In this solo episode Part 2, I share how I’ve been addressing my post-concussion symptoms using the health matrix and key health blocks specific to post-concussion rehabilitation.  And I'll also talk about the single most important daily habit I've incorporated that has made a difference in my recovery this time around.

Every TBI is different, and the journey will be different from person to person, but also as I learnt this time around, the journey will also be different from one time to the next when the same person has a different incident (for a number of reasons - how the head was hit, position, speed, power, etc).

I hope you learn something and find hope in this episode. My sincere wish is that you’ll benefit from some of the tools mentioned - after discussing it with your medical team of course.

Each person’s post-TBI journey will be different and everyone needs to consult their medical team before deciding to include anything mentioned in this episode.  Basically - if anything happens to your head, consult your medical team.

Enjoy!

In this solo episode, I go through the health matrix I use to empower my recovery from various injuries and some tips as to how I used it to manage my latest major concussion which occurred this past June.  

Every TBI is different, and the journey will be different from person to person, but also as I learnt this time around, the journey will also be different from one time to the next when the same person has a different incident (for a number of reasons - how the head was hit, position, speed, power, etc).

I’d like to take a moment to remind each one of you that each person’s post-TBI journey will be different and everyone needs to consult their medical team before deciding to include anything mentioned in this episode.  Basically - if anything happens to your head, consult your medical team.

I hope you enjoy this episode and perhaps you’ll be able to use some of the tools mentioned after discussing it with your medical team.

Enjoy!

Interested in my upcoming online post-concussion management course? Wait list is open www.thecoolestjourney.com

References regarding Blood Brain Barrier:

• Blood–Brain Barrier Pathophysiology following TBI — NCBI Bookshelf

• Microenvironmental Variations After BBB Breakdown in TBI — Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience

• Quantitative Imaging of BBB Permeability Following Repetitive Mild Head Impacts — PMC

• Pathophysiology of Concussion — Complete Concussions

• Long-lasting BBB Dysfunction and Neuroinflammation After TBI — ScienceDirect

In this Coolest Journey episode, we focus on the intersection of internal health and environment.  We’ve all been stressed before, and trauma in one shape or another marks the life of most of us humans.

Dr Shaw, a trained psychiatrist turned counsellor in Vancouver BC, started to use self-regulation therapy (SRT) in her practice after recognizing limitations in pharmacological approaches and traditional talk therapy, particularly for patients with trauma and developmental issues. 

The body-centered therapy she uses focuses on tracking sensations and rewiring the nervous system rather than reliving traumatic events, emphasizing the importance of the autonomic nervous system's response to trauma.

If you think this might sound woowoo - please keep an open mind and know that everything she shares here is strongly rooted in science.  I’ve personally had a number of sessions with Dr Nur and I can honestly say that both my acute and chronic pain levels have gone down.  You’ve got nothing to lose, as the saying goes!

The conversation covers key concepts like the definition of trauma, and how to activate the ventral vagal system, which promotes safety and regulation, versus the dorsal vagal system associated with shutdown and depression.  

Finally, Dr Shaw generously shares some practical applications of SRT techniques for everyday life.

This is one conversation that might stay with you for a very, very long time.

In this episode, I'm focusing on the importance of swim safety plans for open water swimming, prompted by a recent tragedy at the Kelowna Across the Lake Swim. Since this week is also National Drowning Prevention Week, this somewhat serves as a DIY PSA.

Here, Jessi shares her experience with the Swimming Safety Plan she prepared for her challenge of crossing Lake Okanagan, detailing the preparation, crew support, and the unforeseen issues that led to her not completing the full distance - but that also fell within the bounds of her safety plan.

We talked about the need for all of us to develop personalized safety plans no matter where we swim, assess environmental conditions, and the value of swimming with a buddy or support crew.

Some links:

To contribute to Jessi’s swim for mental health fundraiser for expanding Foundry youth and family services across the Okanagan  https://www.cmhakelowna.com/ 

Swimming Canada Open Water Safety Plan Template — the most comprehensive and practical starting point

• USMS Open Water Safety Plan
• WOWSA Marathon Swimming Rules & Regulations
• FINA Open Water Swimming Manual 2022
• Open Water Guide to Event Operations | US Masters Swimming

This interview with Jessie Harwitz focuses on her upcoming record-breaking 106-kilometer non-stop swim across Okanagan Lake from Vernon to Penticton. Jessie, one of Canada's most accomplished open water swimmers, discussed the extensive logistics and safety planning involved in the attempt, including weather considerations, crew composition of eight people, and the use of a sailboat with support vessels. She explained her motivation for the swim goes beyond setting records, as proceeds will support youth and family mental health services through the Canadian Mental Health Association and Foundry locations in the Okanagan region. Jessie shared her swimming background, including previous achievements like completing the Triple Crown of open water swimming and becoming the first Canadian to swim the North Channel from Ireland to Scotland. The swim is scheduled to begin Friday morning at 1 a.m. and is expected to take between 48 to 60 hours, with Jessie having already raised nearly 80% of her $10,000 fundraising goal. To donate to Jessi’s swim for mental health fundraiser for expanding Foundry youth and family services across the Okanagan https://cmhakelowna.crowdchange.ca/146861 Marathon Swimmers Federation https://ultraswimming.org/

This week is extra special — it's the first week of June, which means it's Ocean Week in Canada!

Ocean Week is an annual national celebration of events, learning, and engagement held around World Ocean Day on June 8th. It's a time to recognize the incredible role the ocean plays in our everyday lives, and how our local waterways connect us all — from watersheds and coastal areas right out to the open ocean.

So if you haven't already, head over to oceanweekcan.ca to find out how you can get involved and celebrate that connection.

 In the spirit of Ocean Week, I'm launching something I'm really excited about — a monthly open water check-in series, where I chat with swimmers from around the world about their swimming conditions, experiences, and all things open water. We're putting OWS at the forefront of our conversations throughout the year.

And for this very first episode of the series, I have a guest who needs no introduction — well, almost. This is actually her fourth time on the podcast, which officially makes her my swimmer in residence! Gabriela Herrero is a cold open water swimmer with serious distance credentials — 10km swims are basically a warm-up for her. Based in Burlington, she's a regular in Lake Ontario, and she always brings the best stories and insights.

If you want to catch more of Gabriela's episodes, check out The Coolest Journey on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts — links are in the show notes.

If you loved this episode, here's how you can keep this show alive and growing:

-subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube, leave a review if you're feeling generous

-most importantly — share it. Share it with a friend, a family member, a colleague, your neighbour who keeps talking about wanting to feel better. Word of mouth is the single most powerful thing you can do for an independent podcast, and it costs you nothing but thirty seconds of your time. Every share could help this community grow by one person, and that matters.

I’m on a mission to make the world a little cooler — one conversation, one cold plunge, one allergen-free vegan plate - and many communities at a time. And I can't do it without you.

So thank you Gabriela for adding your voice to mine in terms of OWS check-in.

Until next time, wishing you all health, energy, and the coolest journey of your life.

My guest today is extremely special and close to my heart — she's one of our nieces on my husband's side of the family. We've watched her grow into a smart, kind, and uber-talented young woman through the years, and she's now at UBC in Vancouver with one year left in her environmental engineering program. 

She'll come back to The Coolest Journey later this year to talk about her studies and the environment, but today, she's here to share a very special part of her journey: her involvement with performance, music, and breathing — and how it all culminated a few weeks ago when her UBC-based Eh Cappella group competed in a world-renowned competition in New York City. Not only will she share some stories from along the way, she'll also guide us through a few vocal and breathwork exercises that will help keep our voices toned and centered — and add a little fun to our day. 

Whether you sing for fun, in karaoke, in an a cappella group, or in your shower — or even if you just want to breathe a little better — this conversation is for you.

Caelin shares how she transitioned from general A Cappella groups to joining the competitive ICCA team, describing the rigorous rehearsal schedule of 10 hours per week and the technical demands of maintaining precise timing and blend while performing choreographed routines. The group won the quarterfinals in Tacoma and placed first in the semifinals in San Francisco before competing in the finals in New York, where they became the first Canadian West Coast team to reach the finals.

New York Finals: https://youtu.be/Alj4jXUXEAs?si=5GzOmwpaDc-zUrnc

Caelin explains the breathing techniques and vocal exercises the group used to prepare, including box breathing, siren exercises, and shakedown routines to stay present and centered during performances.

She discusses how managing time between heavy engineering coursework and A Cappella commitments helped her develop better time management skills and reduce procrastination. 

Nicolas Guzman is back!

Something happened between our podcast recorded in April and this one. Nicki found another gear, and I felt it critical to get him back on The Coolest Journey to talk about this experience.

If you're interested in swimming, VO2 max and performance, this one is for you :D

Nicki really learnt to swim while in university in Chile, less than 10 years ago. The remarkable part is that he swiftly moved from swimming classes to Masters practice, then to 5km open water swimming lake/ocean/river... and now to cold open water swimming in Vancouver BC.

His dream? Immigrate to Canada and swim an ice mile.

Nicki has been gracing our pod since Dec 2025 with his easy-going manners, determination and kindness. And this pharmacist by training has been progressing strongly in terms of cold adaptation and swimming performance in 5-8C salty waters, while adapting to a new city, learning English, and figuring out what his best path to immigration could be here in Canada.

This is not only a love story regarding swimming and its communities, it is also one of integration, resilience, and gratefulness.

It was such an honour for me to share this time with my guest and mostly, get to know my daily swim buddy on a whole other level. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

Marie-France Lefort est bien connue dans la communauté franco de Hamilton. 

La première fois que nous nous sommes rencontrées, c’était au printemps 2014 lors d’une retraite de conseil d’administration pour le centre francophone de Hamilton.  Dernièrement, nos chemins se sont recroisés dans un cercle d’écriture qu’elle a récemment commencé à animer pour le centre francophone de Hamilton. 

Vous allez être choyé-e-s aujourd’hui, Marie-France nous parle non seulement de son engagement au sein de la communauté franco du Canada, mais aussi de son entreprise et d’autres passions qui l’animent, comme la randonnée pédestre et surtout - l’écriture.