8 Years To Live

Surviving cancer is one thing. Learning how to live again is another.

In Episode 18 of 8 Years to Live, Kim and Bibi continue their conversation with breast cancer survivor Summer Gomez, exploring the emotional and physical realities of life after cancer.

Summer opens up about undergoing a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction, the difficulty of accepting a body that no longer feels like her own, and her decision to transform her surgical scars into artwork through tattoos.

She also shares the unexpected emotional weight of losing her hair during chemotherapy, the survivor's guilt she experienced while watching other patients struggle, and how the kindness of others helped her recognize the impact she was having on people around her.

But perhaps the most powerful part of Summer's story is how cancer changed her perspective on life.

After years of struggling with depression and negativity, Summer found herself facing a life-threatening diagnosis that forced her to confront how much she wanted to live. Seven years cancer-free, she now approaches life, relationships, and her own happiness with a different sense of purpose.

This conversation is about more than breast cancer. It's about identity, resilience, body image, self-acceptance, and choosing to build a life worth living even after everything changes.

Summer also shares an important reminder about listening to your body, advocating for your health, and seeking medical attention when something doesn't feel right.

If you haven't watched Episode 17, start there to hear the beginning of Summer's story.

Looking for therapy in Las Vegas?

Visit Live Lighter Therapy to learn more about support for trauma, anxiety, body image, relationships, and personal growth.

#8YearsToLive #LiveLighterTherapy #BreastCancerSurvivor #LifeAfterCancer #BreastCancerAwareness #SurvivorsGuilt #BodyImage #MentalHealth #SelfAcceptance #LasVegasTherapy

What happens when you survive cancer, but your relationship with your body is never quite the same?

In Episode 17 of 8 Years to Live, Kim and Bibi sit down with Summer Gomez to hear her deeply personal story of breast cancer, survival, body image, and learning to embrace life after a diagnosis that changed everything.

Summer shares how she discovered her breast cancer unexpectedly, what it was like navigating chemotherapy and a mastectomy, and the physical and emotional challenges of breast reconstruction.

She opens up about losing her hair, struggling to accept help from others, and feeling disconnected from her body even years after treatment. From the scars of surgery to finding confidence through tattoos, Summer's story reveals a side of cancer recovery that doesn't always get talked about.

But this conversation goes beyond surviving breast cancer.

Summer also reflects on her past struggles with depression, how facing cancer challenged the way she viewed her own life, and why she now chooses to live with greater intention and gratitude.

Through honest conversations about medical experiences, body image, mental health, and resilience, Kim, Bibi, and Summer explore what it means to rebuild your relationship with yourself after life changes your body.

Whether you've experienced cancer yourself, supported someone through treatment, or struggled to feel at home in your own body, this conversation offers a personal perspective on healing and learning to live again.

Looking for therapy in Las Vegas?

If today's conversation resonated with you and you're looking for support with trauma, anxiety, body image, medical trauma, or personal growth, visit Live Lighter Therapy in Las Vegas to learn more about Kim's counseling practice and available services.

#8YearsToLive #LiveLighterTherapy #BreastCancerAwareness #BreastCancerSurvivor #LifeAfterCancer #BodyImage #MentalHealth #CancerRecovery #LasVegasTherapy

How much of your life have you held back because you were worried about what other people might think?

In Episode 16 of 8 Years to Live, Kim and Bibi continue their conversation with Ademaro, a young musician and songwriter navigating creativity, anxiety, self-expression, and the pressures of growing into adulthood.

In Part 2, Ademaro opens up about the fear of being judged, the pressure to fit into other people's expectations, and how overthinking once kept him from friendships, relationships, and opportunities.

He shares how writing poetry in eighth grade sparked his love for creative expression, why making music has become an important outlet for processing his emotions, and what he's learning about creating art without letting other people's opinions define him.

The conversation also explores parenting children who struggle with anxiety and rumination, finding healthy outlets for overwhelming thoughts, and the importance of having people in your life who recognize when you're struggling.

Ademaro reflects on his relationship with his parents, the friendships that challenged him to step outside his comfort zone, and the advice he would give his younger self.

Because sometimes the biggest thing standing between you and the life you want to live is the fear of how others might see you.

If you missed Part 1 of this conversation, start with Episode 15 to hear more about Ademaro's experiences with anxiety, vulnerability, and learning to communicate his needs.

Listen to Ademaro's music:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/45JpMlxBVqvepBSlv8rij6?si=Oz6QIjS_TGGIVIBt_g2xRQ&utm_source=copy-link

Looking for therapy in Las Vegas?
If today's conversation resonated with you and you're looking for support with anxiety, overthinking, trauma, nervous system regulation, or personal growth, visit Live Lighter Therapy in Las Vegas to learn more about Kim's counseling practice and available services.

#8YearsToLive #LiveLighterTherapy #Anxiety #Overthinking #MentalHealth #SelfExpression #PersonalGrowth #Therapy

What happens when your mind won’t slow down and everything starts to feel like too much?

In Episode 15 of 8 Years to Live, Kim and Bibi have an honest conversation about anxiety, overthinking, rumination, vulnerability, relationships, and learning how to communicate what you actually need.

Their guest, Ademaro, shares the phrase he learned to use when he felt overwhelmed: “My shoes are too tight.”

It became a simple way of saying: This is too much right now.

The conversation explores the fear of what other people think, learning to be vulnerable even when it feels uncomfortable, asking for reassurance in relationships, and recognizing how much overthinking can hold us back.

They also talk about an important realization: the people who love you may already see what you’re going through. You may not be hiding it as well as you think — and being seen doesn’t have to be something to fear.

Sometimes healing starts with being honest about what’s happening inside.

Looking for therapy in Las Vegas?

If today's conversation resonated with you and you're looking for support with trauma, anxiety, nervous system regulation, relationships, or personal growth, visit Live Lighter Therapy in Las Vegas to learn more about Kim's counseling practice and available services.

Listen to Ademaro's music today
https://open.spotify.com/artist/45JpMlxBVqvepBSlv8rij6?si=Oz6QIjS_TGGIVIBt_g2xRQ&utm_source=copy-link

Topics discussed:
Anxiety
Overthinking and rumination
Vulnerability
Mental health
Relationships and communication
Asking for what you need
Emotional honesty
Self-confidence
Personal growth
Therapy

#8YearsToLive #LiveLighterTherapy #Anxiety #Overthinking #MentalHealth #Therapy #Vulnerability #Relationships

Who were you before everyone else told you who you were supposed to be?

In this episode of 8 Years to Live, Kim and Bibi sit down with their longtime friend Talia Martin for a deeply personal conversation about identity, culture, family, faith, belonging, and learning to live outside the expectations other people place on us.

Talia grew up navigating multiple worlds. Raised by a single mother on the reservation, she shares her Native American, Japanese, and African American heritage, the complicated history within her family, and how those experiences shaped her understanding of community, culture, and belonging.

She also opens up about growing up Mormon, questioning the beliefs and expectations she was given, exploring her sexuality, and eventually realizing that she had the freedom to decide for herself who she wanted to be.

The conversation explores what happens when the standards around us—family expectations, religion, race, culture, professionalism, gender, and social norms—don't fit who we actually are.

Talia also shares how reconnecting with her Native culture became an important source of identity and healing. She talks about honoring the land, protecting cultural traditions, the importance of community, and why living collectively can look very different from the individualism many of us are accustomed to.

And because Talia has known Kim and Bibi since they were teenagers, the conversation also offers a glimpse into their shared history. They reflect on friendship, childhood, the homes they escaped to, what families can look like from the outside, and the things we sometimes don't understand about our childhood until decades later.

At the heart of the conversation is a question worth asking:

How much of who you are was chosen by you—and how much was handed to you by someone else?

8 Years to Live is hosted by Kim and Bibi, with honest conversations about trauma, relationships, mental health, childhood, healing, identity, and the experiences that shape who we become.

Kim Rowley is a therapist and founder of Live Lighter Therapy, a Las Vegas therapy practice focused on helping people understand their stories, relationships, emotional patterns, trauma, and healing.

🎙️ 8 Years to Live with Kim & Bibi

Learn more about Talia's people at https://shobanfestival.com

#8YearsToLive #LiveLighterTherapy #LasVegasTherapy #LasVegasTherapist #Identity #Healing #MentalHealth #TraumaHealing #NativeAmerican #IndigenousVoices #LGBTQ #FamilyTrauma #ReligiousTrauma #Authenticity #PersonalGrowth

What happens when something said to you as a child becomes part of the story you believe about yourself?

In this episode of 8 Years to Live, sisters Kim and Bibi sit down with Whitney Richardson, host of The Nativist podcast, for an honest conversation about OCD, ADHD, eating disorders, intrusive thoughts, shame, self-worth, and the healing power of feeling truly seen.

Whitney opens up about her current relapse into disordered eating and excessive exercise, what OCD actually looks and feels like in her life, and the difficult gap between intellectually understanding what’s happening and actually changing deeply rooted patterns.

The conversation eventually reaches an even deeper question: Where did the belief that “I’m unlovable” come from?

Whitney shares how being labeled and compared to others as a young child shaped the way she saw herself—and how those messages can follow us long after childhood ends.

Together, Whitney, Kim, and Bibi explore the importance of finding safe people, giving language to experiences we’re ashamed to talk about, questioning the labels we’ve carried, and learning to meet ourselves with greater compassion.

Because sometimes healing begins when someone sees the parts of you you’ve been trying to hide—and stays.

Connect with Whitney:
Listen to The Nativist podcast to hear more of Whitney’s thoughtful conversations about mental health, culture, relationships, and the human experience.

Looking for therapy in Las Vegas?
Connect with Live Lighter Therapy for support with trauma, anxiety, relationships, nervous system regulation, self-worth, and personal growth in Las Vegas, Nevada.

8 Years to Live is a Las Vegas mental health podcast exploring therapy, trauma, relationships, healing, nervous system health, and what it means to live lighter.

Why can one person’s communication style feel completely natural to them—and completely frustrating to you?

In this episode of 8 Years to Live, sisters Kim and Bibi explore the Color Code personality framework and how understanding personality differences can help us better understand ourselves, our relationships, and the way we communicate.

Using the four personality colors—red, blue, white, and yellow—Kim and Bibi unpack their own strengths, limitations, communication styles, and the ways their differences have shaped their relationship. They talk about being direct versus avoiding conflict, the need for connection, learning to express anger, family roles, boundaries, and what happens when our strengths show up in unhealthy ways.

Kim also shares how greater self-awareness has helped her become gentler and more connected in her relationships and work as a therapist, while Bibi talks about learning to communicate more directly instead of shutting down or feeling overwhelmed by confrontation.

The goal isn’t to put yourself or anyone else in a box. It’s to become curious about why you communicate, react, and connect the way you do—and how greater self-awareness can help create healthier relationships.

What color are you?
Take the official free Color Code Personality Assessment at ColorCode.com and find out whether your primary color is Red, Blue, White, or Yellow.

Looking for therapy in Las Vegas?
Connect with Live Lighter Therapy for support with trauma, anxiety, relationships, communication, boundaries, nervous system regulation, and personal growth in Las Vegas, Nevada.

8 Years to Live is a Las Vegas mental health podcast exploring therapy, trauma, relationships, nervous system regulation, healing, self-awareness, and personal growth through honest conversations between sisters Kim and Bibi.

What does a safe relationship actually feel like—especially if safety wasn’t something you experienced growing up?

In this episode of 8 Years to Live, Kim and Bibi are joined by their close friend Haley Hardman for a conversation about secure attachment, childhood emotional safety, healthy relationships, and what it looks like to navigate conflict without losing connection.

Haley grew up in a home where she felt safe, supported, and deeply known by her parents. Emotions were allowed, conflict was addressed, accountability came with conversation, and difficult moments didn’t threaten the security of the relationship. For Kim and Bibi, hearing what that looked like offers a striking contrast to some of their own childhood experiences.

The conversation becomes especially personal as Bibi and Haley explore their friendship and the ways Haley has helped Bibi experience safety, vulnerability, healthy communication, and conflict resolution differently in adulthood. Bibi shares what it was like to recognize that her body felt safe with someone, invite Haley into vulnerable moments during the Safe and Sound Protocol, and discover that disagreement doesn’t have to mean disconnection.

They also talk about people-pleasing, avoiding confrontation, resentment, emotional regulation, neurofeedback, therapy, trauma recovery, and learning how to repair relationships instead of sweeping conflict under the rug.

As Haley puts it: “Don’t avoid conflict for the sake of comfort, because comfort can only last so long, and unresolved conflict can be a beast that truly becomes unmanageable.”

This episode explores what can happen when we experience relationships where it’s safe to ask questions, express emotions, have difficult conversations, and still know the other person is for us.

In this episode:
• What secure attachment can look like in childhood and adulthood
• Emotional safety and feeling known by your parents
• Healthy discipline, anger, and emotional regulation
• Why some people avoid conflict and confrontation
• People-pleasing, resentment, and unresolved conflict
• How healthy relationships repair after disagreements
• Bibi and Haley’s friendship and developing trust
• Vulnerability after childhood and medical trauma
• Safe and Sound Protocol, neurofeedback, and therapy
• Learning that conflict doesn’t have to mean losing the relationship

8 Years to Live is hosted by Kim and Bibi, with honest conversations about trauma, relationships, mental health, healing, personal growth, and the experiences that shape who we become.

Kim Rowley is a therapist and founder of Live Lighter Therapy, a Las Vegas therapy practice helping people explore trauma, relationships, emotional patterns, and healing. If you’re looking for therapy in Las Vegas or want to learn more about Kim’s work, connect with Live Lighter Therapy.

🎙️ 8 Years to Live with Kim & Bibi

#8YearsToLive #LiveLighterTherapy #LasVegasTherapy #LasVegasTherapist #SecureAttachment #AttachmentStyles #HealthyRelationships #ConflictResolution #EmotionalSafety #TraumaHealing #Therapy #MentalHealth #Vulnerability #RelationshipHealing

What happens when the person who needs mercy is someone you’re furious with?

In this episode of 8 Years to Live, sisters Kim and Bibi sit down with Missy Young—tech leader, speaker, coach, prison advocate, and founder of Grit and Mercy—for a powerful conversation about trauma, faith, incarceration, rehabilitation, and second chances.

Missy shares the devastating season that changed the direction of her life. Her mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, her stepfather died unexpectedly, Missy faced her own cancer diagnosis, and her oldest son was arrested after accidentally shooting and killing his best friend.

Overwhelmed by grief and angry with her son, Missy found herself asking God for mercy. What happened next transformed her relationship with her son and completely changed the way she saw people who are incarcerated.

Together, Missy, Kim, and Bibi explore childhood trauma, addiction, mental health, therapy, neurofeedback, the criminal justice system, forgiveness, accountability, rehabilitation, and second chances—and why healing the trauma behind destructive behavior matters.

Missy also shares the vision behind Grit and Mercy, her work with incarcerated men and women, and her belief that accountability and compassion can exist together.

This conversation asks us to look beyond “What did they do?” and become curious enough to ask, “What happened to them?”

Because people can be responsible for what they’ve done and still be worthy of dignity, healing, and the opportunity to change.

Connect with Missy Young:
Visit MissyYoung.com to learn more about Missy, her speaking and coaching, the Boldly Go Podcast, and her mission to empower women to live boldly in their faith and everyday lives.

Or follow her on instagra @Missybyte.

Looking for therapy in Las Vegas?
Connect with Kim and Live Lighter Therapy for support with trauma, anxiety, relationships, nervous system regulation, and personal growth in Las Vegas, Nevada.

8 Years to Live is a Las Vegas mental health podcast exploring therapy, trauma, relationships, faith, healing, and what it means to live lighter.

In this episode of 8 Years to Live, sisters Kim and Bibi sit down with Josi Mara Smith, licensed marriage and family therapist and founder of Josi Mara Therapy, to talk about trauma, healing, self-worth, resilience, and building a life beyond survival.

Josi shares her journey from being a struggling single mom and former baker to building a successful private therapy practice. She opens up about divorce, losing her father as a child, years of living in survival mode, and the therapy and self-knowledge that helped her begin healing. She also introduces a powerful perspective we don’t hear often enough: we inherit generational resilience and blessings, not just generational trauma.

The conversation also explores knowing your value, setting healthy boundaries, caring for yourself without losing your desire to serve others, and why professional trauma therapy can be an important part of healing.

If you’re looking for therapy in Las Vegas for trauma, anxiety, relationships, life transitions, or personal growth, explore Live Lighter Therapy, Kim’s Las Vegas therapy practice, and learn more about available mental health and counseling services.

If you have a private practice or want to accelerate growth in your life, checkout Josi Mara's book From Broke to Booked.
https://link.amazon/B08sLlQgr

8 Years to Live is a Las Vegas mental health podcast exploring therapy, trauma, relationships, nervous system health, healing, and personal growth through honest conversations and professional insight.