• Ep. 23: "I Can Only Be Happy If..."
    Jan 9 2025

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    In this episode, Crystal and Samantha explore the concept of "hidden agreements"—the unspoken stories we believe about what needs to happen for us to be happy, okay, or fulfilled. While they often go unnoticed, these stories weigh us down and create a lot of unnecessary suffering.

    We discuss...

    • What "hidden agreements" are and how they show up in our lives
    • Why tying our happiness to specific outcomes leads to unnecessary suffering
    • How to get curious about the agreements we’ve made with ourselves
    • Practical examples of living with more lightness, even in the face of chronic illness or life’s challenges

    This episode reminds us that life doesn't needs to go a particular way for us to experience joy, peace, and contentment.

    Links Mentioned:

    • Caffeine for the Soul Episode: "Would You Sign That Contract?"

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    • Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more insights and updates.
    • Join our free Patreon community to leave a comment about this week's episode.

    Support the Show:
    If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or leave us a rating and review wherever you're listening—it’s the easiest way to help others discover the podcast.

    We'd also love for you to join our Patreon. Free subscribers gain access to bonus content, personal updates, polls, and more.

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    22 mins
  • Ep. 22: Ultra-Rare and Undiagnosed (with Christine McGarvey)
    Jan 2 2025

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    In this episode, we welcome Christine McGarvey, a podcast listener and rare disease advocate, who shares her inspiring journey of living well despite significant health challenges. Christine talks about her decade-long journey to get a diagnosis, how her advocacy work has brought meaning to her life, and the lessons she’s learned about resilience, compassion, and staying present.

    What You'll Hear in This Episode:

    • How Christine has turned her pain into purpose through advocacy
    • The role of compassion in navigating chronic illness
    • How to find meaning and fulfillment in the face of uncertainty
    • Insights on parenting children who have similar health challenges
    • The power of community and connection for those with rare or undiagnosed conditions

    Episode Links:

    • National Organization of Rare Disorders (NORD)
    • Undiagnosed Disease Network Foundation

    Join Our Community:

    You can now join us on Patreon! It’s a space where you’ll find bonus content, live coaching calls, and a private Facebook group for support and inspiration to help you live well, no matter what health challenges you’re facing. Your membership also helps support the podcast. Learn more: Patreon.com/LivingWellPod

    Connect with Us:

    • Instagram: @LivingWellPod
    • Facebook: Living Well Pod
    • Email: livingwellpod@gmail.com
    • Voicemail: SpeakPipe

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    27 mins
  • Ep. 21: Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop
    Dec 19 2024

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    In this episode, we’re discussing something we’ve all felt at one time or another: that uneasy sense of waiting for the other shoe to drop. Whether it’s the return of symptoms, a new diagnosis, or something completely unexpected, our minds often spin stories about why we need to stay on high alert—worried, vigilant, and constantly “prepared.”

    We share how this pattern has played out in our own lives, unpack the roles of control, responsibility, and self-blame, and explore what helps ease the tension despite life’s inherent uncertainties. Whatever your worries, we hope this conversation brings you a fresh perspective and a little relief.

    Note: We’re taking a short holiday break, so there won’t be a new episode next week. We’ll be back on January 2nd with a bit of a refresh and the first in a series of amazing new guests. Wishing you a joyful holiday — we can’t wait to see you in the new year!

    Episode Links:

    • Coaching with Samantha: https://transformative-psych.com
    • Send us your thoughts or questions: livingwellpod@gmail.com
    • Please rate and review the podcast wherever you listen—it helps us reach more people!

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    25 mins
  • Ep. 20: It's a Tool, Not a Rule
    Dec 12 2024

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    In this episode, Crystal shares a recent insight about how often—and how quickly—we can turn helpful health tools into rigid, must-follow rules, making life feel harder and more limiting than it needs to be. Together, we explore why we (innocently!) do this and how getting curious and leaning into flexibility can help us navigate life with chronic illness with more freedom and ease.

    If you’ve ever felt weighed down or overwhelmed by all of the rules surrounding your health, this episode is for you.

    Episode Links:

    • Coaching with Samantha: https://transformative-psych.com
    • Send us your thoughts or questions: livingwellpod@gmail.com
    • Please rate and review the podcast wherever you listen—it helps us reach more people!

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    24 mins
  • Ep. 19: Choice, Control & Letting Go of the Pressure to Decide (with Dr. Amy Johnson)
    Dec 5 2024

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    Join us on Patreon: Patreon.com/LivingWellPod

    In this episode, Crystal chats with Dr. Amy Johnson, psychologist, coach, and creator of The Little School of Big Change, about the mental weight we often carry around decision-making.

    We explore:

    - why choices, especially those related to our health, often feel so overwhelming

    - the illusion that our choices guarantee particular outcomes

    - the freedom that comes from letting go of the pressure to get it all “right”

    If you’ve ever felt stuck in indecision or burdened by self-blame over past choices, this conversation will challenge your assumptions and offer a lighter, more compassionate perspective on navigating health-related decisions, big and small.

    Episode Links:

    • Dr. Amy Johnson: https://dramyjohnson.com/
    • Coaching with Samantha: https://transformative-psych.com
    • Connect with us on Instagram and Facebook

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    32 mins
  • Ep. 18: Navigating the Holidays
    Nov 27 2024

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    Join us on Patreon: Patreon.com/LivingWellPod

    Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the US, we’re coming to you a day early with an episode about navigating the holidays with chronic illness. This time of year can bring such a mix of emotions — gratitude, excitement, wonder… overwhelm, loneliness, tension.

    In this episode, we’re sharing how we handle the ups and downs of the holiday season: what’s worked for us, how we deal with the challenges that remain, and how we’ve found more moments of peace and joy in the midst of it all.

    Whatever the rest of this year brings, we’re here to remind you: it’s okay to take it moment by moment and do what’s right for you.

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    We now have a SpeakPipe line where you can leave us short audio messages. Call in to suggest topics or guests for the show, share insights you've gained while listening, or let us know if you're interested in receiving free coaching from Crystal & Samantha on an upcoming episode.

    Episode Links:

    • Coaching with Samantha: https://transformative-psych.com
    • Connect with us on Instagram and Facebook

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    32 mins
  • Ep. 17: Living & Traveling with Autoimmune Disease (with Jen Lefforge)
    Nov 21 2024

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    This week, we’re excited to share a fun and inspiring conversation with our friend and YouTube creator, Jen Lefforge. Jen has built an incredible career as a travel and lifestyle vlogger while navigating the ups and downs of Hashimoto’s disease. We love her unapologetic approach to setting boundaries and how she’s refused to let her diagnosis define or limit her.

    Jen’s story is full of practical tips and encouraging insights about trusting your inner wisdom, designing a life that works for you, and saying “yes” to the adventures you’ve been dreaming about—even if you have health challenges.

    We hope you find as much inspiration in Jen’s journey as we did!

    Episode Links:

    • Find Jen at www.JenLefforge.com
    • Coaching with Samantha: https://transformative-psych.com
    • Connect with us on Instagram and Facebook

    We now have a SpeakPipe line where you can leave us short audio messages. Call in to suggest topics or guests for the show, share insights you've gained while listening, or let us know if you're interested in receiving free coaching from Crystal & Samantha on an upcoming episode.

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    40 mins
  • Ep. 16: You Can't Sneak a Thought Past Your Body
    Nov 14 2024

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    Join us on Patreon: Patreon.com/LivingWellPod

    In this episode, Crystal shares how post-election anxiety flared up her physical symptoms, reminding her of the importance of self-care and letting ourselves truly feel our feelings.

    This conversation isn’t about politics. It’s about how easily all of us can get caught up in anxious thinking about external events and how we tend to experience that thinking physically, especially when dealing with health conditions. As Mavis Karn says, “you can’t sneak a thought past your body.”

    If you've ever been thrown for a loop by what's going on around you, we hope this episode brings you some comfort and insight.

    We now have a SpeakPipe line where you can leave us short audio messages. Call in to suggest topics or guests for the show, share insights you've gained while listening, or let us know if you're interested in receiving free coaching from Crystal & Samantha on an upcoming episode.

    Episode Links:

    • Coaching with Samantha: https://transformative-psych.com
    • Connect with us on Instagram and Facebook

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    27 mins