Shows
Best Life After CancerMeditation for Cancer SurvivorsIn honor of Miles' birthday, his and my gift to you is this meditation for cancer survivors, which should help with fear, anxiety and maybe even chronic discomfort.
2024-08-0715 min
Best Life After CancerRecurrent Cancer and the Waiting GameThis podcast, written and recorded in June, talks about my husband and my journey with his recurrent head and neck cancer, as we waited for testing and surgery, and how I dealt with the struggles of managing my worries while we waited for testing, biopsies, and our surgical date. Waiting sucks, but there are things you can do to improve your experience.
2022-11-0916 min
Best Life After CancerCancer Recovery: Do You Need to Take Time Off?After loosing my son, Miles in a car accident, my mom unexpectedly from complications of endocarditis, dealing with my oldest son's depression and flashbacks to the accident, and navigating the diagnosis of a vocal cord cancer in my husband, I was struggling to navigate working as well. I talk today about how to know you need to take time off and what to do with that time.
2022-06-1319 min
Best Life After CancerRita's Story: Beating Metastatic MelanomaRita was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of melanoma, that rapidly spread to her nodes, then to her liver and elsewhere. Today, her scans are clear. Hear her story, with all of the challenges and triumphs that came along the way. She is an inspiration!
2022-02-1730 min
Best Life After CancerSurviving the Tsunami of a Crisis (with a focus on losing a child or receiving a life threatening diagnosis)I share some of the concrete steps I took to make it through the first five months after losing my 13 yo son, Miles. These same techniques will help newly diagnosed cancer patients in surviving their first months as well. I hope it helps you stay afloat, navigate the unpredictable currents, and eventually reach the shore.
2022-02-0219 min
"Write Your Best Chapter""The Miracle of Miles" Part 1In this very special episode, I invite back my dear friend and previous guest on this show, Dr. Deborah Butzbach, a radiation oncologist and a grieving mother who lost her 13 year old son due to an accident. Her decision to donate Miles's organs as he was in the ICU touched me deeply and I believe it is a story worth telling. I hope you enjoy this two part series.
2022-01-2822 min"Write Your Best Chapter""The Miracle of Miles" Part 1In this very special episode, I invite back my dear friend and previous guest on this show, Dr. Deborah Butzbach, a radiation oncologist and a grieving mother who lost her 13 year old son due to an accident. Her decision to donate Miles's organs as he was in the ICU touched me deeply and I believe it is a story worth telling. I hope you enjoy this two part series.
2022-01-2822 min
Best Life After CancerUnderstanding Grief from Cancer or LossThis podcast talks about grief - that it is normal and necessary. I talk about the stages of grief as I see them in my oncology patients, and as I experience them as a grieving parent.
2022-01-1717 min
Best Life After CancerAsking Food or Alcohol to be Comfort, Entertainment or JoySo often we ask food to be more than just the sustenance our bodies need. But when we do this, there are ALWAYS negative consequences. Understand why you are doing this and some insight on how to stop.
2022-01-0420 min
Best Life After CancerDealing with Trauma (and what people say!)Whether it is a death in the family, a cancer diagnosis or another trauma, what well-meaning family and friends say can be challenging. Today, I talk about both my experience with this, and share a letter from a follower of the podcast. Keep sending my messages about what you all want to hear about!
2021-11-2317 min
Best Life After CancerMichelle's Breast Reconstruction ChallengesMichelle went through mastectomies with implant reconstruction, and developed a significant capsular contraction, in part from radiation. She went on to have a latissimus flap reconstruction to repair this, and is now feeling great and enjoying life. This podcast was recorded the week before I lost Miles, and it is nice to hear me sounding happy, relaxed and care free.
2021-10-1128 min
Best Life After CancerTribute to MilesI lost my son, Miles, a week ago. It was in a tragic car accident. He was 13. I may be absent from this space for a bit as I grieve, but know that I will be back and share the wisdom that I’ve gained along the way.
https://www.princetonfriendsschool.org/support-pfs/miles-brackin-memorial-fund
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-a-wetsuit-under-an-umbrella/id1527899838?i=1000533237126
2021-08-3105 min
You Are Not BrokenThoughts Aren’t Real and Sex After CancerToday I am so excited to interview Dr. Deborah Butzbach, a doctor who treats cancer with radiation (radiation oncologist) in New Jersey and coach who has her own podcast, “Best life After Cancer”.
She is an expert in mindfulness and the power of our thoughts creating our circumstances.
“In life we get to decide how we think about things”
Today we are going to get her thoughts on sex after a cancer diagnosis.
She believes the mental aspect of cancer treatment is everything
How do you see people getting through...
2021-08-2934 min
Best Life After CancerCervical Cancer following Pregnancy: Natasha's StoryThis is a great, heartfelt, honest look at the treatment for cervical cancer, the long term effects and the stigma of the diagnosis, from a very lovely new mother.
2021-08-2339 min
Best Life After CancerCovid Update and How to Talk to Family and Friends about the VaccineThe news is buzzing with all sorts of speculation on the Delta Variant, and social media is abuzz with both those pushing others to get the vaccine and those trumpeting vaccine horror stories. Who to believe? In this podcast, I summarize the two things I read and heard lately that I found most useful. The first is a NYT podcast by Ezra Klein, interviewing NYU medical school epidemiologist Dr. Celine Gounder (listen here:https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/06/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-celine-gounder.html) and the other is a CNN article by Peter Bregman and Howard Jacobson (read here:https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/05/opinions/how...
2021-08-0928 min
Best Life After CancerMeredith's story - 15 yr survivor of TNBC in her 30's!Meredith got triple negative breast cancer in her 30's, when her daughter was 19 months old. She had a goal of seeing her daughter go to kindergarten. Now, she is 15 years out, and watched her daughter strike out the top softball recruit in the US! She tells us her 2 week rule, and why she thinks you need to balance quality of life in treatment decisions.
2021-08-0235 min
Best Life After CancerMired in Menopause!?!This episode goes through options for many of the side effects of perimenopause: hot flashes, vaginal dryness, sexual changes, and more. If post cancer, you have been thrust into menopause, help is here!
2021-07-2619 min
Best Life After CancerShannon's Story: A Nurse's Journey with Triple Negative Breast CancerShannon, a long time nurse, was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, was planning for a clinical trial, then also found to have thyroid cancer. She took all of this in stride, had chemotherapy with a pathologic complete response, mastectomies and thyroid surgery. She shares her tips for feeling good at the end of treatment, and some of the insights from a healthcare worker turned patient!
2021-07-1926 min
Best Life After CancerCreating a Compelling Reason to Live HealthyThis is part of one of the classes in my Best Life After Cancer's Weight Loss program. It helps you to really dig into why you want to lose weight or decrease alcohol, and leverage those reasons to help follow your plan. This work is so important if you want to permanently change habits and create new, healthy ones!
2021-07-1214 min
Best Life After CancerLiving as Your Future Self, aka "Fake It Til You Make It"Our brains have so much wisdom. We can ask ourselves who we would be if we were at our goals, and then make decisions from that place. I call this "living as your ideal self" but a client calls it "fake it til you make it". Either way, it is a technique in your toolkit to help you follow your plans and achieve your goals.
2021-07-0518 min
Best Life After CancerPauline's Story and Cancer Care in IrelandThis is Pauline's story - as always, uplifting and motivating, with a bit of a twist with a discussion of the cyber attack on the Irish Medical System!
2021-06-2731 min
Best Life After CancerFear, Part 2 - WHY Fear NEEDS to be Addressed!There is so much good to know here - the havoc chronic fear wreaks on our bodies, why we tell patients to avoid blogs, and how some people use fear to their advantage!
2021-06-2016 min
Best Life After CancerUnderstanding Fear - How Our Brains Work!Understanding how our brains and bodies experience fear can help us know how to manipulate and work with it. Learn the neuroscience and chemistry of fear in this episode, along with how and why cancer patients in particular struggle with fear.
2021-06-1418 min
Best Life After CancerJanet's Story: How Running Kept Her Positive after a Lymph Node RecurrenceNot many people make a pact with themselves to walk 30 minutes every single day of their cancer treatment and run whenever they are able. Janet proves what is possible during chemo, and what's more, that our mental wellbeing is often linked to our physical wellbeing. You will love hearing how she stayed positive, even after the devastating finding of a significant lymph node recurrence!
2021-06-0729 min
Best Life After CancerObstacles to Weight LossIf we don’t address these obstacles come out weight loss is almost guaranteed to fail. Today we talk about how parts of our brain can be used to help or hinder weight loss, what we’re asking food to do in our lives and how to identify the challenges that may face us. If you’re interested in the weight loss webinar, you can access it here: https://www.bestlifeaftercancer.com/WtGain
2021-06-0119 min
Best Life After CancerThe Math and Science of Weight GainWeight loss is not just calories in less than calories out. There is so much more. Listen to this episode to understand the role of insulin and weight set point.
2021-05-2420 min
Best Life After CancerFeeling Empty After Cancer TreatmentRecently, I have heard from more and more patients that they feel empty after treatment. Why is this so? Today, I try to unpack this and give some tips to help you recover your " joi de vivre".
2021-05-1717 min
Best Life After CancerElisa's Story - Breast Cancer WisdomElisa has some of the greatest tips so far on how to manage the overwhelm that comes when one is newly diagnosed with cancer. I love how she set up a system to have all of the contact from friends and family organized and screened ahead - it is something I will recommend to patients in the future! She is also an amazing success story in how coaching helps after cancer! Enjoy!
2021-05-1027 min
Best Life After Cancer1 year anniversary - The Big Take Home Messages!This is a recap of the first year - what I really want you to take to heart and work on! New 12 months to better health freebie here: https://www.bestlifeaftercancer.com/freebies
2021-05-0219 min
Best Life After CancerOlivia, founder of Humor Beats Cancer, tells her cancer storyOlivia was in her 30's when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she found that a bit of dark humor helped her get through this, but also made her feel even more alone. Did others find parts of their cancer treatment funny? She now runs a nonprofit, helping to spread joy and laughter to patients with her group, Humor Beats Cancer, where young people with cancer are invited to connect and share support and stories.
2021-04-2625 min
Best Life After CancerUnderstanding DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma in Situ)DCIS is a less aggressive type of breast cancer, but still comes with challenges. This week is part science, and part mindset, to help patients have the best experience and outcomes with this diagnosis.
2021-04-1920 min
Best Life After CancerDr. Faryal Michaud: Having Difficult Conversations and Living IntentionallyToday we have the privilege of hearing from Dr. Faryal Michaud, from the "Write Your Last Chapter" podcast and Blog. She is a palliative care doctor and life coach working with physicians on living intentionally. If these things seem like polar opposites, she will tell you how this came to be. She shares her wisdom on having conversations early with family about the "plan b" in treatment, why we should live our bucket lists sooner rather than later, and how to live a life intentionally.
2021-04-1230 min
Best Life After Cancer4 Different Cancers in 15 years - My Dad's StoryThis episode is near and dear to my heart. It is my sweet Dad's story. He has survived and thrived through an acoustic neuroma (benign brain tumor), a rare kidney tumor, non-hodgkin's lymphoma and a basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid. He is also now struggling with worsening Alzheimer's. We talk about his mindset, how we talked to my kids about his illness, and what he especially loves about his family. I adore this man.
2021-04-0528 min
Best Life After CancerThe 50/50 of Every Human Life (especially after cancer!)All life is composed of some good, some bad and some boring. But if we try to force it to all be good, paradoxically, we increase the bad! This is something we can work on and change, along with living in victim mentality.
2021-03-3016 min
Best Life After CancerPregnancy after CancerIn this episode, I attempted to review all of the recent literature on pregnancy after cancer. This needs to be run by your primary team but can be used as a resource to understand the options.
2021-03-2421 min
Best Life After CancerBucket Lists and Living IntentionallyWhat is the best way to get what you want from life? By deciding what you want, and planning for it to happen. This podcast talks about why we should all make a bucket list TODAY.
2021-03-1514 min
Best Life After CancerAlex's Story - a 10 year survivor of metastatic renal cell carcinomaThis is Alex's story. This man, who came to the US at 7 when his family fled Vietnam. Through perseverance and hard work, he was accepted to medical school, becoming a respected anesthesiologist. He was diagnosed with a renal cell carcinoma in his 30's, less than a week after finding out that his wife was pregnant with their third child. He then got the news that he had a genetic mutation leading to extremely aggressive cancers, called HLRCC. His cancer recurred quickly after his initial surgery, and then metastasized to his liver. Yet, through clinical trials, targeted treatments and a lot of pra...
2021-03-0737 min
Best Life After CancerUnderstanding Metastatic DiseaseThere are is so much fear and incorrect information surrounding the diagnosis of metastatic disease in cancer treatment. This podcast will help you understand how it happens, what it means, and some of the common treatments.
2021-03-0115 min
Best Life After CancerPost-Cancer PTSDThis is a relatively new diagnosis, and may be overlooked by both clinicians and patients themselves, but treating it can improve outcomes, along with compliance to treatment protocols. Listen to learn more about what PTSD can look like, who it is most likely to affect, and how I personally dealt with PTSD and flashbacks after an accident in our family.
2021-02-2218 min
Best Life After CancerBreast Cancer Reconstruction Options with Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Alex AuToday we talk all things reconstruction: DIEP Flaps, Implants, 3D Nipple Tattooing and more. With special guest, Dr. Alex Au.
2021-02-1529 min
Best Life After CancerThe Three Reasons You Aren't Taking ActionWe know what we should be doing, but we are not. Why is that? Listen to this episode to understand 3 of the most common things keeping us stuck where we are.
2021-02-0814 min
Best Life After CancerCovid-19: Vaccine Information for the Cancer SurvivorThis is an oncologist's overview of Covid, testing, vaccines, who qualifies and should get them.
2021-02-0117 min
Best Life After CancerChallenges of High Achieving Women After CancerImposter syndrome is something that many high achieving women face at some point during their career, and I believe it is likely worse for many women following treatment. Learn what it is, and how I deal with this in my life. Yep, you guessed it, I have experienced it, too!
2021-01-2516 min
Best Life After Cancer7 Steps to Freedom From Worry After CancerWith only a few changes, you can decrease worry significantly. These changes are not difficult to understand, but life changing when implemented. If additional help making the changes is needed, get information about the upcoming Freedom From Cancer Fear program here: https://www.bestlifeaftercancer.com/group-coaching-introduction
2021-01-1814 min
Best Life After CancerInterview with Joanne, an 8 year survivor of metastatic disease!So many people think a diagnosis of metastatic disease is a 6 months to dead death sentence. She is here to help you see what is possible, and is living her best life despite liver and brain mets!
2021-01-1120 min
Best Life After CancerIf Thoughts Are Optional, Why Do We Choose Ones That Make Us Feel Awful?If our thoughts are optional, why do we choose one that create misery? How do we recognize the original thought? What is the process to change them? Listen to this podcast to find out.
2021-01-0620 min
Best Life After CancerHoliday Expectations and Why They Are ChallengingThe holidays are a challenging time emotionally for many people. It is in part because we have grand expectations, and reality doesn't meet them, leading to disappointment. Work through some of these thought challenges in this episode.
Please note - it discusses that I am away. We have travelled responsibly, and are taking social distancing seriously!
2020-12-2116 min
Best Life After CancerEverything You Wanted to Know About Radiation and Breast CancerAs a rad Onc, I do this all day. But this is something completely new for most patients. Here is all the explanation, everything you wanted to know without even having to ask it!
2020-12-1417 min
Best Life After CancerAre You Thriving or Just Surviving After Cancer?Michelle, a client and friend, told me that after cancer she was searching for a way to thrive, not just survive. I loved this so much, I dedicated an entire podcast to it. I think it is important. Just surviving is NOT enough. We want to be thriving. In this podcast, I describe both, and how to take steps to become a thriver. Michelle, this one is for you - thank you for the inspiration!
2020-12-0715 min
Best Life After CancerThe Health Benefits of a Gratitude PracticeThanksgiving week seems like the perfect time to tell everyone about the myriad of benefits from a gratitude practice. Have a lovely holiday!
2020-11-3011 min
Best Life After CancerBreast Cancer - Where We’ve Been and Where We Are Going with Dr. Arnie BaskiesI am so excited to be able to bring you this chat with the former Chairman of the Board of the American Cancer Society. Hear where breast cancer treatment started and where it is going!
2020-11-1630 min
Best Life After CancerChallenging Ourselves to Create our EmotionsThis month I challenged myself to be an example of what coaching can do. I wanted to go from hating fall to loving it, and I wanted to stop feeling like life was on hold waiting for Covid to pass. In this podcast, I teach you how to do it, and what you can create in your life. If you are living thinking you have to hate your job, your marriage, having a history of cancer, then let's create a new path.
2020-11-0517 min
Best Life After CancerShana's Story - A Node Positive, Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor and ThriverShana's story is heartfelt, and honest. It touches on so many of the fears of the TNBC community, and how she made it through and is thriving in her current life. I am so happy she was willing to share this story with us!
2020-10-2923 min
Best Life After CancerUnderstanding Triple Negative Breast CancerFor all of those who asked me to do a podcast specifically on triple negative breast cancer, here it is. I went over what it is, the normal treatment of this and I dispel some myths along the way. I hope you find it helpful!
2020-10-2216 min
Best Life After CancerKatie's Story - Her 2 Positive Breast Cancer at 40This podcast tells a 2 generational story, of Ann's more than decade long battle with lung cancer, metastatic to her brain, and her daughter, Katie's subsequent diagnosis of Her 2 positive breast cancer. Katie is a family member, and this story is uplifting and touching. This episode is a long one, but the story of a moment between mother and daughter right at the end is worth spending the time.
2020-10-1731 min
Best Life After CancerScans After Breast Cancer Treatment: How Often and WhyIf you have asked why more scans aren’t done after your breast cancer treatment completes, this frank discussion will help answer your questions.
2020-10-0817 min
Best Life After CancerJustin's Story - Pediatric Leukemia and Transplant SurvivorThis is the story of Justin Pritikin, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in 6th grade. He recurred twice in high school, and is now a survivor of a bone marrow transplant, and a thriving Villanova student. His Ted talk (Holding On To Normal) is available at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_UYVew7TEY
He is an upbeat, truly inspiring young man, and I know you will love his story!
2020-10-0428 min
Best Life After CancerWhy Anger Hinders Treatment and CureYou have the right to be angry. But if it is affecting how you show up in your cancer care, it may be counterproductive. Listen to a scenario showing this, and evaluate if you need to work on your anger. If you do, this discusses how to do it, and why it may be so present in your life currently.
2020-09-2515 min
Best Life After CancerAn Inflammatory Breast Cancer Survivor's StoryThis is an interview with Esther, diagnosed with a Stage III, locally advanced, inflammatory breast cancer in her 40's. She shares how she coped, what she learned, and how it has changed her. This is an inspiring and uplifting story, and I am honored to share her journey with you. It’s a long one, but I didn’t want to cut any of it!!!
2020-09-1828 min
Best Life After CancerLiving Well After Cancer By Improving Strength and FitnessPractical help to get over the hump and start exercising after cancer, major surgery and more.
2020-09-1418 min
Best Life After CancerSex after cancer - interview with urologist Dr. Kelly CaspersenAll the details you wish you could ask your oncologist or urologist but are too embarrassed! It is all normal - as Dr. Caspersen says, “You are not broken!”
2020-09-0418 min
Best Life After CancerWhen People Say The Wrong ThingDuring and after cancer treatment, a trauma or the death of a loved one, we often feel like other people’s comments are not helpful, or are outright harmful. Explore ways to deal with this in today’s podcast.
2020-08-2820 min
Best Life After CancerA Sarcoma Survival StoryIn this interview, I have the opportunity to speak with medical dosimetrist Chris Moore about working in radiation oncology and then being diagnosed with an aggressive sarcoma. His story is inspiring and uplifting.
2020-08-2125 min
Best Life After CancerRewriting Your StoryIn this episode, I talk to you about how I rewrote my life story to be some thing that made me feel strong, resourceful and blessed. I teach you how to go through this and do it as well. You can also get more info at bestlifeaftetcancer.com or on my Facebook page Best Life After Cancer MD. Join me there for more help and resources.
2020-08-0722 min
Best Life After CancerDealing With Fear or Guilt From Heritable ConditionsIn this episode, I talk about my experience with a family member with Alzheimer’s and how this applies to people with heritable family conditions like cancer genes or a strong family history of cancer. We go over how to adress your fear, how to release your guilt and how to feel better about the situation in general.
2020-07-2319 min
Best Life After CancerPurposeful Creation of JoyHow are you living life? Wallowing in fear, or creating joy? Listen now to hear how to work to purposefully create more joy.
2020-07-0819 min
Best Life After CancerCancer Survivorship - the Significant Benefit in Survival from ExerciseThis week, I explain the amazing increases in survival from simply exercising. This can be as great as the benefit from chemotherapy in some cancers. The importance of this cannot be underestimated!
2020-07-0317 min
Best Life After CancerChoosing Your Food ProtocolIn this episode, I delve into what I recommend in terms of food and how to create the perfect protocol for you!
2020-06-2519 min
Best Life After CancerWeight Loss for Cancer PatientsThis episode continues the work from episode 7 with how to lose weight and keep it off permanently by working on reducing food urges.
2020-06-1820 min
Best Life After CancerHow Your Hormones Affect Your WeightThis week we review the hormones that interact and affect weight and how we can optimize them. Optimizing our hormones in conjunction with behavior modification is the absolute most effective way to reduce weight and keep it off permanently. If you’re struggling with your weight, cancer patient or not, this episode is for you!
2020-06-1121 min
Best Life After CancerFeel Better NowThis episode walks you through how to feel better, whether it is after cancer, during a pandemic or in the midst of civil unrest.
2020-06-0421 min
Best Life After CancerBody Image Changes After CancerToday, we talk about changes in body image after cancer and how it affects how you look and feel about yourself. I teach techniques on how to come to terms with your new body and even learn to love it.
2020-05-2919 min
Best Life After CancerSurvivorship & the Most Important Changes You Can MakeThis week, we discuss survivorship, what it means, and what the most beneficial changes you can make are.
2020-05-2120 min
Best Life After CancerHow Our Primitive Brains Mislead UsThis week, we explore the two parts of our brain, the primitive brain and the prefrontal cortex, and how they are sometimes work in opposition (and what challenges that brings us in modern day life!)
2020-05-1420 min
Best Life After CancerThe Difference Between Thoughts and CircumstancesToday, we go through the differences between thoughts and circumstances. I teach you how to begin to identify which are which, what learning this difference can do in your life, and how this can significantly improve your perspective on your cancer.
2020-05-0721 min
Best Life After CancerLiving Your Best Life After Cancer - WELCOME!This podcast is based on proven life coaching techniques aimed at helping you overcome fear, anxiety and other challenges after having cancer. It is hosted by board certified radiation oncologist, Dr. Deborah Butzbach.
2020-05-0217 min