In this essential and empathetic episode of Navigating Cancer TOGETHER, host Talaya Dendy welcomes Amy Chastain, a seasoned caregiver and Registered Nurse, author, and tireless caregiver advocate. Amy shares wisdom from decades of experience, navigating the complexities of caregiving not only in her professional life but also through personal challenges.

We dive deep into "the invisible job" that so many undertake: the role that is often exhausting, unacknowledged, and challenging to both the mind and the spirit.

Why You Need to Listen:

This conversation is a lifeline for caregivers, family members, and anyone who wants to know how to truly support someone through illness. You will gain:

• Validation: A powerful discussion on the intense emotional, spiritual, and personal grief that comes with being a caregiver.

• Wisdom: Honest advice on why asking for help is essential, and how to prepare for future caregiving roles.

• Empowerment: Strategies for holding onto yourself, your fun, and your identitywhen the demands of caregiving threaten to erase them.

• Advocacy: Insights on how to erase the stigma surrounding illness and caregiving so that everyone feels seen and supported.

✨Episode Highlights:

06:58 The Emotional Journey of Caregiving: Understanding the Invisible Burden

10:15 The Importance of Asking for Help (And How to Actually Do It)

12:53 Understanding Grief from Multiple Perspectives (The patient's, the caregiver's, the family's)

20:31 Spiritual Challenges in Caregiving

27:06 The Invisible Caregiver: The risk of losing yourself vs. Holding Onto Yourself (28:13)

35:57 Advice on Preparing for Future Caregiving Roles

43:36 Erasing the Stigma Around Caregiving and Illness

Transcript: https://bit.ly/podscript176

Connect & Engage with Amy:

Website: https://amychastain.com

Book: https://a.co/d/btOgK9v

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amychastain_author/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amychastainauthor/

Let us know what you think about this episode. Send an email to nctpodcastfan@gmail.com

Subscribe or follow Navigating Cancer TOGETHER on your favorite podcast app or platform so you never miss a life-changing conversation.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Laya's Haven Calming Health & Wellness Coaching. Thank you for your support!

Hosted, Produced, Written, and Edited by: Talaya Dendy

Disclaimer: The information on this podcast is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be used as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation, or care from your physician or other qualified health care provider.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Welcome back to Navigating Cancer TOGETHER! We’re picking up right where we left off with the remarkable Peta-Ann Wood, a breast cancer thriver and Soulful Coach.

Part 1, "Choosing Flat: Peta-Ann's Journey to Self-Acceptance," was about the courage to choose (flatness, self-advocacy, and leaving people-pleasing behind). Now, Part 2 is the roadmap for flourishing once those massive decisions are made.

Peta-Ann opens up about the powerful shift from managing her life to becoming a Happiness Coach. She reveals how her personal journey, touching on her late AuDHD diagnosis and her life-affirming choice to go flat, gave her a unique lens for helping others find inner peace and contentment.

If you are struggling with the transition after treatment ends, or if you feel like your self-worth took a hit during your diagnosis, this episode is dedicated to you. Peta-Ann shares candid advice and heartwarming success stories that prove recovery isn't just about survival, it's about building a happier life than you had before.

✨Episode Highlights:

• 03:36 Understanding the shift: Why Peta-Ann focused on Happiness Coaching.

• 08:47 How Lived Experience fuels her personal growth and guidance.

• 16:28 Navigating Cancer TOGETHER: A reflection on building genuine community support.

• 26:49 Words of Encouragement: Direct, honest advice for the cancer community.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/podscript175
Part I: https://podcast.ausha.co/navigatingcancertogether/choosing-flat-peta-ann-s-journey-to-self-acceptance
Connect & Engage with Peta-Ann:

Website: https://www.elegantrebelponders.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elegant.rebel.ponders

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElegantRebel44

Call to Action & Community:

If Peta-Ann's adventure resonated with you, or you know someone else needs to hear this transformative conversation, please share this episode! Text the link to a fellow survivor, patient, or caregiver who could use a dose of guidance and hope today.

Don't miss the next human-centered conversation! Subscribe or follow Navigating Cancer TOGETHER on your favorite podcast app or platform to ensure you get immediate alerts for every new episode.

Join the Waitlist: Get ready to connect with a supportive community! Join the waitlist for our Navigating Cancer TOGETHER forum here: https://www.ontheotherside.life/forum-waitlist

Hosted, Produced, Written, and Edited by: Talaya Dendy

Disclaimer: The information on this podcast is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be used as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation, or care from your physician or other qualified health care provider.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this honest and empowering episode of Navigating Cancer TOGETHER, host Talaya Dendy sits down with the phenomenal Peta-Ann Wood, breast cancer thriver, Soulful Coach, and creator of Elegant Rebel.

This conversation goes beyond the clinical. Peta-Ann openly shares how a late diagnosis of AuDHD (Autism + ADHD) changed her cancer experience, guiding her from people-pleasing straight toward radical self-discovery.

If you've ever felt pressure to make a decision about reconstruction, treatment, or even just how you should feel, this episode is your permission slip. Peta-Ann dives into the emotional process that led her to the definitive and life-changing choice to remain flat after her bilateral mastectomy.

This is a must-listen for anyone in the cancer community who is questioning, redefining, or simply trying to prioritize their own needs and desires amidst the chaos of illness. Part 1 of a 2 part series.

✨Episode Highlights:

• 02:21 Peta-Ann's Unique Journey: Navigating cancer alongside a late AuDHD diagnosis.

• 07:40 The Shift: How life after diagnosis became about prioritizing her needs.

• 12:23 Self-Advocacy Unlocked: Learning to trust intuition in a complex medical system.

• 24:48 Beyond the Diagnosis: Understanding Neurodivergence and the End of People-Pleasing.

• 29:40 The Definitive Choice: The transformative conversation about choosing to stay flat.

• 38:35 Writing Her Truth: Insights into her book, What Happens When They Don't Go Back.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/podscript174

Connect & Engage with Peta-Ann:

Website: https://www.elegantrebelponders.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elegant.rebel.ponders

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElegantRebel44

Resources & Call to Action:

In honor of the movement: October 7th was International Flat Day, a global moment celebrating the beautiful choice of aesthetic flat closure. Learn more and connect: https://www.facebook.com/InternationalFLATDay/

Connect with Your Community: Don't navigate this journey alone. Join the waitlist for our "Navigating Cancer TOGETHER" forum and connect with others who truly get it. https://www.ontheotherside.life/forum-waitlist

Subscribe or follow Navigating Cancer TOGETHER on your favorite podcast app or platform so you never miss a vital conversation.

Hosted, Produced, Written, and Edited by: Talaya Dendy

Disclaimer: The information on this podcast is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be used as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation, or care from your physician or other qualified health care provider.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.