Life's Valleys and Mountaintops

Life's Valleys and Mountaintops

By Gina JohnsonSociety & CulturePersonal Journals
Download on the App Store

Life's Valleys and Mountaintops episodes

  • 22. Terri Lawton on Healing a Concussion

    Terri was given a second chance at life after she was hit by a truck while riding her bicycle. She had a backpack full of flowers that she had picked for her, then boyfriend, now husband, that just may have saved her life.


    Unfortunately, she was not wearing a helmet and ended up with a serious concussion that left her having to learn life all over again. The neurologist told her it would take 14 years to recover. Amazingly she completed her schooling and recovered within only 11 months. As she created a life changing program to help others, she ended up healing her own brain.

    If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury, concussion, PTSD or have ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, a reading problem, Scitsofrenia or Alzheimer's, then this interview explains how the program she created may be able to make a big difference in your life.

    Show notes: https://ginajohnson.ca/terrilawton/

    26 min
  • 21. Bobbi Parish on Overcoming Sexual Abuse

    Join us as Bobbi Parish, A Trauma Recovery Coach, shares her own personal story of overcoming sexual abuse.

    She struggled with shame, depression, feeling unloved and went through a period of homelessness.
    Bobbi found the strength and courage to walk down the path of healing, stand up and say, no more, no more shame!
    She united forces with two other ladies and has created many different methods of supporting others, healing from sexual abuse.
    Today she shares her personal story and tells us why we heal best with support and love from others.

    Show notes at: https://ginajohnson.ca/bobbiparrish/

    48 min
  • 20. Jamie Gilbert on Finding Your Identity

    Do you know what it is like to put everything you have into something and then have it come to an end? You put so much into it that it became your identity and now without it, you don’t know what to do?


    Jamie Gilbert shares his personal story with us. He has been through that time where he lost his identity and he takes us on his journey to success. We talk about how he found his passion, overcame fear and worked really hard to become successful.

    Today Jamie, Joshua Medcalf and their team at Train 2 Be CLUTCH, speak, coach and give workshops. They have self-published a book called:

    Burn Your Goals, The Counter Cultural Approach to Achieving Your Greatest Potential

    If you are looking to find your own identity, get ahead in life and be successful, you can start today, start now by listening to this interview.

    Show notes and links at: https://ginajohnson.ca/jamiegilbert/

    30 min
  • 19. Bruce Van Horn on Overcoming Cancer to Running the Boston Marathon

    Have you ever felt as if life has handed you too many problems and felt like you would never be able to break away from the darkness? Perhaps you have lost a child, and understand what it is like to live with heart wrenching grief, end up with bills that are more than you can deal with, and then have your marriage come to an end. Perhaps you have had cancer and been through the battle, with children depending on you to raise them.

    Today we interview a man who has been through all of this in just one lifetime. What came as a surprise to me, is that I requested to interview him about meditation........ Ok, I am a little embarrassed to admit..... from first impressions on the outside he looked to me like someone who had a great, perfect life that surely let to his success today.

    Well, I WAS WRONG, and I AM GRATEFUL that he was so honest, and so transparent, because his story INSPIRES me, MOVES me to try harder, LIFTS me up, makes me feel HOPE and I hope after listening that you feel ready to tackle whatever it is that is blocking your way! (I am learning that people don't become successful because they had a great perfect life, but because they learned from their mistakes and misfortunes and used them to help others.)

    I would like to welcome our guest, Bruce Van Horn from Life Is A Marathon http://www.lifeisamarathon.com/

    Show notes at: https://ginajohnson.ca/brucevanhorn/

    52 min
  • 18. Fidel Rodriguez - Deciding to Thrive from a Jail Cell

    Fidel shares a story about how his life hit rock bottom, and he wanted to disappear into the shadows. It is hard to find hope when you're in that place, but he did, and today he tells us how. With the support of his wife, he paid off his debt, lost over 75 lbs, and was able to find success and enjoy his loving family. Find out how he did it!

    Show notes at: : https://ginajohnson.ca/fidelrodriguez/

    41 min
  • 17. Paul Colaianni on Why Relationships Fail

    Have you ever been in a relationship that failed and been left with feelings of hurt, anger, frustration or wondered Why? I know I sure have, and so has Paul Colaianni. We talk about subconscious behaviors that can sabotage our relationships.


    Find out how you can improve the quality of your relationships with Personal Development Coach Paul Colaianni. In this episode, he shares his own personal failures and how he used them to his advantage by asking this question; "If I was the problem in this relationship? What could it be?"

    Show notes at: https://ginajohnson.ca/paulcolaianni/

    31 min
  • Healing As A Community With Generalized Anxiety Disorder
    Recently I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, (GAD). In all honesty, I did not know much of anything about it, so I began to do some research.

    What surprised me the most, is that as I began to open up and tell people about it, I found out that more people than I would have realized also have an anxiety disorder.

    “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” ― Brené Brown

    Links

    Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/generalized-anxiety-disorder/basics/symptoms/con-20024562
    Tiny Buddha http://tinybuddha.com/blog/the-gift-of-anxiety-7-ways-to-get-the-message-and-find-peace/
    facebook page https://www.facebook.com/everydayisasecondchancepodcast?ref=hl
    our google + community https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/111644443849840423026
    0 min
  • 16. Matt Ham - Our Scars are a Place of Healing

    What does Rich mean to you and why should you take the time to think about it?


    "For so long, I felt like I was failing in life because I never had a lot of money. Rich to me was how many dollars you had, what you owned and what you gave your kids."

    Redefine Rich shares with us that there are many ways to feel rich. I began to see the gifts in having children to love, guide through life and play with. The richness in having a husband that supports my own personal growth and journey, a mom that loves me and supports me as well as true friends makes me feel full of richness.

    What is being rich for you? I hope you get as much out of this interview as I did. I sure hope you find richness in your life today, and believe that you can achieve your dreams.
    Meet Matt Ham, author of Redefine Rich.

    Matt is a family man passionate about his wife and three children. Secondly, he is an insurance agent and had experienced great success in his day job.

    Then he felt a calling to write a book.

    He tells us a story about how his aunt was terminally ill, and while in the hospital the nurse helped her. They exchanged words and the nurse said, "You make my life rich."

    Matt knew this deeply touched him and later on it helped shape his book. He knew why he needed to write the book, but didn't know how. He feels her legacy is being carried on through this book.

    He shares a story about his Aunt Trish, I fell in love with her and if had been her time to stay, I would have loved to share her story with you. Thankfully Mat shares a few pieces with us of her life.

    She had a Disney mentality. Every movie has a similar story. There is always a tragedy that ends in victory and triumph.  Aunt Trish had been diagnosed with Cancer a few weeks before Christmas, and still hosted a big party. She ran around being cheery and passing out eggnog.

    "Rather than seeing our scars as places of brokenness we need to see them as places of healing."

    How can you invest in others when you feel you have nothing to give?

    Matt told us without a moment's hesitation, there are many ways. Here are a few that you can start today

    Smile at people
    Hold doors for people
    Hold a door and smile at someone!!!

    Shownotes at https://ginajohnson.ca/mattham/

     

     

    30 min
  • 15. Dilemma Mike on The Fort Leavenworth Story

    The Fort Leavenworth Story

    Mike served his country, was a responsible and respectable member of society until one night he made a choice that changed his life forever.  He was offered a pill; that happened to be ecstasy. He took it and his whole life changed as he knew it.

    David Mike shares his story about his life before and after his visit at Fort Leavenworth.   He served his country, fell into drugs and became a drug dealer. At one point, he could see his own car on the street, outside of his prison window.

    Since prison, he has become a Husband, Father, Cosmetology instructor and blogger. His story inspires forgiveness, self-love and sends a message that everyone deserves a second chance.

     

    He heard a broadcast while being transferred prisons,  that helped him embrace faith and was able to let go of everything and forgive himself.



     

    “If you don’t forgive your self it will be hard to accept the forgiveness of others.”

     

    We talk about how he got into cosmetology and then started a family. He shares the secret, about what a hairdresser really does!! David shares his evolution of writing and how he has been sharing his story.

     


     

    32 min
  • 14. Stephen Garrett is Canadas First Death Coach

    What Can We Learn From A Death Coach?


    Could you imagine finding out that someone you love died suddenly and unexpectedly? Stephen lost his sister and realized that everything he was striving for “wasn't really worth it”. He gave up his six-figure income, BMW’s and suits to become a social worker.

    His first year as a social worker he made $12,000 and he had made that each month as a Stock Broker. He almost went back when times were difficult, but he paid more attention to his heart and stuck with it.

    Through the years he found his calling and became a Death Coach or The Death Shaman. He helps people plan for death, have conversations about it, heal and find life.

     
     Questions I ask Stephen and Important Points

    What is a Death Coach?
    Why are people afraid of fear?
    Why will a coach and surrounding yourself with support make it easier to start over with a new lifestyle?
    Why did you become a coach?
    What separates us from Vancouver's Downtown East Side sex trade workers, drug attics and homeless?
    How he learned to embrace death.
    How to be with someone who is dying.
    What it is like to live with grief.
    What are healthy ways to be with grief?
    Does everyone going through grief change their life's?
    How to help someone who has lost a loved one.

    Links And Contact Information

    http://embraceyourdeath.com/
    Just Alive Consulting Inc.  604-328-7054
    facebook     https://www.facebook.com/StephenGarrettNow
    Bean Around Books  http://www.beanaroundbooks.com/

    29 min

About Life's Valleys and Mountaintops

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to the Life's Valleys and Mountaintops podcast – where we explore powerful stories of resilience and triumph despite trauma, accidents, and illness. Our mission is to equip you with actionable…