This quick, hope-filled Saddle Up distills my full conversation with my surgeon, Dr. Elizabeth O’Leary, into practical steps you can take this week. Early detection saves lives. Courage + a simple plan = peace.

• 
  
• 
  
• Why early detection changes everything
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• The 25-year-old high-risk assessment every woman should know about
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• What to do if you have dense breasts (better imaging options)
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Lifestyle levers that actually move the needle (movement, stress, alcohol, steady nutrition)
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• A simple prayer + mindset script to calm anxiety
• 
  
• 
  

00:00 — Why this episode matters (hope > fear)

01:00 — Appointments to make + when to start

02:00 — High-risk assessment at 25: what it is, who needs it

03:30 — Dense breasts: mammogram + MRI/ultrasound strategy

04:30 — Lifestyle that helps: movement, steady nutrition, stress, alcohol

06:00 — Mindset + prayer to carry you through

1. 
   
2. 
   
3. Book your mammogram (start at 40; sooner if high-risk).
4. 
   
5. 
   
6. 
   
7. Forward this to a 25–35 year-old you love and nudge a high-risk assessment.
8. 
   
9. 
   
10. 
    
11. Dense breasts? Message your provider about alternating mammogram + MRI based on your risk.
12. 
    
13. 
    
14. 
    
15. Choose one lever: add a 20-minute walk, swap one drink for sparkling water, or add protein + plants to lunch.
16. 
    
17. 
    
18. 
    
19. Write & carry this prayer:
20. 
    
21. 
    

• 
  
• 
  
• Early > easy. Catch it early and treatment is often simpler—and curative.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• No family history? Still go. ~80% of women diagnosed have no family history.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Personalize it. Dense breasts and/or higher risk may mean different imaging.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Small habits help. Aim toward ~300 min/week of movement, include strength, keep nutrition steady, reduce alcohol, and prioritize sleep + stress care.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Peace is possible. You don’t need perfect—just the next faithful step.
• 
  
• 
  

Dr. Elizabeth O’Leary is a breast surgeon and founder of Lady Slipper Breast Center with locations in St. Paul, St. Louis Park, and Edina. Trained at the University of Minnesota and Johns Hopkins, she’s passionate about personalized, whole-person care—before, during, and after treatment.

• https://www.elizabetholearymd.com

lesakoski.com

• Podcast: Doing Life Different

This episode is for education + encouragement and is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider about your unique situation.

In this heartfelt episode, the host combines content from both 'Doing Divorce Different' and 'Saddle Up Live' podcasts to share a personal journey through a recent breast cancer diagnosis and ongoing treatments. The host explores themes of resilience, reliance on faith, community support, and mindful health practices that have helped through chemotherapy. Valuable advice is shared on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and mindset during challenging times, emphasizing the importance of self-care, gratitude, and flexibility. Addressing both cancer and divorce, the host aims to provide hope and practical guidance for listeners going through tough personal battles.

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Update

01:36 Personal Health Journey: Overcoming Cancer

04:15 Faith and Community Support

05:52 Managing Anxiety During Treatment

07:32 Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Changes

11:44 Physical Activity and Flexibility

15:50 Gratitude and Positive Mindset

18:54 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

Breast cancer awareness, early detection, mammograms, and modern treatment options—learn what women 40+ need to know now. In this Breast Cancer Awareness Month special, we talk breast cancer signs, risk factors, and how early detection saves lives. Dr. Elizabeth O’Leary—breast surgeon and head of Lady Slipper Breast Center—shares practical guidance on breast cancer screening, genetics, lifestyle, and survivorship. If you’ve delayed your mammogram, this conversation is your nudge. We cover what’s changed in breast cancer care, what to ask your providers, and how to advocate for yourself with confidence.

(00:00) Introduction to Breast Cancer Awareness Month & why this episode matters

(02:05) Meet Dr. Elizabeth O’Leary: training, Johns Hopkins, and founding Lady Slipper Breast Center

(06:18) Patient-first care: time, personalization, and thriving after treatment

(10:40) Lisa’s breast cancer story: fear, surgery decisions, and believing for a cure

(15:22) Early detection essentials: mammograms, dense breasts, and screening timelines

(19:30) High-risk assessment at 25: who needs early imaging and why it matters

(24:05) Genetics 101: family history, moving-target panels, and what results mean

(28:48) Lifestyle factors: diet, exercise, stress, alcohol—what the research supports

(34:12) Advocacy & self-trust: how to speak up and choose your care team

(37:20) Hope & next steps: practical actions to take this week

(39:15) Where to find Dr. O’Leary & Lady Slipper Breast Center

• 
  
• 
  
• Early detection saves lives. Annual mammograms (and MRI for select high-risk women) dramatically improve outcomes.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• High-risk assessment should start at 25. A formal risk review can identify women who need earlier or additional screening.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Genetics is evolving. “Negative before” doesn’t always mean negative now—panels and insights continue to expand.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Lifestyle matters. Consistent movement, strength training, weight management, stress reduction, and limiting alcohol are linked to lower risk.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• You can be both calm and proactive. Ask questions, understand your options, and choose a team that treats the whole person.
• 
  
• 
  

Dr. Elizabeth O’Leary, MD is a breast surgeon and founder of Lady Slipper Breast Center in Minnesota (St. Paul, St. Louis Park, Edina). Trained at the University of Minnesota and Johns Hopkins, she specializes in personalized, comprehensive breast care—from screening and diagnosis through treatment and survivorship—with a focus on early detection, minimally invasive approaches, and patient-centered outcomes.

• 
  
• 
  
• Lady Slipper Breast Center (Dr. Elizabeth O’Leary): https://www.elizabetholearymd.com
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Find a high-risk breast clinic near you (search “breast cancer high risk clinic” + your city)
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Breast density info & screening options (ask your imaging center about tomosynthesis and MRI for high-risk patients)
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Lifestyle tools: activity trackers, strength programs for women 40+, and stress-reduction practices (breathwork, prayer, therapy)
• 
  
• 
  

breast cancer awareness, breast cancer, early detection, mammogram, dense breasts, breast MRI, breast cancer screening, HER2, BRCA, genetics and cancer, women’s health over 40, breast surgeon, Lady Slipper Breast Center, Elizabeth O’Leary MD, breast cancer prevention, survivorship, cancer risk factors, alcohol and breast cancer, diet and cancer, exercise and cancer, midlife women health, doing life different podcast

Breast Cancer Awareness Month reminds us: early detection saves lives. 💗 In this heartfelt episode, Lesa Koski shares her personal breast cancer story—from the moment she got the call, through surgery and chemo, to finding faith, purpose, and healing.

Lesa opens up about fear, family, and faith during her diagnosis and how her journey led to a deeper calling—Doing Life Different. You’ll hear the raw truth of those first moments, the life-changing impact of early detection, and the hope that comes from trusting God’s plan.

Her message is clear: you are not alone, and there is so much hope.

Whether you’re walking through your own diagnosis or supporting someone who is, this episode will lift your spirit and remind you that healing is possible.

💖 Main keywords: breast cancer awareness, early detection, breast cancer survivor, breast cancer journey, hope and healing, faith-based healing

(00:00) Welcome to Breast Cancer Awareness Month

(02:15) Why Lesa celebrates her healing journey

(05:42) The mammogram that changed everything

(09:31) The call: “You have breast cancer”

(12:58) Leaning on faith through fear and uncertainty

(17:24) Sharing the diagnosis with family and finding strength

(22:50) Early detection and a 98% positive outcome

(26:15) Meeting Dr. Elizabeth O’Leary—an angel in a white coat

(31:05) Surgery, recovery, and lessons in surrender

(36:40) Chemo, courage, and learning to live with joy again

(41:12) Doing Life Different—how cancer became a calling

(45:20) Closing reflections and message of hope

• 
  
• 
  
• Early detection saves lives. Get your mammogram—it can make all the difference.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Faith transforms fear. Trusting God through uncertainty brings peace and purpose.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• You’re not alone. Community, prayer, and connection are powerful parts of healing.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Your story has purpose. Even the hard chapters can be used to help others.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Life after diagnosis can be beautiful. Healing is possible—body, mind, and soul.
• 
  
• 
  

Dr. Elizabeth O’Leary, breast surgeon and founder of Lady Slipper Breast Center in St. Louis Park, MN, is a renowned physician who blends medical expertise with compassionate, faith-based care. A former Johns Hopkins-trained surgeon, she has helped countless women through diagnosis, treatment, and healing with empathy and excellence.

• 
  
• 
  
• 🎀 Lady Slipper Breast Center – https://ladyslipperbreastcenter.com
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 🌸 Learn more about Lesa Koski: https://lesakoski.com
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 💌 Contact Lesa: [email protected]
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 💖 Listen to “Doing Life Different” Podcast – Spotify | Apple Podcasts
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 📅 Schedule your mammogram reminder today
• 
  
• 
  

breast cancer awareness, breast cancer journey, breast cancer survivor, early detection, mammogram reminder, hope and healing, cancer diagnosis, faith and healing, Lesa Koski, Lady Slipper Breast Center, Dr. Elizabeth O’Leary, women’s health, midlife wellness, cancer support, doing life different, Saddle Up Live, Christian inspiration, overcoming fear, cancer recovery stories

Money isn’t just about dollars—it’s about values, legacy, and freedom. In this Saddle Up Segment of Doing Life Different, Lesa Koski reflects on her conversation with financial advisor Kathleen Judge. Together, they explore why finances are deeply personal, why women must have a voice in money decisions, and how shame has no place in financial conversations. Whether you’re married, divorced, or starting over, this episode empowers you to align your finances with your values and live with confidence.

(00:00) Welcome to the Saddle Up Segment

(01:05) Finances are personal and values-driven

(02:10) Women need a voice in money conversations

(03:18) Why shame doesn’t belong in finances

(04:25) The power of boundaries in money decisions

(05:30) Hard seasons reveal your calling

(06:15) Weekly challenge: Align your financial goals with habits

(07:05) Closing encouragement & call to action

• 
  
• 
  
• Finances are personal. Money choices reflect your values, legacy, and relationships.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Women need a seat at the table. Don’t give away your power in financial decisions.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Shame is not welcome. Asking questions and learning about money is strength, not weakness.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Boundaries bring freedom. Clear financial boundaries align your choices with your goals.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Your hard seasons matter. The challenges you face may reveal your greatest calling.
• 
  
• 
  

Kathleen Judge is a financial advisor with Edward Jones who brings her personal journey of adoption, homeschooling, and divorce into her work. She empowers women to feel confident, secure, and values-driven in their financial decisions.

• 
  
• 
  
• Connect with Lesa: LesaKoski.com
• Lesa's Cabi style Page

Money, Divorce & Living Your Best Life | Financial Wisdom with Kathleen Judge

Divorce, finances, and living your best life—financial planning is about more than money. In this episode of Doing Life Different, host Lesa Koski sits down with financial advisor Kathleen Judge to talk about money, divorce recovery, and creating a life aligned with your values.

Whether you’re navigating finances during divorce, looking to get more involved in money decisions, or simply wanting clarity on your financial future, Kathleen shares practical steps and empowering truths to help you take charge.

Through her personal journey of adoption, homeschooling, entrepreneurship, and an unexpected divorce, Kathleen offers real stories and strategies for women who want to feel confident, secure, and purposeful with their finances.

(00:00) Introduction and welcome to Kathleen Judge

(02:15) Why finances are deeply personal and tied to values

(06:42) Kathleen’s background and becoming a financial advisor

(12:08) Adoption, homeschooling, and trusting God through challenges

(18:50) Divorce, unexpected transitions, and financial fears

(24:20) Reclaiming financial confidence and setting boundaries

(29:45) Helping women become active partners in money decisions

(34:30) Marriage, money, and the importance of open conversations

(41:00) Advice for young couples navigating today’s economy

(46:15) Why knowing what you truly want changes everything

(50:02) Closing encouragement and next steps

• 
  
• 
  
• Healing starts with clarity: Finances reflect your values—know what you truly want.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Women must have a voice: In marriage or divorce, be an active partner in financial decisions.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Financial planning is holistic: It’s not just investments; it’s taxes, estate planning, and protection.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Confidence grows with knowledge: Asking questions is strength, not weakness.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• God uses hard seasons: Divorce, homeschooling, and setbacks can lead to your true calling.
• 
  
• 
  

Kathleen Judge is a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones, dedicated to helping clients make smart, values-based financial decisions. With a background in digital marketing, entrepreneurship, adoption, and homeschooling, Kathleen brings both professional expertise and personal wisdom. After navigating an unexpected divorce, she now empowers women and families to create financial strategies that support their goals and reflect what matters most.

• Learn more about Lesa Koski → https://lesakoski.com
• Lesa's Cabi Style Page

[email protected]

314-856-9653

www.edwardjones.com/kathleen-judge

kathleenjudgestl

• linkedin.com/in/kathleen-judge1

financial planning for women, money after divorce, divorce finances, kathleen judge financial advisor, money mindset for women, women and wealth, financial confidence after divorce, doing life different podcast, lesa koski podcast, christian financial advice, values based financial planning, women over 40 money, estate planning and divorce, healing through finances

Healing starts at home—with faith, kindness, and humility. In this Saddle Up Segment of Doing Life Different, host Lesa Koski reflects on her conversation with Nurse Lisa Sander, pulling out the most powerful takeaways to help you heal, grow, and lead with kindness in your daily life.

Even if you’ve never faced divorce or frontline nursing, Lisa’s wisdom touches us all. From humility in relationships to finding your voice in midlife, these lessons are practical, faith-filled, and life-changing.

Listen in to discover how healing yourself transforms your family—and how healing families can transform our communities and country.

(00:00) Welcome to the Saddle Up Segment

(01:15) Healing helps us serve others

(02:30) Why kindness must begin at home

(03:40) Humility vs. defensiveness in relationships

(05:05) Healing our families to heal our country

(06:25) Finding your voice in midlife

(07:30) Daily kindness as leadership

• 
  
• 
  
• Healing frees us to turn outward and serve others
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• True kindness begins inside our homes
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Humility repairs faster than defensiveness
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Families are the first place healing must happen
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Your voice matters at every age and stage
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Everyday acts of kindness are leadership in action
• 
  
• 
  

Lisa Sander is a Med-Surg charge nurse, coach, and co-host of Our Healer, Our Protector. After walking through divorce, frontline nursing during COVID, and rediscovering her calling, she now helps individuals and couples reconnect with themselves, each other, and God through retreats, coaching, and storytelling.

Episode Description:

Faith and healing, divorce recovery, and real-life resilience—this candid conversation with nurse Lisa Sander explores how to reconnect with God, yourself, and others. We unpack frontline lessons from COVID, practical tools for divorce recovery, and why kindness, listening, and humility transform families and communities. Centered on faith and healing, we discuss ending perfectionism, finding your voice after 40, and choosing love over fear. If you’re ready to pursue faith and healing in everyday life, this episode offers grounded stories, hope, and next steps. You’ll hear how faith and healing can guide hard conversations, co-parenting, and calling.

Timestamps (in parentheses):

(00:00) Introduction to authentic, unscripted conversation and today’s themes

(02:38) Guest shares insights on nursing: calling, compassion, and reconnecting with God & others

(06:05) Divorce recovery and healing: finding courage, setting needs, choosing respect

(10:12) COVID frontline lessons: leadership, humility, and doing the next right thing

(14:27) National grief & unity: listening across differences, choosing kindness over fear

(18:40) Judgment vs. discernment: how to truly hear someone’s story

(22:58) Failure as formation: “third time’s the light” and growing through setbacks

(26:30) Parenting & teens through change: stability, honesty, and co-parenting well

(30:02) Retreats & service: Christian couples retreat and a Minnesota nonprofit vision

(33:15) Takeaways & encouragement: ending cycles, finding your voice after 40+

Key Takeaways:

• 
  
• 
  
• Faith and healing begin with listening—at home, in marriage, and in community.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Courageous honesty and humble apologies soften defensiveness and rebuild trust.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Divorce recovery is possible with respect, clarity on needs, and child-first co-parenting.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Failure can form you: resilience grows when you keep showing up with God.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Kindness is leadership—choose it in conversations, online, and at the checkout line.
• 
  
• 
  

Guest Bio:

Lisa Sander is a Med-Surg charge nurse, podcast co-host of Our Healer, Our Protector, and a Christian coach who helps women and couples reconnect with themselves, each other, and God. Drawing from 24+ years in nursing and her own life transitions, Lisa supports divorce recovery, relational healing, and purpose after 40.

Resource Links:

• 
  
• 
  
• Watch Our Healer, Our Protector on YouTube — https://youtube.com/@ourhealerourprotector?feature=shared
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Connect with Lisa Sander — [insert website or social link]
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Lesa Koski — https://lesakoski.com
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Couples Retreat (Arizona) — [insert lin

Tags/Keywords:

faith and healing, divorce recovery, women over 40 podcast, Christian women, kindness and unity, judgment vs discernment, co-parenting, resilience, nurse story, COVID frontline lessons, finding your voice, ending perfectionism, Christian couples retreat, Minnesota nonprofit, Our Healer Our Protector, Lisa Sander

Episode Description:

Break the cycle of perfectionism, judgment, and people-pleasing. In this Saddle Up Segment, Lesa Koski shares 5 key takeaways from part two of her powerful conversation with author Andi Bull (When Your Protectors Didn’t Protect).

Learn how humility breaks defensiveness, how to move from victim to overcomer, and why God’s unconditional love—not performance—defines your worth. This episode offers faith-filled, practical tools for healing after abuse and releasing perfectionism for good.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Welcome back to the Saddle Up Segment

(01:10) Humility heals faster than defensiveness

(03:00) The barbed-wire tree: growing around suffering

(05:15) Moving from judgment to discernment with God’s eyes

(07:40) From victim to survivor to overcomer

(10:05) God’s unconditional love—identity before performance

(12:30) Key reminders to end the cycle

Key Takeaways:

• 
  
• 
  
• Humility opens hearts where defensiveness closes them.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Pain doesn’t disappear—we grow stronger around it.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Judgment becomes discernment when we ask for God’s eyes.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• You can move from victim → survivor → overcomer.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• God’s love is unconditional—your worth isn’t earned.
• 
  
• 
  

Guest Bio (context):

For over twenty-five years, Andi has dedicated herself to the study of God’s word, graduating from the King’s University with her Master’s in 2003.

As she read the Bible through the eyes of a survivor of traumatic childhood abuse, she saw how God passionately seeks the lost, gently restores the broken, and tenderly heals broken hearts. 

Andi became inspired to advocate for emotional well-being, not only for herself but also for the women she is privileged to mentor one-on-one and those she speaks to at conferences. The lessons and insights she gained are in her book, When Your Protectors Didn’t: Healing from a Past of Broken Pieces. 

Raised in South Africa as a child, she now resides in sunny Southern California with her husband, daughter, and pups. She loves her family, friends, pups, and coffee—lots and lots of coffee! 

Resource Links:

Listen to the full episode here! https://player.captivate.fm/episode/27abd1b8-860b-4770-8508-3021b19c465f/

• 
  
• 
  
• Get Andi Bull’s book: When Your Protectors Didn’t Protect https://a.co/d/5naO43I
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Learn more at lesakoski.com
• 
  

Tags/Keywords:

healing after abuse, faith and healing, perfectionism, people pleasing, Saddle Up Segment, women over 40 podcast, Christian women, ending the cycle, judgment to discernment, overcoming trauma, identity in Christ, Andi Bull, When Your Protectors Didn’t

Healing after abuse, faith and healing, and ending generational cycles—this powerful conversation with author Andi Bull offers tools to stop perfectionism, release judgment, and embrace humble apologies that heal relationships. In this memoir-style episode, we explore how to end the cycle, why God’s love—not performance—defines identity, and practical ways to move from victim to survivor to overcomer. Throughout, we return to healing after abuse as a core theme, connecting it to anxiety, people-pleasing, and family patterns. If you’re ready for healing after abuse (or any hidden wound), this episode gives you language, lenses, and next steps. You’ll hear stories on motherhood, marriage, apology, and discernment that make healing after abuse actionable in daily life.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction to ending the cycle: perfectionism, people-pleasing, and identity

(04:12) Guest shares insights on motherhood, adoption, and unconditional love in practice

(08:45) Humble apologies in marriage: how humility breaks defensiveness

(12:30) Performance vs. beloved identity: stopping the “earn love” lie

(16:05) Morning anxiety, gratitude, and inviting Jesus into honest emotions

(19:42) Seeing as God sees: non-judgment, modeling, and discerning “not from you”

(24:18) Suffering and growth: the barbed-wire tree and integrating grief

(28:10) From victim → survivor → overcomer: refusing to let pain define you

(31:40) Tools to end gossip and judgment while keeping relationships

(35:05) Parenting & grandparenting stories: unconditional love in the checkout line

(38:20) Practical takeaways and next steps to end generational patterns

Key Takeaways:

• 
  
• 
  
• Identity first: You are loved before you perform; humility dismantles defensiveness.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• End the cycle: Awareness + new responses (apology, curiosity, modeling) rewrite family patterns.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Judgment → discernment: Ask for God’s eyes and heart; sometimes the word is “not from you.”
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Suffering integrates: We don’t “shrink” pain; we grow around it and become stronger.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Move stages: Acknowledge victimhood, heal as a survivor, live as an overcomer who helps others.
• 
  
• 
  

Guest Bio:

Guest Bio:

For over twenty-five years, Andi has dedicated herself to the study of God’s word, graduating from the King’s University with her Master’s in 2003.

As she read the Bible through the eyes of a survivor of traumatic childhood abuse, she saw how God passionately seeks the lost, gently restores the broken, and tenderly heals broken hearts. 

Andi became inspired to advocate for emotional well-being, not only for herself but also for the women she is privileged to mentor one-on-one and those she speaks to at conferences. The lessons and insights she gained are in her book, When Your Protectors Didn’t: Healing from a Past of Broken Pieces. 

Raised in South Africa as a child, she now resides in sunny Southern California with her husband, daughter, and pups. She loves her family, friends, pups, and coffee—lots and lots of coffee! 

Resource Links:

• 
  
• 
  
• Get Andi Bull’s book: When Your Protectors Didn’t Protect https://a.co/d/5naO43I
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Learn more at lesakoski.com
• 
  
• 
  

• 
  
• Listen to Part 1 of the conversation — https://player.captivate.fm/episode/e87157ca-599f-4155-9b7e-3d577d1ee81d/
• 
  
• 
  

Tags/Keywords:

healing after abuse, faith and healing, end the cycle, perfectionism, people pleasing, humble apology, nonjudgment, Christian women, women over 40 podcast, survivor to overcomer, generational healing, identity in God, memoir podcast, Andy Bull, When Your Protectors Didn’t Protect