What do you do when you want to give up on your healing journey?
When you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, burnt out, and ready to throw in the towel — mentally, emotionally, and physically?

In this deeply personal solo episode, I share a raw, honest conversation about the moments in healing that feel impossible. Whether you're navigating chronic illness, recovering from cancer, dealing with chronic symptoms that won’t let up, or supporting a loved one through their health struggle, this episode will remind you that you’re not alone — and you’re not failing.

I explore what happens when your mental health dips, when your hope feels thin, and when your body asks more of you than you think you have to give, and offer practical tools and gentle mindset shifts to help you get through the hardest days of the healing process.

✨ In this episode, we dive into:

• What to do when you feel like giving up on your healing journey

• The mental and emotional burnout that comes with chronic illness

• How shifting your focus can regulate your nervous system

• Being gentle with yourself when your energy or symptoms fluctuate

• Creating micro-moments of joy to interrupt fear and overwhelm

• Reframing your healing by asking better questions

• How to return to possibility when everything feels impossible

• Support for caregivers & loved ones who are equally exhausted

Jamie also shares vulnerable moments from her own experience healing from thymoma cancer, and myasthenia gravis, offering insight, compassion, and hope for anyone walking a long-term healing path.

🌟 This is your reminder:
You can want to give up and still keep going.
You can be exhausted and still incredibly strong.
You can feel lost and still be healing.

If you need a reason to hold on today — let this episode be it.

🎧 Listen If You’re Searching For: chronic illness healing, cancer recovery, myasthenia gravis support, mental health during chronic illness, how to stay motivated on your healing journey, what to do when you feel like giving up, chronic fatigue, burnout recovery, emotional resilience, nervous system healing, holistic cancer care, inspiration for tough days, healing mindset shifts, chronic illness podcast, integrative healing tools, trauma and illness connection.

It helps this show reach others who are struggling on their healing journey.

▶️ If this episode helped you, please subscribe + leave a review!

RESOURCES:

Use code "JAMIE10" for 10% off Leah Crescenzo's Rewrite: Invisibility Program. Learn more here: https://leahcrescenzo.com/rewrite-invisibility-1

Use code "JAMIE5" for 5% off a Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber rental with Affordable Hyperbaric Solutions. Learn more here: www.affordablehyperbaricsolutions.com

Support the podcast and my road to recovery: https://gofund.me/c9fabfc53

In this episode of the FWD Think Tank, I sit down with Dr. Brooke Scheller—Doctor of Clinical Nutrition, sobriety expert, and author of How to Eat to Change the Way You Drink—to explore the science of how alcohol affects the body and how nutrition can support a healthier, more empowered relationship with drinking.

We dive deep into how alcohol impacts the brain, gut health, hormones, metabolism, and the nervous system, and why these changes can make it harder to regulate stress, cravings, mood, and overall wellbeing. Dr. Brooke also shares her personal journey to sobriety, what life has looked like since becoming alcohol-free, and the emotional, mental, and physical shifts she experienced along the way.

You’ll learn:

• How alcohol alters gut health, neurotransmitters, and hormone balance

• Common nutritional deficiencies caused by long-term alcohol use

• The key nutrients, foods, and targeted supplementation that support recovery

• How to create safety in your nervous system when reducing or removing alcohol

• Why addressing mental health is crucial in any change to drinking habits

• Where to find support, accountability, and lifestyle tools as you reassess your relationship with alcohol

• Small, approachable steps to begin making healthier choices around drinking

Whether you’re sober-curious, ready for a lifestyle shift, or simply want to understand the biochemical effects of alcohol, this conversation gives you a science-backed, compassionate framework for change. Dr. Brooke blends clinical nutrition, lived experience, and practical tools to help you rebuild your health, restore balance, and feel more in control of your choices.

This episode is for anyone exploring sobriety, holistic health, hormone balance, mental wellness, gut healing, and a more intentional relationship with alcohol.

About Dr. Brooke Scheller:

Dr. Brooke Scheller is a Doctor of Clinical Nutrition, Certified Nutrition Specialist, International Author, and the founder of Scheller Collective. She is also a Psychiatry Redefined Certified Functional Psychiatry Provider (CFPP) and works with clients on using nutrition & health practices to improve mental health.

In 2021, Dr. Brooke created the Functional Sobriety approach, focused on nutrition and supplementation to support an alcohol-free lifestyle. In December 2023, Dr. Brooke released her debut title: How to Eat to Change How You Drink, which has been published in the US, UK, Australia, and Spain.

You can learn more about Dr. Brooke's work here: https://www.brookescheller.com/

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Looking for a hyperbaric oxygen chamber rental? Check out Affordably Hyperbaric Solutions. Mention the code "Jamie5" for 5% off a monthly rental.

Support the podcast and my healing journey directly: https://gofund.me/39f585f4

In this episode, I sit down with one of my childhood besties of over two decades, Jen McCormick, a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner who specializes in perimenopause, menopause, and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). Jen opens up about the personal experience that inspired her to focus on women’s hormonal health — her postpartum journey after her second son and the hormonal shifts that revealed major gaps in care for perimenopausal and menopausal women.

Together, we cover everything you need to know about navigating hormonal change with confidence and clarity:
What perimenopause really is — and when it starts
The key hormones involved (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) and how they impact mood, sleep, metabolism & libido
The most common signs and symptoms of perimenopause
What bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is, who it’s for, and how it differs from traditional HRT
The different methods of BHRT delivery (creams, pellets, oral, etc.) and how to find the right dose for you

Why transparency with your provider is key for balancing hormones safely and effectively

Whether you’re in your late 30s, 40s, or beyond, this episode will help you better understand your hormones and empower you to take charge of your health during the perimenopausal transition. Psst: Send this to a girlfriend who may need to hear this!

See below for resources to get in touch with Jen:

RESOURCES:You can find Jen on instagram at @that_np_jen To book a consult with Jen: https://alignyogaandwellness.com/empowher-np Other menopausal resources Jen mentions in this episode: Dr. Heather Hirsch @heatherhirschmdDr. Mary Clair Haver  @drmaryclaire  Looking for a hyperbaric oxygen chamber rental? Check out Affordably Hyperbaric Solutions. Mention the code "Jamie5" for 5% off a monthly rental. Support the podcast and my healing journey directly: https://gofund.me/39f585f4

In this episode, I sit down with Jen Nolan, Nutritional Oncology Consultant and founder of Remission Nutrition, to explore the powerful connection between metabolic health, blood sugar balance, and cancer care. Jen shares her expertise on how metabolic flexibility—the body’s ability to efficiently switch between fuel sources—plays a key role in preventing and healing from chronic disease.

We discuss the relationship between carbohydrate intake, inflammation, and disease progression, and why balancing blood sugar is essential for both prevention and healing. In her work as a nutritional oncology consultant, Jen more often than not recommends carbohydrate restriction and/or getting her clients in ketosis for optimal results that can also complement treatment. Jen also emphasizes the importance of addressing stress, emotional health, and mindset as critical components of any healing journey.

Jen and her team at Remission Nutrition work with clients around the world to create personalized, functional nutrition plans that support the body’s innate ability to heal. Using tools like the Nutrition Genome test and other functional lab testing, they tailor each plan to the individual’s genetic and metabolic profile—meeting clients exactly where they are in their journey.

If you’re interested in understanding how nutrition, lifestyle, and metabolic health intersect to create a foundation for healing, this conversation is full of science-backed insight and compassionate wisdom.

See below for resources and to get in touch with Jen and her team.

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RESOURCES:

Use code JAMIE10 for 10% off a Starter Package with Remission Nutrition, book here: https://remissionnutrition.practicebetter.io/#/5db86b122a83260698517c74/bookings?r=65df58b0625ee4f724ad9963&step=services

Join The Nest Membership, giving community access and group support via 2 monthly Zoom calls with the Remission Nutrition Team. Learn more here: https://www.remissionnutrition.com/the-nest

Follow Remission Nutrition on Instagram @remissionnutrition and learn more at www.remissionnutrition.com

This week I had the honor of sitting down with the delightful Nitika Chopra — founder of Chronicon and The Chronicon Foundation,  a pioneering platform and nonprofit uplifting those living with chronic illness through community, advocacy, and education. A seasoned host, speaker, and entrepreneur, she’s collaborated with brands like Google, Microsoft, and Bristol-Myers Squibb, hosted a globally distributed talk show, and now leads Truth Talks via her publication The Truth Today.

Her mission: to create healing spaces where people are empowered to live fully and thrive—on their terms, and truly a beautiful human who has navigated most of her life living with multiple (and at times debilitating) chronic illnesses — to discuss her journey navigating these health challenges, how her pain turned to purpose in her work, and why she believes your challenges in life are not the WHOLE truth of who you are.

Nitika shares her personal journey of being diagnosed with psoriasis at a young age, later developing psoriatic arthritis, and most recently, being diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, including symptoms she was experiencing and how her diagnosis She opens up about the early symptoms she experienced, how she’s learned to listen to her body, and the healing practices that have supported her — from therapy and learning about nervous system regulation to creating safe, empowering spaces for others through her foundation, Chronicon.

We explore how her struggles led her to create Chronicon, a movement and community for people living with chronic illness, and her Life Mastery program that helps individuals reclaim joy, purpose, and connection even in the midst of health challenges. We also discuss the importance of the relationships in her life and how those have helped her persevere during challenges with her health and the hard days.

Whether you live with chronic illness yourself or support someone who does, this conversation is filled with wisdom, compassion, and hope.

This conversation touched my heart personally, as Nitika was the first person I have interviewed who has been diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune condition that has also affected me the last two years. She is a true inspiration and example that so much goodness is possible despite our challenges we face. See below resources for how to get in touch with Nitika.

For nearly two decades, Nitika has paved the way as a changemaker in both the wellness and chronic illness landscapes. Her work transcends diagnosis—offering space, strategy, and spirit for anyone seeking to live a more liberated and meaningful life

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RESOURCES:

Book a discovery call with Nitika

Subscribe to Nitika's Substack

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To rent or buy a Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber (HBOT) visit https://affordablehyperbaricsolutions.com/ and mention Jamie Mazza when inquiring.

To support the podcast and my healing journey: https://gofund.me/5a8764f20

Imagine being 29 years old and being faced with a devastating diagnosis of advanced stage ovarian cancer. This week, Hayley Dubin, a Certified Health Coach, owner of reVIVE wellness and host of the Cancer Liberation Project Podcast and I sit down and discuss her inpsiring journey healing ovarian cancer with strength, courage and purpose.

After enduring chemotherapy, multiple surgeries, and a life-changing hysterectomy, she faced the emotional reality of infertility and made the courageous choice to adopt a child and expand her family- this story alone gave me goosebumps im how it unfolded!

Through it all, she transformed her pain into purpose—becoming a coach and mentor for other cancer survivors navigating life during and after treatment.

We discuss how cancer can become a catalyst for personal growth, how to find meaning in adversity, and what it takes to rebuild your life after a devastating diagnosis.

Topics covered:

• Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer and the road to diagnosis
• Emotional and physical challenges of chemo and surgery
• Healing after hysterectomy and infertility
• The adoption journey after cancer
• Turning survivorship into service and support for others

If you or someone you love has been touched by cancer, this episode offers hope, guidance, and a reminder that purpose can grow from even the deepest pain.

See below for resources to get in touch with Hayley.

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RESOURCES:

Website: www.revivewellness.com

Free Gift: 7 Top Tips to Keep Cancer Away and Feel Confident in Your Body Again!

Podcast: The Cancer Liberation Project

Instagram | Facebook | Linked in

At just 26 years old, Lauren Jeffrey survived what doctors call “the Widow Maker” — a massive heart attack that very few people live to tell about. In this powerful episode we dive deep into her life-saving experience, the warning signs and symptoms of heart attacks in women, and the critical steps to take if you think you’re having one.

Lauren opens up about the moment she realized something was wrong, how she drove herself to the hospital, advocated for herself in the ER, and what her health scare and recovery journey has taught her about self-awareness, relationships, given her a unique perspective on life, and taught her not to sweat the small stuff.

Whether you’re passionate about heart health, have a family history of cardiovascular disease, or simply want to learn how to protect yourself and others, this conversation is a must-listen.In this episode, we cover:

• Early warning signs of a heart attack in women
• How to recognize and respond to cardiac distress
• Emotional and physical recovery after a heart attackLife perspective shifts and healing through gratitude and resilience
• The importance of women’s heart health awareness and self-advocacy--RESOURCES: Support the podcast + road to recovery: https://gofund.me/5a8764f20

Andrea Rockefeller & Casandra Musemeci are the Co-Founders of Peace Project Mental Health Counseling, located in Rochester, NY where they work with Millennial women navigating the anxiety of being millennials in 2025.

As a HUGE advocate of supporting your mental health on any healing journey you find yourself facing, this conversation around emotional wellness and mental health support was so important to me to have here on the platform. In this episode, we discuss:

-Benefits of therapy and why it's not something you only should seek when something is "wrong"

-Tips for managing anxiety, setting boundaries, regulating your nervous system, and not identifying with your emotions

-How "people pleasing" can often lead to seeking of approval while setting boundaries

-Why seeking therapy while managing a chronic illness can be helpful for your healing journey

-How social media can be both beneficial and detrimental to your mental health, depending how you use it

-The importance of the PAUSE

& so much more!

The amount of personal growth I have seen in myself by utilizing therapy and working on my psychological wellbeing are SIGNIFICANT, and I have no doubt that Andrea and Casandra are helping women not just gain emotional self-awareness and relationship boundaries in their day to day lives, but they are helping their patients create awareness around what it truly means to support your mental health and helping them create lasting tools for managing their emotions and embracing a healthy life.

In addition to their private practice at Peace Project, they are also the creators of YourHumanTherapists, a platform dedicated to empowering fellow therapists to embrace their humanness and prioritize self-care through their free community, exclusive book club, and therapist-curated wellness space. Through their work, they emphasize the importance of “holding space for ourselves so we can better hold space for others.” 

RESOURCES:

You can learn more about this dynamic duo through their website: https://www.peaceproject.life/ or finding them on Instagram @yournytherapists or @yourhumantherapists

#mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthsupport #licensedtherapist #anxiety #anxietysupport #anxietyrelief #manageyouremotions #emotionalwellbeing #healingjourney #mindbodyhealth #mentalhealth #therapyiscool

Purchase your ticket or become a sponsor to OWM's Fundraiser for the Nightbirdie Foundation: https://owmintegrativewellness.com/nightbirdie

Jesi Stracham was in a motor cycle accident over a decade ago causing a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed and using a wheelchair. And she refused to let that disability define her by society's standards- she continues to redefine living with limitations and it is truly remarkable.

In this episode, Jesi and I dive deep into her journey living with a spinal cord injury; from finding God the night before her accident , why she believes it's important for wheelchair users to take care of themselves emotionally, physically and spiritually and how that has a SIGNIFICANT impact on your independence, how she uses holistic recovery therapies to heal her body, what it's like to author a book where she can unapologetically herself, and how working through her own BS and empowering herself to be better led her to find a loving relationship she never dreamed possible.

She is a HUGE advocate of mental health and shares mental health tips for people who are learning to live with a disability, why it's necessary to communicate with your support system during healing, and so much more.

This woman blows me away by her transparency on this journey and how authentically she shares the ups and downs of life with a disability on her social channels. In fact, she discovered by sharing a Youtube video having a meltdown on the floor in a hotel room where she was struggling with her disability just how powerful her voice is in this world. This moment changed everything.

Being able to sit with Jesi and share our struggles together and how we've overcome these situations and chosen to pivot and empower ourselves was something I didn't know my soul needed. Jesi is a HUGE inspiration to me, and I know will be for all of you.

Jesi Stracham is a soon to be author of her memoir Roll With Me, releasing in November 2025, and is a speaker, entrepreneur and advocate of transforming lives. She is the cofounder of Freedom Longevity + Wellness LKN, a co-developer of Wheel With me Adapt Fit, an adaptive fitness app for wheelchair users and she has an INCREDIBLY inspiring social media platform where she shares the raw and real truths of her healing journey.

RESOURCES:

Jesi Stracham Contact- 704-736-3222

[email protected]

Coaching Inquiry https://link.arfunnel.io/widget/form/3u5NY5Mg3rdwZ1HpUkeD?notrack=true
Jesi Stracham
Power in the Roll Book Presale https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/power-in-the-roll

www.jesistracham.com
www.facebook.com/jesistracham

www.instagram.com/jesistracham

www.linkedin.com/jesistracham
www.threads.com/jesistrachamwww.tiktok.com/jesistracham

Wheel With Me Adapt Fit
Link to the app-  http://onelink.to/wheelwithme
Facebook community- https://www.facebook.com/share/qXWN5vZ7cWfsuLHN/?mibextid=K35XfP
www.instagram.com/wheelwithmeadaptfit
www.wheelwithmeadaptfit.com
Wheel With Me Foundation
www.wheelwithmefoundation.org
www.facebook.com/wheelwithme
www.twitter.com/wheelwithme

Freedom LKN The Facility

https://www.freedomlkn.com

https://www.instagram.com/freedomlkn

Season 3 of the FWD Think Tank kicking off talking about how to handle the curveballs that life throws at you while on your healing journey. This was not an easy episode to record, as I have had some big hurdles the past few months. If you are on a cancer healing journey and find yourself faced with news you weren't hoping to hear, a scan result that brings emotional charges, blood work that isn't what you'd hoped to see, this episode is for you.

After spending some time off of social media after going through an unexpected second surgery this summer, I've put some thoughts together on how to help others navigate a health hurdle including focusing on facts first, processing and moving THROUGH your feelings and not internalizing them, the importance of protecting your peace and not oversharing your journey in the moment if that feels stressful for you, the NECESSITY of advocating for yourself because on YOU know your body, why it's important to relinquish control, move at your own pace and let God guide you forward when you feel like you can't do it on your own, and the importance of finding moments of JOY despite the heartaching moments of setback.

If this episode resonated with you, PLEASE share it. It means the world to me.

RESOURCES:

Below are resources mentioned for attending/supporting the Nightbirdie Foundation Fundraiser with Dr. Kaplan and the OWM Integrative Wellness Team on Thursday October 9, 2025 from 5:30-8pm at 891 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo, NY.

Learn more and purchase tickets here: https://owmintegrativewellness.com/nightbirde/

Support my healing journey with a charitable donation:

https://gofund.me/e95ab1aeb