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.

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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.