The Cancer Journey Podcast

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• Episode 118: Facing the Chapter That Feels Like an Ending 03.07.2026 27min

  Facing the Chapter That Feels Like an Ending | The Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 118Life is fragile. We say that a lot in this work. This week, we recorded from inside it.Someone in our community got news that the medical system has done all it can. We felt that with them. This episode came the next day.In this conversation, we talk about what it actually means to face mortality on a cancer journey. Why it's so hard to say the real things when the people around you need you to stay positive. What Shariann found when she went looking for somewhere safe to talk about dying and kept coming up empty. Why lived experience and trained capacity aren't the same thing, and why both matter. How Cancer Journey Coaches walk with clients through every chapter, including the ones that feel like an ending. What it means to be attached to this life and sit with the fear of losing it.This is the kind of conversation that doesn't happen enough. We hope it gives you somewhere to put some of what you've been carrying.New episodes every week. Subscribe so you don't miss one.Learn more about Cancer Journey Coaching at thecancerjourney.com━━━━━━━━━━━━━━TIMESTAMPS━━━━━━━━━━━━━━00:00 Introduction and PESH Check-In03:48 When Someone in Our Community Gets Hard News07:30 Walking With Clients Through Every Chapter10:38 Making Space for Our Own Experience12:17 Why Shariann Started the Cancer Journey Institute16:00 Looking for Somewhere to Talk About Dying20:52 How a Coach Reflects You Back to Yourself22:10 Attachment and What Goodbye Really Means23:33 Choosing How to Spend the Time You Have27:10 Closing PESH Check-In and Final Words━━━━━━━━━━━━━━CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Website: thecancerjourney.comInstagram: @thecancerjourneyFacebook: The Cancer Journey Institute#CancerJourney #CancerJourneyPodcast #FragilityOfLife #CancerSupport #CancerCoach #LivingFullyNow
• Episode 117: Confusion Is a Signal, Not a Flaw 26.06.2026 28min

  Confusion Is a Signal, Not a Flaw | Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 117Confusion on a cancer journey isn't a sign that something is wrong with you. It's a signal, and learning to read it instead of fighting your way out of it can change the whole experience of being in it.In Episode 117, Shariann and Alicia explore what confusion and lack of clarity actually feel like on a cancer journey, why the instinct to do more doesn't fix what's happening underneath, and what willingness really means when you're trying to find your footing again.This is a candid, unscripted conversation that models exactly what it's talking about: two people processing in real time, finding their way back to themselves through the fog.Topics covered in this episode:What confusion feels like and why it shows up so often on a cancer journeyThe plan on top versus the emotional experience underneathWhy doing more doesn't fix what's going on at a deeper levelThe difference between doing and beingInformation overload and why chasing optimal health can make things worseWillingness as the key to getting out of the pitWhat it means to let something go when you don't know what that is yetComing back to the present: what do I need, what do I wantWhy confusion means something still matters to youThe fog lifts on its own when you stop forcing it#CancerJourney #CancerJourneyPodcast #CancerSupportChapters: 0:00 Welcome and PESH check-in1:30 What confusion feels like: messy, unstable, swirly4:00 The plan on top and the emotional experience underneath8:00 Why doing more doesn't reach what's actually struggling12:00 Information overload and chasing optimal health16:00 Willingness as the real key to getting unstuck20:00 Coming back to the present: what do I need right now23:30 Confusion as a signal that something still matters26:30 Closing takeaways and PESH check-out
• Episode 116: Why the End of Treatment Feels So Complicated 19.06.2026 30min

  Why the End of Treatment Feels So Complicated | The Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 116The end of cancer treatment should feel like everything you've been waiting for. And sometimes it does. But a lot of the time, it feels anticlimactic, disorienting, or even empty , and almost nobody talks about that.In Episode 116, Shariann and Alicia dig into the experience of endings: what the drop after treatment feels like, why the wide open space of "what's next" can be so overwhelming, and how to move through this transition with more gentleness and intention.This conversation draws on the Cancer Journey Roadmap and the real, lived experience of what it means to finish something enormous and not know who you are on the other side.Topics covered in this episode:• Why ringing the bell can feel anticlimactic• The drop after endings and why it happens• Losing the structure, rhythm, and care team all at once• There is no going back to normal, only a new reality• The lull after treatment and what it's asking of you• The retirement analogy: why freedom can feel untethered• What happens to all the emotions suppressed during treatment• Why play and small joys matter especially in this transition• The Cancer Journey Roadmap and the pit after endings• What do you want? The biggest question after treatment ends• How a Cancer Journey coach helps you find yourself again#CancerJourney #CancerJourneyPodcast #CancerSupportChapters: 0:00 Welcome and PESH check-in 1:30 Endings at CJI: certification and fundamentals groups 3:00 The bittersweet feeling of endings on a cancer journey 5:30 Ringing the bell and why it can feel anticlimactic 8:30 Losing the structure and care team after treatment 11:30 There is no normal anymore — only the new reality 14:30 The retirement analogy: freedom that feels untethered 17:30 Play and small joys as anchors in the transition 20:30 The anger and grief that comes out after treatment ends 23:00 What do you want? The excavation that comes next 26:00 How a Cancer Journey coach holds this turning point 28:00 Closing takeaways and PESH check-out
• Episode 115: When Forgiveness Feels Like Giving Something Up 12.06.2026 28min

  When Forgiveness Feels Like Giving Something Up | The Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 115Forgiveness is one of those words we think we understand until we actually try to practice it. On a cancer journey, it takes on a whole new dimension: forgiving your body, forgiving yourself for how you've responded under enormous pressure, and forgiving others when your capacity to hold anything extra is already gone.In Episode 115, Shariann and Alicia go deep on what forgiveness actually feels like, why self-forgiveness is the hardest kind, and what it looks like to make it a real practice rather than just an intention.This is a thoughtful, honest conversation that moves through the complexity of forgiveness without trying to wrap it up too neatly.Topics covered in this episode:What forgiveness actually feels like in the bodyWhy forgiveness can feel like giving up your protection or your powerThe difference between forgiving someone and really meaning itWhy self-forgiveness is harder than forgiving othersHow cancer can bring up feelings of blame and punishment toward yourselfThe responsibility formula and luminous intentForgiveness as self-care, not just a spiritual conceptThe end-of-day forgiveness practice: what do you need to forgive yourself for today?What you can give yourself if you hug yourself as warmly as you'd hug someone elseIf you don't forgive, you build a wall instead of a bridgeThe conversations we want others to have with us that we can have with ourselves#CancerJourney #Forgiveness #CancerJourneyPodcastChapters: 0:00 Welcome and PESH check-in1:45 What forgiveness actually feels like5:00 Why forgiveness can feel like giving something up8:30 The responsibility formula and forgiving yourself12:00 How cancer brings up self-blame and punishment16:00 Why self-forgiveness is the hardest kind20:00 The conversations we want others to have with us23:30 Forgiveness as self-care: the end-of-day practice27:00 Building a bridge instead of a wall30:00 Closing takeaways and PESH check-out
• Episode 114: The Someday Trap 05.06.2026 23min

  Play feels like the last thing on the list when you're on a cancer journey. But what if waiting until everything is handled before you let yourself feel good is the very thing making the journey harder?In Episode 114, Shariann and Alicia have a deeply honest conversation about what gets in the way of play, joy, and lightness on a cancer journey, and what it actually looks like to start making space for those things now rather than later. This episode starts in a real, unfiltered place and moves somewhere genuinely tender. It's one of those conversations that models exactly what it's talking about.Topics covered in this episode: Why play feels inaccessible when you're deep in a cancer journey The have-tos versus the get-tos: how a cancer journey can feel like pure obligation Freedom as the thing underneath the craving for play The someday trap and why deferring joy doesn't work Should versus want: the difference in how they feel in your body The steps to getting there are the qualities of being there How negative ego gets loudest when you most need lightness Small, concrete ways to infuse play into everyday moments Why you need someone to say your hard things to without it affecting your relationships Cancer sucks: giving yourself full permission to say so #CancerJourney #CancerJourneyPodcast #CancerSupport Chapters: 0:00 Welcome and PESH check-in 1:30 Play on a cancer journey: why it feels so out of reach 4:30 Freedom as the real craving underneath it all 8:00 The someday trap: deferring joy until everything is handled 11:30 Letting someone else do your laundry: vulnerability and receiving help 14:30 Getting familiar with what frustration feels like in your body 18:00 Should versus want: a really important distinction 22:00 The steps to getting there are the qualities of being there 25:30 Small ways to infuse play into the hard moments 28:30 Closing takeaway and PESH check-out
• Episode 113: How We Die with CJC Barbara Haedtke 29.05.2026 30min

  How We Die with CJC Barbara Haedtke | The Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 113How do we die? It's a question most of us spend our lives avoiding — and one that becomes impossible to ignore when you're on a cancer journey, especially a terminal one.In Episode 113, Shariann and Alicia are joined by Barbara, a certified Cancer Journey Coach who is also living with a terminal cancer diagnosis. She brings a rare combination of professional experience and deeply personal perspective to a conversation about mortality, legacy, grief, gratitude, and what it means to truly engage with the life you have left.This is one of the most honest and tender conversations the podcast has had. It doesn't offer easy answers. It offers something better — the experience of watching someone engage with the hardest material with curiosity, grace, and an open heart.Topics covered in this episode:• What it actually feels like to face a terminal diagnosis• The difference between cognitive acceptance and emotional engagement• Grief as an ongoing, daily process — not a destination• Why the things people say to the dying often have more to do with their own fear• The practical side of facing death — putting affairs in order, shifting financial plans• Gratitude and grief living side by side in the same moment• Legacy — what you want to leave, how you want to be remembered• "Engage with the material" — what that phrase really means• The last year of Debbie Ford's sister's life — and what she said about it• What proximity to death reveals about how we've been living• How a Cancer Journey Coach creates space for this kind of engagementGuest: Barbara, Certified Cancer Journey Coach#CancerJourney #EndOfLife #CancerJourneyPodcastChapters: 0:00 Welcome and PESH check-in 2:00 Introducing the topic — how we die 4:30 Barbara's experience facing a terminal diagnosis 8:00 The drive home from the doctor — grief, beauty, and gratitude 12:00 What people say to the dying (and what they really mean) 16:00 Legacy, curiosity, and engaging with the material 20:00 Money, mortality, and what you'd do if the runway shifted 24:30 The Wise Old Crone — finding yourself through the Cancer Journey Institute 28:00 What "engage with the material" really means 32:00 Closing takeaways and PESH check-out
• Episode 112: Where Does Joy Even Fit? 22.05.2026 25min

  Where Does Joy Even Fit? | The Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 112How do you possibly find joy when you're on a cancer journey? When treatment is exhausting, energy is limited, and just getting through the day takes everything you have — where does joy even fit?In Episode 112, Shariann and Alicia get practical and personal about what it actually looks like to find moments of nourishment and delight on a cancer journey. This isn't about toxic positivity or forcing a good attitude. It's about giving yourself real permission to feel good, in whatever small ways are actually accessible to you right now.Topics covered in this episode:Why joy feels out of reach on a cancer journey — and why it doesn't have toThe difference between nourishment and joy, and why both matterWhy familiar activities work better than trying to learn something newWhat Shariann leaned on during treatment when TV felt like too muchWhy movies and TV aren't always the easy escape we think they areThe joy of small things — and why slowing down makes them visibleFur babies, kids' laughter, nature, and the unexpected allies on a cancer journeyGetting dressed for yourself, not for anyone elseJournaling as a joy practice — and how to actually startThe pink wig story — and what permission really looks likeMarie Kondo, monstera leaf pasta spoons, and sparking joy in the everyday#CancerJourney #CancerJourneyPodcast #CancerSupportChapters: 0:00 Welcome and PESH check-in1:45 How do we find joy — and what does nourishment look like on a cancer journey?4:30 Why TV isn't always the easy escape — and what Shariann did instead8:00 Familiar activities, crafts, music, and books11:30 The unexpected allies — fur babies, kids, nature, comedy15:00 The small joys hiding in plain sight18:30 Getting dressed for yourself — and the woman in the treatment room22:00 Journaling as a joy practice25:00 Permission — and the pink wig story 28:30 Closing takeaways and PESH check-out
• Episode 111: What the System Wasn't Designed to Hold 15.05.2026 27min

  What the System Wasn't Designed to Hold | The Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 111The cancer care system is extraordinarily skilled at treating the physical body. But a cancer journey is so much more than what shows up on a scan — and for most people moving through it, the emotional, mental, and spiritual dimensions of the experience are largely unaddressed.This is a conversation about the limits of a fix-it culture, the invisible weight that doctors and nurses carry, and why a Cancer Journey Coach might be the most important addition to a care team that no one is talking about yet.Topics covered in this episode:- Why the medical system is built for efficiency — and what gets lost in that model- The emotional weight that doctors and nurses carry and rarely have space to process- Why you can cognitively trust your care team and still not feel emotionally safe- What happens when emotions are suppressed throughout a cancer journey- How suppressed emotions affect decision-making and quality of life- Toxic positivity and why forcing it doesn't actually help- The role of a Cancer Journey Coach as the humanity piece of the care team- Why bringing emotion back into care doesn't slow things down — it makes everything work better- What Shariann experienced at the end of her own treatment and what it illuminated#CancerJourney #CancerCare #CancerJourneyPodcastChapters: 0:00 Welcome and PESH check-in 1:45 Why the medical system struggles to hold the emotional experience 4:30 The culture of fixing — and what it misses 7:00 The emotional weight doctors and nurses carry 10:00 Trusting your care team cognitively vs. feeling it emotionally 13:00 What happens when emotions get suppressed throughout treatment 16:00 Toxic positivity and why it doesn't work 18:30 Decision-making and the role of emotions in knowing what matters 21:00 The Cancer Journey Coach as the humanity piece of the care team 24:00 Closing takeaways and PESH check-out
• Episode 110: The Conversation Nobody's Having About Chemo Brain 08.05.2026 29min

  The Conversation Nobody's Having About Chemo Brain | The Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 110Brain fog, chemo brain, and the days when you just can't access yourself the way you normally can — this is one of the most common and least talked about experiences on a cancer journey. In Episode 110, Shariann and Alicia get candid about what it actually feels like to not feel brilliant, and what that has to do with how we're taught to push through instead of slow down.The conversation moves from the personal experience of cognitive fog to the deeper question of what we actually need on days like that — and why a safe space to say what's really there matters more than any supplement or strategy.Topics covered in this episode:• What brain fog and chemo brain actually feel like from the inside• Why the dip in cognitive sharpness triggers fear and self-blame• The difference between a bad day and a less-resourced day• What Shariann discovered about coaching from the heart during her own cancer treatment• Why slowing down is not the opposite of productivity — especially on a cancer journey• What a coaching session offers that even the best friendship can't replicate• The real-time shift that happened during this episode• Why you don't have to feel brilliant to have value• "There's magic in the telling — but it matters where you tell it"#CancerJourney #ChemoBrain #CancerJourneyPodcastChapters: 0:00 Welcome and PESH check-in 2:10 What it feels like to not feel brilliant 5:30 Chemo brain, aging, and the fear that something is wrong 8:45 Good days, less-resourced days, and the body's need for rest 12:00 Coaching from the heart — Shariann's experience during treatment 16:30 What slowing down actually makes possible 20:00 What coaching offers that friendship can't 25:00 Witnessing the shift in real time 29:30 Closing takeaways and PESH check-out
• Episode 109: Feeling Stuck on Your Cancer Journey? You're Not Alone 01.05.2026 23min

  Feeling Stuck on Your Cancer Journey? You're Not Alone | The Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 109Feeling stuck is one of the most universal experiences on a cancer journey — and one of the least talked about.In this episode, Shariann and Alicia explore what stuckness really is, why it's so hard to move through, and what it actually looks like to begin letting go. The conversation covers the difference between being in the hole and knowing you're there, why familiar discomfort can feel safer than the unknown, and why mourning what you're leaving behind is a necessary — not optional — part of moving forward.This is a candid, grounded conversation about change, trust, and the quiet courage it takes to walk down a different street.Topics covered in this episode: • What feeling stuck actually feels like on a cancer journey • Life in Five Chapters — the pathway from stuck to unstuck • Why the hole can feel like home (and why that makes sense) • Letting go without dismissing what mattered • Mourning the losses that come with a cancer journey • Why cancer is a journey, not a battle — and what that shift actually does • The role of trust when you can't control what's happening • Shariann's baby maple tree and what nature shows us about change • How perfectionism and moving fast can become their own kind of stuckness • Why getting unstuck is always a choice — and always a process #CancerJourney #FeelingStuck #CancerJourneyPodcastChapters:0:00 Welcome and PESH check-in1:44 What feeling stuck feels like — and why it's so relevant on a cancer journey4:10 Life in Five Chapters7:30 Why the hole feels comfortable — and how we make a home there10:15 What it really means to let something go13:45 Mourning the losses along the cancer journey17:20 Shariann's baby maple tree19:30 Perfectionism, moving fast, and personal stuckness22:10 Cancer as a journey, not a battle26:00 Trust as the antidote to stuckness28:30 Closing takeaways and PESH check-out
• Episode 108: When a Loved One Passes from Cancer (with Christine Anastos) 24.04.2026 37min

  When a Loved One Passes from Cancer | The Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 108When a loved one passes from cancer, the journey doesn't end — it just changes. In this episode, Christine Anastos of Connect and Thrive (CAT) shares what it really means to be a cancer caregiver, the weight of showing up through the impossible, and what it's like to navigate your own cancer diagnosis while still caring for someone you love.Christine's mother went through multiple rounds of treatment including two stem cell transplants, dialysis for 12 years, and nearly two decades of navigating the healthcare system — with Christine by her side, watching over every detail. In 2016, Christine was diagnosed with breast cancer herself and found herself moving between her own treatment and her mother's bedside.This conversation covers what caregivers carry that no one names, how to find your footing when there's no roadmap, and how to carry a loved one's memory forward with love after they're gone.Topics covered in this episode:• Why the caregiver's cancer journey is just as real as the patient's• What it felt like when Christine's mother could no longer be her source of strength• How Christine's engineering mindset became one of her greatest tools in the hospital• The role of faith when there's nothing else to hold onto• What it means to truly care for yourself as a caregiver• Christine's own breast cancer diagnosis and treatment at Dana-Farber• Her mother's 12 years on dialysis and the choice she made to let go• Carrying someone's memory forward by speaking their name and their story• What Christine would — and wouldn't — do differentlyGuest: Christine Anastos, Connect and Thrive (CAT)Chapters: 0:00 Welcome and PESH check-in 1:38 The caregiver's cancer journey 3:34 Christine's story: her mother's diagnosis and stem cell transplants 5:13 When her mother couldn't be the source of strength 6:03 How faith carried her through 8:47 Christine's own breast cancer diagnosis in 2016 12:58 The value she found in being present as a caregiver 17:28 Carrying her mother's memory forward 18:06 What she learned through Cancer Journey Institute 22:54 Letting go of anticipatory anxiety 23:05 Her mother's 12 years on dialysis and choosing to let go 25:42 No regrets — making the best of the worst 28:03 Closing reflections and PESH check-out 30:00 Christine's program: Connect and Thrive 35:00 Goodbyes#CancerJourney #CancerCaregiver #CancerJourneyPodcast
• Episode 107: How Are You, Really? 17.04.2026 25min

  How Are You, Really | The Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 107What does trust actually mean when you're on a cancer journey - and why do so many people feel unseen even when they're surrounded by people trying to help them?In Episode 107 of the Cancer Journey Podcast, Shariann and Alicia explore two of the most powerful tools in Cancer Journey Coaching: trust and powerful listening. They dig into what it really takes to build trust with someone going through one of the hardest experiences of their life, why feeling heard is directly connected to healing, and what shifts when someone finally asks - not "how are you?" but "how are you, really?"This episode is for anyone on a cancer journey, supporting someone who is, or working in a space where the emotional side of cancer often goes unaddressed.Chapters: 0:00 — Welcome and PESH check-in 2:45 — What is trust? Defining it on a cancer journey 6:30 — The trust fall — and what it feels like to truly let go 11:15 — Entering the unknown after a diagnosis 15:40 — Why feeling heard is inseparable from healing 20:10 — What happens when patients don't feel seen by their care team 25:30 — How powerful listening builds trust in a clinical setting 30:45 — The case for a Cancer Journey Coach on the care team 36:00 — "How are you, really?" — one question that changes everything 40:20 — Closing PESH and takeawaysKeywords: cancer journey, trust and cancer, powerful listening, cancer coaching, cancer care team, cancer patient support, emotional side of cancer, cancer journey podcast, cancer journey coach, cancer support, healing and trust, cancer mental health#CancerJourney #CancerJourneyPodcast #CancerSupport
• Episode 106: Underneath the Overwhelm: The Emotions, the Clarity, and Who You Get to Become 10.04.2026 27min

  Underneath the Overwhelm: The Emotions, the Clarity, and Who You Get to Become | The Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 106We've been taught that stress is a sign we're doing something important — that carrying it means we're busy, and busy means we matter. But on a cancer journey, when the body is already working so hard, stress isn't something to push through. It's a signal worth stopping to hear.In Episode 106, Shariann and Alicia dig into what stress and overwhelm actually look like on a cancer journey — where they come from, what they're made of, and what becomes possible when you finally start to release them. They talk about why stress is rarely just stress, and how underneath it there are usually much more specific emotions — anxiety, anger, grief, frustration — that point more clearly toward what you actually need.They also explore the difference between stress that's rooted in something you're genuinely passionate about versus stress that's simply seducing you into urgency. And they sit with what opens up on the other side of overwhelm — the clarity, the spaciousness, and the unexpected invitation that a cancer journey can be to finally let go of who you thought you had to be.This is a conversation about listening to what your body has been trying to tell you — and finding yourself again on the other side.Chapters: 0:00 — Welcome and PESH check-in 1:45 — Does stress cause cancer? What we know 4:10 — The seduction of stress — why we wear it like a badge 8:30 — Gaslighting yourself into thinking stress is good 11:00 — Stress as a false emotion — what's really underneath it 16:20 — The pause — how to find out what's actually here 21:40 — Passion vs. stress — how to tell the difference energetically 27:15 — The cancer journey as a luxurious time of change 32:00 — Breaking down the walls of stress and who you get to become 37:30 — Closing PESH and takeawaysKeywords: stress and cancer, overwhelm cancer journey, cancer emotional health, stress cancer diagnosis, cancer healing, emotional side effects cancer, cancer journey podcast, managing stress cancer, cancer mindset, burnout cancer, cancer support, cancer survivor podcast#CancerJourney #CancerJourneyPodcast #CancerSupport
• Episode 105: Still Becoming - Life & Cancer (with CJC Judy ViaCava) 03.04.2026 33min

  Still Becoming - Life & Cancer | The Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 105In this episode, we're joined by Judy ViaCava, a certified Cancer Journey Coach and breast cancer survivor, for an honest conversation about identity after cancer. What does it mean to stop trying to go back to who you were? How do you find yourself in what comes next? And what gets in the way of that emergence — the armor, the toxic positivity, the fear of being vulnerable?Judy shares her own experience navigating breast cancer 14 years ago, including the isolation of performing strength when she was actually scared, and what changed when she finally found a space where she could be real. She and our hosts explore what cancer journey coaching makes possible for people who are stuck in the in-between — not who they were, not yet who they're becoming.This episode is for anyone on a cancer journey, supporting someone who is, or doing the work of helping people find their way through.Interested in a coaching session with Judy? Submit our Gift Session form and mention Judy for free coaching: https://thecancerjourney.com/gift-session🎙️ Guest: Judy ViaCava, Certified Cancer Journey Coach - Director of Evolving WomenJudy@evolvepink.orgWww.Evolvepink.orgChapters: 0:00 — Welcome and PESH check-in 2:30 — Introducing Judy ViaCava 4:00 — "I just want to go back to normal" — why that's impossible and what's actually possible 8:45 — How cancer puts you at the forefront when you've spent years prioritizing everyone else 13:20 — Judy's own cancer journey: performing strength and feeling alone 18:00 — Opening new doors — what emergence actually looks like 23:10 — The role of vulnerability in moving forward 27:40 — Toxic positivity and what gets lost when we suppress real emotion32:15 — What cancer journey coaches make possible that no one else can 37:00 — Coaching as reflection: seeing people before they can see themselves 42:30 — Closing PESH and takeawaysKeywords: cancer journey, who am I after cancer, cancer identity, cancer survivor healing, emotional side effects of cancer, cancer journey podcast, cancer journey coach, cancer support, cancer caregiver support, life after cancer, cancer transformation, vulnerability cancer#CancerJourney #CancerJourneyPodcast #CancerSupport
• Episode 104: Setting Emotional Boundaries When You Have Cancer 27.03.2026 26min

  Setting Emotional Boundaries When You Have Cancer | The Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 104When you're navigating a cancer diagnosis, you're already carrying more than most people will ever understand. And then everyone who loves you shows up — with their own fear, their own grief, their own need to feel like things are okay. In Episode 104, Shariann and Alicia dig into what happens when other people's emotions pile onto yours, and what it actually takes to stop managing everyone else long enough to come back to yourself.This conversation covers the difference between being an empathic person and having empathy as a dominant strength — and why that distinction matters when you're trying to figure out what's yours to feel and what isn't. They talk about people pleasing in a medical context, what it means to be a "good patient," and the invisible energy drain of trying to keep everyone around you calm while you're the one who got the diagnosis.At the center of it all: the pause. Not a timeout. Not shutting it down. But a real return to yourself — so you can show up for your healing with the energy it deserves.If you're on a cancer journey, caring for someone who is, or supporting people through it professionally, this episode is an honest look at one of the most quietly exhausting parts of the experience.🎙️ Hosted by Shariann and Alicia Tom Chapters: 0:00 — Welcome and PESH check-in 2:15 — What comes up first around other people's emotions 4:30 — Introvert, extrovert and how we absorb emotion differently 8:45 — The difference between being empathic and having empathy as a strength 13:10 — People pleasing, good patients and the cost of managing everyone else 18:20 — Whose emotion is it? How to tell what's yours 22:40 — The pause — and why it matters more than counting to ten 28:00 — Managing other people's emotions for yourself, not for them 33:15 — Closing PESH and takeawaysKeywords: cancer journey, cancer emotions, other people's emotions, cancer support, emotional intelligence cancer, cancer caregiver emotions, cancer patient emotions, managing emotions cancer, cancer journey podcast, empathy cancer, cancer healing, emotional health cancer#CancerJourney #CancerJourneyPodcast #CancerSupport
• Episode 103: Being Brave When Cancer is in the Room (with CJC Lauren Huffmaster) 20.03.2026 28min

  Being Brave When Cancer Is in the Room | The Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 103Lauren Huffmaster has been living with metastatic breast cancer since 2015. In the ten years since her diagnosis, she founded Adventure Therapy Foundation, became a speaker and author, and has spent her life building something that gives other people a better experience than she had. In this episode of the Cancer Journey Podcast, she joins Shariann and Alicia to talk about what bravery actually looks like on a cancer journey — and why it doesn't have to feel brave to count.Lauren shares why the early days after diagnosis aren't the time for bravery — and why grief and fear are a completely normal response. She talks about bravery as a choice, not a feeling, and how taking even the smallest intentional step forward is an act of courage. She also opens up about the tension of wanting people to know you're struggling, even when showing up looks like strength from the outside.This conversation also explores Lauren's work at the Cancering Collective — a program inside Adventure Therapy Foundation that helps people living with cancer tell their stories in an empowered way, with writing coaches, trauma writing specialists, and space to be truly seen.If you've ever wondered whether you're being brave enough, this episode is for you.🎙️ Guest: Lauren Huffmaster, Founder of Adventure Therapy Foundation 🔗 adventurefound.orgChapters: 0:00 — Welcome and PESH check-in 1:44 — Meet Lauren Huffmaster 2:45 — What bravery looks like on a cancer journey 4:58 — When bravery isn't available — the early days after diagnosis 7:25 — Where Lauren finds and taps into her bravery 11:30 — Turning suffering outward as a source of strength 15:06 — Why your hardest days may have the most to give 18:12 — Adventure Therapy Foundation and the Cantering Collective 21:09 — The power of story in healing 25:47 — Closing PESH and takeawaysKeywords: cancer journey, cancer coaching, being brave with cancer, emotional side effects of cancer, metastatic breast cancer, cancer survivor podcast, cancer caregiver support, Adventure Therapy Foundation, Lauren Huffmaster, cancer journey podcast, cancer support community, cancer healing#CancerJourney #CancerJourneyPodcast #AdventureTherapyFoundation
• Episode 102: Is Your Body Trying To Tell You Something? 13.03.2026 24min

  Is Your Body Trying To Tell You Something? | Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 102Your body is constantly sending you messages. Exhaustion. Pain. That lump in your throat. Brain fog. Weakness. But we're so ruled by what we should be doing that we don't slow down to listen.In this episode of The Cancer Journey Podcast, we're talking about the constant battle between what you should do and what you actually need. On a cancer journey, your body gets loud. You're hyper-aware of every pulse, every heartbeat, constantly checking if something's wrong. But are you actually listening to what it's trying to tell you?We explore why we ignore our body's messages in favor of the task list and external expectations. How forcefulness and the go-go-go energy depletes you when what you actually need is softness and slowness. Why physical manifestations like pain, sweating, or that tight feeling in your chest are often messages from your emotional and spiritual self.Your body knows. It knows when you need nourishment instead of just satisfying a craving. When you need movement instead of forcing yourself to sit still. When you need rest instead of pushing through. Only you can hear those messages. And only you can give yourself what you need.We talk about getting curious like a detective, checking in with your physical body to understand what's happening emotionally and spiritually, and why slowing down to breathe and listen isn't unproductive but essential.Whether you're a cancer patient, survivor, thriver, caregiver, or coach, this conversation about body awareness, nourishment, and learning to hear what you actually need will help you honor yourself truly.Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro & PESH Check-In 3:15 - The Battle: Should Do vs. Need to Do 8:40 - Hyper-Vigilance on a Cancer Journey 14:00 - Physical Manifestations of Emotions 19:20 - Getting Curious About Your Body 23:15 - Takeaways & Closing PESHConnect with us: Website: https://thecancerjourney.com Instagram: @thecancerjourney Facebook: The Cancer Journey InstituteAbout The Cancer Journey: We help cancer patients, survivors, thrivers, and caregivers transform the traditional "battle" mindset into a journey approach through coaching, community, and authentic conversations about the emotional and spiritual aspects of navigating cancer.#BodyMessages #CancerJourney #SelfCare #ListenToYourBody #Nourishment #EmotionalHealth #CancerSupport #BodyAwareness
• Episode 101: Mourning the You Before Cancer 06.03.2026 28min

  Mourning the You Before Cancer | Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 101Cancer changes you. And one of the hardest parts? Mourning who you were before. When your body felt like yours. When you had clarity and energy. When breathing wasn't something you had to think about.In this episode of The Cancer Journey Podcast, we're talking about the grief that shows up when you're in the Pit of your cancer journey. That desperate wanting to grasp back what you had. The mourning for a version of yourself that doesn't fit anymore. And why we don't make time to actually process it.Mourning looks different for everyone. It can show up as depression, physical aches, a tight throat, ceaseless crying, or feeling alone even when you're surrounded by people. We explore why we weren't taught how to be with grief, how a Cancer Journey Coach creates space for you to release it, and why processing these emotions isn't a waste of time but an essential step forward.This is about identity change. That outfit you used to wear that fit perfectly? It doesn't fit anymore. So what are you wearing now? We talk about how to let go of who you were while embracing who you are, even when it's uncomfortable. How to take the good stuff forward. And why mourning with someone who truly sees you makes the journey feel less icky.Whether you're a cancer patient, survivor, thriver, or caregiver, this conversation about grief, loss, and processing emotions will help you understand why being with the mourning is how you move through it.Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro & PESH Check-In 3:20 - The Descent: Wanting Who You Were 8:40 - Fragility and Loss of Ground 14:15 - How to Actually Mourn and Grieve 20:10 - What Mourning Looks Like 26:50 - Identity Change: The Outfit That Doesn't Fit 32:30 - Takeaways & Closing PESHConnect with us: Website: https://thecancerjourney.com Instagram: @thecancerjourney Facebook: The Cancer Journey InstituteAbout The Cancer Journey: We help cancer patients, survivors, thrivers, and caregivers transform the traditional "battle" mindset into a journey approach through coaching, community, and authentic conversations about the emotional and spiritual aspects of navigating cancer.#Mourning #CancerJourney #Grief #IdentityChange #EmotionalHealing #CancerSupport #Loss #CancerCoaching
• Episode 100: Celebrating Cancer Journey Milestones 27.02.2026 26min

  Celebrating Cancer Journey Milestones | Cancer Journey Podcast (Episode 100!)We made it to 100 episodes! And we're celebrating by talking about something we don't do enough: celebrating milestones on a cancer journey. Not just the big ones like finishing treatment. The small ones too. Like waking up and feeling pretty good. Or making it through another day.In this special episode of The Cancer Journey Podcast, we explore why we let these moments go by without acknowledging them. Why we think celebration has to be some big hoopla when it can be as simple as buying yourself flowers or taking a nap without setting an alarm. Why we hold ourselves back from the things we actually want, telling ourselves we don't deserve them or it's too frivolous.A milestone isn't something you have to push for or achieve. Sometimes it's just showing up. Being present. Saying yes and committing to yourself over and over again. We talk about the courage it takes to keep going, how to give yourself little treats after hard things, and why celebrating yourself every day invites more of what you want into your life.Whether you're a cancer survivor, thriver, caregiver, or coach, this conversation about acknowledgment, self-permission, and treating yourself the way you'd treat someone you really love will help you stop forcing yourself to suffer with the bare minimum.Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro & PESH Check-In (Episode 100!) 3:15 - What Is a Milestone Really? 8:20 - Small Milestones Matter Too 14:00 - Celebration Doesn't Have to Be Big 19:30 - Concrete Ways to Celebrate Yourself 24:20 - Takeaways & Closing PESHConnect with us: Website: https://thecancerjourney.com Instagram: @thecancerjourney Facebook: The Cancer Journey InstituteAbout The Cancer Journey: We help cancer patients, survivors, thrivers, and caregivers transform the traditional "battle" mindset into a journey approach through coaching, community, and authentic conversations about the emotional and spiritual aspects of navigating cancer.#Milestones #CancerJourney #Celebration #CancerSupport #SelfCare #TreatYourself #100Episodes #CancerSurvivor
• Episode 99: People Pleasing on a Cancer Journey 20.02.2026 27min

  People Pleasing on Your Cancer Journey | Cancer Journey Podcast | Episode 99Stop people pleasing. When you're navigating cancer, it's easy to put on a brave face and try not to bring everyone down. You don't want to be seen as weak or incapable. You want to take care of everyone else first. But here's what happens: you end up completely depleted. And the people you're trying to please? They don't actually get what they need either.In this episode of The Cancer Journey Podcast, we're talking about the collapse distinction between people pleasing and providing authentic comfort. Why we give our power away. How cultural conditioning makes us think being of service means putting ourselves last. And the truth: when you people please, it's a lose-lose for everyone.We explore why people pleasing happens unconsciously, how it shows up differently on a cancer journey, and what to do instead. The answer isn't to stop caring about others. It's to connect with yourself first so you can show up authentically. When you hold your power and ask for what you want, you create space for win-win situations where everyone gets their needs met.Whether you're a cancer survivor, thriver, caregiver, or coach, this conversation about boundaries, authenticity, and holding your power will help you stop depleting yourself and start creating relationships where everyone wins.Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro & PESH Check-In 3:30 - What Is People Pleasing Really? 8:15 - The Collapse Distinction: Pleasing vs. Comfort 14:40 - Giving Your Power Away 21:20 - Creating Win-Win Situations 28:50 - Learning to Ask for What You Want 36:10 - Takeaways & Closing PESHConnect with us: Website: https://thecancerjourney.com Instagram: @thecancerjourney Facebook: The Cancer Journey InstituteAbout The Cancer Journey: We help cancer patients, survivors, thrivers, and caregivers transform the traditional "battle" mindset into a journey approach through coaching, community, and authentic conversations about the emotional and spiritual aspects of navigating cancer.#PeoplePleasing #CancerJourney #Boundaries #SettingBoundaries #CancerSupport #PersonalPower #Authenticity #EmotionalHealing