. Over the following months, her cycles regulated. And when she and her husband eventually began trying for a baby…She got pregnant the first month. Now 19 weeks pregnant, Allison reflects on what she wishes she had known sooner and how doing this work before pregnancy made the experience far less stressful physically and mentally. If you've ever wondered whether you're the "exception," this conversation will give you both hope and clarity. Today's episode is brought to you by our exclusive program, Premier Period Recovery for Fertility. Reach out to chat 1-1 with me to see if it's exactly what you need to get your period back and get pregnant in 2026, by applying here.  This period recovery method will change your life...and I've laid it all out for you in my NEW free course, Restore Your Fertility in 90 Days (or less). Download and watch it today!

The Nurses Report on America Out Loud with Ashley Caputo, RN, FMP – Jessica Lapicki unpacks her personal journey through mold exposure, Lyme disease, and Epstein-Barr virus — and how those experiences completely reshaped her understanding of health and healing. Jessica shares what it was like navigating years of fatigue and uncertainty, searching for answers, and eventually realizing...

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Philip Barb shares how a DUI at 22 became the turning point that led to 18 years of sobriety. This is a powerful conversation about alcohol addiction, anxiety, grief, and long-term recovery. Philip opens up about using alcohol to silence anxiety, growing up under pressure, and how ego and perfectionism kept him stuck. What started as drinking to cope eventually led to arrests and legal consequences — and ultimately a decision to quit drinking for good. We discuss: • DUI and the wake-up call that changed everything • Alcohol addiction and anxiety • Ego in recovery • The role of community and support meetings • What long-term sobriety really requires If you're struggling with alcohol, thinking about quitting drinking, or looking for insight into long-term sobriety, this episode offers real perspective and hope. ---------- Philip on IG: https://www.instagram.com/phillipbarbb/

In this powerful recovery interview, Kyle shares his journey from debilitating OCD, intrusive thoughts, panic, and feeling “broken” — to discovering inner freedom, emotional regulation, and peace.If you've ever felt trapped in the OCD loop, overwhelmed by anxiety, or consumed by intrusive thoughts, this conversation will resonate deeply.