I Don't Know How You Do It

What's it like to have families counting on you in their time of greatest need? How do you separate work life from home life when every workday is literally life and death? How can you bring more humanity into what it at its heart is totally scientific? Meet Dr. Rachel Fleishman, a Neonatologist, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, and Director of Narrative Medicine.  Dr. Fleishman's shar...

Megan Nolan is a rare dynamo, channeling her profound resilience and determination into advocacy that's creating real change. After her son's challenging medical journey to get a diagnosis, Megan sprang into action - launching a nonprofit to fund research in just 3 months. And if that wasn't enough, she also created an online magazine, rareparenting.com, to provide much-needed suppo...

Have you heard these myths about writing your book?  Myth #1: You have to be a perfect writer to start. Myth #2: You need a big block of time to make progress. Myth #3: You have to have a groundbreaking idea. #4: You need an external credential to call yourself a writer. Elizabeth Lyons joins us to bust these myths and so many others about what it takes to start...and finish your book. Elizabeth i...

Have you ever dreamed of leaving everything behind and setting off to travel the world?  When Dr. Marcy Cole's partner suggested they do just that, Marcy didn't hesitate. She packed up her Los Angeles home where she'd lived for nearly 20 years, and together they set off on a nomadic adventure. What Marcy learned on the road was more than how delicious the pastries in France are. She...

Here we are in mid-January when our new year resolutions are beginning to be put to the test. For some of us that means we're drinking more water or going on long walks or trying to meditate daily. But there's another category of resolutions that we're going to explore over the next few weeks. The first seems simple on the surface: "I want to have more fun." If only it wer...

Host Jessica Fein turns the tables for episode 50. The ineffable Effie Parks of the award-winning "Once Upon a Gene" podcast returns to the show to interview Jessica about how she does it.  They talk about: The rewards of openly sharing personal experiences for growth and survival Integrating joy and grief  The value in naming ambiguous grief How a long shot is still a shot and the worst...

Have you ever felt something so strongly in your bones and yet everyone you turn to dismisses your concerns? Maybe they tell you you're over-reacting. Maybe they even tell you there's something wrong with you for not letting go of your instincts. What if your child's life were at stake? Navigating misdiagnoses and medical gaslighting, Karen DeBonis discusses the arduous journey she...

There's growing up in bubble, as so many of us do, and then there's growing up in a truly insular world.  If you're feeling trapped by the expectations of your community and unable to express your true self, you're not alone.  Maybe you've been trying to fit into the mold of your community, but deep down you know it's not where you belong, and the struggle is taking a...

Since October 7, many of us have been glued to our screens, scouring every bit of news out of Israel. Today's guest, Trauma Therapist Lisa Fliegel, knew that if she stayed home in Boston, she'd be filled with anxiety. Instead, three hours after news of the Hamas massacre reached her, she booked a plane ticket to Israel. Lisa spent a full month with the survivors of the October 7 attack w...

Have you heard these myths about films that break barriers and challenge perceptions? Myth #1: Only controversial films can challenge societal norms. Myth #2: Mainstream audiences are not interested in watching films that challenge the status quo. Myth #3: Creating diverse films is just a trend and not a lasting movement.  In this episode, our guest Allison Norlian will debunk these myths and reve...

What is it about yoga that has everybody leaving their day jobs and heading to the mat? Why do so many people say yoga has changed their lives? And why do some of us break out in hives at the thought of spending 90 minutes in a sweltering room contorting our bodies with a bunch of strangers? Meet Michelle Itzkowitz, an extraordinary individual with a passion for yoga and mindfulness. Michelle&apos...

Are you dreading the holidays as you figure out how to  navigate your grief and loss? Are you looking for ways to find  a sense of peace and healing during this challenging time? Or maybe you want to help someone you love deal with their grief and hardship.  Our guest, Becca Bernstein of Option B, has advice and insights that can help. Becca has dedicated their career to transforming the way we ta...

It's one thing to find out you're pregnant when you aren't expecting it. It's another thing altogether to find out you're having quadruplets. Ashley Ness is a true inspiration when it comes to handling the challenges of motherhood. During the pandemic, Ashley received the unexpected news that she was pregnant with quadruplets - a one in 10 million occurrence. With three ch...

Do you have a bucket list? Turns out there's huge power in recording your intentions. As it turns out, there can also be incredible gifts in fulfilling somebody else's. More than a decade after her father died, Laura Carney was given a treasure that would change her life forever. It was a list, penned by her late father, filled with dreams and aspirations that were waiting to be realized...

What happens when a doctor tells you you aren't capable of understanding your own daughter's medical diagnosis? When a doctor said that to Kelly Heger, Kelly decided to alter her personal and professional trajectory and become an RN. Kelly is a mother of four , one of whom, Jillian, has  AADC, an ultra-rare and severe brain disease.  Jillian was the fourth person in the world diagnosed w...

Talk of resilience is everywhere these days, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic. But what exactly is resilience? And is it something we're born with or something we can develop over time? What tools can we add to our toolkit to help fortify us for the challenges we all face in our lifetime? "Peace doesn't mean the situation is fine, it meansI'm fine in the situation....

"I don't have time." "I can't stay motivated." "I lose steam after a couple of days." Does this sound familiar? You have a creative project in mind, but with work, family, and other responsibilities, it feels impossible to find the time to start and finish it.  Listen in and learn about the ten ways I moved my project from dream to reality, writing my book w...

You might have heard the saying, "We can only be as happy as our least happy child." Ann Batchelder disagrees. How much is our suffering intertwined with our child's suffering? How can we help our children without layering our own fear and regret on them? And what does it mean that we're all on the addiction spectrum? In her debut memoir, "Craving Spring: A Mother's Q...

How do we go from shock, denial, and overwhelm to being a community leader and a guide for others traveling a similar path? Meet Candice Hartford, a compassionate NICU nurse who navigated an unexpected personal journey into the world of autism. Not only does Candice work tirelessly to nurture fragile, premature babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, she seamlessly transitioned into advocating...

Susan Geoghegan brings a unique blend of personal grit and professional planning skills to the table. She's the kind of mother who loves fiercely and fights hard for her family. Her world was rocked when her children Lorelai and Benji were diagnosed with a rare form of Mitochondrial Disease. However, she quickly transformed an unexpected journey into a platform to support, educate, and inspir...

Grief and hope. Courage and vulnerability. Becoming findable and maintaining privacy. Rare disease is full of paradoxes, as guest Adam Johnson explains.  A man of remarkable fortitude and resilience, Adam faced a Mito diagnosis that led him to abandon a career he loved in education to become a dadvocate for mitochondrial disease. Adam’s resilience bloomed from his experiences with the disease; he...

What does it mean to be human? Why is comfort not necessarily something to strive for? How is love more than just a feeling or emotion? These are just a few of the topics covered in this enlightening conversation with New York Times bestselling author, podcast host, and founder of The Lucky Few, Heather Avis. Get ready to have your heart touched and your perspective shifted as Heather Avis shares...

From gut-wrenching loss to newfound purpose, hear how ski champion Jamie MoCrazy as defied expectations, harnessed her resilience, and embarked on a daring journey to sculpt a triumphant new identity after a traumatic brain injury shattered her skiing career. As a professional athlete, Jamie MoCrazy has always been known for her astonishing tenacity and resilience. After surviving a near-fatal ski...

What happens when your personal and professional lives collide in the most powerful way?  That's what happened to Geri Landman. A mother of three and a practicing pediatrician, Geri has taken on the fight against ultra-rare genetic disorders head-on. Her world was changed when her youngest daughter Lucy, was diagnosed with PGAP3 CDG, a rare genetic disorder. Turning tragedy into a mission, Ge...

Have you followed the conventional path -- school, marriage, kids, job (maybe not in that order) and found that you life doesn't really align with your dreams? Have you been told that following the conventional path is the only way to find fulfillment, only to be left feeling unsatisfied? Maybe you look at other people and wonder how they're able to throw expectations to the wind and set...