Learn From People Who Lived it

Practical Tips to Navigate Grief with Julieanne Williams

Practical Tips to Navigate Grief with Julieanne Williams
In this episode, you'll hear:
How Julieanne told her children what happened to their dad
Key takeaways from her books: H.O.P.E.
The importance of community 
How can you help someone who is grieving? 
What life after a loss can look like 
Julieanne Williams was born in a small farm town with a heart defect that required surgery at the age of 5. It complicated her childhood but also developed a resilience in her that she would need later on. She went on to earn her bachelor's degree in applied developmental psychology from Cal Poly SLO and a Master of Public Health from Fresno State. She has also written several books, including Griefquake, Head Above Water, and Unleash Her. 
At age 38, Julianne's husband took his life after battling bipolar disorder. This left her in a dire financial situation, navigating a turbulent custody battle with her in-laws, and learning how to be a single parent to young children grieving the loss of their father. Her mission is to use what she has learned to help others who are experiencing loss and trauma from the death, illness, or emotional severing of a spouse, child, or parent, as well as other life-altering grief-triggering events.
In this episode, Mathew and Julieanne discuss the realities of having a loved one with bipolar disorder and losing a spouse to suicide, what she learned about grief along the way, and what she may have done differently looking back. Mathew talks about the recent loss of his mother and best friend, and Dr. Dave gives us some good information about what people going through grief need to recognize about themselves. Julieanne emphasizes the role of community, tells us how she worked hard to stay connected, and outlines how connection helps facilitate healing. She also notes the importance of normalizing the fact that grief hurts, it’s unique, and it doesn't go away, but it does get better.
“There is life after loss.”
Follow the podcast: 
Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM) 
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE) 
 
Resources:
JulianneWilliams.com
Julianne on Instagram 
Dr. David Leicken, MD
 
Connect with Mathew Blades: 
Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/ 
Facebook - facebook.com/mathewbladesmedia/ 
Website - learnfrompeoplewholivedit.com/
 
Additional Credits:
LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

In the Middle of a Hard Transition? Learn How to Embrace Change with Cortney McDermott

Are You in the Middle of a Hard Transition? Learn How to Embrace Change with Cortney McDermott 
In this episode, you'll hear:
How to find peace in the space around pain 
Tools to manage the discomfort around the unknown
Ways to free yourself from limiting beliefs and thoughts.
Cortney McDermott is a returning guest on the show and one of our favorite people to learn from. She has lived in Italy for more than half of her life. She tells us she went there to escape and is now facing the unknown and everything she left behind as she prepares to return to the US. In this conversation, we explore her fears, what she is letting go of, and how she’s working through her grief by letting herself feel it fully, sharing her thoughts and feelings with people she trusts, and opening herself up to what they have to say.
Change is inevitable. Sometimes we choose it, sometimes it blindsides us, and sometimes we see it coming but can’t outrun it anymore. No matter how it comes to us, we have to embrace it and let it go. However, it’s rarely easy and often involves grief. Recently, Mathew lost his mother and best friends of 35 years within 2 months of each other. In this episode, he talks about the headspace he is in, how he views this challenge from the universe, and the peace he has found through breathwork, transcendental meditation, and embracing the space around pain head-on rather than relying on self-medication. 
Eventually, we will all find ourselves sitting in the middle of some transitional period. In those times, it can often seem difficult or even impossible to feel okay with not knowing what will happen next. You are not alone in this, and there are some tools you can use to help make it to the other side. The first step is to realize that the sense of control you think you have lost was a delusion and an illusion from the start. Anything can happen at any time, so instead of letting fear overcome us, think, “What if it all goes right?”. 
“We’re going to have to change form one way or another, so it’s whether we do that consciously or unconsciously.” 
Follow the podcast: 
Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM) 
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE) 
 
Get LFPWLI Merch here!
 
Resources:
CortneyMcDermott.com
LukisMac.co
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
Part 1: Why You Don’t Have What You Want with Cortney McDermott
Part 2: Creating More Time in Your Day with Cortney McDermott
Part 3: Let Go and Laugh with Cortney McDermott
Everything is Fine, but You Are Still Unhappy: Change Your Mindset with Cortney McDermott
 
Connect with Mathew Blades: 
Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/ 
Facebook - facebook.com/mathewbladesmedia/ 
Website - learnfrompeoplewholivedit.com/
 
Additional Credits:
LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

Inside Out 2 is Here to Help: Navigating Your Teen’s Emotions with Dr. Lisa Damour

Inside Out 2 is Here to Help: Navigating Your Teen’s Emotions with Dr. Lisa Damour
In this episode, you'll hear:
Why parents of teenagers often feel isolated and what we can do about it
Phrases and practice advice for having productive conversations with your teens
The difference between healthy and unhealthy anxiety 
Dr. Lisa Damour is a clinical psychologist and author who has been specializing in the development of teenage girls and young women for over 30 years. About 10 years ago, she realized most of the information available on teen development was about things going wrong, but there was a lack of literature addressing the typical development of adolescent girls and the normal anxieties they face. This prompted her to write the New York Times bestsellers Untangled and Under Pressure. Eventually, she started writing for The New York Times and was assigned to cover Inside Out, which was a perfect fit as her daughter was 11 at the time, the same age as Riley, the main character of the movie. Unsurprisingly, her work caught the attention of Pixar as they began development on Inside Out 2.  Fast forward to 2020, and Dr. Damor got a call from Pixar to meet with Kelsey Mann and Meg LeFauve, the Inside Out 2 director and writer, respectively, and began her involvement with the upcoming film.
In this episode, Mathew and Dr. Damour discuss why parents of teenagers can often feel isolated and what makes Inside Out and Inside Out 2 such a great conversational jumping-off point. We know teens are designed for independence, so connecting with or advising them can more often than not lead to pushback and rebellion. Thankfully, Dr. Damor gives us some practice tips and phrases that can help make these conversations easier to navigate and normalize intense and negative emotions. With the rising fear of adolescent mental health crises and distress, she notes that it is important for us to remember that psychological distress and negative emotions teens experience are normal and are not the same as mental health concerns. She encourages parents to embrace the flow of emotions and help their teens explore the upsides and downsides of emotions we all feel, like joy, sadness, disgust, and anxiety.
Follow the podcast: 
Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM) 
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE) 
Get LFPWLI Merch here!
Resources:
DrLisaDamour.com
Movies.Disney.com/Inside-Out-2 
 
Connect with Mathew Blades: 
Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/ 
Facebook - facebook.com/mathewbladesmedia/ 
Website - learnfrompeoplewholivedit.com/
 
Additional Credits:
LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

How Ketamine Therapy is Saving Lives with Derek Duchesne, CEO of BetterU

In this episode, you'll hear:
How ketamine therapy saved Derek's life
The potential medical applications of different psychedelics 
Debunking misinformation and addressing the stigmas about ketamine 
Derek Duchesne is an actor, producer, stunt performer, writer, and CEO of BetterU. Derek had a turbulent childhood with traumatic situations that impacted him in ways he has just recently begun to come to terms with. Through that, he has developed an understanding that everyone has baggage they have to carry, telling us it's the pain that connects us and that healing and love help us grow. Psychedelic therapy gives us the space to decide how we show up in the world and the power to choose how we respond to the triggers we inevitably face in our lives. For Derek, it was Ketamine that opened his eyes, changed his life, and inspired him to spread that healing through BetterU. 
BetterU is a holistic mental wellness company that came to market with ketamine therapy but has now evolved into other modalities like physiatric care, meditation, breathwork, and talk therapy. It’s a platform for people who are looking for something different and need a community to help them reconnect with themselves. 
In this episode, Mathew, Chad, and Derek discuss Derek's struggles with depression, his introduction to ketamine therapy, and how BetterU came to be. We also talk about the potential benefits of LSD for Alzheimer's and dementia, different ways to take ketamine, and how it can yield different results. Derek ends by telling us what is next for BetterU and how they are addressing side effects, and Chad gives us an update on Mental Joe.
Follow the podcast: 
Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM) 
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE) 
Get LFPWLI Merch here!
Resources:
BetterUCare.com 
Derek Du Chesne on Instagram
LFPWLI with Chad McLean
inLIGHTen Wellness
Psychedelics as a Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia
Enthea
MentalJoe.com 
Connect with Mathew Blades: 
Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/ 
Facebook - facebook.com/mathewbladesmedia/ 
Website - learnfrompeoplewholivedit.com/
Additional Credits:
LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson