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IT's Therapy Thursday!!

A doctor once told Tim McDonald he had three years to live. Tim didn’t accept that as the end of the story, and he didn’t try to “positive-think” his way out of reality either. He got curious, asked harder questions, tracked what his body was doing during chemo, and kept building a plan that matched his goals. What unfolds is a raw, practical conversation about stage 4 colorectal cancer, the shock of diagnosis, and what treatment is really like when fatigue, nausea, neuropathy, and scanxiety become part of the calendar.

Tim shares how online patient communities helped him discover an option no one had brought to him early on: liver transplant for select colorectal cancer patients with liver-only metastases. We dig into what the living donor search feels like, why the waiting can be more emotionally draining than chemo, and how hope changes when you finally see a path off lifelong treatment. We also talk about the part people don’t prepare you for: survivorship mental health, grief, and the strange weight of losing friends you met through advocacy and support spaces.

Along the way, we pull out clear self-advocacy lessons you can use right now, whether you’re facing cancer or any chronic illness: get multiple opinions until you believe what you hear, find specialists who know the nuances, and remember you’re allowed to choose your care team. If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with someone who needs hope, and leave a review. What’s one question you want to ask your doctor after listening?

Tim McDonald is a stage IV colorectal cancer survivor, patient advocate, podcast host, and author. After being diagnosed with metastatic colorectal cancer in 2020, Tim transformed one of the most difficult seasons of his life into a mission of hope, support, and advocacy. Drawing from his experiences navigating fear, uncertainty, mental health challenges, and survivorship, he now mentors patients, advances cancer research initiatives, and helps others find purpose through adversity. Tim serves as a Research Advocate with Fight Colorectal Cancer, leads the Florida chapter of Man Up To Cancer, hosts the Advocacy at Work podcast, and is the author of From Patient to Advocate: Turning Survivorship into Impact.

https://advocacyatwork.com

https://manuprocancer.org

https://COLONTOWN.org

https://FightCRC.org

https://www.patientadvocate.org/ (formerly PAN Foundation)

From Patient to Advocate: Turning Survivorship Into Impact — Available on Amazon

Support the show

Host Candace Patrice
Co-host Janet Hale

visit the website at https://www.essentialmotivation.com/
Instagram instagram.com/essentialmotivationllc

visit Janet's website https://haleempowermentllc.com/

To be a guest on our show email me at candacefleming@essentialmotivation.com
In the subject line put EMH Guest

Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988

Music by Lukrembo: https://soundcloud.com/lukrembo
Provided by Knowledge Base: https://bit.ly/2BdvqzN

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It's Therapy Thursday!!

Survival can be the loudest chapter, but the quiet that comes after is where so many of the real questions hit. We sit down with Nerissa Balland, a therapeutic arts practitioner, visual artist, and the author of Canvas of Courage, to talk about what it means to rebuild your identity after cancer, trauma, grief, or any life-altering change that leaves you feeling emotionally disoriented. Her story begins with a metastatic melanoma diagnosis while she’s five months pregnant, and it opens into something bigger: how we carry unprocessed emotion when there are no words for it.

Nerissa shares the line that reframed healing for us: “Broken crayons still color.” We dig into why creativity is not about making “good art,” but about giving fear, grief, guilt, and survival mode somewhere to go. We talk presence over perfection, the pressure to look strong, and what it changes when our kids see us rest, cry, and recover instead of pretending we have it all together.

We also get honest about survivorship, including the guilt of outliving others, the PTSD that can linger, and why “fake positivity” can backfire. Along the way, we challenge modern speed culture and quick-fix self-care, and we point toward tools that actually hold up: asking for help, building community, and using grounding practices like music, movement, breath work, and visual expression to reconnect with yourself.

If this conversation gives you language for something you’ve been carrying, subscribe, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more listeners can find it. What’s one emotion you wish you had a safer place to put down?

Nerissa was diagnosed with cancer while five months pregnant. She didn't write a book about surviving. She wrote one about what happens after, and why so many people fall apart once the adrenaline stops. Her work gives your listeners a framework for processing what they've been through, whether they're currently in it or years out.

Canvas of Courage
The Art of Healing, Hope, and Gratitude for Young Mothers Facing Cancer

Available on Amazon & Barnes & Noble

Art Website

• IG: @nerissaballandart
• Support patient access to Canvas of Courage: GoFundMe

Support the show

Host Candace Patrice
Co-host Janet Hale

visit the website at https://www.essentialmotivation.com/
Instagram instagram.com/essentialmotivationllc

visit Janet's website https://haleempowermentllc.com/

To be a guest on our show email me at candacefleming@essentialmotivation.com
In the subject line put EMH Guest

Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988

Music by Lukrembo: https://soundcloud.com/lukrembo
Provided by Knowledge Base: https://bit.ly/2BdvqzN

Send us Fan Mail

It's Therapy Thursday!

Sex can be joyful, grounding, spiritual, and deeply connecting and it can also be wrapped in pressure, shame, secrecy, and survival. We go there with honesty, starting from everyday body image and self-talk, then opening up a bigger conversation about sexual wellness, boundaries, and what it means to choose intimacy on purpose.

We break down abstinence vs celibacy in plain language, and we talk about why some people step back from sex for mental clarity, healing, or self-respect. From there, we explore sex as a “spiritual dance,” the kind of connection that gets better when you know your power, communicate clearly, and stop treating pleasure like something you have to earn. We also touch on tantric sex and mindful intimacy, including how slowing down can shift the whole experience from performance to presence.

Then we get serious about consent and sexual shame. We talk about coercion, manipulation, and why “giving in” is not the same as a free yes. We also name how trauma, molestation, and rape can distort self-blame, especially when people feel pressured to stay quiet or when bystanders ignore what’s happening. If you’re supporting someone in an abusive situation, we share why judgment often backfires, why leaving can be dangerous or complicated, and why paying attention to early red flags matters.

If this conversation helps you feel seen, share it with someone you trust, subscribe for more, and leave a review so more people can find Essential Mental Healing. What’s one thing you wish everyone understood about consent and healthy intimacy?

Support the show

Host Candace Patrice
Co-host Janet Hale

visit the website at https://www.essentialmotivation.com/
Instagram instagram.com/essentialmotivationllc

visit Janet's website https://haleempowermentllc.com/

To be a guest on our show email me at candacefleming@essentialmotivation.com
In the subject line put EMH Guest

Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988

Music by Lukrembo: https://soundcloud.com/lukrembo
Provided by Knowledge Base: https://bit.ly/2BdvqzN