Precarious

Maybe I said too much? Maybe I went too far in exposing myself? Those were my immediate thoughts after listening to my interview with Dr. Craig Heacock. Embracing my mortality means I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Right? I do believe that risking being vulnerable in an attempt to be authentic is the path to closeness and connection. Yet, there is no guarantee. Is it worth it?

Want to know what it's like for me to practice psychotherapy while going through cancer treatment again and again, suffering from the illness and treatment and facing my mortality? Well, here's your chance. Dr. Craig Heacock, Psychiatrist , interviews me for his own Podcast, "Back from the Abyss". How do I keep showing up for others given what I am going through? Connecting to my struggle brings m...

It's normal to think your experience is uniquely yours. Well, because it is. And, when we are struggling, suffering, in pain, we often believe that no one could possibly understand what we are going through. It is a source of isolation and loneliness. It's also normal to run away from other's pain. We insulate ourselves by believing that "we are different" and therefore that awful thing couldn't p...

As a psychotherapist, I feel privileged to sit with my clients in their hardest moments. I see it as a Sacred Space. Dr. Brooke Schneider, Integrative Psychiatrist, and I talk about what it's like for us to do this type of work. Brooke is both open-hearted and vulnerable in sharing her story of becoming a psychiatrist. Letting go of what she thought she was supposed to be and embracing her true se...

Joe and I first talked about Radical Acceptance back in July and how our life paths are more similar than different. In this episode, Joe checks in with me as I am back in treatment for cancer. I love that he asked me what some people might say "the hard questions" about my illness. It gave both of us the opportunity to break down barriers and connect in a heart-affirming way about our struggles,...

Have you ever felt shame for wanting to quit something? A job? A relationship? I've been thinking a lot about this concept lately as I'm enduring treatment for cancer yet again. It's been hard in so many ways that I often want to quit. Yet, I'm aware that I feel pressure to not give up, to keep going. We live in a culture that encourages us to persevere in the face of adversity when maybe the best...

Cancer and cancer treatment are not for the faint of heart. I ended up in the ER and a hospital stay last weekend. During the darkest moments of that experience, I stopped fighting what was and surrendered to what is. I was overcome with a sense of peace. And, then the tears came. I realized what I was feeling was self-compassion: a feeling I had not felt in the seven years of living with cancer....

How much pain can one person endure? That's what I was thinking when I heard Michell Venus tell her story of two unimaginable losses. And, as heart-breaking as her story is, I left the interview feeling hopeful about the human spirit and the the ability of our hearts to heal. This is a story of resilience.

Over Christmas, I found out that cancer is growing again which means I'm facing more intense chemotherapy. Living with terminal cancer has shown me how much I need people. The person I've needed the most is Brian. He is My Person. This is my love story about him, the power of two and how love conquers all.

Leah and Janine have much in common. They both know what it's like when best-laid plans go awry. Janine tells the beautiful and heart-breaking story tracing her son's diagnosis and subsequent treatment of a brain tumor. Janine is the epitome of grace and hope. Her book, "The Opposite of Uncertainty" captures her struggle with making sense about something that makes no sense. You will fill uplifted...

As a psychotherapist, I've drawn on the healing power of animals with my clients. I've always had Therapy Dogs as part of my work and witness first hand the comfort they provide beyond what I do. In this episode, I sit down with Prairie Conlon, a Licensed Professional Counselor, who is an expert in the field of Animal-Assisted Therapy. She shares amazing stories of animals transforming people's li...

The stories we tell shape how we see ourselves in the world. The scars left by my numerous surgeries through cancer treatment tell my story. I could easily tell the story of loss and pain. But, I choose to tell a different version. We are the authors of our stories. Do you see yourself as the hero or the victim? Which story do you want to tell. It makes a difference.

Numerous times through cancer treatment, I have found myself isolated at home or enduring a long hospital stay. Not being able to connect with nature has been one of the hardest parts of being sick. And, then, I found that I could get a front-row view watching birds through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Bird Cams Project. Research shows that bird watching boosts mental health. It is my secret wea...

On this Thanksgiving in the midst of a pandemic, Leah shares her guest appearance on "Faith in Progress", a show on our local Colorado Public Radio station. She and Rev. Joseph Moore explore the definition of gratitude, how it's practiced and how to reclaim its true power. In a world that is suffering and searching for solace, a meaningful gratitude practice is a path to comfort.

What makes life truly worth living? What brings richness to our worlds? According to Emily Esfahani Smith, it's not the traditional pursuit of happiness which often includes striving for success and measuring our worth in accomplishments. In her New York Times Best-Selling book, "The Power of Meaning: Finding Fulfillment in a World Obsessed with Happiness", Emily lays out the four pillars that mak...

This is a love story. Two years after Leslie was married, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She told her husband she wouldn't blame him for leaving. He not only stayed, he assured her that his love was bigger than cancer. Shortly after her recovery, he was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. Listen to Leslie's beautiful telling of her story of "love conquering all".

Dr. Wendy Harpham was launching her career as a physician, happily married and loving her life with her three young children, when she was diagnosed with an incurable cancer. The life that she had worked so hard to create was suddenly gone. She knew as a physician that Hope was an important part of healing for her patients. It was only when she found herself being the patient, struggling with feel...

When things fall apart, we look for reasons and we seek solutions. What if there are no reasons and no acceptable solutions to our pain? How do we prevent slipping into despair? In this episode, Leah explores the concept of "God" as a way give us perspective in times when nothing makes sense.

At one of my lowest points in cancer treatment, I thought that this must be what is meant by "Karma". It drove me to reach out to someone I hurt deeply. This is a story of love, regret, shame and healing.

When things fall apart, when we lose our sense of security, when we can't find our way, nothing feels okay. Leah knows this first hand as she lives with a terminal illness. In this episode, she shares how she reconnects to knowing that Everything Will Be Okay.

In this episode, my guest wishes to remain anonymous. She shares her story of how breast cancer ignited her childhood trauma which took her to her knees. This is a story of a woman who found her way back through facing her fears with the help of psychedelics.

We love our Heroes and Heroines. We look to them for inspiration. We aspire to be more like them. In this episode, Leah shares stories of heroes from her counseling practice as a reminder that we are all Heroes.

In this episode, Leah sits down with her Mom. Listen to their intimate and revealing conversation about how Leah's illness has affected their relationship - the good, the bad and the ugly (but mostly good). Shared tragedy will reveal the cracks in a relationship and isn't that a good thing? If you don't see the cracks in the relationship then there is very little hope in repairing it.

Living with uncertainty takes courage. In this episode, Leah talks about how she struggles to find courage in the face of cancer. She encourages us to accept fear as a normal part of being human. She shares ideas about how to live fully in this present moment. WE can all Find Our Brave.

This episode is a conversation between Leah and Joe: two very different people connected through their struggles and wisdom gained. This is a conversation about being human and learning to live with the messiness of life. At the age of 27, and in the midst of losing everything, an exhausted and distraught Joseph S. Fusaro decided to see if he could write his way out of a deep clinical depression t...