Psychosocial care for kids, teens and their parents going through blood cancer

The Blood Cancer Experience

In this episode, I speak with Tziona Lugasi, clinical psychologistin the hemato-oncology department at CHU Sainte-Justine. We speak about the emotional and mental health impact of cancer on children, as well as on teens and parents. Tziona and I also discuss the transition from pediatric care to adult health care.

A podcast by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada. This podcast is produced for people affected by a blood cancer. We will speak to experts about current topics such as treatments, diagnosis, and research. We will also hear personal stories from people affected by a blood cancer.

Healing Light Meditation

The human body is a magical mystery capable of healing in the most miraculous ways. This meditation offers a portal of connection to a healing light that lives within you. Bathe in the healing light as you are gently guided to release control, thus allowing this natural process to unfold.

Life after cancer: Relearning to Live Your Life with Eric and Montana

Being affected by cancer as a young adult often forces various life projects to be placed on hold. The impacts of the disease are numerous, and they can have significant effects on one’s identity. Once remission is pronounced, how is it possible to go back to a “normal life”?

Listen to this latest episode of The Blood Cancer Experience podcast, brought to you by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada to hear Montana and Eric chat about this difficult topic with honesty and humour.

The Unspoken Nuances of A Sick Body: Childhood Cancer & Mental Health

Montana was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 7. After three years of chemotherapy, she was declared cured, but began experiencing mental health challenges that grew until, at age 17, she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. This week Montana chats with the fellas all about journey as a woman managing a sick body and how she uses her past experience in order to help others feel connected and whole, no matter what physical or mental challenges they may face, through coaching, yoga + meditation, wellness group facilitation and advocacy work.

Read more

Transformation on the COVID Ward: Compassion as Medicine with Ariel Lefkowitz

This Life Support podcast episode features a conversation with Dr. Ariel Lefkowitz, an internal medicine doctor who is currently caring for patients on the COVID ward outside of ICU who require hospitalization at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto.

Ariel speaks about how the experience of being at the centre of the world's focus through supporting patients without treatment options has transformed his life and practice.

A theme that comes up throughout our discussion is how this pandemic has exacerbated existing tensions in society. It provides an opportunity for us as individuals and a collective to redefine ourselves and choose a new path that is more supportive of humanity.

Ariel’s account of his momentous experience as a physician on the COVID ward was also recently featured in Toronto Life magazine. Photograph courtesy of Christopher Wahl.

Disentangling the Knot of Trauma and PTSD with Anne Wagner: How Meaning Making, Facing Fears and the Use of Psychedelics Can Help Us Heal

The vast majority of us are going to experience something that is traumatic during our lifetime. This does not need to be something that we fear or turn away from.

My friend Anne Wagner, esteemed psychologist and founder of Remedy, joins me this episode where we discuss topics that have been stigmatized for decades: trauma, PTSD, and the use of psychedelics in treatment for mental health challenges.

It is up to us all to become trauma-informed so we can better care for ourselves and our loved ones, particularly at times such as these.

Episode 5: Putting the Humanity Back into Addiction Treatment with Ashok Krishnamurthy

This episode features a fascinating conversation with Addiction Medicine Specialist, Dr. Ashok Krishnamurthy, where we discuss the corrosive impacts of stigma on individuals struggling with an addiction. We speak about how our health care system could better care for those attempting to overcome a substance abuse disorder, and the importance of treating people holistically. This conversation is a deep dive into some of the issues that we are facing in the field of addictions - systemically, socially, politically and psychologically. We also talk about how we can work together to build a more integrative system that puts the humanity back into addiction treatment!

Episode 4: Coaching Our Way to Wellness with Marla Warner

What is health coaching, and how do we use the science of positive psychology to enhance our well-being in the face of overwhelm?

This episode features a conversation with Health and Resilience Coach Marla Warner, where we discuss what common issues her clients approach her with, and tangible tools to mindfully overcome these concerns.

We talk about how to approach stress on various levels: physically, mentally and through learning more about the way our mind operates.

Guts and Glory Podcast: Resilience (Part 2) with Montana Skurka

In part two of this interview I did for the Guts and Glory podcast, I continue to share my personal experiences with childhood cancer, ulcerative colitis, and the inevitable mental health challenges that accompany those struggles. The hosts and I speak about how we often feel the need to “be strong” and continue with life’s responsibilities, even when it’s not expected of us. We also talk about how chronic illness directly impacts mental health, and how our medical system is set up in a way that does not support people with the mental health struggles that come with being hospitalized and living with chronic or long-term illness.